Due to lack of interest, the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing is canceling fall workshops that were scheduled to begin Monday.

Two eight-week courses, “Writing for Young Adult Audiences” and “Swept Away: Writing Romantic Fiction,” and two one-day courses, “Method Writing: Actors’ Tools, Writers’ Rules” and “Where Are Your Words? Exercises for Writers” were canceled because not enough people signed up for them.

While press releases were sent out to promote the workshops, Piper Center Communications Director Tom McDermott blames the economy in part for the lack of interest in the fall workshops. The price range for the canceled classes was $75 for one-day classes, $100 for online classes and $400 for an eight-week course.

“Online courses seem to be generating a lot of interest because of the comfort it allows the student,” McDermott said. “With the economy the way it is, more people will be inclined to take a class where they don’t have to drive to it every week.”

McDermott added that other factors, like the eight-week commitment could have steered people away.

The first creative writing workshop will now be held Sept. 20, taught by journalist Jana Bommersbach.

The topics of the workshops, which are not for academic credit, include novel writing, writing screenplays and exercises for writers. Course instructors are all prominent writers from the local community.

Skill levels for the workshops range from beginner to intensive courses for more advanced writers.

“Part of what we do here at the Piper Center for Creative Writing is to allow the greater Phoenix area access to literary workshops, events and programs that they might not have the chance to experience anywhere else,” program coordinator Elizabyth Hiscox said. “We serve the greater Phoenix area, especially people who don’t have the time or money to attend the University, providing them the opportunity to work with world-class writers.”

Hiscox added that the Piper Center is also hoping to reach farther than Phoenix with its programs.

“With the online courses offered at the Piper Center, we’re hoping to bring a national level of consciousness,” Hiscox said. “People across the country can take online courses with us.”

Reach the reporter at allison.carlin@asu.edu.