Desired Essays: An Online Writing Workshop (October)

An online workshop on reading cities and experimenting with words to capture the sense of place. No theme, just anything about cities.

Desired Essays invites you into the editorial spirit of Desired Landscapes. A space for personal, experimental, sharp, and concise writing. You’ll learn how to craft text with the same attention to form, angle, and tone that defined the magazine. 

↘ Selected pieces will be published in a new print format that you could again carry in your pocket.

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This workshop is not just about writing, but about editing as a form of thinking — experimenting with words until they fold into that balance we like to call poetic academia, at the intersection of the poetic and the critical.

Day 1: Writing (the Desired editorial framework, ideation methods, discussion, free writing)
Day 2: Editing (define the angle, strengthen structure and references, meet a Desired writer, edit the first draft)
Day 3: Publishing (finishing touches on tone and expression, killing your darlings, preparing to publish on Desired Landscapes)

• 9 hours of guided editorial work
  Across three sessions: selected readings, free writing, editorial guidelines, and hands-on editing tips.
• In-class writing & feedback
  Time to write, share, and receive direct feedback. Group discussions and peer edits, plus a guest visit by a Desired Landscapes contributor.
• Resources to take away
  References, checklists and methods to guide your practice beyond the workshop.
• An intimate group
  Capped at 12 participants, so every voice is heard.  

↘ Towards publication
Each participant develops one essay, with the chance for selected pieces, or excerpts, to appear in the next chapter of Desired Landscapes — in new, small-scale printed format.

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Group A: Mondays, 6–9 pm EEST
Dates: 13, 20, 27 October
A focused way to kickstart your week with writing momentum.
Best for Europe and the Americas. 

Group B: Wednesdays, 10 am – 1 pm EEST
Dates: 15, 22, 29 October
A midweek workshop designed to meet your day in its flow.
Best for Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Australia. 

Group C: Saturdays, 5–8 pm EEST
Dates: 18, 25 October, 1 November
A weekend session to ground your writing practice in a slower rhythm.
A good bridge for Europe, the Americas & Asia.

Language: English
Seats: only 12 
Duration: 3 hours x 3 classes
Homework: under 1 hour weekly

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Instructor 
Anastasia Pappa is the founder, publisher, and editor of Desired Landscapes — a publishing project exploring cities through magazines, maps, walking tours, and writing clubs. With a background in graphic design, she has spent the past decade teaching design and design writing, next to her research on visual culture, oral history, urbanism, and the vernacular. Her work has been featured in The Guardian, Monocle, AIGA Eye on Design, Lonely Planet, and more.

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The full journey (3 classes, 9 hours together)
Choose the pricing option that feels right for you and your current situation — I trust you to know best.

• Standard — €240 
• Reduced — €144 (6 spots for students or those who need it)
• Supporter — €300 (for those who wish to support this new chapter of Desired Landscapes)

Please note: because the groups are intentionally small, bookings are non-refundable and non-cancellable. Your fee helps sustain this shared moment, and your presence is what keeps its magic alive. If you miss the first class, you won’t be able to join the remaining sessions, and swaps between groups aren’t possible — this helps protect the flow and dynamic of our group work.