Online Field Notes Writing Workshop, 6-Part Class - Fall 2025

Location: Virtual Classroom on Zoom

Dates: Tuesdays, November 4, 11, 18, 25, and December 2, 9

Time: 10:00-11:30 a.m. Mountain Time (but plan for a two-hour class on November 25 and December 9)

Explore various forms of nature writing, then research and write your own Field Note during this online, workshop-based six-part class!

Instructors:
Allison De Jong, writer, naturalist, and editor of Montana Naturalist magazine and Field Notes on Montana Public Radio
Drew Lefebvre, naturalist, writer, and owner of Turnstone Nature Education

In this six-part class, you’ll work with Field Notes editor Allison De Jong, naturalist Drew Lefebvre, and your fellow participants to research, write, and workshop your very own Field Note. We’ll read and discuss a variety of nature writing; brainstorm ideas; practice writing prompts; discuss tone, style, and research methods; and provide feedback for each other’s Field Notes. And you’ll have the opportunity to record your Field Note with Montana Public Radio sometime later this year, if interested. Many of the Field Notes aired since 2021 were written in previous workshops! (You can read and listen to them here.)

This class will be a delightful combination of natural history and creativity. You’ll get to explore a natural history topic of your choice, practice different writing techniques, get and give feedback on your and others’ writing in a small, supportive workshop setting, and finish the class with a lovely natural history essay that’s ready to be shared with the Montana Public Radio listening area (if you wish!).

Course fee includes a copy of our beautiful Field Notes from the Montana Natural History Center book*, a collection of 134 Field Notes as well as original artwork from dozens of naturalists from the program’s first 25 years. We’ll read and discuss several of these Field Notes in class, and the rest of the book is yours to enjoy at your leisure. If you cannot pick up your copy at the Montana Natural History Center, we will mail it to you for a small fee. Make sure to purchase the "Field Notes book shipping" at checkout. 

Cost: $225 MNHC members, $245 non-members. You can add your MNHC membership to your order when you check out.

Registration is required.

What participants are saying about this workshop:

“I loved this class. Learning to write field notes was way different than what I expected. Allison and Drew both really brought to life the importance of sharing personal experience and scientific information in story form. I learned so much about the writing process, how to refine pieces for reading aloud, and how to give a voice to the voiceless. I have much more confidence about writing field notes now, and many ideas!!”
~Marnie Craig, Spring 2020

“A complete and successful experience! Involving, stimulating. Great to experience the writing and expression abilities of the other writers. I was often amazed how the leaders and the other writers could analyze, dissect, and interpret our reading assignments and any topic of discussion. I loved the class. A learning and writing experience for sure, thank you!”
~Terry Habeger, Spring 2020

“Thank you, thank you, thank you. This class was extremely grounding in a period of big transition in my life, and it really bolstered my self-confidence to sit with a group of strangers every week and feel seen and heard. Knowing that I have the capacity to sit down and write words that make people feel excited to go outside is an incredible gift, and I am very grateful for this class for it.”
~Zola Kell, Fall 2021

"I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the classroom community. Would recommend taking this class for anyone interested in creative science/nature writing, either for fun or as a career."
~Kayla Heinze, Spring 2023

"It was all so rewarding! I loved crafting a piece that felt digestible to get me back into a writing routine. I loved our 10-minute writes. The [workshopping] session was really helpful as well as the detailed suggestions and feedback from both Allison and Drew. I loved the poetry and writing pieces we read and discussed in class. It was a great class!"
~Victoria Yee, Fall 2024

“I enjoyed it all. The 6-week process was such a lovely journey together and I learned more about my writing style, how to write a field note, and it inspired me to want to be outdoors even more as spring arrives here in Montana. Allison and Drew are outstanding facilitators and writers. Their communication skills and invitation to all of us to step into and trust this process, and to create community along the way, was inspiring. It’s nice to get to the last week of a class and to be truly sorry to see it end. I know this experience touched me, expanded me as a naturalist and a writer, and as an outdoor and conservation enthusiast. This class will long be remembered. Thank you for this wonderful experience!”
~Dawn Gelderloos, Spring 2025

FAQs
What’s the refund policy?
The course fee (minus a 25% administrative fee) is refundable if a cancellation is made up to 7 days before the event. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made after this deadline. See our full refund/cancellation policy here.

*The cost of the Field Notes book is non-refundable (if you cancel after you’ve received the book).
*If you are unable to pick up the book from the Montana Natural History Center, we will ship it to you for an additional fee. (Choose the Field Notes Book Shipping add-on when you check out.)