Your Writing Year:
Intensive Sessions
Go beyond the planner and spend a season (or all four) in an intensive. Set a writing goal and get resources, accountability, and community that will cheer to you reaching the finish to celebrate.
We begin January 13, 2025
“But I had not known I was strong enough to do any of those things until they were over and I had done them. I had to do the work first, not knowing.”
— Naomi Novak, Spinning Silver
This is the true challenge every writer faces: trusting that they can complete the book,
knowing they won’t have proof until they’re finished.
This is why we need community.
How Intensives Work
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What do you dream of having written by March?
Ten weeks of protected time to work toward a specific writing goal with the support of a community. -
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Not sure what’s possible in 10 Weeks?
We begin the intensive with a group call where we all set our goals together, making them manageable yet meaningful.
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Worried you’ll lose momentum?
We have an accountability check-in each week, and you’ll have a writing buddy to share the journey with, all the way through.
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Concerned your goal might shift?
Our group call midway is designed to help you adjust your goal so it suits your life and writing progress. At this stage, goals can get bigger, take a breath, and shift toward what’s becoming meaningful now.
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Need someone cheering you on?
Each week, you’ll receive an audio pep talk from me, giving you insight and methods to keep going every step along the way. I’ve been running programs for many years — there are patterns and I’ve watched hundreds of students break through blocks. You can make this happen!
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Looking for resources for your specific goal?
The intensives include access to the Your Writing Year Library, which includes interviews with experts on countless topics, from first drafts, to revision, to publication, and interviews from particular genres. You can dip in any time as needed for a boost.
Intensive Schedule:
Weeks 9-10
You’ve done it! In week 9, we make plans to clear your calendar as much as possible, so you get the maximum writing time for this final stretch.
The last days of the intensive create a rush of writing, and our study halls and accountability threads fizz with frequent updates and joyful announcements as participants hit their goals.
In our final call, we celebrate your success and share the new lessons we’ve learned from this focused time.
And then, a well-earned break to rest.
Week One
At the beginning of the program, we’ll gather to set your writing intention for the session. You’ll learn how to set a goal that’s manageable, yet meaningful. Progress you can count on, that will still stretch you during our ten weeks together.
You’ll share your writing wishes with the group and we’ll set off together.
Weeks 2-4
You’ll receive resources relevant to your goal. Writers at all stages of projects are welcome: first drafts, revisions, those sending work on submission, and anywhere in between.
Caroline provides a course library of resources to support fiction and nonfiction, short projects and stages of longer ones. You’ll have study hall sessions twice weekly to get work done, a weekly check-in and ongoing accountability thread to keep you on track.
You’ll be heading into flow by the time we reach the halfway point
Weeks 5-8
We’ll celebrate the halfway mark with our second group call, when we’ll all tweak our plans and share lessons learned so far.
The momentum builds in this stage of the program, where you’ll start to feel the magnetic pull of the end drawing you closer toward your goal.
Study halls continue as you all cheer each other on.
Stay tuned for extra resources arriving at this stage, as well as some well-earned treats to mark our successes.
I’m Caroline Donahue, MA
I’ve been leading courses and communities for writers for over five years. Since 2003, when I got my masters in psychology and expressive arts, I’ve been studying what allows creatives to overcome blocks and reach their dreams.
This program is the result of my experience teaching hundreds of students, coaching dozens of writers, and contains the wished-for features from previous community participants. I’ve also added the support I needed to write both of my books, The Author’s Journey and Writing through Fear.
I cannot wait to share the Your Writing Year Intensives with you.
STUDENT FEEDBACK
Caroline Donahue is one of the most generous and organized teachers I have ever known." -Jennifer
Caroline Donahue is one of the most generous and organized teachers I have ever known." -Jennifer
"Caroline has built something so special." - Tina
"Caroline has built something so special." - Tina
“Caroline’s courses were magic spells for my writing confidence and productivity.” - Erica
“Caroline’s courses were magic spells for my writing confidence and productivity.” - Erica
✺ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ✺
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Our intensives are hosted in a private Substack space, which allows you to access all the content in one place.
We’ve tested this format with other communities and even the most tech phobic have given it a thumbs up.
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You’ll devote as much time to your writing as your goal requires and your life allows. We’ll look at this directly in our first group session.
There are three one-hour live group sessions, which we recommend joining live, but replays will be available should you be unable to attend.
In addition, depending on your time zone, you’ll have the option of joining at least two one-hour study halls per week. (Four are offered to cover most time zones)
You get to set your pace for the rest of your week, and which days and times you write are entirely up to what works best for you.
We recommend a minimum of 4 hours a week to see progress.
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Our group calls happen on a Sunday at 9am Pacific / Noon Eastern / 17:00 UK / 18:00 CET and last for an hour.
The first call for our January session will be January 19, and the remaining call schedule will be posted once you join the classroom.
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Not at all! We’ve had many genres participate in past programs, from memoirists to playwrights and screenwriters, to short story writers and essayists.
You can also benefit whether you’re on a first draft, revisiting, or preparing for publication. You’ll simply set a goal that represents a meaningful milestone for the genre and stage of project you’re working on.
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This is NOT a critique program. It’s a community were we work toward goals alongside each other as writers.
If you are seeking feedback on your pages, I recommend pursuing a specific critique program or working with an editor, as this is not the right program for those needs.
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Because of the digital nature of this program and the resources provided, we do NOT offer refunds. We have offered the option to sign up for one 10-week session rather than a full year if you want a smaller commitment.
Please visit carolinedonahue.com and book-alchemy.com to check our more of Caroline’s work or listen to the secretlibrarypodcast.com to get to know her better before joining to be sure this is the right fit for you.
We begin January 13
We begin January 13
Winter Session
Join for one 10-Week intensive to get your writing year off to a strong start! Get community, accountability, and celebrate your first writing win of the year together.
Enrollment will re-open in Spring for that session. If you prefer to enroll just for Winter now, you can opt in one intensive at a time at the rate below.
Session Dates:
WINTER: January 13 — March 21
3 payments of $97
All Sessions
Want a full year of intensives? Make 2025 Your Writing Year all the way through! Get the Winter session, plus three more intensives: Spring, Summer and Autumn
SPRING: March 31 — June 6
SUMMER: June 23 — August 29
AUTUMN: September 15 —
November 21