When & Where
The 2025 Get Serious Workshop meets synchronously for 8 weeks on Mondays from 6:30-8:30pm, March 3-April 21. The informational parts of this workshop will be recorded so that you can access them in case of absence. The discussion portion of the workshop won’t be recorded.
Who & What
You: You have writing that is in-progress and/or finished. You know some of your goals as a literary artist, but you aren’t sure how to get from a file on your computer to a pile of publications. You have some publications, but want more of your time devoted to your art. You want to move your writing into its next stage of growth & you need some practical tools, information & accountability to get there. You have a writing practice. You want a writing career.
Me: I’ve published a novel & a book of creative nonfiction. I’ve received dozens of grants, fellowships & residencies that have allowed me financial support & time to focus on creative projects. I’ve written grants for other individual artists & organizations & I’ve directed arts organizations for 15 years. I’ve worked with city planners to vision & implement creative projects that are financially & creatively sustainable. I’ve had mentorship from places like Creative Capital & have created resources for organizations like the National Endowment of the Arts to share information with other artists & arts organizations. I wish someone had shared with me the practical and professional tools I needed to build an arts career 20 years ago. This workshop is full of the information I wish I’d had along the way.
Our Time Together: Each week, our time together on Zoom will focus on:
Articulating realistic, specific goals based on your individual creative projects. By the end of the first week, you’ll have a personalized roadmap of creative goals and a timeline for achieving them.
Finding grants, residencies, and fellowships that allow you to achieve those goals. By the end of the third week, you’ll have a list of specific opportunities you’re applying for in the next year.
Information about finding an agent, writing query letters & drafting book proposals. By the end of the fifth week, you’ll have resources to connect with the literary professionals who help big projects find an audience.
Strategy about submitting your work to literary journals, magazines & publishing houses. By the end of the sixth week, you’ll have a plan for publication for short & long term projects & a system to track your success.
Habits to continue working on the professional side of a creative career, so that when our workshop is over you have a system of accountability & practical tools to share with your creative communities.
The Investment: Your time & commitment to taking your creative life to the next stage of growth. $500. Email me if you can’t swing the $500.
Note: This creative coaching is also available as a one-on-one experience. Email me via the Contact Me tab for more information.
Why
Naming what you want is risky. In this workshop, we’re naming it. I’m giving you information, tools & practical support that mean you can confidently get what you want. Most schools & writing workshops focus on the craft of writing—getting you to a place where you’re proud of what you’re making. Beyond that, most artists don’t spend a lot of time considering or articulating specific, achievable goals that can be measured & adjusted. If you don’t know exactly where you want to go, it’s easy to feel vaguely lost. And if you don’t know what you want to achieve, it’s easy to feel like you’re always vaguely failing. Instead of depending on trial and error, this workshop requires you to dig into vision & strategy so that you know where you want to go. Whether you’re aiming for a first publication, a book contract, or financial support to finish a long project, this workshop offers practical tools to get serious this year.