Essay/Memoir One-on-One 3-Month Mentorship with Chloe Caldwell: Revise, Submit, and Publish Personal Essays, Apply Now
Please do not pay for the mentorship until you receive a formal acceptance notification via email.
Click HERE to Apply Now. Early applications are encouraged as space is limited.
Any questions about this mentorship? Use the Chat Button (lower left) to talk with us.
Led by Chloe Caldwell, author of three books: the essay collection I’ll Tell You in Person (Coffee House/Emily Books, 2016), the critically acclaimed novella, WOMEN (SF/LD 2014 and Harper Collins UK, 2017) and Legs Get Led Astray. Her memoir, The Red Zone: A Love Story was published on April 19th, 2022 from Soft Skull. Read her work in the The Cut, NY Times, Vice, Salon, Longreads, Nylon, Bon Appétit and many more publications.
The Ideal Applicant for this one-on-one program may be at any stage of their memoir or essay-writing, but will have some essays already on the page—not only ideas. The ideal applicant will come to this mentorship program with the willingness and expectation to tackle substantial revision, on the micro-level (sentences, word choice, punctuation), as well as the macro-level (pacing, voice, theme). Applicants should have a draft of either one long essay (3K words plus) or multiple essays of the shorter variety. Messy drafts are absolutely fine!
The goal of the three months is to have a finished and polished essay, a pitch, and a strategy of getting your essays published in their right home. Chloe cannot promise your essay will get published, of course, but if you stick with the program, it’s very likely!
Selected essays published under Chloe’s mentorship and edits:
"TikTok Made Me Gay" by Emma Turetsky in The Cut
"We Should Really Stop Using The Phrase 'Put Up For Adoption'" by Chris Phillips in romper
“On an Italian Island, How He Met My Mother” by Jessica Silvester The New York Times
“The Next Level of Commitment” by Vanessa Golenia on Longreads
"Teeth" by Rachel King in The Sun
My Break Up Survival Plan by Courtney Kocak in The Washington Post
“Infinity” by Audrey Moyce in Vol. 1 Brooklyn
This mentorship is meant to encourage, motivate, and inspire, and push you out of your comfort zone. Writers accepted into the program will already have a basic knowledge of the tools and craft of creative writing and are looking for an intensive experience without the cost of a graduate program. Interested applicants will understand that growth in craft requires critique, consistent work, and an eagerness to learn. Publishing personal essay, memoir, and creative nonfiction can be vulnerable and Chloe knows the value mentorship and support can offer.
Chloe will guide writers using The Artful Edit by Susan Bell and how it applies to narrative nonfiction. Many writers revise their work dozens of times, and often the finished product can be drastically different than a first draft. Entire narrative threads might be added; others may be cut. Participants in this workshop will be challenged to develop the ability to see their own essays with fresh eyes and ask crucial questions about what is working and what isn’t. This mentorship will consist of Chloe giving extensive feedback and advice from her personal experience published three books and online. Critique will focus on strengths, but also on weaknesses. Chloe will recommend craft books and/or articles, or recommend essays and essay collections tailored to each unique writer’s needs. Chloe will even supply you with before and afters of her own published essays.
You will be able to send Chloe questions and talk through any roadblocks you run into at any time over the three months, but scheduled phone meetings will occur every two weeks. You will be expected to submit TWENTY pages or less of your essay(s) every two weeks for direct feedback, and then discuss it at the bi-weekly meetings.
You will also be given new resources from the instructor every two weeks such as: writing tips, structuring the essay, how to get an agent, realities of the publishing world, and the hardships that come with.
Writers will submit/share a process-letter (1-2 pages) detailing the work they’ve accomplished and their areas of concern and success for the month.
Since the course is online, these resources will be in the form of readings, assigned videos, handouts, etc., rather than lecture. Chloe will be available to expand on any of these resources and help you on your writing journey so you can get your essay ready for publication. Chloe will share her resources and connections with you to invigorate your writing life and so you have a toolbox to take with you when the mentorship ends.
Mentor’s Monthly Input:
- One-on-one meeting between mentor and mentee
- In-line comments and critique letter on submitted essay(s)
- A monthly reading list tailored to your areas of need and interest
- Monthly suggestions of outlets to send your work
- Based on each month’s accomplishments, mentor will assign new readings, podcasts, books, films, or exercises to aid in personal writing growth
- Availability over email and phone to answer questions and provide encouragement.
The 3 Month Personal Essay Revision Entails:
- One-on-one mentoring
- Bi-weekly meetings
- Personalized roadmap for achieving your project goals
- Accountability
- Access to mentor via email for questions for three months
- Monthly critique of pages, including line notes and a specific feedback for improvement and revisions
- Personalized readings and assignments based on your specific development needs
- Writing and revision exercises
- Learn how to read like a writer
- Resources and ideas for contests, residencies, and grants to apply for/submit to.
- Access to Chloe’s network of editors, opportunities, contests, submissions, and tools of the trade she’s learned over the past decade.
Mentee’s Monthly Responsibilities:
- Participate in one-on-one meeting.
- Send pages to mentor based on individual project goals negotiated with mentor
- Create a process-reflection letter discussing achievements and areas of growth and challenge for the month.
- Read articles or craft books/podcasts/videos mentor assigns to aid growth in specific areas
- Participate in a monthly one-on-one session with mentor to review individual progress and areas of growth and challenge.
“I have studied twice with Chloe, and both times I have come away inspired, energized, and empowered with tools to do my best writing and get my work out into the world. She has a knack for organizing knowledge and presenting it in a structured way, while also guiding writers to tap into the deep well of their truth and write from that place. Studying with Chloe will make you a better writer and a better advocate for your own work.” —Emily Neves
"My mentorship with Chloe Caldwell was truly my greatest workshopping experience yet. As a professional copywriter, essay writing has become a passion project I do on the side for my own fun, and hadn't much considered publishing until Chloe gave me the confidence to pitch to my dream publication—and they took it! From her extensive and wildly helpful in-line edits to just chatting on the phone about my seemingly endless ideas, Chloe's mentorship has left me a better, more confident, and more inspired writer. Run! Don't! walk! to sign up for her next mentorship." -Emma T., former student
"The writing workshop I attended truly did exceed my expectations. Of course the reasons for this are probably too verbose to name, but for me, all the useful you-can-use-these-tips-right-the-hell-now! information I learned that week is high on the list of reasons I would work with Chloe again. Not to mention the story of her path to teaching and writing. The information she shared on these topics has continued to influence the direction I plan to take my own writing and, hopefully, teaching career. And I think this is important to note because so many writers are intimidated by the vastness of this industry and the seeming, and not just seeming, let's face it, the very real feeling of trying in vain to gain access to the all but impenetrable machine that is the publishing industry and traditional teaching of writing. Chloe made her own path by elevating an organic and self-directed trajectory and approach to writing, publishing, and teaching and after working with her, I feel inspired and strongly about doing the same. I'll say, too, really there is no better indicator of an instructor's strength than one who engages with her students and fellow artists in a way that makes them feel both seen, heard, and maybe most importantly, understood. This was the general feeling I came away with after working with Chloe, and it's one I won't soon forget.”—Valerie Visnic
"Working with Chloe is like sitting down with a good friend that wants nothing but the best for you but will also give you honest, tactical advice on what to do next. She's always ready to meet you where you are and push you to where you want to go. The best part about Chloe as a teacher and mentor isn't that she has all the answers (no one does). It's that she always asks the right questions."—Polly Adams
"Chloe’s classes changed my life. She is so honest, thoughtful, and enthusiastic about her students and their work. She attracts smart, funny, open people to her classes. I’ve taken nearly a dozen workshops with her now and I consistently walk away feeling energized, inspired, and like I’ve known the people in the class for years. Chloe’s guidance, support, and genuine interest in her students gave me the courage to take my writing seriously. I’ve learned so much from her and can’t recommend her workshops highly enough." – Emily Smith, former student
"Chloe is a dreamy writing teacher. As an editor, she is precise and discerning, and she has a knack for mining insights from even the roughest of drafts. She’s also kind and compassionate, building our confidence to tell our stories. Her classes are engaging and generative: I have found new favorite writers from essays we read together, and started several new pieces from in-class prompts." —Jasmin Sandelson, former student
"Everything I know about good writing I know from Chloe. She helped me get published for the first time on Longreads. Her feedback is invaluable and elevated my writing to a whole new level. I’d be hard pressed to find someone with writing prompts and reading assignments as unique and powerful as hers. I always tell everyone, if you want to expand your writer’s brain, talk to Chloe." – Vanessa Golenia, former student
"I first became acquainted with Chloe through her writing, and was so excited to find that the combination of heart and discernment I love in Women and I’ll Tell You in Person also comes out in her teaching. Her edits are sharp and her ideas for opening a piece up are plentiful–she’s helped me gain a lot of confidence and drive when it comes to drafting, rewriting, and editing my own work." – Audrey Moyce, former student
Tuition Payment:
Full Tuition for the 3-month program is $2,400. Accepted writers must commit to the full three months and meet all assigned deadlines. You can pay the tuition in full or opt for equal monthly payments by selecting Shop Pay or Affirm at checkout. If you decide to create a monthly payment plan using Shop Pay or Affirm, you can do so once you add "Full Tuition" to your cart, enter your contact information, and are on the payment page.
Additional Program Information:
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Tuition is $2,400
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The Mentorship is fully online and students may participate from anywhere.
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NOTE: Shifting some dates around may be necessary but any changes will be communicated well in advance, if possible.
Contact us HERE if you have any questions about this program.
Mentor Chloe Caldwell is the author of the essay collections I’LL TELL YOU IN PERSON and LEGS GET LED ASTRAY, as well as the critically acclaimed novella, WOMEN. Her memoir, THE RED ZONE: A LOVE STORY, published on April 19th, 2022 from Soft Skull. Chloe’s essays have appeared in The New York Times, Bon Appétit, New York Magazine’s The Cut, The Strategist, Buzzfeed, Longreads, Vice, Nylon, Salon.com, Medium,The Rumpus, Catapult, Hobart, The Sun, Men’s Health, The Nervous Breakdown, and half a dozen anthologies including Goodbye To All That: Writers on Loving and Leaving NYC and Without A Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class. Her essay “Hungry Ghost” was listed as Notable in 2017 Best American Non Required Reading. Chloe lives in Hudson, NY.