meet the madison writers’ studio

Authors Michelle Wildgen and Susanna Daniel started the Madison Writers’ Studio in 2013 to provide MFA-level support to writers of fiction and creative nonfiction, without snobbery, judgment, or gate-keeping.

  • Susanna Daniel

    Susanna Daniel, author and editor

    Susanna Daniel is the author of three novels. Girlfriending is a spinoff of her award-winning short story, "The Goddess of Illicit Choices," Stiltsville, was awarded the PEN/Bingham prize, and Sea Creatures, was a Target Book Club pick.

    Susanna is the co-founder of the Madison Writers’ Studio with author Michelle Wildgen, and she’s been leading the Book in a Year workshop since 2013. She’s coached and edited more 100+ novelists and memoirists, either from the blank page or from the full draft.

    Susanna is a graduate of Columbia University and earned her MFA at the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was a Teaching-Writing Fellow.

    She’s been awarded fellowships at the UW-Madison Institute for Creative Writing and residencies at the MacDowell Colony and UCross, and her fiction and creative nonfiction has been published in the Sewanee Review, Newsweek, Slate, One Story, Wisconsin People & Ideas, Significant Objects, Epoch, and elsewhere. Before co-founding MWS, she taught college-level creative writing for ten years.

    She was born and raised in Miami, Florida, and has made her home in Madison with two teens and one mutt.

    You can learn more about Susanna at her website, and you’re welcome to contact her about Book in a Year via email.

  • Michelle Wildgen

    Michelle Wildgen, author and editor

    Michelle Wildgen is the author of the novels Wine People, Bread and Butter, But Not For Long, and You’re Not You (both available in paperback from Picador), and is the editor of an anthology, Food & Booze: A Tin House Literary Feast (Tin House Books). You’re Not You has been adapted for film, starring Hilary Swank and Emmy Rossum.

    Michelle received her MFA in fiction from Sarah Lawrence College and has taught fiction and nonfiction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Iowa Summer Writing Festival, and the Tin House Writers’ Workshop. She was a long-time executive editor at Tin House Magazine and former books editor with Tin House Books. Michelle’s nonfiction has included a weekly column on food television as well as individual essays on a wide range of topics: from American Girl doll Rebecca Rubin, Burt Reynolds’ 1970s fan mail, and obscure Wisconsin card games to the craft of writing, fresh mozzarella, deer-hunting for the neophyte, and the number of times one must endure anaphylactic shock before giving up shellfish for good.

    Her fiction, personal essays, and food writing have appeared in publications including The New York Times Book Review and“Modern Love” column, O, the Oprah Magazine, RealSimple.com, LitHub, and anthologies such as Naming the World and Other Exercises for the Creative Writer, Dirty Words, Best New American Voices 2004, Best Food Writing 2004 and 2009, Death by Pad Thai and Other Unforgettable Meals, and journals including StoryQuarterly, TriQuarterly, Prairie Schooner, and elsewhere. Awards and honors include a scholarship to Bread Loaf, residency at the Hall Farm Center in Vermont, and the Virginia Faulkner Award for Excellence in Writing from Prairie Schooner.

    You can learn more about Michelle’s work at her website, and you can contact her via email.

OUR BOOKS

testimonials

  • “The bits of writing advice you give us at the beginning of a session always land perfectly for me. And I like when you ask someone how it’s going at the end. Every time I hear people who are writers talk about writing, I feel renewed in my own desire to get what I think down on paper.”

    — Shirley S.

  • “I loved this class, and I think Michelle is a great editor and teacher. I will definitely take another class! The format – a round table discussion with peer and instructor feedback – was one that I found to be very helpful. I liked that people were encouraged, by the instructor’s example, to be very honest instead of giving insincere or inflated reviews…. I saw a noticeable improvement in my writing from the start of the class to the end.”

    — Jenny

  • “A+++ Excellent encouraging feedback, useful, specific, and perceptive. Your written critiques of my workshop pieces gave me wonderful clear guidelines for revision. I am deeply appreciative.”

    — Janice

  • “THANK YOU for your guidance during the Book in a Year workshop. Your feedback during our workshops helped me move forward month to month, and I recently went back to review your comments on my submissions and incorporate your editing suggestions before finalizing my first draft. Wow!"

    — Sarah Z B

  • “Susanna has helped my writing by always sharing honest and clear reactions paired with achievable suggestions to action. I learned early on this year that I could trust her, that she was paying close attention, and truly cared about our success as developing writers.”

    — Andy

  • "In the process of completing a comprehensive edit, Susanna took my long, unwieldy manuscript, cut about a quarter, resulting in a clean, tight read with enhanced flow and narrative drive, but no loss of plot or characterization. Susanna composed dozens of suggested inserted lines of prose, just about all of which were made part of the novel."

    Peter Barbella, author of DO YOU TAKE THESE MEN?

  • “It’s rare to get a nurturing environment coupled with a deep, productive critique for one’s work. You set the bar high for writing workshops.”

    — Kyle W.

  • “Candlewood is a far better book (and I am a far better writer) for the company and programs I encountered through the Madison Writers Studio. ”

    — Kate Fletemeyer, author of Candlewood

  • "You set a great tone and your editorial instincts are superb. I've loved our group and everyone's books, all of them, and the whole thing has been my favorite part of my life this year. One of my favorite things ever."

    — Bill

  • “Without being too simple – I loved it! And yes I will do it again, and if I knew anyone who was serious about being a better writer, I would recommend the classes.”

    Mary F.

  • “I loved the class. I was in awe of (and totally intimidated by) the talent I was in company with. I found their pieces brave and inspiring. I was thankful to be there as they shared. The readings and assignments got my brain going again”

    Stephanie R.

  • “The combination of your competence and caring has made the editing process a productive and positive experience. I am most appreciative.”

    — Peter B.

  • “I want to tell you how truly grateful I am for your amazing workshops, your thoughtful feedback, and the open and nurturing environment you created. I’m super grateful.”

    — Curt

  • “Given the quality and abundance of the feedback from the instructor and classmates, I found this class to be the best value as well. You get your money’s worth, and more.”

    — Julie

  • “For me, this was a great re-entry into the practice of writing. I would take another class. It’s a wonderful resource for people from all walks of life who want to write.”

    — Zara

  • “You’ve just been a fantastic inspiration to me all year. I really can’t begin to say how much I appreciate your encouragement and help, and getting to come to your workshops. I would not have committed to this novel without your support. ”

    — Jim C.

  • “This reminded me of the joy I used to feel in learning new skills and trying new things. I’ve already started the next MWS class.”

    — Deb

  • "The structure of the course is well crafted and I could see immediately that the instructor took great care in navigating such a vulnerable space and experience and making it into a fantastic opportunity to become a better writer. It was one of the most valuable experiences I’ve had and I’ve taken a LOT of writing courses. I can’t recommend this course enough.”

    — Sara A.

  • “Feedback was amazing! I had come from a situation where every few months I was writing a story for a story share show and I had garnered a reputation of being a skilled and talented writer who didn’t need feedback. If I was struggling people would just tell me I’d work it out and they weren’t worried, never mind that I was. It was so refreshing to have feedback no matter what. It renewed me as a writer.”

    — S.

  • “Thank you for what you have done. You have such a gift for communication and writing. I loved all the pearls and lessons you left along the way. I’m also grateful for the encouraging remarks you left, they often kept me going. ”

    — Jeff H.

  • “The class was a big step for me to sign up for it, in the sense of stepping outside my comfort zone and letting someone else look at my writing. I never felt ill at ease.”

    — John

  • “It was the best writing class I’ve ever taken. I would absolutely take another class. The feedback was probably the most valuable part of the class. It was thorough and really showed that the instructor cared about the students and content.”

    — Cristalyne

  • “I felt that the group was respectful of the individuals while being honest with each other. Susanna fostered that environment and made it look easy.”

    — Tami

  • “I really appreciated the critiques Michelle gave me for my work, which were generous and also interested. After reading them, I felt like I had a lot more options and could see my pieces in a different way, which was empowering.”

    — Erinn

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