Saturday, March 14th, 2026

Class will meet once via Zoom from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET

🌍 Class Times by Time Zone: Los Angeles (PDT): 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM / Chicago (CDT): 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM / New York (EDT): 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM / London (GMT): 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM / Berlin (CET): 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

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

Instructor Elizabeth Austin's writing has appeared in The New York Times, Time, Harper's Bazaar, McSweeney's, Electric Literature, and others. She is currently working on a memoir about being a bad cancer mom. She lives outside of Philadelphia with her two children and their many pets.

Who is this class for?

This nonfiction writing workshop is for writers who have completed essays but struggle with the submission and resubmission process—whether that means giving up after a few rejections, taking rejection personally, or lacking a systematic approach to placing work. It is open to all levels, from writers submitting their first essay to experienced writers who want to professionalize their submission practice.

What to expect:

Most essays get rejected a dozen times before finding a home, but most writers give up after just five rejections. The difference between published and unpublished writers is a combination of persistence and strategy. This intensive 2-hour online writing workshop transforms rejection from emotional crisis into actionable intelligence. You'll learn to decode the different types of rejection emails—from form rejections to revise-and-resubmit invitations—and understand what editors actually mean versus what they say. We'll break down why essays really get rejected and why most rejections tell you little about your essay's quality.

The workshop provides a complete resubmission system, including the tiered venue strategy (A-list dream publications, B-list strong fits, C-list solid homes), a resubmission approach that maintains momentum, and tracking methods that shelve emotion during the process. You'll learn when revision is strategic versus defensive, how to build a venue database organized by response time and acceptance rates, and how to develop the psychological resilience that enables persistent submission over months and years.

This Zoom writing class is perfect for writers with essays sitting after a few rejections, writers who find submission emotionally overwhelming, or anyone ready to build a professional, sustainable practice that turns "no" into "not yet" into "yes."

What are the writing goals?

In this course, students will develop a resubmission system for at least one essay, including: identification of 5-8 appropriate venues, a tracking spreadsheet with submission data, and a 30-day action plan with specific submission dates and accountability measures. Students will learn to decode their existing rejection emails and determine whether their work needs revision or just the right venue. By the end, students will have submitted (or scheduled to submit within one week) their essay to at least three new venues.

This class does not include individual manuscript feedback. However, students will receive real-time feedback during the workshop through:

• Live rejection email analysis (instructor decodes 3-4 rejection emails submitted by participants)
• Venue-matching guidance in the group exercise (instructor suggests appropriate venues based on essay descriptions shared in chat)
• And answers to specific submission questions during Q&A periods. 

The instructor provides general strategic feedback on submission approaches, timing, and venue selection throughout the session.

COURSE OUTLINE

Hour 1: Understanding Rejection

• The Rejection Reality Check
• When to Revise vs. When to Keep Submitting
• Building Your Resubmission System

Hour 2: Persistence and Action

• The Psychology of Persistent Submission
• Advanced Resubmission Strategies
• Creating Your Personal Resubmission Plan
• Q&A and Closing

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• Decode rejection patterns: Learn to categorize any rejection email into five types and determine appropriate next actions, distinguishing between timing/fit issues versus genuine craft concerns that require revision.
• Build a tiered submission strategy: Create a personalized venue database with 10-15 publications across A-list, B-list, and C-list tiers, organized by response time, pay rate, and fit for your work.
• Implement systematic tracking: Set up a submission tracking spreadsheet that records venue, date, response type, and specific feedback, enabling data-driven decisions about revision and resubmission.
• Develop psychological resilience: Learn five specific practices (24-hour resubmission rule, portfolio approach, celebration of submissions not just acceptances, perspective file maintenance, rejection quotas) that protect against submission burnout.
• Create a 30-day action plan: Leave with a concrete resubmission plan identifying your next three venues, submission deadlines, and one accountability measure to ensure follow-through.
• Master strategic revision: Understand the difference between strategic revision (addressing real craft issues identified by multiple editors) and defensive revision (trying to please everyone), including clear guidelines for when to revise versus when to keep submitting as-is.

Can't Make It Live?

No problem! The session will be recorded and available to watch after the seminar concludes.

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

This one-time seminar will be conducted live via Zoom. The session will be recorded and available to watch after the seminar concludes.

Tuition is $99 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.

• Instructor: Elizabeth Austin
• Begins Saturday, March 14, 2026
• Class will meet once via Zoom from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET
• Tuition is $99 USD.

🌍 Class Times by Time Zone: Los Angeles (PDT): 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM / Chicago (CDT): 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM / New York (EDT): 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM / London (GMT): 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM / Berlin (CET): 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM