2027 Porch Fiction Year Cohort with William Henry Lewis

NOTE: Registration requires a $60 deposit (members can waive the $60 fee!). You will receive a payment link in your registration receipt, and the remaining $4,740 payment can be paid in full immediately or in (12) monthly $395 installments. 

The Porch Year is an online, immersive one-year manuscript mentorship program designed for committed writers that begins in January 2027 - December 2027. With a maximum of 12 participants, this fiction cohort is led by award-winning author William Henry Lewis and offers personalized feedback, accountability, goal-setting, and community needed to brainstorm, write, revise, and complete a manuscript draft, all from the convenience of an online setting. It’s an ideal option for both local and remote writers looking to work closely with peers and an experienced instructor. Applications are now open and close on December 11, 2026.

Cohort Description: 

This class is an experience in surveying the territory of narrative craft as you traverse it. We will all explore the same territory, but each of you will lay tracks in different ways, toward different destinations: some will be further along toward finishing a book, while others will be starting to craft fiction in new ways. Along the way, we will gain community, challenge, feedback, guidance, and weekly accountability.

Our work will create a community of writers, readers, editors, and, yes, friends who travel that crafting journey together: reading as writers, exploring what our fiction is capable of, confirming what is essential, and accepting ways to re-vision our work, all with the goal of crafting fiction that meets the developing standards of the instructor, peers, and your own sense of what you want from your work.

This class can’t guarantee publication, but will provide insights, guest speakers, and opportunities to better understand that world. While the instructor is committed to showing you how other writers have been successful, the main goal is to advance and refine how to live as a writer who writes like you.

Whether close to completing a manuscript or just starting out, we will cycle between telling stories, free-flow writing without barriers, building and refining prose, and articulating the layered agendas within fiction. Alongside our core mission of community and workshop, classes will include:

• Performing oral tales to affirm the teller-story-audience bond
• Working with music, theatre improv, and visual art as prompts
• Re-casting as your own a model story from an established writer
• Cross-genre projects exploring your work in another genre
• Smaller peer duos/trios going deeper into each other’s work and presenting craft ideas through fiction samples
• Re-vision workshops experimenting with specific revision elements in a limited number of pages

Weekly Meetings (Online via Zoom):

Once a week, we’ll gather over Zoom for a two-hour session, where you’ll have dedicated time to workshop excerpts from your manuscript. In these meetings, we’ll dive deep into narrative arcs, key craft elements, and larger project goals. Some meetings will focus on page-by-page feedback—sometimes we’ll zero in on overall structure or a specific scene, allowing for tailored discussions that propel your project forward. Workshopping one writer’s piece can also provide invaluable insights for others, fostering a rich, collaborative learning experience. Other meetings will discuss your writing goals, challenges, successes, general questions, and offer some generative exercises.

Meeting Dates and Times

Winter Term 2027
Mondays: 7-9 PM CST

• Monday, February 1, 2027
• Monday, February 8, 2027
• Monday, February 15, 2027
• Monday, February 22, 2027
• Monday, March 1, 2027
• Monday, March 8, 2027
• Monday, March 15, 2027
• Monday, March 22, 2027
• Monday, March 29, 2027
• Monday, April 5, 2027

Spring Term 2027
Independent Study: No meetings scheduled April 19 - June 4 (students are expected to do independent study during this time with one-on-one meetings)

Summer Term 2027
Mondays: 6-9 PM CST
Saturdays: 11 AM - 2 PM CT

• Saturday, June 5, 2027
• Monday, June 14, 2027
• Monday, June 28, 2027
• Saturday, July 10, 2027
• Monday, July 19, 2027
• Monday, August 2, 2027
• Monday, August 16, 2027
• Saturday, August 28, 2027

Fall Term 2027
Mondays: 7-9 CST

• Monday, September 13, 2027
• Monday, September 20, 2027
• Monday, September 27, 2027
• Monday, October 4, 2027
• Monday, October 11, 2027
• Monday, October 18, 2027
• Monday, October 25, 2027
• Monday, November 1, 2027
• Monday, November 8, 2027
• Monday, November 15, 2027

No class on Monday, November 22 due to Office Closure

• Monday, November 29, 2027
• Monday, December 6, 2027
• Final Manuscript Due: December 6, 2027 (instructors have up until February 28, 2028 to submit feedback and schedule final manuscript consultation with student)

Between Meetings (Asynchronous):

In between sessions, you’ll stay connected through a shared Google Drive and Slack channel, where you can submit drafts and offer feedback to your peers. You’ll also have the option to engage in additional check-ins or discussions, whether through written feedback or one-on-one meetings. This flexible structure ensures continuous progress on your manuscript, while still providing opportunities for personalized guidance and accountability.
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What You’ll Gain:

• Personalized feedback on your work-in-progress. Whether focusing on a single excerpt or discussing your manuscript’s larger structure, you'll receive tailored insights each month.
• Craft discussions on nonfiction writing. We’ll explore elements like narrative drive, character development, or revision strategies that elevate your writing.
• Accountability and goal-setting. Together, we’ll set personalized goals, holding each other accountable and ensuring you maintain steady progress.
• Community support. You’ll join a small, dedicated group of fellow writers who share your passion for storytelling, providing feedback, camaraderie and motivation.

By the end of the year, you’ll not only have made substantial progress on your manuscript but also have a deeper understanding of your own writing process and the tools needed for future revisions.

Expectations

From the instructor:

• written feedback on up to 250-300 pages of your manuscript for the final manuscript critique, along with suggested readings; lighter feedback on workshop drafts for the duration of the year
• generative exercises for inspiration
• craft-based readings for deepening your knowledge on various craft issues, with conversations about these readings during our live Zooms
• one-on-one meetings via Zoom during the twelve months we work together
• Optional hosted “write-ins” where we write together on Zoom and in-person at Porch House (minimal conversation, focused on drafting)

From yourself:

• accountability: together, as a group, we will set goals at the start of the year for how often people will share work in our Google Drive and Slack channel.
• community: option to host a ‘write-in’ for fellow group members (on Zoom)
• encouragement: you’ll be responsible for giving feedback to your peers during our live Zoom workshops and asynchronously (we will make this responsibility manageable based on group size)

From your peers:

• caring, honest feedback on work-in-progress
• encouragement when you’re feeling stuck or down on your work
• a safe and supportive community and a sense of shared purpose 

Tuition Assistance: We are able to offer 1 Merit Award seat​ in each cohort, assuming a minimum enrollment threshold is met. If tuition is a barrier for you and you identify as someone from a low-income, rural, or marginalized background, we encourage you to apply. The optional and brief application is a separate application. Please be prepared to answer narrative questions about community, statement of need, project, and provide a writing sample. Apply here.

FAQ:

What is Porch Year?

The Porch Year is an online, immersive one-year manuscript mentorship program designed for committed writers that begins in January 2027 - December 2027. With a maximum of 12 participants, this fiction cohort is led by award-winning author William Henry Lewis and offers personalized feedback, accountability, goal-setting, and community needed to brainstorm, write, revise, and complete a manuscript draft, all from the convenience of an online setting. It’s an ideal option for both local and remote writers looking to work closely with peers and an experienced instructor. Applications are now open and close on December 11, 2026.

What can I bring?

Bring whatever you're working on, or thinking about working on!

• A few pages of a draft
• An outline
• Brainstorming notes
• A specific question about structure, voice, or next steps
• Or simply an idea you're still shaping

What happens during the session?

This is determined by the instructor and can depend on craft lecture, generative exercises, workshop, guest speaker, etc. 

This class is an experience in surveying the territory of narrative craft as you traverse it. We will all explore the same territory, but each of you will lay tracks in different ways, toward different destinations: some will be further along toward finishing a book, while others will be starting to craft fiction in new ways. Along the way, we will gain community, challenge, feedback, guidance, and weekly accountability. 

Alongside our core mission of community and workshop, classes will include:

• Performing oral tales to affirm the teller-story-audience bond

• Working with music, theatre improv, and visual art as prompts

• Re-casting as your own a model story from an established writer

• Cross-genre projects exploring your work in another genre

• Smaller peer duos/trios going deeper into each other’s work and presenting craft ideas through fiction samples

• Re-vision workshops experimenting with specific revision elements in a limited number of pages

What can I expect from the instructor?

Our instructors are acclaimed, working writers and trained to ask fruitful questions, suggest exercises, and offer constructive feedback. They are here to help you develop your voice, clarify your intentions, and make meaningful progress, not to “fix” your work or impose their style.

Can I send materials to the instructor ahead of time?

You will submit a writing sample in your application to join the cohort. Throughout the year, there will be opportunities for group critique workshops and individualized feedback from the instructor.

Is it a recurring program?

Yes, this is a year-long mentorship program that takes place Mondays, starting February 1 - December 6 from 7-9 PM CT online via Zoom. Throughout the summer, there are additional Saturday classes. You have free access to weekly meetups and write-ins at the Porch House or online.

How much does it cost?

$4,800 (including a non-refundable $60 deposit). 12-month payment plans are available for $395 per month for (12) months.

Is there financial assistance available?

Yes, we are able to offer 1 Merit Award seat​ in each cohort, assuming a minimum enrollment threshold is met. If tuition is a barrier for you and you identify as someone from a low-income, rural, or marginalized background, we encourage you to apply. The optional and brief application is a separate application. Please be prepared to answer narrative questions about community, statement of need, project, and provide a writing sample. Apply Here!

What if I need to cancel?

If you decide not to participate once registered, please notify the Porch program team of your intention to drop by calling 615-212-5847 or emailing hello@porchtn.org. Please let us know as soon as possible so we can make alternative arrangements with someone else from the waitlist. 

If you need to cancel a workshop for any reason, the following refund schedule applies:

• More than three weeks before start date: A cancellation fee of 10% of the total workshop cost applies.

• Less than three weeks before start date: 15% cancellation fee applies.

• Less than one week before start date: 25% cancellation fee applies.

• 48 hours or less before class start: No refund is available.

PLEASE NOTE: It is best to register early to help our teaching artists prepare and ensure the class does not get cancelled. Classes that do not meet a minimum enrollment may be canceled a minimum of 2 business days prior to the first class meeting with full refunds for all registrants.

Refunds: We are unable to consider refunds or credits if the experience was not to your liking, although we always appreciate thoughtful critical feedback in an effort to improve our offerings. There are no refunds or prorated tuition available for missed sessions. Visiting guests are subject to change depending on availability, schedule, and programmatic need.

Membership benefits are valid for a year after the date of purchase. Membership benefits may not be applied retroactively. The Porch reserves the right to refuse a registration for any reason and/or to remove a student at the instructor or administration’s discretion.