Local writers will have the opportunity to sharpen their skills with the Great Smokies Writing Program’s winter workshop series. Led by regional professors and noted writers, the program will offer six workshops in poetry and prose. Classes are open to both beginning and experienced writers.

Author and journalist Elizabeth Lutyens will lead “Hanging in There: An Advanced Prose Workshop.” This class will be held at the Asheville School from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for 15 consecutive Wednesdays beginning January 31. This workshop serves as a community for writers, where every member will commit significant time to reading and responding to the work of others in the group. Permission of the instructor is required for admission.

Vicki Lane, author of the Elizabeth Goodweather mystery series, will lead “It Doesn’t Have to Be a Mystery: A Prose Workshop.” This class will meet from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for 10 consecutive Tuesdays beginning February 13 at the YMI Cultural Center, 39 South Market St. This class will combine instruction in the basics of writing with information about seeking an agent, submitting a manuscript and building a career.

Award-winning poet and author Cathy Smith Bowers will teach “Poetic Form: A Poetry Workshop” at the Asheville School, 360 Asheville School Rd., from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on 10 consecutive Tuesdays beginning February 13. The class will allow students to explore ways to tap into images from their own experiences and expand those into poetry.

Noted nonfiction writer Christine Hale will teach “People and Places We Can’t Forget: A Prose Workshop.” The workshop will meet at the Randolph Learning Center, 90 Montford Ave., from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for 10 consecutive Wednesdays starting February 14. Students will focus on creating vivid characters and settings and developing stories based on them. Emphasis will be on composing and reviewing new work as well as discussing prize-winning short fiction and creative nonfiction.

Valerie Bandura, UNC Asheville adjunct assistant professor of literature and language, will teach “Reaching the Poet Within: A Poetry Workshop.” Held at the Randolph Learning Center from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for 10 consecutive Wednesdays beginning February 14, the class provides a framework for generating new material through support and risk-taking.

Noted prose and poetry author Sebastian Matthews will teach “True Stories: A Creative Nonfiction Workshop.” This course will meet at the Randolph Learning Center from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for 10 consecutive Wednesdays beginning February 14. Designed for both beginning and experienced writers, this course works with variety of nonfiction forms, including personal essay and memoir. Students will discuss each other’s work and explore revision strategies.

Each course qualifies for UNC Asheville credit hours in literature and language. Tuition and fees are $79.19 per credit hour for applicants who meet North Carolina residency requirements. In addition, there is a one-time visiting student application fee of $20. Class size is limited; early registration is suggested.

For more information or to register, call UNC Asheville’s Extension and Distance Education Office at 828/232-5122 or e-mail fox@unca.edu.