Narratively Academy Classes
Narratively Academy classes are all about sharing knowledge throughout our unique and diverse community. We offer classes, seminars and writing critiques taught by Narratively’s editors, contributors and storytelling heroes. All classes are conducted online and accessible to students anywhere in the world.
Psst: Paid subscribers to Narratively Academy get 20% off all classes. Click here to become a paid subscriber today. If you already are a paid subscriber, email academy@narratively.com for the paid subscriber promo code.
Here’s a look at what we have coming up soon.
Spring 2026 Classes
The Art of Crónica: Writing Immersive, Voice-Driven Nonfiction
In Latin America, crónica represents the pinnacle of literary journalism—deeply reported, vividly written, and unapologetically personal. In this four-week workshop, you’ll learn how to blend reporting, voice, and narrative into immersive nonfiction that pulls readers in and stays with them. It’s an opportunity to expand your toolkit—and your sense of what nonfiction can be.
The Socratic AI Intensive: Your Personal Trainer for Writing
Jay Dixit has taught writing at Yale University and written features for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and Psychology Today. He was also OpenAI’s first Head of Writer Community, educating writers on how to use ChatGPT to supercharge their creative process. Never by letting the AI do their writing for them, but by using it as a sounding board, editor, and thinking partner to provide instant feedback, help them get unstuck and push through resistance, and keep them accountable so they can get it done and published. In this intensive workshop, Jay will introduce the approach he developed called Socratic AI — a methodology that turns AI into an iterative thinking partner instead of a ghostwriter.
Deeply Personal: Writing First-Person Essays on Raw and Difficult Topics
This is one of our most beloved and in-demand classes, and it regularly fills up with a waitlist. In this intimate workshop, you’ll learn how to approach your most personal material with honesty, care, and craft—developing essays that are both emotionally resonant and structurally strong. Writers consistently describe this class as a rare space where they’re able to go deeper than they thought possible.
Street Photography Workshop
Whether you write memoir or reported stories, you know writers are increasingly relied on to take our own photos. But there’s a huge difference between a quick snap and a thoughtful, composed photo. That’s why we are so thrilled to offer our first-ever photography class. Award-winning photojournalist Ben Fractenberg has shot for The New York Times, Daily News and THE CITY, among other outlets. In this three-session hands-on workshop held in New York City, you’ll spend time out in the city shooting, then come back together to review, refine, and push your work further. Whether you’re brand new to street photography or looking to get more intentional about your practice, this class is about learning to see—and capture—the moments most people miss.
From Journal to Memoir: How to Turn Your Side Scrawls Into Literary Gold
You’ve been writing your whole life—but how do you turn all those dog-eared notebooks into something you can publish? This class is for anyone with journals, Google Docs, or years of scattered material who’s ready to start shaping it into something bigger. Led by memoirist, essayist and poet Rebecca Evans, you’ll learn how to identify the throughline in your work, structure a compelling memoir, and begin turning fragments into a cohesive, book-length project.
Nonfiction Book Development Bootcamp
If you’re ready to take on a full-length nonfiction book—memoir, narrative nonfiction, or something in between—but you’re not totally sure how it takes shape, this intensive two-day bootcamp will help you clarify your idea, define your structure, and start building a project with real momentum. Led by an acclaimed nonfiction author and instructor Melissa Petro, who has helped hundreds of writers develop their concepts—you’ll transform your idea into a structured, strategic vision you can confidently pitch, write and publish.
Writing About Religious Trauma
In this intimate six-week workshop, author and scholar Sara Moslener will guide writers through the complex process of writing about religious trauma. You’ll explore the emerging language of religious trauma studies, read writers who have navigated this terrain, and begin shaping your own experiences into work that is both truthful and compassionate. The class includes group discussion, workshop opportunities, and instructor feedback. This is a space for serious reflection—and serious craft.
Theater Camp for Memoir Writers
What can memoir writers learn from actors? A lot, it turns out.
This playful, deeply practical class helps you unlock voice, embodiment, dialogue, and scene by hearing part of your first-person story read out loud. It’s about getting out of your head and into the lived, physical reality of your story—so your writing feels as alive on the page as it does in memory. Also: it’s going to be a lot of fun.
This is the first time we’re offering this class and there are only 10 seats available so if you’d like to join, be sure to sign up ASAP.
Critiques and Manuscript Reviews
Whether you’d like feedback on your one-page pitch, a 5,000-word story or your entire book, our experienced editorial team is ready to dive in. We’ll provide an in-depth developmental edit, including specific notes throughout, a detailed overall plan for perfecting your story (or larger project) and a one-on-one phone consultation with you to discuss and answer your questions.
More Classes
Each of the classes below are sold out and/or have already taken place, but we will offer new sessions as soon as there are enough students on the advance wait list.
Click here to join an advance waiting list for the next session of any of these classes.
Getting Started With Memoir
Memoir Workshop Classes
Writing and Publishing Books
Journalism & Reporting
Getting Started with Fiction
Blending Genres
Social Issues and Advocacy Writing
How to Pitch
Refining Your Craft
Speechwriting
Writing for TV and Film
Figuring Out What You Want to Write
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.