To enroll in this class, please email carly@writteninbrooklyn.com and wait for further instructions. Please write “Independent Study” in the email subject line. Do not register for the class without emailing!

Independent Study

Seven weeks. One project. Individual feedback.

Have a piece of writing you can't quite figure out? A half-finished essay. A memoir you've been talking about for three years. A solo show that's a pile of notes. A book of essays that's starting to take shape. Or maybe you just have a lot of material and no idea what the hell to do with it.

Independent Study is a seven-week writing lab for people who already have a project and want help making it better.

This isn't a traditional class. There isn't a weekly lesson or a syllabus telling you what you should be writing.

You bring the project. I'll bring my expertise and help you figure out what to do with it and how to finish it.

You'll work independently on your writing for seven weeks, with two substantial rounds of individual written feedback from Carly, two group Zoom sessions, and one private session.

What you get:

A kickoff Zoom
We'll talk about your project, what you've got, where you're stuck, and what you want to accomplish over the seven weeks.

Weekly assignments to keep you on track
No extra homework. I’ll assign check-ins tailored to your individual project to help you reach your writing goal.

Individual Feedback #1
Send me a piece of your work and I'll dig in. I'll tell you what's working, what's missing, where I'm most interested, where I'm getting lost, bigger picture notes, and what I think you should do next. Up to 5000 words.

Check-in Zoom
A chance to meet as a group and share your work.

Individual Feedback #2
Send me your next round OR a new piece of the same project. Up to 5000 words.

Individual Zoom
We'll take stock of what you've made, what's changed, and where you should go from here. You'll leave with a plan for your next steps, not just a bunch of notes and good intentions.

What can you work on?

Pretty much anything that involves writing.

• A personal essay

• A memoir

• A book of essays

• A solo show

• Storytelling material

• A collection of short pieces

• A longer creative nonfiction project

• Something you've been writing forever but can't seem to finish

You don't need to know exactly what the project is yet. That's part of what we'll figure out.

This is for you if...

You don't need another class about how to write.

You need someone to look at your actual work and say:

"Here's what's interesting."
"Here's the thing you should lean into."
"I think this is actually what your piece is about."
"Cut this."
"Write more here."
"Okay, now do this."

That's what Independent Study is.

7 weeks · 3 Zoom sessions · 2 individual feedback rounds · 1 writing project

$595 · Limited to 6 writers

Weekly Assignments

We’ll meet three times on Zoom. In between our group sessions, you’ll have the flexibility to work on assignments on your own time, with submissions due by email.

*Wednesday, October 14th (6:30 pm - mandatory group session)

Wednesday, October 21st - check-in due

Wednesday, October 28th- check-in due

Wednesday, November 4th - first assignment due

*Wednesday, November 11th (6:30pm - mandatory group session)

Wednesday, November 18th - check-in due

Wednesday, November 25th - 2nd assignment due

*individual session to be schedule the last week of class

Location

Group sessions will be held over Zoom.

To enroll in this class, please email carly@writteninbrooklyn.com and kindly write “Independent Study” in the subject line. Wait for a response before purchasing the class! DO NOT PURCHASE THE CLASS BEFORE YOU ARE APPROVED.