WRITING, COACHING, CRITIQUE, and COMMUNITY
Join Mary Robinette Kowal for a transformative three-month writing experience, designed to help you learn the craft of short stories while also generating new work. You will join a cohort of six writers through an audition process and journey with them, gaining accountability, support, and camaraderie. Each month, you and your peers will have a critique session with MRK as you work to write three short stories and polish them for submission to markets.
This program is a small group experience, and admission is granted through an application process.
For 2025 Mary Robinette will be offering 3 cohorts that will last for three months that will be through applications and with paying attendees. She will also be offering a scholarship cohort for people with disabilities that will be starting later in the year and offer a slower pace over a longer time period (details will be announced when applications open at a to be determined date).
Before applying to the cohort please read the entire page thoroughly as there are dates, times, and details that you are agreeing you can attend and honor when you submit your application.
Upcoming Cohort Dates*
January 29th 2025 – April 30th 2025: Wednesdays from 2pm to 4pm Eastern time – Applications Open
June 2025 – August 2025: Dates & Times not yet determined
October 2025 – December 2025: Dates & Times not yet determined
*The time periods and number of cohorts offered are subject to change
Next Cohort: What to Expect
On Wednesday, January 29th, 10am Eastern: you will meet the rest of your cohort and take Mary Robinette’s Short Stories Explained. This is an all-day intensive class focused on how short stories work.
Each month, on Sundays from 11:00am – 1:00pm Eastern: Make Me Write. During these sessions, you’ll be given a prompt and ninety-minutes to write the first draft of a short story. Some weeks, you will focus on practicing specific skills like dialogue or setting. Mary Robinette will be writing a story from the same prompt and will share her process after the session with you.
Every Wednesday, from 2:00pm – 4:00pm Eastern, starting with February 5th and ending with April 30th, you will have a two hour session that will either be a Critique, Revision, Unlocking, or Social time. The Critique sessions are mandatory attendance and the others are highly recommended if you want to get the full experience of the cohort but we understand that on occasion you may have other urgent life things that will make it difficult to attend every Tuesday.
You will pick one of the stories you write each month to develop into a story between 2000-4000 words long and bring to the critique group. Mary Robinette will also be putting stories into the group. So be aware that you are committing to read and critique six stories each month.
Based on feedback, you’ll polish the short story and can ask Mary Robinette follow-up questions about it. The goal by the end of the three months is for you to have three stories ready for submission.
What’s Included?
- MRK’s Short Stories Explained, which is an all-day intensive designed to teach you how to find a short story from any idea.
- Monthly live video critique sessions with MRK and six fellow writers on your short stories.
- Weekly sessions to come together to work on revision, brainstorm story problems, and talk about story elements.
- Monthly writing goal setting to provide accountability for your writing.
- Intimate group of up to 6 total writers; you will be expected to provide critique for your fellow writers each month.
- Weekly two-hour Make Me Write live video session with a short story prompt, during which everyone will write for 90 minutes, then come back together for 30 minutes of show-your-work time where MRK or our guest writer will guide you through their writing process. (Typically at 11:00 AM Eastern on Sundays.)
- MRK’s library of pre-recorded classes on writing craft and career (70 hours of materials and always growing).
- Discord Access to the Lady Astronaut Club, the kindest corner of the internet, and a wonderful community of readers and writers. You’ll have your own private channel within the LAC.
- Monthly large-group Q&A session for any questions you have about your writing journey.
- Monthly live-streamed writing class on craft and career. (Typically at 8:00 PM Eastern on the last Monday of the month.)
Application
The cost of this intimate writing coaching group is $550/month for three months. It is by application only. After the members have been accepted we will ask you to sign up for the Short Story Cohort tier on Patreon (we will tell you the timing of this so you don’t overlap with the current cohort). At the end of the cohort you will be guided through how to leave the tier.
Applications are due on the 31st of December by 11:59 pm PST.
Schedule
You will be expected to attend the January 29th intensive, all critique sessions, and Make Me Write sessions during the three month period. The Make Me Write sessions are to teach you to build time in your schedule for writing, but we can make accommodations for things like vacations, etc.
Your Critique Sessions will be on February, 26th, March 26th, and April 23rd.
We will also be having a weekly session on Wednesdays from 2 pm to 4 pm Eastern on the non-critique weeks and they will either be a chance to co-work for writing or revisions, an unlocking/brainstorming session, or a social time. Attendance for all of these sessions is not mandatory but highly recommended to get the full experience and benefits of the cohort.
If you miss a Make Me Write or Cohort non-critique session I will ask you to give me a timeblock you have carved out at another time in the week to make up the writing or revision time.
The other benefits (Classes, Q&As, etc. are optional attendance).
Please note, schedules can be subject to change due to travel or emergencies; we will give as much advanced warning as possible
FAQ
By December 31st, 11:59 PST.
Yes, the plan for 2025 is to have 3 cohorts that will last 3 months each and one scholarship cohort that will have the details announced later.
My goal is to let people know by January 15th.
Not for this one because, later in 2025, I’ll be doing a cohort that is entirely scholarship students.
This later course is designed around building up a cohort of individuals along a shared identity axis such that the folks in the group have a community of peers that understand their specific challenges. In the past, I’ve done this with people of color who also had a marginalized gender or sexuality. This scholarship cohort will focus specifically on disabled people. If you identify as disabled, this group is likely to be a good fit for you.
Signing up for my newsletter is the best way to be notified about that.
Yes, I am planning to host Short Story Cohorts again next year though my plan is to pick a time and day and have it be the same for the whole year.
Please email assistants@maryrobinettekowal.com. This goes to multiple people so the person who knows the answer will respond!