Layering: A Structured Approach to Revision — 6-Week Online Fiction and Memoir Workshop with Chaitali Sen Starts Thursday, April 22nd, 2027
Layering Revision Workshop: Revise With a Plan | Apr 2027 Online
Layering Writing Workshop: A Structured Approach to Revision with Chaitali Sen
Begins Thursday, April 22, 2027
Class will meet weekly via Zoom on Thursdays, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM ET
🌍 Class Times by Time Zone:
- Los Angeles (PDT): 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
- Chicago (CDT): 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
- New York (EDT): 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Now Enrolling!
Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.
Instructor Chaitali Sen is the author of the novel The Pathless Sky and the short story collection A New Race of Men from Heaven, the winner of the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction. Her next novel, Girlhood, is forthcoming from Grove Atlantic in December 2027. She is a PhD candidate in Creative Writing and Literature at the University of Houston, where she is the graduate program coordinator and a recipient of the Inprint J. A. and Isabel M. Elkins Foundation Fellowship.
Meet the Teaching Artist
Layering: A Structured Approach to Revision, an Interview with Chaitali Sen
Who is this class for?
This online revision workshop is for fiction writers and memoirists with a draft in hand who want a clear, repeatable way through revision. Writers at all levels are welcome, from first full draft to a manuscript that has been through several rounds and still is not working.
What to expect:
Revision can be the most rewarding part of the writing process, but it can also be the most overwhelming. During revision, your manuscript might get worse before it gets better, so how do you go through that without getting stuck in the mess and losing your way entirely?
In this six-week writing workshop, we will practice a layering approach to revision: learning how to identify the issues and sweeping through your manuscript to address one issue at a time. Students will develop and practice a systematic approach to revising a memoir or fiction draft. We will learn how to achieve distance from our work and write objectively about what it is trying to say; to identify problems in executing various craft elements such as plot, characterization, setting, and pacing; and to brainstorm solutions to those problems and a strategic plan of action.
This online writing class should get you energized for the hard but exciting work of revising your manuscript, and it provides a supportive environment to discuss our projects and talk through the revision process. We will also celebrate "a-ha" moments and get some other perspectives on revision from writers and editors.
What are the writing goals?
In this course, students will build a systematic revision plan for a fiction or memoir manuscript in progress. Each week brings independent assignments tied to the project you are revising, and our live Thursday sessions on Zoom give you room to discuss your project and talk through the revision process with Chaitali and your peers. By the end of the class, you will have the tools you need for the next step in your writing process.
COURSE TAKEAWAYS:
- A systematic revision plan for your project.
- A way to look objectively at your writing and what it is trying to say.
- Methods for identifying problems in plot, characterization, setting, and pacing.
- A strategic plan of action for addressing those problems one layer at a time.
TESTIMONIALS:
"Chaiti's class on revision was my last step before querying and I'm so happy I had the opportunity to take it. As a list-driven person, I really liked how she broke down revision into actionable steps. I felt like I touched every part of my novel in a very systematic way that also left room for creativity. After her class, I was ready to proceed and signed with an agent about two months later!"
— Amanda Churchill, author of Turtle House (Harper Books)
"Chaitali Sen's class on revision exceeded my expectations. It was one of the best courses I've ever taken and I found the class and material to be invaluable. I would highly recommend this class."
— Pen W.
"I loved Chaitali Sen's class on revision. It was wonderful! Organized, thoughtful and she gave us a rigorous and thoughtful approach to revision that focuses on refining our core ideas/themes. I loved the hand outs and activities!"
— Patricia F.
"This was one of the best classes I've taken. I really appreciated the mixture of handouts, discussion, prompts, and some time to work on our writing. Great class!! Would definitely recommend to others."
— Former Student
"There were moments when you heard the entire class go 'ohhh' in a collective understanding of something that seems simple and obvious but clearly wasn't. Came away with excellent tips and direction."
— Former Student
"I went home and started revising my manuscript using her method."
— Former Student
"Chaitali's sage guidance has taken me from (very) rough draft to submittable manuscript, not just once but several times. She is a wizard at spotting what needs to be fixed, what needs to be added, and what needs to be discarded. She also shines as a counselor on the overall structure of the story."
— Former Student
PAYMENT OPTIONS:
Tuition is $445 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.
ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:
- Instructor: Chaitali Sen
- Begins Thursday, April 22, 2027
- Class will meet weekly via Zoom on Thursdays, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM ET
- Tuition is $445 USD.