Year-Long Memoir Incubator: MFA-Level Generative Workshop — 12-Month Online Nonfiction Workshop with Leslie Contreras Schwartz Starts Thursday, April 1st, 2027

Year-Long Memoir Writing Workshop | April 2027 Online

Year-Long Memoir Incubator: MFA-Level Generative Workshop with Leslie Contreras Schwartz

Begins Thursday, April 1, 2027
Class will meet every other Thursday via Zoom, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM ET
27 class meetings in three phases, April 2027 through March 2028

🌍 Class Times by Time Zone:

• Los Angeles (PT): 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Chicago (CT): 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• New York (ET): 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Please note: the class pauses for the holidays on December 30, 2027, resumes Thursday, January 6, 2028, and concludes Thursday, March 30, 2028.

Two optional online info sessions will be held for interested applicants. In these, we will discuss the program and the application process and answer questions.

• Info Session #1: Tuesday, January 19, 2027, 5:00 - 6:00 PM PT (8:00 - 9:00 PM ET)
• Info Session #2: Tuesday, February 16, 2027, 5:00 - 6:00 PM PT (8:00 - 9:00 PM ET)
• Application Deadline: Monday, March 1, 2027
• Notification of Acceptance: by Monday, March 15, 2027

Applications Now Open!

Apply for the Year-Long Memoir Incubator

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.

Instructor Leslie Contreras Schwartz is a multi-genre writer and author of the 2022 C&R Press Nonfiction Prize Winner From the Womb of Sky and Earth. She was a 2021 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellow and the 2019-2021 Houston Poet Laureate.

Leslie writes about feminism, generational trauma, mental illness, and disability and frequently gives lectures on writing about trauma and difficult subject matters. She is an experienced creative writing instructor at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Leslie is the author of five collections of poetry: the forthcoming Sweet Geometry (Kelsay Books, 2026); Black Dove/Paloma Negra (FlowerSong Press, 2020), a finalist for the 2021 Best Book of Poetry from the Texas Institute of Letters; and Nightbloom & Cenote (St. Julian Press, 2018), a semi-finalist for the 2017 Tupelo Press Dorset Prize, judged by Ilya Kaminsky.

Her work has been featured in Paris Review, AGNI, EPOCH, Missouri Review, Iowa Review, [PANK], Verse Daily, Pleiades, Dame Magazine, Gulf Coast, and Houston Noir (Akashic Books, 2019), and 2019 The Best Small Fiction anthology, among others. Recent work has been featured with the Academy of American Poets Poem-A-Day. She has collaborated or been commissioned for projects with the City of Houston, the Houston Grand Opera, The Moody Center of the Arts at Rice University, and Apollo Chamber Players.

Contreras Schwartz is currently a poetry and nonfiction faculty member at Alma College's MFA low-residency program in creative writing and has taught creative nonfiction and poetry workshops at Rice University and Stanford Continuing Studies. She is a graduate of the Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College and earned a bachelor's degree in English at Rice University.

Who is this class for?

This program is for serious memoir writers of all levels who can give their book 10 to 15 hours a week for a full year. You don't need a finished draft. You need a project you're committed to, an openness to feedback, and the generosity to read your peers as closely as you want to be read.

What to expect:

The Year-Long Memoir Incubator is an MFA-level nonfiction writing workshop for 8 to 12 writers who want a regular practice, a serious community, and a full manuscript by the end of it. The year runs in three phases: a craft intensive that gets the book moving, a long middle of development and workshop, and a final stretch of revision.

Each class pairs close reading with craft discussion. You'll study imagery, scene, narrative distance, figurative language and metaphor, introspection and reflection, and the use of research and source material, then put each one to work in your own pages. Readings go out at least a week ahead, and between classes you'll read your peers' work and come ready with feedback.

The pace is real. Writers aim for 5,000 new words a month, with accountability tools to keep the count honest. Individual meetings with Leslie and visits from guest writers keep the book moving through all three phases of this online writing class.

Guest Faculty

• Karen Bender, novelist (finalist for the National Book Award)
• Anna Clark, nonfiction writer and ProPublica journalist
• Benjamin Garcia, poet (National Poetry Series winner)
• Matthew Gavin Frank, nonfiction writer and poet
• Kathleen Rooney, novelist and poet, editor of Rose Metal Press
• Donald Quist, nonfiction writer

Others to be scheduled. Guest writers are confirmed on a rolling basis and may change at the instructor's discretion.

What are the writing goals?

In this course, students will draft and revise a full-length memoir manuscript. You'll write the first 15,000 words in Phase I and receive a full developmental read on them, then keep building at 5,000 words a month. Across all three phases you'll get workshop feedback from your peers and the instructor, written feedback on your pages, and one-on-one guidance in individual meetings with Leslie.

Readings

Readings may include excerpts from work by Vivian Gornick, Esmé Weijun Wang, Carmen Maria Machado, Matthew Gavin Frank, Jeannette Walls, Chanel Miller, and more. Craft books include The Art of Description by Mark Doty and The Situation and the Story by Vivian Gornick. Readings are subject to change at the instructor's discretion.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Applications are due Monday, March 1, 2027, at 11:59 PM ET. To apply, submit:

• A writing sample of up to 15 double-spaced pages from your memoir or other creative nonfiction
• A description of your memoir project (up to 500 words)
• A statement on why this program, and why now (up to 300 words)
• A short bio (up to 150 words)
• Confirmation that you can commit 10 to 15 hours a week to your project and attend class every other Thursday, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM ET

Join one of two optional info sessions on Zoom to meet Leslie and ask questions about the program. Attendance is not required and has no bearing on your application.

• Info Session #1: Tuesday, January 19, 2027, 5:00 - 6:00 PM PT (8:00 - 9:00 PM ET)
• Info Session #2: Tuesday, February 16, 2027, 5:00 - 6:00 PM PT (8:00 - 9:00 PM ET)
• Application Deadline: Monday, March 1, 2027
• Notification of Acceptance: by Monday, March 15, 2027

Applications submitted after the deadline will be reviewed as space allows.

Apply for the Year-Long Memoir Incubator

COURSE OUTLINE

Classes meet every other Thursday, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM ET. Guest speakers join throughout the year.

Phase I: Craft Intensive and Generative Jump-Start

Craft lectures and close readings, generative exercises and mini-workshops, and the first 15,000 words of your manuscript with a full developmental read.

• Class 1 (April 1, 2027): Introduction to the class and to creative nonfiction. Reading: the first chapter of The Art of Description, an excerpt from Chanel Miller's Know My Name, and poems
• Class 2 (April 15, 2027): Imagery and Sensory Description
• Class 3 (April 29, 2027): Research and Speculative Imaginings
• Class 4 (May 13, 2027): Elements of Storytelling
• Class 5 (May 20, 2027): Elements of Storytelling
• Class 6 (June 3, 2027): Voice, Creativity, and Emotional Resonance
• Class 7 (June 17, 2027): Reporting and Research
• Class 8 (July 1, 2027): Generative Writing and Workshop
• Class 9 (July 15, 2027): Generative Writing and Workshop

Phase II: Development and Workshops

Longer workshops on the full development of the manuscript, with advanced techniques for structure and narrative connection.

• Class 10 (July 29, 2027): Narrative Distance, Workshops
• Class 11 (August 12, 2027): Interiority, Workshops
• Class 12 (August 26, 2027): Narrative Design and Storytelling
• Class 13 (September 9, 2027): Pacing, Workshops
• Class 14 (September 23, 2027): Tension, Workshops
• Class 15 (October 7, 2027): Use of Time, Workshops
• Class 16 (October 21, 2027): Reflection and Analysis, Workshops
• Class 17 (November 4, 2027): Structure and Form, Workshops
• Class 18 (November 18, 2027): Structure and Form, Workshops

Phase III: Revision and Full Manuscript Completion

Workshops and mentorship focused on revising and completing the manuscript.

• Class 19 (December 2, 2027): Revision Techniques, Workshops
• Class 20 (December 16, 2027): Revision Techniques, Workshops

No class December 30, 2027 (holiday break). Class resumes Thursday, January 6, 2028.

• Class 21 (January 6, 2028): Revision Techniques, Workshops
• Class 22 (January 20, 2028): Revision Techniques, Workshops
• Class 23 (February 3, 2028): Organizing and Structure, Workshops
• Class 24 (February 17, 2028): Organizing and Structure, Workshops
• Class 25 (March 2, 2028): Final Revisions, Workshops
• Class 26 (March 16, 2028): Final Revisions, Workshops
• Class 27 (March 30, 2028): The Publication Process and What Now?, Workshops

The syllabus, including readings and the speaker schedule, is subject to change at the instructor's discretion.

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• A full-length memoir manuscript, drafted and revised over twelve months
• A full developmental read of your first 15,000 words
• Working command of nonfiction craft: imagery, scene, narrative distance, interiority, pacing, tension, and structure
• Revision strategies for organizing and restructuring a book-length manuscript
• A sustainable writing practice built on 5,000 words a month
• A clear view of the publication process and your next steps

TESTIMONIALS:

“I'm so grateful for Leslie's guidance in the craft of memoir writing and in dealing with material that uprooted uncomfortable memories. Her suggestions for delving into and describing difficult scenes were pivotal for productive writing. I'm continuing to use the techniques I learned with happy success.”

— Former Student

"The reading selections were amazing -- such a broad selection -- Leslie's insights were incredibly helpful, and I could see students incorporating their learnings into their writing. That does not happen in every class."

— Former Student

"I liked the way Leslie incorporated deeply uncomfortable literature such that it encouraged the students to speak up and write intimately."

— Former Student

"I learned a tremendous amount in Leslie’s class through the lectures and discussion of readings. She thinks deeply about the writing craft, and she was able to convey insights about the craft of writing memoir much better than others."

— Former Student

FAQs:

Why not an MFA program?

This program combines the best aspects of an MFA program (community, mentorship, and intensive craft analysis) with specialized, practical publishing advice.

Why does this class cost so much?

The 12-month incubator is an MFA-level course, taught by a published nonfiction writer and poet who is also an experienced educator with years of creative writing teaching experience at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Your tuition helps pay your instructor a living wage, and covers the cost of booking guest speakers, a full developmental read, individual meetings, scheduling events, and administering the program.

Can I get a refund if I do not complete the program?

Once paid, your full tuition is nonrefundable. This is a selective program with limited spots. We are making a commitment to you for the full year and expect that you will do the same. For this reason, there are no refunds after your tuition has been paid.

I finished the program. When will I get published?

We can't promise that every writer who leaves the 12-month memoir incubator will get published right away, or ever. Publishing is a tricky business, involving lots of luck and time, as students who enroll in this course will learn! That said, as writers ourselves, we strongly believe that we can help prepare emerging memoirists to better navigate the publishing industry, and that our program and the connections made here will increase your chances of success.

In the course description, there are mentions of meetings with guest speakers. I want the details right now! Why can't I have them?

People who work in publishing are busy, and we confirm guest speakers on a rolling basis, as their schedules permit.

I barely have an idea for a full-length book. Is this class too advanced?

Maybe. How serious are you about the idea? If you just have an inkling, but you're committed to coming in and focusing on that idea over the course of the year, this class might be the right fit for you. The key thing is that on the first day, you come ready to write. No one will write the pages of your memoir for you, but this course can help you apply structure to your idea, and motivate you to finish the draft.

I have written several drafts of a memoir, and I can't seem to find an agent or figure out the next steps. Should I take this class?

Absolutely. Sometimes, taking a memoir to the next level requires cracking it open and figuring out how it works, and the insight of new readers can help that process along. This class will give you a new perspective on your work and offer concrete next steps for you and your memoir.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Tuition is $7,200 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout. Payment is due only after you receive an acceptance notification.

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

• Instructor: Leslie Contreras Schwartz
• Begins Thursday, April 1, 2027
• Class will meet every other Thursday via Zoom, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM ET
• 27 class meetings across three phases, concluding Thursday, March 30, 2028
• Between 8 and 12 writers will be accepted
• Tuition is $7,200 USD.