The Forever Calendar

What’s coming up at The Forever Workshop?

Our weekly workshops are in newsletter format, self-paced, and evergreen. Subscribe and we will send them to you as they publish.

MAY

What Agents Are Looking For in Your Sample Pages — May 6

More manuscripts die on page one than anywhere else in the slush. We asked Jane Friedman, Karin Gillespie, and agent Erin Niumata — three of publishing's most honest readers — what separates a sample that gets requested from one that gets archived. Next in our "Tell us something we don't know…" series.

How to Crush Your Artist Statement & Snag That Writing Opportunity — May 13

After a year reading applications at Tin House, Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya knows exactly what makes a reader stop and take notice — and exactly what makes them scroll. She'll walk you through writing the artist statement that earns the residency, the grant, the fellowship.

How to Nail the Poetic Turn and Transform Your Poetry — May 20

Learn how to use the ‘poetic turn’ to add structure to your poetry and create meaningful shifts that take your reader on a journey of discovery, surprise, and subversion — a masterclass in poem-craft from Kelly Grace Thomas.

It’s Time For Your Close-up: How to Write a Memoir in Micro — May 27

Sometimes all you need is 300 words... Join bestselling author and memoirist Darien Gee to explore how to use the micro form to create concise, unique, and deeply personal creative non-fiction — one tiny story at a time.

JUNE

How to Craft Impactful Character Encounters — June 3

The moment two characters meet is the moment your reader decides whether to keep reading. Lit Match Collective's Steve Chang (Okay Donkey) and Autumn Watts break down the structure of a first encounter that earns tension instead of announcing it — step-by-step technique drawn from stories that actually land the hook.

6 Writing Equations to Get You Into Your Story — June 10

If you struggle with starting a new idea, try one (or six!) of these fun hacks for unlocking your story. Figure out what your writer-brain really wants to focus on and rewire your creative process with Erin Karbuczky.

Writing About Grief & Trauma — June 17

Grief is one of the most universal — and deeply personal — human experiences, which is what makes it so difficult to render on the page. Editor and grief coach Helene Kiser offers sensitive and practical advice on translating your feelings into words in a way that resonates with readers.

Where to Start with Historical Fiction — June 24

Want to write historical fiction but feeling overwhelmed by research? Or just not sure how to turn source material into a narrative? Emma Darwin shows us how to unearth nuggets of inspiration from the history books and explore different ways of finding your way into a story.

JULY

Lessons from a Wigleaf Top 50 Editor: Q&A with Shome Dasgupta — July 1

Writer, reader and editor Shome Dasgupta reflects on working on the Wigleaf Top 50 for 13 years, sharing insights on what it’s like to read so many stories, how editors select pieces for the shortlist, the writing lessons he’s learned along the way, and what makes the short fiction community so special.How to Craft Impactful Character Encounters — June 3

Your Poem’s Title is One of Your Most Powerful Tools — July 8

Join award-winning poet Kelly Grace Thomas and learn how to write titles that don’t just introduce a poem — they ignite it. Explore a range of methods to craft titles that sharpen tension, deepen meaning, and echo long after the final line.

Mining the Details: Concrete, Specific & Unique — July 15

The details you choose to draw out of your writing matter. One tiny detail can tell us so much about a character, act as a pivotal clue, or carry a deeply meaningful metaphor. Brevity editor Andrea A. Firth shows us where to find the perfect details, why they matter, and how to use them to strengthen our work.

Let’s Do an Art Heist: A New Angle on Writer’s Block — July 22

You’re not stuck — you just need to try a different perspective. And maybe ‘borrow’ from a fellow artist or two. Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya shows us how to steal from other forms to turn a painting, a three-minute song, or a single film scene into a working draft for essays, short stories, or whatever's been refusing to get written.

Editorial Q&A: Experimental Fiction — July 29

In the latest instalment of our “Tell us something we don’t know…” series, we asked lit mag editors Derek Askey (The Sun), Steve Chang (Okay Donkey) and Rachel Dillon (Ploughshares) their thoughts on experimental fiction — how can writers use unusual structures and techniques to elevate their work (and when doesn’t experimentation work so well)?

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