Night School Bar is pleased to announce 2026 yearlong book-writing workshops: 

In-Person Fiction & Online Non-Fiction. Workshops will run from January-December. This year, the groups are smaller, and we are offering even more support to help you write your book! We are accepting applications until November 30, and will finalize the cohort—maximum of 8 people per workshop—by December 12. 

“The NSB Yearlong Writing Workshop provides a well-structured program to explore one's writing process. Throughout my time working with the group, I have gained confidence in my writing style and process. The consistent sharing and feedback in our meetings provide a brave space to work through anxiety… I will walk away this year with a full length manuscript that I feel proud of, and for that I am grateful.” [previous nonfiction participant]

“Such a great experience! Just an overall great opportunity to meet people and make friends. I'd been kicking my project around for years, and being a part of this group really gave me the sense of accountability I needed to focus on it. I love the workshop sessions. The feedback I receive is very valuable and I have really enjoyed getting to read other people's work as well. [The mid-year retreat] really helped me tackle some long standing issues I’d had with my project and create a roadmap to move forward.” [previous fiction participant]

Participants from previous years may apply, but they should be working on a new/different project than they worked on in a previous workshop.

Non-Fiction ONLINE (Apply Here): 

Participants at any stage of development are welcome, as are participants working in any non-fiction form, including essay, memoir, prose poetry, historical re-interpretation, intertextual writing, and autotheory. However, we particularly encourage submissions for non-fiction writing that blends or transcends genre, and/or that experiments with form (including use of visual imagery). 

Fiction IN-PERSON, Durham, NC (Apply Here): 

Participants at any stage of development are welcome, as are participants working longer works of fiction in any genre including collections of short stories and flash fiction, novels, novellas, and graphic novels. However, we particularly encourage submissions for fiction writing that blends or transcends genre, and/or that experiments with form. 

Structure:

Overview (Fiction)

• 3-hour Saturday workshop meetings (2nd Saturday): 10 workshop meetings January-June and September-November 2pm-5pm ET at Night School Bar in Durham, NC.

• Weekend intensive retreat: August 15 & 16

• Two final full manuscript workshops: December 5 & 12

• Write and/or workshop up to 150 pages over the course of the year

• Individual meetings (one-on-one instructor meetings): Fall, dates and times TBD

• 1-hour accountability and generative meetings on Zoom (4th Saturdays): 12pm-1pm (No meeting in July)

• Two directed reading and craft discussions

• No meetings in July; you will submit and receive written feedback from colleagues

Overview (Non-Fiction)

• 3-hour Sunday workshop meetings (2nd Sunday): 10 workshop meetings January-June and September-November, 2pm-5pm ET

• Weekend intensive retreat: August 15 & 16

• Two final full manuscript workshops: December 6 & 13

• Write and/or workshop up to 150 pages over the course of the year

• Individual meetings (one-on-one instructor meetings): Fall, dates and times TBD

• 1-hour accountability and generative meetings on Zoom (4th Saturday): 12pm-1pm (no meeting in July)

• Two directed reading and craft discussions

• No meetings in July; you will submit and receive written feedback from colleagues

Each participant will be offered the opportunity to share and workshop ~15 pages of work ten times over the course of the year, to be discussed with the entire group or in smaller work groups. Each person will actively share supportive feedback with other classmates monthly. You will be expected to read up to 90 pages per month, and you will be able to share up to 100 pages of completed and revised work in our December meetings. In previous years, many students completed full-length manuscripts, while others developed and refined shorter sections. Previous workshop participants have seen their work published by a variety of journals and presses.

**Monthly submissions will be due one full week before the meeting date. Participants should expect to spend 3-6 hours per month reading other participants’ work, in addition to their own writing time. Each month, you should read the other participants’ work carefully and be prepared to discuss each writer’s work in detail. You may occasionally be asked to provide written feedback.

Facilitators: Lindsey Andrews (Non-Fiction) & Christa Westaway (Fiction)

Tuition: Tuition for the entire yearlong  program is: $2200. We will also be able to offer two half scholarships per section ($1100 total tuition payment). A $350 non-refundable deposit will be due by December 20 for accepted students (except scholarship students, for whom a $100 deposit will be required). The remaining tuition will be due by January 10. Students may opt to check-out with PayPal or Klarna if they would like to pay in installments. 

Applications questions (please answer these in the linked form):

1. What do you plan to work on over the course of the workshop? (e.g. essays, memoir, prose poetry, short stories, novel, revising existing manuscript, etc.) Please briefly describe what you have in mind.

2. What genre(s) or style are you working in (e.g. literary fiction, sci fi, lyric essay)? Or which writers do you admire and want to emulate? 

3. Do you already have work-in-progress? If so, where are you in the process?

4. Why do you feel like now is the time to commit to a 12-month program? How will it help you on your writing journey?

5. Please list any previous writing workshop experience you have.

6. Include a short writing sample (maximum 20 pages) from your work-in-progress or previous related work to give your instructors an understanding of your vision for your project and to help them prepare methods of support. 

7. Tuition for this yearlong program is: $2200. We also currently have funds to offer two half scholarships. Will you be requesting a scholarship for this course? Y/N 

Apply to the Night School Bar 2026 12-Month Personal Non-Fiction Writing Workshop: ONLINE

Instructor: Lindsey Andrews | Monthly January-November: 2nd Sunday, 2PM-5PM Eastern Time | Individual Meetings: Fall TBD | Final Workshops: Sundays December 6th and 13th, 2-5 PM ET | Monthly check-in and accountability meetings: 4th Saturdays online, 12-1 PM, no meeting in July.

Apply to the Night School Bar 2026 12-Month Fiction Writing Workshop: IN-PERSON

Instructor: Christa Westaway | Monthly January-December, 2nd Saturday 2PM-5PM US Eastern Time | Individual Meetings, Fall TBD | Final Workshops: December 5th & 12th 2 PM-5 PM ET | Monthly check-in and accountability meetings: 4th Saturdays online, 12-1 PM, no meeting in July.