This six-month nonfiction cohort is designed for writers seeking a flexible yet focused environment to make meaningful progress on their manuscript—whether you’re working on a memoir, an essay collection, or a hybrid nonfiction project. 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 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
Between Meetings (Asynchronous):
In between sessions, you’ll stay connected through a shared Google Drive, where you can submit drafts and offer feedback to your peers. You’ll also have the option to engage in additional check-ins or discussions, whether through written feedback or brief (15 minutes) one-on-one meetings. This flexible structure ensures continuous progress on your manuscript, while still providing opportunities for personalized guidance and accountability.
What You’ll Gain:
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 own writing process and the tools needed for future revisions.
Expectations
From the instructor:
From yourself:
From your peers:
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.
Christina Berke is a Chilean-American writer and educator. She's been supported by Tin House, VONA, Bread Loaf Writers Conference, Sewanee Writers, Juniper, Hedgebrook (where she was the Carol Shields Prize Foundation Residency Fellow), Storyknife, Vermont Studio Center and Ragdale. Her work is in The Sun, Khora, Teen Vogue, The Rumpus, Gulf Coast, MQR, NPR’s Desert Companion, Edible, Pithead Chapel and elsewhere. She is working on a memoir, Well, Body, an excerpt of which was Longlisted with Disquiet Literary International and the Miami Emerging Writers Contest and shortlisted with Fractured Lit. A former middle school English teacher, she earned her BA at UC Berkeley, M.Ed. at UCLA and MFA at UNLV.
"Christina is a wonderful instructor. I appreciated her intentionality in her selection of readings, and the ways that she guided us in working through examples and applying the principles to our own creative work."
"Christina made me feel so welcomed and really sparked wonderful discussions among the students. She inspired me to write more and I am really grateful she taught the class."
"Christina Berke has such a calm, encouraging approach to the virtual classroom. She helps students feel present, and helps them feel her presence, through careful planning, guidance, and sweet extras. So much care and attention goes into her classes. Highly recommend!"
