ONE HOUR A WEEK TO GROW YOUR CRAFT
Most writing groups are about support and accountability. Story Lab and Story Studio, my weekly writers’ groups, are about the craft of writing. In these small, tight-knit groups, you’ll cultivate your craft as you write or revise your book.
Small-group coaching for fiction writers
What makes group coaching different from a writing group? Writing groups are driven by other new writers. That’s not a disparagement to the groups—it’s simply their nature. Once a writer gets published, they generally move on to working with their agent and editors or peers. They don’t spend their time in writing groups; they spend it writing books.
The problem with a group full of new writers is that nobody knows what works yet. Everyone’s trying to figure things out. Writing groups are a great place to get moral support or broad first impressions about your work.
Now think how much further ahead you’d be if you spent that time giving and receiving feedback under the wing of a professional.
As a Story Lab or Story Studio writer, you’ll meet online every week with your cohort in Google Meet. We’ll tune your work via regular hotseat critiques (volunteer for your chance in the hotseat), examining your story structure, character arcs, scene openings, writing excerpts, and more; open the floor for questions and writing issues; study new writing and narrative techniques; explore the finer points of scene writing; share productivity, focus, and research tips; and so much more. You’ll discover how to identify issues in terms of opportunities for the writing—supportive, informed observations that help writing bloom.
Why writers thrive in small groups
Look what you’ll accomplish by devoting one hour a week to improving your craft.
– Revise or draft with confidence. Hotseat Labs provide the intense feedback you need to hone key elements of your story. Fine-tune your pages, scenes, outlines, pitches, and more.
– Expand your repertoire of narrative techniques. Craft Clinics help you add fresh skills and techniques for your literary toolbox on a regular basis.
– Hone your story sensibilities. Observe how other writers are solving narrative issues and approaching stories like and unlike your own.
– Quality feedback, not uninformed opinions. Working alongside other writers with the guidance of a professional editor refines your ability to analyze all sorts of stories.
– Master the art of descriptive (not prescriptive) feedback, and develop a working writer’s fluency in offering and receiving actionable critique.
– Get expert guidance on demand. The high-touch group structure gives you face time with the coach every week. Opt for monthly one-on-one feedback for individual guidance when you need it.
– High-touch, high-access experience. Most writing groups, courses, and communities are so big that you can’t get individual feedback or make personal connections. The small cohort size facilitates peer and coach interactions, allowing everyone to converse freely during calls, build relationships, and have time to be heard.
Small-group coaching is for you if—
– You want to understand the craft behind what makes fiction work and apply it to your own manuscript.
– You’re stuck in the revision loop, stalled midway through, or jumping between projects without finishing.
– Your manuscript doesn’t yet match the vision in your head, and you’re not sure how to close that gap.
– You’ve been burned by critique groups where unpublished beginners offered more confusion than clarity.
– You want the ongoing, steadying presence of a professional book coach and editor.
– You’re ready to devote one hour a week to becoming a better writer.
– You’re ready for a three-month commitment to your manuscript while building skills that last your entire career.
Explore Story Lab & Story Studio
Weekly live workshopping and instruction. Enough with the internet’s endless video courses—this is real face-to-face coaching with me on Google Meet every week. You’ll receive feedback on your work in progress while learning story and scene development techniques from me in real time with your fellow writers.
Small group with plenty of opportunity to be heard. Group size caps at six members. You’ll have space to contribute, ask questions, and get individualized attention.
Steady accountability through the complete manuscript life cycle. Over the year, we’ll move through the full arc of your book. Whether you’re drafting or revising, the weekly rhythm keeps you moving toward “The End.”
Understanding support from peers at the same stage. When life interferes—and it will—your fellow writers get it. You’ll receive matter-of-fact encouragement that keeps you moving forward realistically.
Private Slack channel for ongoing access. Chat with me and the group between sessions. Ask writing questions, troubleshoot story problems, compare notes on querying or publishing, and keep each other energized.
Choose your level of individual feedback. Boosted tier members receive monthly one-on-one feedback on 2,500 words (about ten pages) or a coaching call to work through outlines, brainstorm plotting, or troubleshoot challenging scenes.
Three-month commitment, potential open seats each quarter of the year. Once you’re in, keep your seat and we’ll be here all year long.
Coach-led feedback only—no peer critique. All analysis happens under professional guidance during group sessions. You’ll develop your critical eye by examining what works and what doesn’t, but never at the expense of another writer’s vulnerable early writing.
REAL RESULTS FROM REAL WRITERS
Small-group coaching fits your life
Make regular progress. Weekly video meetings with your cohort and coach keep you energized and on track with a minimal time commitment. Make meaningful progress toward completing your book.
Share with confidence. As a member of a small cohort, you can let your guard down in the intimacy of a small group with airtight confidentiality. What happens in the group stays in the group. Share your experiences, challenges, and successes, and build a network you can trust.
Commitment-friendly schedule that supports your growth. The Story Incubator is designed to fit into your schedule, requiring just one hour a week for cohort sessions and leaving ample time for your personal writing journey. Transcripts keep you updated for times when you just can’t make it.
Stay on track with the accountability and motivation. Weekly cohort sessions and private Slack community energize your work with new techniques and the momentum of colleagues moving forward together. Join regular coworking sessions for even more motivation and support.
Discover Story Lab & Story Studio
Story Lab: Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. (US Central)
Boosted Tier: $800 per quarter—Weekly meetings for craft study and manuscript workshopping; monthly one-on-one feedback on your pages from me (ten pages/2,500 words per month)
Basic Tier: $500 per quarter—Weekly meetings for craft study and manuscript workshopping (three-month commitment)
Story Studio: Mondays at 7:30 p.m. (US Central)
If you’ve already published one or more books and are looking for ongoing craft development with peers at your level, I’m also accepting applications for Story Studio, my Monday evening group for seasoned writers. Get in touch and I’ll send you the application details for this established group.
A word on pricing: This is weekly, face-to-face coaching, the kind of consistent guidance that’s usually priced well beyond what most writers can afford. I can offer Story Lab at this rate because I’ve spent years refining how small groups work best, learning what writers need at each stage of story construction, and developing a structure that gives everyone meaningful attention without diluting the experience. You won’t find another program offering this level of direct coach interaction at this price point.
Take the next step.
I work only with writers I believe I can help reach specific writing goals. If you’re ready to take action, get in touch. We’ll email a little about what you’re working on and what sort of help you’d like, and I’ll send you an assessment that helps us both determine whether Story Lab or Story Studio are right for you.
I accept a limited number of writers into these groups each quarter. This is your chance to take a giant step forward.