About
The Manifesto
We Are Not Here to Be Comfortable.
We built Vagabond because we were tired of the available options. The MFA is too expensive and too slow. Most online writing groups are too forgiving, too social, too uncommitted to the work itself.
Vagabond is for the writers who are past the beginning. Who already know they're serious, who have the pages to prove it, and who need a room full of peers who will push back.
We believe good writing requires pressure—not toxic pressure, not self-destruction, but the pressure of a community that takes the work seriously and holds you to what you said you were going to do.
We believe feedback is an act of respect. When someone tears apart your draft, they're saying: I think you can do better. And we do.
We believe the cost of education should not be the reason someone stops writing. We keep our prices low because the alternative—inaccessible excellence—is exactly what we're trying to dismantle.
Who This Is For
The Post-Grad Writer.
You are
- Post-MFA, post-workshop, or self-taught with serious intent
- Writing regularly, even when no one is watching
- Ready for feedback that challenges, not just encourages
- Committed to finishing things
You're tired of
- Writing alone with no feedback loop
- Groups that never push back
- Paying $50k for another two years of school
- Online communities that are more social than literary
You want
- Rigorous, structured feedback on your actual work
- Peers who care about craft as much as you do
- Expert instruction from working writers
- A community built around excellence, not comfort
How It Works
Simple. Structured. Serious.
Apply or Join a Waitlist
Each cohort is small—8 to 12 writers. You apply, we review, and if it's a good fit for both sides, you're in. We prioritize writers at similar stages of development.
Submit Your Work
Before each workshop session, you submit a draft. Your cohort members read it before the session. No more cold-reading feedback.
Workshop
Weekly or biweekly sessions over Zoom. Structured critique led by your instructor. Everyone leaves with notes, not just encouragement.
Revise and Repeat
You leave each cohort with revised, polished work and a community of writers you can call on after it's over.
FAQ
How is this different from an MFA?
An MFA is two or three years and $30–80k. Vagabond is a focused 6–12 week cohort, taught by working writers who've done exactly what you're trying to do. No required theory seminars, no academic politics. Just the work.
How much time per week does this take?
Plan for 4–6 hours: writing or revising your own work, reading your cohort's submissions before each session, and the workshop session itself. We don't pad the schedule.
What if I miss a session?
Sessions are recorded and notes are shared. Life happens. Missing one session won't derail your cohort. Missing several will — we keep groups small specifically so every voice matters.
Do I need a degree or publication history?
No. We care about the work and your seriousness about it. Bring pages. That's the credential.
What genres do you cover?
Short fiction, novel-in-progress, personal essay, and poetry right now. We'll add more as the collective grows. If you don't see your thing, join the waitlist and tell us — it helps us plan.
What's the refund policy?
Full refund up to one week before the cohort start date. After that, we can apply your payment toward a future cohort.
Come Write.
Tell us about yourself. We'll be in touch.