The online Residency for writers:

essentials Edition

actually write the "messy" first draft of your dreams

A Six Week Writing Intensive For Busy People

(marshmallows optional)

October Nov 10th to Mid December

What do you get from The Autumn Residency? 

• A weekly drafting plan: eight creative, surprising, exciting prompt packets
• Interactive materials: our custom-designed bots help you brainstorm new possibilities
• Group guidance: advice each week from Daniel and the program coordinator

What is "The Residency"?

The Residency like registering for a secluded writing retreat, and getting time to focus on your stories -- only you don't need to buy a plane ticket and you can continue your normal life, work, family, and hobbies.

The Residency offers you a streamlined supportive environment to work on your writing, with the intention of equipping you to write more confidently, more bravely, roaming all over your book, creating compelling scenes and sketching out plot lines.

And the new "Essentials" edition makes this all available to writers for a lower price in a more focused package.

The Big Idea: A More Messy (and More Complete) Draft

The big idea of this program: you spend each week responding to a new writing challenge, one that encourages you to trust your vision and create a weird -- but finished -- first draft. We aren't just telling you to sit and write: we have a sequence of activities planned that will, we hope, transform your view of how to draft a book.

The goal is to increase the amount of effective writing in your life. On one level, the program is designed to support and incentivise you to make significant progress on a novel project; on another level, The Residency aims to equip you with the confidence to draft the next book -- and the next.

How much time do I need?

Maybe you like the idea of focusing on your book, but you are acutely aware of your time pressures and commitments. I completely understand. I'm the devoted father of two boys and the ambivalent owner of two cats.

That's why each prompt packet aims to move you further along in the drafting process without asking you to type out polished, complete chapters. Indeed, the goal of this program is NOT to ask you to complete a beautiful and readable draft in six weeks, but rather to create a working draft that you, its writer, can later turn into a shareable manuscript.

We'll help you get down the key moments and turning points and dream up new ones.  

WHat ESSENTIALS LEAVES OUT (On Purpose)

The essentials track is designed for writing momentum — not revision and not critique.

If you have re-written chapter three six times, or have been dreaming of a late showstopper scene that you've never managed to get to, this approach should be very appealing. 

You won’t receive individual feedback or deep story diagnosis. Instead, you’ll get forward-focused tools and imaginative prompts designed to keep you writing — even if your draft is rough, strange, or messy.

As a result, this edition of The Residency is probably not the best option for someone trying to strategically revise a complete story. That kind of project really benefits from a coach's input (the "full" Residency is for you). 

In addition, this is an environment where you are given permission and encouragement to try out new ideas, where you might sketch several new scenes in a week, and where you'll see your colleagues cheering as you make progress. If that sounds bad -- if you know you need a few months of thinking time to decide on the next chapter for your story, say -- this program might not be the best option for you.

The major components of this program:

1. The eight prompt packets: I've prepared a short sequence of focused lessons to help you get unstuck and get writing. These prompts are not really asking you to re-think your book, but rather to just write more of it. The goal is to get your vision down on the page, even if in a messy form. In other words, rather than having to just "work on my book," you'll have an achievable, practical, straightforward plan for each week of the program. 

2. The bot suite: this is optional -- you'll have access to eight of my hand-crafted writing advice bots. The bots will guide you through each week's prompts, giving you tips and suggestions of what to work on (without ever writing a sentence for you).

3. The weekly planner: Each week, you will complete our one-page writing planner (asking about your goals and concerns for the week's writing) and, if you like, share it in our community forum.

4. The accountability challenge (s): we will run two different accountability challenges -- pick one to join during your time in the program if you wish.

5. The weekly "win the week" sessions: we will meet once a week to share notes and stories, update each other on our projects, and support each other.

At the end of the summer, we'll work together to fashion a strategic writing map for you and your book. This map will guide you through your intentions for your book and suggest areas to focus on. I'm not picturing this as "rah-rah-just-keep-writing!!" superficial cheerleading. Yes, one part of your Map will contain an exciting goal and a sequence of suggested next steps. But it will also highlight puzzles within your writing project and the values you want this book to exemplify.

• A rhythm of writing that invigorates your confidence
• A clearer understanding of what your story should be
• A practical, personalised map to guide the next stage

A Unique Design to help you write

There are lots of great programs for writers. The Residency's design is a little unusual. 

Some programs could be called "how to guides" -- they explain how to write a story or a chapter or how to create a character.

Some programs could be called "accountability groups" -- they encourage you to keep writing.

And some programs could be called "discussion groups" -- they focus on conversations about books or sharing chapters.

All of these programs can be great. But The Residency is different to all of them.

Why? 

You are a writer. You want to write or make progress on a novel. Your central problem is "doing the writing." So this program creates a creative environment that guides you to doing that writing, well.

How the program works + common questions

1. The Residency is all online, so there is no physical building or writing retreat offered here. Part of the magic of an in-person retreat is that you can get away from your regular life for a week or two. I am compensating for that reality by making this a six-week program: you can give it a small amount of time each day / week (as much as your real life allows you) and get a lot in return. An hour or two each week will let you complete each milestone in time. 
2. If this is all online, why call it a “residency”? Because that connotation is exactly what I’m going for in this program. In a writing residency, the role of the retreat or host is to set you up to be as productive and capable as possible. You get the support, environment, tools, lessons, and community to help you write your best. It is not, however, a “done for you” experience with a hands-on coach or a ghost writer. The goal is to inspire and equip you.
3. When the six weeks are over, the support and guidance part of the program is over. But you will get all program materials with ongoing access.
4. In late October, we will begin, and we will work together for six weeks – to early December.