I didn’t set out to build a “core curriculum”—that sounds much too academic for my creative soul.
But over the past year of working with my writers, a pattern has emerged. A pattern they articulate very clearly in this video. Have a listen. Or just click on the pretty pictures below and explore the flow of working with me.
So what is this core curriculum, anyway?
Many writers start with one of my daily writing challenges. I offer the 5×15 Writing Challenge every quarter; the 90-day challenge less often. The challenges allow you to build a daily writing practice in a supportive environment. Registration includes a private Facebook group where you can share your work and receive feedback from me and from your fellow writers. And I’ve created a publication on Medium to collect your best work for a wider audience.
In the 10-week Writing Unbound program you revisit the fundamentals of writing and discover some essentials they didn’t teach you in school. The curriculum combines weekly videos you can watch on your own schedule and a group call every two weeks so you can discuss the videos, share challenges, and ask questions. The program covers everything from story arcs (yes, you even need them for nonfiction) to how to make your writing memorable. Click on the photo for more details.
The Writing Unbound program also gives you access to a special year-long series of emails I call The Weekly What.
Every week, you get a suggested writing prompt. And every other week, I’ll send you my analysis of a piece of writing—a newspaper or magazine article, a poem, a speech, a podcast. It’s like a backstage pass to see the choices each writer made. (This video gives you a 4-minute sample of a Weekly What discussion.)
The Weekly What is central to the core curriculum. This is how I learned to write—by reading and analyzing great writing—so I’m sure you’ll get a lot out of it. We’ll have an hour-long call once a month to discuss the Weekly What—12 opportunities to trade ideas with your fellow participants.
Yes, after the 10 weeks of Writing Unbound, you may choose to continue in my advanced seminar, Writing Beyond.
Writing Beyond is the course my writers demanded I create. Before they’d even finished Writing Unbound, they knew they wanted more. So I created a 10-week-long live program, the equivalent of a graduate seminar—tailored to their needs.
During the 10 weeks of Writing Beyond, you’ll synthesize what you learned in the earlier course and hone your strengths as a writer. We go deep. And we have fun, too.
Ready to begin?
If you’re considering Writing Unbound—the next session begins October 12th 2017—please fill out the application and we’ll set up a time to chat. The program is not for everyone. But it just might be for you.
Actually, do yourself a favor. Click on the photo and fill out the application. Do it even if you think you’re 100% not going to do the program because I’ve designed the questions to help you discover some truths about yourself and writing.