Brian Benson

Senior Fellow at the Attic Institute of Arts and Letters

Brian Benson is the author of Going Somewhere (Plume, 2014), and co-author, with Richard Brown, of This Is Not for You (OSU Press, 2021). Originally from the hinterlands of Wisconsin, Brian now lives in Portland, Oregon, where he teaches at the Attic Institute, facilitates free Write Around Portland workshops, and is a Writer in the Schools instructor. His short nonfiction has been published or is forthcoming in Hippocampus, Off Assignment, Oregon Humanities, The Sun, and Hunger Mountain, among other publications.

Upcoming Classes

Intro to Flash Nonfiction Workshop w Brian Benson | July 2 - July 30 | Online

The Attic Experience

"Before I started my first writing workshop at the Attic Institute, I had one simple goal: survive. I had never taken a writing course before and was certain that, not only was I the worst writer who ever spilled ink on the page, but everyone at the table would realize it instantly and cull me from the herd. I was wrong. I found myself surrounded by a group of supportive writers led by a patient, encouraging instructor. My first workshop with Emily Whitman —involving mostly in-class exercises — was so inspiring that I enrolled in two more with her: back-to-back workshops focusing on works-in-progress. The give-and-take sessions of reading and feedback were invaluable in helping me better understand why a particular scene was or wasn’t working and how it could be improved, and teaching me tools for breaking impasse. It was hard work, but totally worth it."

- Mark Friel, Attic Institute student in Young Adult

The Classic Book for Writers, Updated and Revised

EVERY WRITER HAS A THOUSAND FACES

"This book has been in print forever because what it offers works for people." — Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club

"Finally, an anti-bullsht book on creativity!"* — James Marcus, former editor of Harper's

"Does for the creative process what Strunk and White did for our approach to grammar and style. Indispensible." — Marjorie Sandor, National Jewish Book Award winner

"Buoyant...unorthodox...A provocative and anti-intuitive manual for making fresh art." — Kirkus Review

"Biespiel offers a number of best practices—not just for writing...but for living a creative life." — The Rumpus

A Statement of Our Values

The Attic Institute of Arts and Letters opposes the legitimation of bigotry, hate, and misinformation. As a studio for writers, we do not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any kind. We embrace and celebrate our shared pursuit of literature and languages as essential to crossing the boundaries of difference. To that end, we seek to maintain a creative environment in which every employee, faculty member, and student feels safe, respected, and comfortable — even while acknowledging that poems, stories, and essays delve into uncomfortable subjects. We accept the workshop as a place to question ourselves and to empathize with complex identities. We understand that to know the world is to write the world. Therefore, we reaffirm our commitment to literary pursuits and shared understanding by affirming diversity and open inquiry.