Hi Friends!
It’s the season of loving (what loves us back🤞) and — lucky us! — the Writing Life rewards our obsession with growth. After all, the real WIP is the writer and not just the writing. So here’s a preview of things to love (and ways to grow) in February.
A Chat + Q&A
w/ National Book Critics Circle President Adam Dalva on why we should all review books.A Low-Residency MFA Panel
For honest talk about the low-res option, we’re hosting insiders who don’t mind sharing.Crooks + Detectives: A Craft Masterclass
Generative craft workshops on thinking of our characters as Crooks or Detectives.Revise With Purpose: Revision Workshop
Identify and resolve common issues in drafts: craft chats about your writing + live concept demos.
Non-members welcome!Mentored Milestones Program: Kickoff
Convert hazy writing goals into actionable plans that slot into your schedules.A Publishing Circle x LMC Collaboration
Buddy up with the folks deciding on your subs: chat with lit mag editors all through February!
Scroll down for details or just…
All the below takes place in our members-only Discord server. All times US Eastern.
💖SPECIAL EVENTS💖
save this round-up for easy reference!
Mentored Milestones Program: Kickoff
Wondering about our new Mentored Milestones Program and whether it’s right for you? Join our kick-off event: Sunday, February 1, 8pm ET. We’ll answer all your questions and get started on turning your abstract goals into concrete, trackable actions!
• Meet monthly on the 1st to convert goals into plans in our Milestones Journals.
• Leave these sessions with scheduled items in your Action Steps Tracker.
• For weekly check-ins, Sassy and Fancy members can attend Progress Studios.
• Or work asynchronously at your own pace.
Publishing Circle x LMC Collaboration
In February, Diane Zinna’s Publishing Circle hosts chats with lit mag editors EVERY WEEKDAY. And LMC members are invited to 2 sessions, free. Peek behind the curtain of your favorite mags and buddy up with the folks who decide on your subs. Or just connect with fellow writers.
Full calendar TBA
*LMC members get a 10% discount on the whole month of Publishing Circle activities.
Low-Residency MFA Panel: Chat + Q&A
Can’t quit your job and move across the country for an MFA? Well, there is the low-residency option but… are those programs any good? Who are they for? And where do we get honest answers about the pros vs. cons?
On Sunday, Feb 15 5PM ET we’ll chat with Rob Roensch, former director of the Red Earth MFA, and Anna Vangala Jones, former student of the Antioch low-res MFA.
For real talk about what (not) to expect and what they wish they’d known before getting involved with such programs.
Crooks and Detectives: A Craft Masterclass
Led by Editor Steve 👋
In these generative craft workshops, we’ll think and write about our characters as Crooks and Detectives. For a fresh and more intuitive understanding of storytelling fundamentals.
In February, we’ll start with the figure of The Crook and how the 5 elements of a crime help us construct narratives with more tension, depth, and propulsion.
In March, we’ll cover The Detective.
Come prepared to think, chat, and write. Leave with a dossier of ‘case files’ from which to build as well as new tools and lenses for your work.
Tuesday, Feb 17 8PM ET: The Crook (Part 1 of 2)
Tuesday, Feb 24 8PM ET: The Crook (Part 2 of 2)
The Art of Book Reviewing: Chat + Q&A w/ Adam Dalva
On Wed, Feb 18 8PM ET, join us for a lively Chat + Q&A with author and book critic Adam Dalva as he discusses the craft and practice of book reviewing, and why joining the literary conversation can benefit emerging writers.
Revise with Purpose: Revision Workshop
Non-members welcome!
Have a promising draft but something’s not right?
In these live group sessions, we'll help writers resolve common issues in drafts by addressing the prose and questions submitted by you, the registrants. We'll build mini-craft chats around your concerns and demo some concepts, on the spot, to get you revising with purpose, in ways that matter to you.
Saturday, Feb 28 @ 1-2pm ET + Q&A
Saturday, Mar 28 @ 1-2pm ET + Q&A
OUR CORE PROGRAMMING
Accountability Sessions
Write with other members online! No excuses. No distractions. All times ET.
Drop-in Coaching
Fridays: 1-2PM ET
Sundays: 6-7PM ET
Progress Studio
Mondays: 1-2PM ET
Guided Writing Studio
Tuesday, Feb 9AM ET
Wednesday, Feb 8PM ET
Prompts
Generative prompts from flash fiction superstar Kathy Fish on the 1st and 15th!
⭐ First Draft⭐ Firelight Readaround
On Sunday, Feb 22 8PM ET, bring your worst dumpster-fire WIPs to this special edition of Readaround. Let’s get a little silly and vulnerable together!
COMMUNITY NEWS
Gina Thayer has a story in The Rumpus!
Christa Lei has an essay in Seventh Wave!
Ya-ting Yu has a story in Bull!
Editor Steve has a story + craft interview in Speculative Fiction: A Writer’s Guide and Anthology!
And have you seen that glow-up in our socials and graphics?! Well, that’s all thanks to our wonderful Socials Team: Dani Kuntz, Emily Afifi, Samantha Borek, and Melanie D’Aleo 🙌 Miracle workers, truly! 👏🔥
RECAP + PRECAP
ICYMI: In January, we chatted with speculative superstar Chloe N. Clark about developing emotional gravity in our work.
Check #story-chat for the whole convo or our socials for more tips from Chloe
And looking ahead to March, we have…
A Chat + Q&A w/ Tolani Akinola
5 Things You Might Not Know About Finishing (and Selling) Your First NovelCrooks & Detectives: A Craft Masterclass
We’ll talk + write about treating our characters like Detectives and how doing so imbues our narratives with more tension, propulsion, and depth.
Revise With Purpose: Revision Workshop
Last chance to level up your revision skills in our 3rd of 3 revision workshops.
Okeydoke and that’s it. We’ll see you around!