Six-Month Fiction Cohort with Clemintine Guirado

NOTE: Registration requires a $60 deposit (which can be waived by Porch members using the member discount code). You will receive a payment link in your registration receipt, and the remaining $1200 payment can be paid in full immediately or in monthly installments.

This six-month fiction cohort is designed for writers seeking a flexible yet focused environment to make meaningful progress on their manuscript—whether you’re working on short stories or a novel. You’ll join a small, dedicated group of fellow writers who share your passion for storytelling, providing feedback and camaraderie. Together, we’ll set personalized goals, holding each other accountable and ensuring you maintain motivation.

With a maximum of 10 participants, this cohort offers personalized feedback, goal-setting, and accountability, 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.

Monthly Meetings (Online via Zoom):

Once a month, we’ll gather over Zoom for a focused two-hour class where we will take turns workshopping sections from your manuscripts. In these meetings, we will respond to specific feedback requests from the author’s workshopped, allowing for tailored, constructive feedback to propel your project forward.‍

• Thursday, 1/21/27, 6-8pm CT 
• Thursday, 2/25/27, 6-8pm CT 
• Thursday, 3/25/27, 6-8pm CT 
• Thursday, 4/22/27, 6-8pm CT 
• Thursday, 5/27/27, 6-8pm CT 
• Thursday, 6/24/27, 6-8pm CT

‍Between Meetings (Asynchronous):

In between sessions, you’ll stay connected through a shared Padlet, where you can share weekly snippets of your writing, read fiction and craft selections on topics drawn from class needs and requests—such as structure, dialogue, character agency, techniques for handling time, and more. There will also be weekly, optional exercises to weave into your projects (or not). We will discuss process, help each other stay motivated, and know we are not alone.

You’ll also have the option to engage in additional one-on-one check-ins, whether through email or one-on-one meetings via zoom or phone. This flexible structure ensures continuous progress on your manuscript, while still providing opportunities for personalized guidance and accountability.

By the end of the six months, you’ll not only have made substantial progress on your manuscript but also have a deeper understanding of your writing process and the tools needed to persevere.

‍Expectations:

What you can expect from the instructor: 

• comprehensive initial project questionnaire and a one-on-one meeting to discuss your answers and your 6 month plan.
• An additional one-on-one meeting later in the term. You’ll have flexibility over when these are scheduled.  
• weekly optional homework in the form of readings and/or generative exercises (light feedback from class and instructor)
• bi-weekly hosted “body doubling” or “write-ins” where we write together on zoom (minimal conversation, focused on drafting; these will be outside of our regularly scheduled zoom meetings)
• extensive written feedback on 30 pages of your manuscript.
• pep talks and craft questions answered via email or padlet whenever you need it

‍What you can expect from yourself: 

• accountability: together, as a group, we will set goals at the start of the semester. - encouragement: you’ll be responsible for giving generous written and verbal feedback to your peers during our live zoom workshops and asynchronously (we will make this responsibility manageable based on group size).

‍What you can expect from your peers: 

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