The Manuscript Series Retreat
Join us for an immersive online writers' retreat designed for marginalized voices ready to take their work to the next level.
Over three transformative days, you'll workshop your manuscript with industry professionals, learn directly from published authors and literary agents, and connect with a community of writers who understand your journey.
Whether you're crafting your first ten pages or preparing to query agents, this retreat meets you exactly where you are—and propels you forward.
Community Access Pass
Regular Price: $149 | Member Price: $119 (20% discount)
Includes:
Friday evening welcome session
Saturday sessions
Sunday morning closing session
Digital resource packet
Recording access (lifetime for members, 30 days for non-members)
Private retreat community What’s App/Discord/Slack access
Early bird pricing through Dec. 31st.
Premium Access Pass
Regular Price: $199 | Member Price: $159 (20% discount)
Includes everything in Community Pass plus:
Extended resource library with templates and guides
Post-retreat group coaching call (1 month later)
What you’ll get
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The opportunity to connect with fellow writers at the emerging, intermediate and advanced level.
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Interactive breakouts and intensive workshop sessions and panels. Live Q&As with authors and industry professionals.
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Actionable strategies that you can implement in your work right away.
Participants
More to be announced!
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Author’s Journey Panel, Saturday
Dr. Camille U. Adams is a writer from Trinidad and Tobago. Camille is the author of the memoir, How To Be Unmothered: a Trinidadian memoir, released August 2025 with Restless Books. Camille also narrated the audiobook for the memoir, whereby the distinct poetic prose can be aurally enjoyed. How To Be Unmothered has since been recognised by Electric Literature’s Best of 2025 Nonfiction List and Camille has been invited to several national book fairs and panels to discuss the ground-breaking concept of unmothering. Her manuscript was recognised as a finalist in the Restless Books Prize in New Immigrant Writing 2023.
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Author’s Journey Panel, Saturday
Myah Ariel is the author of debut contemporary romance When I Think of You. Her early love of movies led her from Arkansas to New York City where she earned a BA in cinema studies from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She also holds an MA in specialized journalism for the arts from USC Annenberg. For several years Myah worked across multiple roles in the film and entertainment industry before pivoting to work in academia. As a medical mom and a hopeless romantic, Myah is passionate about inclusive love stories.
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First Ten Pages, Saturday
Author and music industry executive Ashley M. Coleman bridges the creative worlds of literature and music with over a decade of experience nurturing voices from marginalized communities. Her debut novel GOOD MORNING, LOVE (Simon & Schuster, 2022) garnered attention from Joy the Baker and Katie Couric Media, earning a spot on Bustle's "Most Anticipated Books of June 2022" list.
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Story Work Workshop, Sunday @ 8am PT
GG Renee Hill is the author of Self-Care Check-In: A Guided Journal to Build Healthy Habits and Devote Time to You (Rockridge, 2020) and A Year of Self-Reflection Journal: 365 Days of Guided Prompts to Slow Down, Tune In, and Grow (Rockridge, 2021). Her debut book of essays, Story Work: Field Notes on Self-Discovery and Reclaiming Your Narrative is forthcoming from Broadleaf Books (November 2025). Her books center writing as a tool for healing, self-discovery, and creative courage.
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Author’s Journey Panel, Saturday
Hawa Jalloh is a dedicated librarian in Maryland where she's passionate about fostering a love for reading. Beyond her work in libraries, she's a vibrant presence on Bookstagram, where she shines a spotlight on Black-authored books. Follow her journey and discover her favorite reads on Instagram at @hawa.reads.
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Joél Leon, author of the 2025 Gotham Book Prize-nominated “Everything and Nothing At Once: A Black Man's Reimagined Soundtrack For the Future” is a Bronx-born girl dad, poet, performer and cultural critic who writes and tells stories for Black people.
His TED talk on co-parenting has over 1.6M views, and his work has been featured in the New York Times, The Boston Globe, ABC NEWS, and others.
He is a Creative Collective NYC Creative Class alumni, winner of the BCA Bronx Recognizes Its Own Award in Poetry, member of the Top 50 Waymaker Class of 2025 and author "Things I Will Tell My Daughter", and "God Wears Durags, Too" (Bottlecap Press). He is currently a Creative Director at the New York Times' T Brand Studios. Joél is currently repped by Folio Literary.
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Publishing Pathways, Saturday
After experiencing a job loss in 2023, R’Chelle found herself passing the time and escaping what felt like an impossible search by rediscovering her love for reading. The more she read, the more she longed to discover new authors, explore genres, and highlight diverse stories.
Somewhere along the way, she found an interest in the publishing industry and supporting independent authors. It only made sense to take her background in brand management and create a career pathway on her terms. As a result, Highly Lit, a full-service, solo-let agency, exists to help authors plan smarter, launch stronger, and build engaged communities of loyal readers and fans.
When she’s not managing publishing timelines or reading a book you can find her exploring new hobbies or at the closest beach.
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Publishing Pathways, Saturday
Kiki Nguyen started in publishing in 2015 with an internship with Wunderkind PR, independent book publishing PR company, working on campaigns with authors such as Ernest Cline. There, she discovered a practical industry for her codependent love of fiction. She joined Donald Maass Literary Agency in 2016 as an intern and is now an agent building her own list.
Kiki represents young adult and adult fiction across genres with a focus on queer and BIPOC authors. She has represented New York Times, USA Today, Sunday Times bestsellers, and award winning titles.
Currently, she is most excited for Horror of all kinds to add to her list.
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Manuscript Preparation, Saturday
Angela Shanté, is an award-winning author, poet, and educator whose work explores identity, voice, and the power of experimental storytelling. Her debut young adult novel-in-verse, The Unboxing of a Black Girl, was a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and named a 2025 Bank Street Best Book of the Year.
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Publishing Pathways, Saturday
L’Oreal Thompson Payton is an award-winning journalist, author, speaker, and founder of Zora’s Place, a Black feminist bookstore and community hub in Evanston, Illinois. She is the author of Stop Waiting for Perfect, the highly-anticipated memoir Infertile Black Girl (Beacon Press, Spring 2027), and the forthcoming children’s books Amanda Gorman: Poet and Activist (December 2025) and Violet Goes Voting (September 2026). Her byline has appeared in outlets such as Essence, Fortune, New York magazine and SELF, and her work centers Black women and girls, mental health, and the power of storytelling. She lives in Evanston with her husband and daughter. Learn more at lorealthompsonpayton.com.
SCHEDULE
Slight changes to schedule could be possible.
Friday Evening
Welcome & Community Building Session
Date: January 16
Time: 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET
Format: Virtual happy hour with breakout rooms
Activities:
Welcome and introductions
Writer project sharing (2-3 minutes each)
Icebreaker activities in small groups
Q&A collection for weekend sessions
Networking time in themed breakout rooms by genre/experience level
Saturday (All day)
January 17
Start Time: 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET
These sessions run simultaneously and you will only be able to attend one.
Session 1A: First Ten Pages Workshop (Beginner Track) led by Ashley M. Coleman
Duration: 2 hours
Target Audience: New writers, first manuscripts
Content:
Hook development and opening lines
Character introduction techniques
Setting establishment
Pacing in opening chapters
Common beginner mistakes to avoid
Interactive workshop with sample submissions
Peer feedback breakout sessions
Session 1B: Manuscript Preparation (Intermediate/Advanced Track) led by Angela Shante
Duration: 2 hours
Target Audience: Writers with completed or near-completed manuscripts
Content:
Professional formatting standards
Self-editing strategies and checklists
Beta reader coordination
Synopsis writing
Preparing submission materials
Manuscript assessment tools
Professional presentation standards
Session 2: Authors' Journey Panel
Panelists: Myah Ariel, Camille U. Adams, Joel Leon
Moderator: Hawa Jalloh
Time: 12:00 p.m. PT/3:00 p.m. ET
Format: Moderated panel discussion
Session 3: Publishing Pathways Deep Dive
Panelists: Kiana Nguyen, L’Oreal Thompson Payton
Moderator: R’Chelle Mullins
Time: 2:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. ET
Format: Moderated panel discussion
Sunday
January 18
Story Work Session
8am PT/11am ET
Duration: 60 minutes
Led by GG Renee Hill, author of Story Work: Field Notes on Self Discovery and Reclaiming Your Narrative.
Keynote Address
Duration: 45-60 minutes
Format: Inspirational closing keynote
Limited Enrollment
Limited Enrollment
Join fellow writers for an intensive three-day virtual retreat that combines expert instruction, industry insider access, and a supportive creative community—all from the comfort of your home. Options for writers at all levels.
Purchase titles from participants.
Meet our partners.
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Zora's Place
BOOKSTORE
Zora’s Place is a Black feminist bookstore and community gathering space in Evanston, Illinois. Founded by award-winning journalist and author L’Oreal Thompson Payton, Zora’s Place is dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices, nurturing community, and creating sacred space for rest and resistance. Learn more at zorasplace.com.
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
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Not at all! While we designed the retreat as a complete weekend experience, you can register for the morning workshops individually. based on your schedule and interests. The Friday evening welcome session is included only with full weekend packages, but Saturday morning sessions are available à la carte. That said, participants who attend the full weekend often report the deepest transformation and strongest community connections.
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All sessions are recorded and made available after the retreat. Members receive lifetime access to all recordings, while non-members have 30 days to review the content. You'll receive access information in your confirmation email. We do encourage live attendance when possible, as the interactive elements and networking opportunities are most powerful in real-time.
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Absolutely! We've designed sessions specifically for writers at different stages. The "First Ten Pages" workshop is tailored for beginners and those working on their first manuscript, while other sessions like "Manuscript Preparation" serve more advanced writers. Our panels and publishing pathway sessions benefit writers at all levels. Choose the sessions that match where you are in your journey.
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Unfortunately, we're unable to offer payment plans at this time. However, we do offer à la carte session options if you'd prefer to spread your investment across individual sessions rather than purchasing a full weekend package. We're also committed to accessibility through our scholarship program—if cost is a barrier, we encourage you to apply for one of our full scholarships for writers from historically excluded communities.
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Current members receive 20% off all packages and individual sessions. With a code provided in our private community. Not a member yet? You can join our community at http://permissiontowrite.org/join and immediately access the member pricing for the retreat, plus gain lifetime access to all retreat recordings and other member benefits.
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All sessions will be hosted via Zoom. You'll receive specific Zoom links for each session you're registered for one week before the retreat. No special software is required beyond a standard Zoom account (free). We recommend joining from a computer for the best experience, especially for the workshop sessions with breakout rooms.
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In addition to everything in the Community Access Pass (all sessions, recordings, resources, and community access), Premium Pass holders receive an extended resource library with templates and guides, plus an exclusive group coaching call one month after the retreat to continue your momentum and stay accountable to your writing goals.
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We offer a limited number of scholarships based on availability. You can complete THIS FORM if you would like to be considered.