Six-Month Multi-Genre Cohort with Nathaniel Rosenthalis

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

Monthly Meetings (Online via Zoom):

Once a month, 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

• Wednesday, 1/27, 6-8pm CT 
• Wednesday, 2/24, 6-8pm CT
• Wednesday, 3/31, 6-8pm CT
• Wednesday, 4/28, 6-8pm CT
• Wednesday, 5/26, 6-8pm CT
• Wednesday, 6/23, 6-8pm CT

Between Meetings (Asynchronous):

In between sessions, you’ll stay connected through a shared Google Classroom, where you can share resources, 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 check-ins or discussions, whether through email or one-on-one meetings. 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: 

• extensive written feedback on up to ten pages of poetry/prose per month, along with suggested readings; lighter feedback on weekly drafts
• two generative exercises posted each month for inspiration
• two craft-based readings posted each month for deepening your knowledge on various craft issues, with conversations about these readings during our live zooms
• three 30-minute one-on-one zooms during the six months we work together. You’ll have flexibility over when these are scheduled.  
• three hosted “write-ins” where we write together on zoom (minimal conversation, focused on drafting; these will be outside of our regularly scheduled zoom meetings)

What you can expect 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. 
• 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)

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