The 10-Month Manuscript Program at PVWW is for writers (in any genre) who are serious about making big strides on a book-length manuscript, and who would benefit from the structure, guidance, and support of a monthly workshop group. The program is fully virtual, intensive and comprehensive, and was designed in the spirit of building a community of writers committed to supporting each other through the rigorous and sometimes lonely process of completing a draft of a manuscript. Writers who are just beginning with an idea as well as writers who are mid-draft (or ready for revision) would both benefit from the program, but the explicit goal of all workshop sections is to have a finished first draft (or large part of it) at the end of ten months. The program is divided into separate sections (workshop groups) by genre, each workshop limited to 10 writers (8 for Novel Revision) and each section meets virtually twice each month via Zoom. Over the course of the year, writers in the program will be guided to set active, clear goals that will help them both get to the finish line and better understand craft elements related to their genre. Applications open each year in late fall and close at the end of the year. All applicants are notified of their status by the end of January, and the program begins in March and runs through December of that year. The program includes visits by special guests (agents, editors) toward the second half of the year, and culminates in public (virtual) readings for each workshop group wherein writers are invited to read from their manuscripts (if they'd like to). 

While each instructor will have their own teaching approach and style, all sections include the following.

Each Month Includes:
 

• Two Class Meetings Each Month (March-December): Workshop & Generative
  Each workshop group in the Manuscript Program meets (virtually) twice each month, for two hours each time (see separate workshop descriptions below for exact meeting days). The first meeting each month is the workshop, where student work is discussed. The second meeting focuses on generative writing as a group, in order to ensure writers have time to write in a structured, supportive environment. The second monthly meeting also aims to give writers a chance to share their in-progress writing briefly and informally, as well as further connect as a cohort with each other and their instructor. 
   

• Manuscript Feedback: 
  Each writer in the program receives two "floor time" opportunities, where they can receive feedback on their workshop submission, get brainstorming help from the group, or however else they'd like to structure their opportunity for feedback. The concept of "floor time" leaves the nature in which feedback happens up to the writer. Similarly, writers can also opt for a traditional instructor-led workshop floor time if they choose. Instructors will set their own workshop parameters and will discuss how feedback will be given/received, but all writers will receive feedback twice from instructor and classmates **

  • Novel Revision: Workshop submissions can be up to 50 pages, plus an outline (so each writer will workshop 100 pages in total)

  • Novel First Draft & Memoir: Workshop submissions can be up to 20 pages (so each writer will workshop 40 pages in total)

  • Poetry/Hybrid: Instructor will go over details for workshop submissions

  • Generative Writing: No formal workshop. Writers will casually share writing in class for encouraging, on-the-spot feedback
     

• Monthly Craft Talks, Writing Prompts, & Inspiration 
  Each workshop group in the manuscript Program will have access to a user-friendly online classroom space (Google Classrooms), which provides an easy-to-access hub where writing prompts, generative / exercises, craft lectures, reading assignments, and other materials will be posted monthly by the instructor. Each month, at the start of the month, writers can expect a Craft Talk from their instructor, posted in the Google Classroom, along with any extra inspiration and insights on the month's craft topic. Over the course of the program, instructors may assign books, as part of a deep study and critical thinking about craft. 
   

• Monthly Accountability Buddies​
  Each month, the writers in each workshop group of the program will be placed into pairs or small groups (maximum of three writers per group), with the specific assignment to check-in with each other. This may include short conversations, meeting on Zoom, exchanging a few pages of writing, and some instructors will give buddy groups a question or topic to discuss. Some buddy groups choose to meet weekly or check-in multiple times, others just once. The goal of the buddy groups is to offer an added sense of accountability and community over the course of the month, as well as allowing writers to get to know those in their workshop better, and it has consistently been one of the program features that participants enjoy the most.
   

• One-On-One Instructor Meetings
  Each writer in the Manuscript Program will have two opportunities over the course of the program to meet one-on-one with their instructor, to discuss their manuscript in more depth and/or to review their bigger-picture manuscript and writing goals. One of these meetings happens early in the program, so your instructor will be acquainted with your goals early on. ​

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• Opportunities to Meet Agents & Publishing Professionals
  Every year, in the second half of the program, the Manuscript Program welcomes special guests (agents, editors, publishers) to speak with the writers of the Manuscript Program about publishing paths and the larger industry. We usually have 2 - 3 guests each year, who meet live on Zoom with our writers. The list of special guests will be released in early 2027, before the program begins in March. 

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Is this program right for you? 

The program is open to writers at all stages of the process, and at a range of different levels, but it does require a rigorous commitment to your work and a clear project in mind that you plan to work on for the entire year (except for the Generative Writing section, which is open to writers who do not have a project in mind). The ideal applicant is someone who is deeply committed to their growth as a writer, their role in a long-term program, as well as to furthering their manuscript; they understand the rigorous nature of this program and they and their work thrive in an environment where feedback is given and received monthly. They are also committed to the mutual nature of workshopping and feedback, and are ready to commit to supporting their classmates.

Questions?
For more program info, including descriptions and outlines of each workshop group, instructor information, important dates, frequently asked questions, eligibility, and application information, scroll down. All program information is on this page. For questions regarding the overall program (and not specific workshops) you can also email us at at admin@pioneervalleywriters.com.