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As a published writer, teaching instructor, writer's coach and newcomer to Northern California, Valerie Fioravanti now brings her years of teaching experience to the Sacramento community.

Fioravanti is offering Midtown Writing Workshops for beginning and advanced writers.  Her workshops include small group meetings or private tutoring, with instruction and feedback on stories, novels, multi-genre and flash pieces.

"I think there are a lot of writers in [Sacramento]" she said. "In any city of this size, there are going to be two different types of people," Fioravanti said, "aspiring writers and people looking for self-expression, for creative expression."

Fioravanti has experienced the defeat of receiving rejection letters and not finding the constructive criticism she craved.  In her writing workshops, she aims to cut the fluff of pretty writing; instead, she wants to get down to the basic fundamentals and help groom aspiring writers towards a professional career.

"You are going to get what I didn't get in workshops until I attended graduate school — you are going to get the truth," Fioravanti said.  "You are going to get [the criticism] of what it takes to be a professional."

The "truth" she learned in graduate school gave her the push she needed in her writing.  Eventually, she earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in fiction writing from New Mexico State University.

"Until you learn how to tell a story, you are going nowhere - ," she said.  "It's a hard truth.  And as soon as I addressed [this,] my work started going from rejections to actual acceptances."

Born and raised in New York City, it was only through the suggestion from a friend that lead her to Sacramento after first viewing Davis.

"I am a city girl at heart," she said. "Davis is lovely, but I walked around [the city center] in five minutes. Midtown Sacramento was her backup plan for me.  Sacramento was perfect.  It was exactly what I was looking for," said Fioravanti.

Since settling in Sacramento for a few short months, Fioravanti decided to open up Midtown Writing Workshops.  She already teaches short stories and multi-genre writing classes online for UCLA Writer's Extension Program.  However, she is ready to branch out into her own teaching curriculum and begin mentoring in the Sacramento community.

"I have been teaching writing since 2000," she said. "I have learned what works for me, what works for students, I am ready to do it my way."

Fioravanti believes that Sacramento has a particularly thriving art community, but it lacks a strong community for writers.  The demand will grow, she said, eventually creating a haven for writers.  She envisions herself in the forefront, hoping to encourage and support ambitious beginning writers, and publication guidance for seasoned writers.

"I think with a city of this size there is potential," said Valerie, "I think it's really just a matter of getting the word out."

Fioravanti's long-term goals include creating a non-profit writing center in Midtown.  She has already contacted the Sacramento Arts Council to see about grant money to begin offering scholarships.  While living in New York as an aspiring writer, having the writing community and workshops was a place to fit in.  It was there that you felt among your people, she said.

"There are some [writing] venues for poets, and the California Lecture series, but we don't have anything really focusing on Sacramento community writers," she said.  "I would love to see a thriving writing community."

Workshops start in October continuing on until November, located at 17th and H in Midtown.  Fioravanti classes are primarily for young adults, professionals and retirees.

Please check Valerie Fioravanti's website for workshop times and dates at Midtown Writing Workshops.