About StoryLoft

The National Writers Series StoryLoft is a third space for writers of all ages in Northern Michigan.

Our History

StoryLoft has grown out of NWS’ previous education programs - Front Street Writers and Raising Writers.

Front Street Writers was founded in 2012 as a for-credit, tuition-free, rigorous creative writing program for public high school students, originally located on Front Street. This program transitioned to Northwest Education Services, where local high school students can still enroll in a for-credit creative writing program.

Raising Writers was born out of the community’s continued longing for extracurricular writing workshops offered to students in grades 7-12. The program expanded with the introduction of in-school poetry workshops and College Essay courses, which are still offered today.

StoryLoft now offers classroom and workshop space in downtown Traverse City to youth and adult students alike. Our programming continues to expand as the needs of our students change, but one truth will forever remain our rally cry:
writers’ futures are brighter futures.

Youth Classes

Adult Classes

Battle of the Books

Our Offerings

Featured Work

In School Programs

College Essay Prep

Scholarships

Literary Journals

Instruction Opportunities

StoryLoft Program Staff

Audrey Irontree

We count on this visionary to define strategic priorities, allocate resources responsibly, and ensure every decision reinforces long-term value creation.

Education Director

Erin Bernhard

We trust this leader to synchronize production, logistics, and support functions, cultivating dependable processes that uphold our service commitments.

Education Administrator

Our Fall 2026 Instructors

  • A woman with short curly blonde hair smiling outdoors in front of yellow autumn leaves, wearing a blue plaid shirt.

    Kelly Almer

    Online Classes for Middle Grades

  • A woman with shoulder-length red hair, smiling, holding a notebook and pen, standing in front of a bookshelf filled with books.

    Mandy Keskes

    Online Fiction and College Essay for Youth and Adults

  • A woman with glasses and shoulder-length purple hair smiling outdoors, wearing a teal top and a patterned scarf, with greenery in the background.

    (Ni)'Cole Birkett

    Online Genre Classes for Youth

  • A man with dark curly hair and a beard, wearing a gray suit, light blue shirt, and black tie, standing outdoors with trees and green foliage in the background.

    Chris Loud

    In Person Screenwriting and Nature Writing for Youth

  • A woman with dark hair standing outdoors at dusk, wearing a long black floral dress with puffed sleeves, with hands on her hips, in a grassy area with trees and a building in the background.

    Audrey Irontree

    NWS Education Director

  • Woman with short brown hair smiling, wearing a gray scarf and black jacket, standing in front of a brick wall.

    Addie Ulrey

    Online Creative Writing for Youth

We are always looking for dynamic, experienced, and outgoing teachers for various creative writing classes.

To learn more about becoming a StoryLoft class instructor or to pitch a class idea, click below.

Pitch a Class