Lisa Ohlen Harris's Blog

Coronavirus Diaries

I'm now blogging at Coronavirus Diaries if you'd like to stop by.

Winter Online Class

My fall Object Lessons class was a lot of fun, and I've had requests to run it again this winter. If you're interested in learning more, let me know!

New Online Class ��� Fall 2018

Object Lessons: Writing the Tangible��5-week online classSeptember 24 ��� October 28, 2018Creative nonfiction brings together the concrete and the abstract, grounding relationships and emotion in the physical world and analyzing artifact in order to excavate memory and launch speculation.��Through weekly readings, instruction, conversation, and prompts, this 5-week online class will

New Online Class — Fall 2018

Object Lessons: Writing the Tangible 

5-week online class

September 24 – October 28, 2018



Creative nonfiction brings together the concrete and the abstract, grounding relationships and emotion in the physical world and analyzing artifact in order to excavate memory and launch speculation. Through weekly readings, instruction, conversation, and prompts, this 5-week online class will

A Gift Certificate for the Writer in Your Life

Many years ago my husband, Todd, saw a spark in me I had ignored for years in light of the pressing needs of three preschoolers and my responsibilities as a stay-at-home mom. First, Todd gave me the gift of an online writing class. When the class was over and I was writing regularly in the wee hours of the morning before the kids were up, Todd arranged and paid for a series of mentorships with

Holiday Gift Certificate for the Writer in Your Life

Many years ago my husband, Todd, saw a spark in me I had ignored for years in light of the pressing needs of three preschoolers and my responsibilities as a stay-at-home mom. First, Todd gave me the gift of an online writing class. When the class was over and I was writing regularly in the wee hours of the morning before the kids were up, Todd arranged and paid for a series of mentorships with

Life Writing: An Introduction to Memoir

Four-week memoir class starting in McMinnville—register soon! 

Terroir Creative Writing Festival

One November night in 2011, I drove three towns south on 99W to McMinnville, Oregon, to attend a committee meeting for a local writing festival. The meeting was nuts. So noisy and disorganized. Someone passed around wine glasses and a bottle of pinot noir, everyone talking over and under each other. I couldn't get a word in edgewise. This is ridiculous, I thought to myself. I am definitely not

John D'Agata Says This About The Fifth Season

My second book meant my second chance at the Oregon Book Award—but the honor went not to me but to another fine writer, Justin Hocking, for his memoir, The Great Floodgates of the Underworld (congratulations, Justin!). 

I have to be honest here. When Justin's name was announced instead of mine at the awards ceremony, I breathed a sigh of relief and all my nervous anticipation faded before the

McMinnville Reading and Open Mic

Join me at the Velvet Monkey tearoom on April 2 for a reading (by me) and open mic for prose writers (that means you)!