Our current offerings include The Onward Writers’ Studio for accountability and community, specialized programs like Creative Writing for Lawyers, Developmental Editing, and our flagship one-to-one Mentorship Programs. This year, we are also expanding to include writing retreats, additional classes and seminars, and Onward, Jr., a program for young writers. No matter the format, the goal is the same: serious writing, real momentum, and guidance that adapts to the realities of your creative life.

You can sign up directly on the site for the Writers’ Studio, or apply for our courses or mentorship programs directly on the site through the Application page.

Once you review our website, please select your top three mentors in your application. We will endeavor to match you with the best mentor based on your application and the mentor’s availability.

We also offer mentorships for TV writing. Please see the mentors in the TV writing category.

We have Author-Mentors who work on all genres, so take a look at the incredible panel of Author-Mentors, whose bios and interests are listed on their page. Many of our mentors work and publish in multiple genres.

This is the benefit of coming to Onward. We will work with you to wrinkle out any issues with the mentoring relationship, and if necessary, move to a new mentor. Unfortunately, we can’t refund the money, but we can work with you to find a different person that might better fit your needs.

Connecting with an agent is not part of this program; however, we do offer The Slush Pile, a service aimed at helping you prepare for submission.

Absolutely

Yes, you can go through the program as many times as you like. Each mentor will offer something unique, so you can complete different programs with different authors. Many times people spend a mentorship program with one Author-Mentor and then work with someone else on a Developmental Edit after, to get fresh eyes and perspective on the project.

You can use the time with your mentor to submit either new writing or revisions of work following a discussion with your mentor. This is your time with your mentor to use however best might suit your needs. Be open with each other and your goals and you will achieve them together.

Once you complete a mentorship program (or in lieu of one), you may request a full developmental edit with your mentor or another mentor on the panel. This is an additional service and only some of our mentors do full developmental edits. Please contact us for pricing.

We will be offering two need-based scholarships each year, both with founder Elizabeth L Silver for (1) a Single Consult, and (2) a Virginia Woolf package. Information on these opportunities will be announced later in the year.

Yes, we are very excited about this new program, designed by founder Elizabeth, based on her experiences as both an author and a lawyer. The complete “Creative Writing for Lawyers” program will ultimately be a full year with a certificate of completion for those Lawyer-Writers who take (a) 101, (b) a Fiction or Nonfiction workshop, (c) an Advanced Novel or Memoir workshop, and then (d) a single Mentorship program (or consult). Stay tuned and sign up for our mailing list for updates as this program launches in 2026.

Yes, based on interest, we will offer the same courses twice a day so you don’t have to sleep through your billable hours the next day. When you sign up for any of the time-specific programs, be sure to mark down which cohort you would like.

The Onward Writers’ Studio is a monthly membership and goes live twice a week every week (with limited exception) with a weekly “Write-In” with your cohort, in which you share your weekly progress with your community, and a weekly “Office Hours” with the Facilitator leading your cohort. The Facilitator will be one of our esteemeed Author-Mentors, who will be there for all zoom sessions, including the “Write-Ins.” If you are unable to make a session, we will miss you, but since it is an ongoing group, you can catch your group up on the next week. If there are multiple cohorts ongoing, you are free to substitute to another. The Writers’ Studio Membership is not prorated if you miss a session, but you will have access to the community 24/7 to connect.

Not with the Writers’ Studio Membership alone. If you’d like one of our Author-Mentors to read your work and give you feedback, please look into booking a Consult or Mentorship Package or Developmental Edit, depending on where you are in the writing process. You can also ask your Writers’ Studio Author Facilitator to recommend one of the Author-Mentors on the panel.

We frequently get questions about writing classes for kids and teens and are working hard developing new programs for them. Stay tuned!

We accept Zelle (our preferred method of payment), ACH bank transfers, and most major credit cards. For credit cards and some bank transfers, we charge a service fee.