Announcing Our May Narratively Academy Classes

Looking to perfect your personal essay, finish that book, dive into an epic investigation or start writing about social issues? We've got you covered.

We’ve had so much fun with the 150+ readers who joined our first-ever Narratively Academy writing classes earlier this year. More importantly, it’s been a thrill to see students taking the skills they polished in these classes and getting their own writing projects out into the world. So we’re very excited to have three brand-new classes — and a returning favorite! — coming up next month. Keep reading for all the deets about what we have on tap, and sign up by April 29 to get 15% off any class.

First up, we’re very lucky to have the incredibly talented Kavita Das, author of the book, Craft and Conscience: How to Write About Social Issues, joining us for an in-depth seminar about how to write articles and op-eds that address the hot-button issues of our times. A Pushcart Prize-nominated writer whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, CNN and many other publications, Kavita is *the* expert on how to craft this type of writing. If you’ve been wanting to write an op-ed or social issue-focused story this year, Kavita’s guidance will help you get that piece off the ground.

Our second seminar this May is for anyone who’s working on an investigative article, memoir or deep-dive historical project that’s sent them far down a research rabbit hole (or anyone ready to get started on something like this). Reporter and author Amelia Possanza spent years combing through archives, conducting interviews, listening to oral history tapes, poring over unpublished dissertations and retracing her subject’s footsteps for her acclaimed book, Lesbian Love Story: A Memoir in Archives, named a Best Book of 2023 by NPR, Harper’s Bazaar and Publishers Weekly. In Reporter, Sleuth, Storyteller, Spy: The 90-Minute Guide to Investigating Like a Pro, Amelia will walk you through how to take a similarly exhaustive approach to your own research-heavy writing project.

I can’t wait for this next one! I have 15 slots available in May for one-on-one personal essay editing workshops. If you have a draft of a deeply personal piece and you’re ready for professional feedback, I’ll review and critique your story, hop on a call to discuss edits with you, then review your revision and help you get it all polished up and ready to submit to publications.

Finally, back by popular demand is Audrey Clare Farley’s sold-out workshop class, The Art of Writing a Nonfiction Book That Reads Like a Novel. Over the course of eight weeks, writers will learn how to craft book-length narrative nonfiction with page-turning storylines, lively characters and immersive scenes. The students in Audrey’s first session this winter really got a ton out of this class. “Audrey was far and away one of the best teachers I’ve had,” writes one. “Her insight into my work was helpful, supportive, constructive, and I really appreciated all of her notes and comments. I learned so much that I know I’ll use moving forward in my writing life.”

Questions? Not sure which class is right for you? Don’t see what you’re looking for and want to suggest a different class we should offer? Want to teach a class yourself? Drop us a line: academy@narratively.com.