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 community, 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 you’ll have dedicated time to workshop excerpts from your manuscript. 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.
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 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.
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.
Clemintine Guirado is a creativity consultant and writing coach. She was a Wallace Stegner Fiction Fellowship at Stanford University, a Carl Djerassi Fiction Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, and has published short stories in Best New American Voices, Rainbow Curve, Comet Magazine, and 580 Split. She was a 2022 recipient of an Oregon Literary Fellowship and her short story “Walking to Camano” was selected by judge Peter Ho Davies to be included in the Masters Review’s XI Anthology in 2023. Born close enough to Disneyland to see the fireworks, she has lived in sixteen states and the US Virgin Islands. She teaches English and Creative Writing at Belmont University in Nashville.
"Clementine was a fantastic instructor and offered great advice! The exercises were very helpful. It was a great mix of discussing readings, exercises, and getting feedback on our own pages."
"I enjoyed every minute of Clemintine's writing class! Each session was full of inspirational techniques and engaging material, and I feel motivated to take my creative writing in a new, better direction. Our class discussions always left me thinking about about exciting ideas for my novel, and I can't wait to take another of Clemintine's classes."
