Rachel Kobin has been a writer since she adapted Louise Fitzhugh’s Harriet the Spy into a play for her third-grade classmates to perform. That early instinct—to gather people around a story—grew into her life’s work.
In 2011, she founded the Philadelphia Writers Workshop, and continues to lead the flagship Tuesday Night Writing Workshop at the Resiliency Center, along with a growing range of programs offered via video conferencing and online.
At the heart of her approach is the Amherst Writers & Artists™ method, which Rachel learned from Alison Hicks, founder and director of the Greater Philadelphia Wordshop Studio. The AWA method creates a supportive, collaborative environment where writers of all backgrounds and experience levels can explore their voices freely—whether they are setting words on a page for the first time or polishing work for publication.
Some writers arrive with literary aspirations; others enjoy writing as a powerful tool for self-discovery. Both approaches are equally welcome. Participants pursue all genres and forms—fiction, nonfiction, memoir, prose, and poetry—through every stage of the process, from the first glimmer of an idea to revision and beyond. Central to the workshops is learning to give and receive feedback, which hones writing and self-editing skills.
Rachel celebrates the ever-growing list of workshop alumni and current participants whose work has found publication and recognition. To this end, the Philadelphia Writers Workshop team also offers a full range of editing and coaching services, supporting writers from initial concept through a polished, publication-ready manuscript.
Before founding the workshop, Rachel worked as a professional writer in several fields. She wrote advertising copy for technology and healthcare clients, internal communications in the biotech industry, and critiques of script drafts for Philadelphia, the film by Jonathan Demme, also known for The Silence of the Lambs. She also spent time early in her career in film and television production, including at Viacom.
Rachel continues to write. Her poetry appears in several anthologies, including We Will Not Be Silenced, As the World Burns, and Through the Looking Glass (available from Abe Books and Amazon). She is currently working on essays, poetry, and a novel.
While Rachel is sensitive to emotional issues, she has no official training or licensing as a counselor. Writing workshops can be a wonderful complement to therapy but should never substitute for professional psychiatric or psychological care.
If you’re looking for a welcoming space to develop your writing voice, connect with others, and explore your creativity, Rachel invites you to register for a workshop and discover the transformative power of writing with others.
