NL North Loop Workshop Adult Writing & Proposal Lab
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North Loop Workshop

Practical writing, proposal, and narrative classes for working adults.

Live small-group courses in Minneapolis for people with real projects to finish. Bring the proposal, essay, or presentation you keep postponing. Leave with a finished draft, line-by-line editorial feedback, and a repeatable process.

Adult students in a writing workshop critique session at North Loop Workshop
212 3rd Ave N, Suite 410, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Upcoming Cohorts

Autumn term, open cohorts

Small classes, fixed dates, tuition shown in full.

Reserve a seat
  1. Clear Business & Proposal Writing October 7, 2026 Tuesdays, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, 4 weeks 5 of 12 seats open
  2. The Personal Essay Intensive October 17, 2026 Saturdays, 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, 6 weeks 3 of 10 seats open
  3. Presenting Dense Ideas Without a Script November 7, 2026 Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, 1 day 4 of 8 seats open
  4. Manuscript Revision & Structure Lab October 15, 2026 Thursdays, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, 8 weeks 2 of 8 seats open

Course catalog and transparent pricing


Small classes capped at 12 students with weekly line-by-line instructor critiques.

View all course syllabi
In-Person

Clear Business & Proposal Writing

$295

Four Tuesday evenings to revise a real RFP response, executive proposal, or client report with line-by-line critique.

Schedule: Tuesdays, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, 4 weeks
Starts: October 7, 2026
5 of 12 seats open
In-Person

The Personal Essay Intensive

$420

Six Saturday mornings for generating, drafting, workshopping, and revising one publication-ready first-person essay.

Schedule: Saturdays, 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, 6 weeks
Starts: October 17, 2026
3 of 10 seats open
Hybrid

Presenting Dense Ideas Without a Script

$185

A focused Saturday intensive for technical leaders turning complex briefs into memorable 10-minute talks.

Schedule: Saturday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, 1 day
Starts: November 7, 2026
4 of 8 seats open
Hybrid

Manuscript Revision & Structure Lab

$580

Eight bi-weekly workshops for writers with a 25,000-plus-word draft seeking developmental structural editing.

Schedule: Thursdays, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, 8 weeks
Starts: October 15, 2026
2 of 8 seats open

Led by working editors and authors


Every instructor is an actively publishing writer, former newsroom editor, or communications leader.

Meet all faculty members
Founding Director & Lead Editor

Dana Mercer

MFA Iowa Writers' Workshop, 16 years in newsrooms and adult education

Former deputy editor at Midwest Review and staff essayist. Dana has guided more than 400 adult students through nonfiction proposals, essays, and institutional reports.

Teaches: Clear Business Writing, Manuscript Revision Lab
Nonfiction Faculty

Marcus Vance

Author of two memoirs, Pushcart Prize nominee

Marcus teaches personal narrative and structure. His students have placed essays in The Sun, Orion Magazine, and regional anthologies.

Teaches: The Personal Essay Intensive
Communications & Speech Specialist

Evelyn Ross

BA Rhetoric, former speechwriter for Twin Cities nonprofits

Evelyn helps analysts, engineers, and nonprofit directors communicate complex data and civic arguments without leaning on slide-deck crutches.

Teaches: Presenting Dense Ideas Without a Script

Work finished in our classroom


Our measures are finished proposals, published essays, and presentations that moved a decision.

Read the full case notes
Foundation Grant Proposal

I came in with a 40-page grant proposal that had been rejected twice. Dana's structural editing helped us trim eight pages and win a $75,000 foundation grant.

Claire Thorne Awarded $75,000 funding
Historical Personal Essay

The Saturday essay lab gave me the accountability I could not find alone. My essay on my grandfather's machine shop was published in a regional quarterly three months later.

David Lindstrom Published in The Basswood Review
Executive Board Presentation

As an engineering manager, presenting to our board terrified me. Evelyn's video lab taught me how to pace my points and speak from structure rather than panic.

Sarah Al-Mansoor Promoted to Director of Operations

Reserve your seat for the upcoming session

Not sure which course fits your project or schedule? Reach out for a 10-minute course recommendation call.

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