This exclusive two-week intensive is designed for writers developing book-length projects in fiction or nonfiction. Open only to Yale Writers’ Workshop alumni, the program brings together a select cohort of eight writers for a focused, collaborative experience.
Week one takes place on campus, offering an immersive environment for deep creative engagement. Week two continues virtually, allowing participants to sustain their momentum, share new work, and receive continued feedback.
This highly competitive program is ideal for serious writers ready to push their manuscripts toward completion while receiving personalized guidance and peer support.
During the first week, participants will critique 7,000 words from their fellow writers’ manuscripts and engage in generative and revision-based activities in an energetic, exploratory setting. Exercises and readings will be assigned prior to arrival, and writers should expect to meet online with the group before coming to campus.
In the second week, writers will process and refine their work, meeting virtually for three additional workshops to discuss revision strategies, structural development, and next steps toward a full manuscript. The small cohort size ensures close collaboration and a deep understanding of one another’s projects.
[cal] Program Dates: June 7 - June 19, 2026
On-Campus: June 7-12, 2026*
Online: June 15-19, 2026
*Housing closes at 6:00 pm on Friday, June 12.
The Work-in-Progress Intensive is best suited for writers who have at least 7,000 words of a draft and a clear commitment to transforming that draft into a book-length work. Priority will be given to writers with confident first drafts.
[quote]This writing cohort was one of the most impactful experiences of my writing career. It was remarkably cohesive, and the program struck a rare balance between comprehensive craft instruction and genuinely empowering support. Kirsten was instrumental in my growth as a writer—her insight, guidance, and thoughtful feedback elevated my writing to a new level. I left the cohort with clarity, confidence, and a refined submission package, and I am thrilled to say I landed my literary agent immediately after the program ended. Just as meaningful, our cohort has remained close well beyond its conclusion, a testament to the strength of the community Kirsten fostered. I can’t recommend this experience highly enough.
Tory Bunce, 2025 Intensive Participant
[point] Open to YWW Alumni Only
This unique two-week workshop is designed for writers working on book-length material and is open to YWW alumni. Our cohort of just eight writers will meet and write for two weeks. In week one, writers will critique 7000 words from peers’ manuscripts. Week two, which is virtual, will be focused both on generating and sharing new material inspired by workshops and on pinpointing and reaching individual book goals. Taught by Kirsten Bakis
Please submit a 1000-word sample from the manuscripts you plan to submit and answer these questions in your application:
[point] We anticipate strong interest in this intensive workshop and will create a waiting list if necessary. Writers applying for the intensive workshop should include alternative workshop choices on their application in case they are not selected.
[date] Program Dates: June 7 - June 19, 2026
On-Campus: June 7-12, 2026*
Online: June 15-19, 2026
*Housing closes at 6:00 pm on Friday, June 12.
| Tuition | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition Without Housing | $2740 |
| Tuition With One Week of Housing | $3165 |
Kirsten Bakis is author, most recently, of King Nyx, which Esquire magazine named one of the Best Horror Books of 2024 and Victor LaValle called "a novel of delicious disquiet." In a profile in the Washington Post, Jacob Brogan called Bakis "a major talent, a writer of prodigious commitment, capability and imagination." She is the recipient of multiple awards and has been teaching at the Yale Writers’ Workshop since 2012.