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Welcome to the February 2026 Issue of the Mary Robinette Gazette
Happy Valentine’s Day from Elsie! I shared some e-cards with all members of my Patreon, including free members, so you can download yours here. Here’s a preview:
And in case you missed my birthday party favor to you, you’ll find it here. I’m a level 57 human now!
MRK’s Mundane Moments
Here’s a quick snapshot of what I’m…
- Crafting: Melt the ICE crochet hat
- Reading: Flightless by Marie Parks
- Writing: “It was the fault of those litterboxed humans.”
- Watching: The new Muppet Show episode
- Enjoying: my Click & Grow gardens
Noteworthy News
| I’m happy to unveil two new ways for writers to receive personalized critique from me, plus an additional Patreon tier. |
| New Short Story Cohort Only a few times a year, I take on a small group of writers to learn and improve the craft of writing short stories. The cohort lasts for three months (April – June), and it’s a chance to critique one another and receive feedback from me, level up your writing, and get several short stories written, polished, and ready to submit. The cohort is by application only, and applications are due on March 5. Learn more and submit your application here: |
| New Patreon Tier: Make Me Write + Critique A number of people have expressed interest in getting my feedback and critique on a more regular basis. I have opened up a brand new Patreon tier to accommodate this desire. Introducing: Make Me Write + Critique. Each month, you can submit up to 1,000 words for me to review in a one-on-one session designed to help you level up your craft. You also have the option of “banking” your sessions and doing a single longer piece. Additionally, you’ll get access to my weekly Make Me Write sessions, a monthly class, Q&As, and more. |
| New Patreon Tier: Write Your Novel People have been asking me, for years, to run a novel writing workshop–and now it exists! Join a writing journey designed to help you complete a novel draft and revise it for submission. Through weekly meetings that combine instruction, accountability, and dedicated writing time, you’ll work alongside fellow writers to tackle the challenges of sustained long-form storytelling—from crafting compelling beginnings to maintaining momentum through the middle, building to satisfying endings, and revising with clarity. This program offers four three-month modules, each focusing on a crucial stage of novel writing (Beginnings, Middles, Endings, Revision). Whether you are a pantser or a planner, the flexible structure means you can join at the module that matches where you are in your process. Each module can be taken independently. If you’ve written the beginning of a novel and are stuck on what to do next, you can join just for the Middles module. If you have a complete draft gathering dust, jump in at Revision. This isn’t a guarantee that you’ll finish your novel—everyone writes at a different pace—but it provides a proven framework to help you make solid forward progress. |
Upcoming Events
I have a few book signings, conferences, and other opportunities for connection coming up. I’d love to see you at one (or more!)
- Every Sunday, 11 AM ET: Make Me Write session for Patreon subscribers at that tier and above
- February 20, 4 PM ET: Reading/signing at Emry’s Bookshop in Hilton Head Island, SC
- February 23, 8 PM ET: Fail On Purpose class featuring Eden Robbins for Patreon subscribers
- February 28, 8 PM ET: Auditioning Your Characters class fundraiser for SIWC (donate $90+ USD by Feb 27 to attend; if you don’t receive the class link from SIWC, email us at assistants @ maryrobinettekowal.com for help.)
- March 5-8: Emerald City Comic Con, Seattle, WA
- March 13-15: Awesome Con, Washington, DC
- April 8: MIT’s Beyond the Cradle: Envisioning a New Space Age, Cambridge, MA (limited to the MIT community)
- April 17-19: Keynote speaker and workshop teacher at Pikes Peak Writers Conference, Colorado Springs, CO
- April 23 at 5:30 PM MT: Reading/signing at Books on the Bosque, Albuquerque, NM
- April 24-27: Featured instructor at Sandia Starforgers Writers Retreat, Albuquerque, NM (1 ticket left)
- September 4-11: Hosting the Writing Excuses Cruise to Alaska: The Grand Finale, Seattle, WA
Featured Patreon Event
| Writing Class: Fail on Purpose with Eden Robins February 23 at 8 PM Eastern / 5 PM Pacific Every month, I provide a new class for the writers in my Patreon at the Live-streaming Classes tier and above. In February, I have a special treat: guest instructor, Eden Robins, with a class titled, “Fail on Purpose.” Class Description: We are often taught that failure is a small, unfortunate stepping stone on the path to success. But what if it is within the layers and textures of failure that we find our richest creative impulses? In this short session we’ll try an exercise in failing on purpose and talk about developing a benign relationship with failure in order to live a more fulfilling writing life. Guest Instructor Bio: Eden Robins is the author of the novel Remember You Will Die, which was shortlisted for the 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize and longlisted for the 2025 Massachusetts Book Awards. Her debut novel When Franny Stands Up was named a best book of 2022 by the Chicago Reader. She was an Illinois Arts Council Fellow in Literature in 2023, and also writes short stories, personal essays, and cultural criticism at places like Slate, Catapult, USA Today, LA Review of Books, and others. Find out more scintillating tidbits at monkeythumbs.com and on Instagram @edenrobins. |
| Patreon Prices Are Increasing on March 1. If you’ve considered becoming a Patreon member, I invite you to consider joining prior to March 1, as prices will be increasing that day. This is the first time I have raised prices in several years, and I believe the value is still immense, with 70+ hours of classes and more. I offer a 7-day free trial for new Patreon members. If you’re testing it out, you might as well join the Make Me Write tier (and then downgrade as needed/desired) to join me on Sundays for a guided cowriting session. I’ll provide writing prompts, encouragement, a dedicated community, and a chance to make great progress on your work in progress or a new piece. At the end, I “unpack my brain,” where I show my thought process for my current work in progress. |
Elsie’s Corner
Elsie has discovered a super power: she’s able to tell Guppy “No” using her buttons, and Guppy actually listens.
After getting over her initial fear of her new SwiftPaws Pounce! lure course, Elsie has asked to play with it several times a day.
And, silly me, I thought it was bedtime, so I had put it away.
But Elsie had other ideas.
And after playing with it, Guppy decided she might like to give it a try.
Elsie had other ideas about that, too.
Watch her button presses here.
Want to start your own communication journey with your animal?
Click this link and use the code “elsiewant” for 12% off FluentPet buttons.