Writing Courses

I have over 15 years of experience teaching creative writing—from the Tin House Summer Workshop to the Sarah Lawrence MFA Program to self-designed online workshops. In addition to my annual novel generator, I teach classes on sex writing, radical honesty, magazine pitching, and more. I’d love to see you in class!

Future Courses

Beyond the Book: Building a Literary Career

Thursday, September 17, 2026

6:00-9:00 PM ET

$100 off if you pre-order a
hardcover copy of Satellite

A writing career often requires more than writing an excellent book. Though a book can serve as the foundation of a professional life, realistically, a writer will need to publish beyond their book to further establish their career. In this course, we will discuss strategies for building a publishing career alongside your book.

Students will learn how to pitch personal essays, trend pieces, and reviews to magazines. We will discuss strategies for applying to residencies, giving readings, contacting agents, and building a literary community.

PRE-ORDER SCHOLARSHIP: Anyone who pre-orders Isle McElroy's forthcoming novel Satellite (March 2027) can enroll in the class for only $50. To be approved for a scholarship, you will need to provide a copy of your pre-order receipt that includes your name and make the $50 under the same name through our payment portal by Wednesday, September 9. 

The World of World: Writing Outside Your Main Characters

Monday, November 16

6:00-9:00 PM ET

$100 off if you pre-order a
hardcover copy of Satellite

What would happen to your story if your main character died? Would life continue without them? If not, you likely haven’t done enough to create a rich, believable world.

In this class, we will discuss the importance of world in fiction. World is not just setting, it’s everything that makes up the universe within and beyond the primary focus of your story. We will explore strategies for enhancing the world of your fiction. How do you create conflict in the background of your novel or story? How do you set actions in motion that will later shape your main characters’ lives? This kind of world-building is important across genres: from literary realism to speculative romance. Creating a lively, functioning world is difficult but necessary to good fiction. It’s the difference between flat, forgettable storytelling and a rich, three-dimensional narrative that exists as its own separate universe. It’s the difference between a manuscript in a drawer and a book on display in a window.

PRE-ORDER SCHOLARSHIP: Anyone who pre-orders Isle McElroy's forthcoming novel Satellite (March 2027) can enroll in the class for only $50. To be approved for a scholarship, you will need to provide a copy of your pre-order receipt that includes your name and make the $50 under the same name through our payment portal by Wednesday, September 9. 

Year-Long Novel Generator

Though most of writing a novel is a solitary act—done alone at a desk, in coffee shops, in bed, or even between stops on the subway—drafts rarely turn into published novels without supportive conversations and feedback from other writers. An enthusiastic, intimate circle of writers all engaged in the process can be the difference between a few opening chapters tossed in the trash and a full manuscript emailed to agents.

Every year, I offer a year-long first novel generator with twelve writers looking to complete their first novels. We read and discuss the debut novels of established authors, share our draft pages, and workshop full manuscripts. Along the way, we discuss our process both in class and outside of it. Class includes visits from established novelists, editors, and agents.

This year’s generator is currently underway, but the 2026-27 session will be begin in Fall 2026. Check back in the summer for enrollment and scholarship information. And feel free to reach out if you have questions!

Get in touch

Testimonials from Former Students

  • The novel generator with Isle was an incredible resource that allowed for a seemingly impossible goal to feel achievable. The structure, tone, and peers of the class created an enriching sense of community. I looked forward to each week's class, and enjoyed engaging with everyone's work. Isle's feedback and support have been invaluable.

    -Kelly, former student

  • I joined the novel generator with no MFA, but a spirit of commitment to my novel and to learning how to build a routine around novel-writing. Isle was a tremendously generous teacher and mentor throughout this process, and they took the time to get to know me and my goals. They continuously went above and beyond to work directly with my needs to get what I needed out of this year. I was able to write two drafts of my novel and get tremendously helpful feedback in both group and individual settings. I continue to work on and develop my novel to this day using everything I learned from Isle's workshop, and because of this, I have gone on to win national level awards and gain spots in prestigious writing conferences. I learned who I am as a writer, with Isle's guidance, and I also explored what the literary life really means to me. I am forever grateful I had this experience. I have left with a new learning ethos, several friends, a novel draft, and a lifelong mentor in Isle.

    -Swati, former student

  • Isle was an invaluable guide throughout my year-long journey in the First Novel Generator Workshop. Unlike other workshops, where eccentricities can often be stifled, Isle approached my project on its own terms and encouraged my experimentation. Their feedback helped me refine my vision while staying true to my voice. Isle’s expertise in contemporary literature not only helped me see how my novel fit within certain literary traditions but also challenged me to build upon these influences, inspiring me to innovate in ways I hadn’t considered. The workshop covered plot, structure, tone, and style with precision, and Isle’s feedback always explained why something worked or didn’t and then offered actionable insights. By the end of the year, I finished a first draft and gained a much deeper understanding of craft. I highly recommend Isle and this workshop to any writer looking to grow!

    -Evander, former student

  • Isle's class gave me the entire foundation for my manuscript. From deeply relevant readings to in-class generative exercises to classmate relationships that have lasted long after the course, the time I spent every week with Isle, other writers, and my own writing, allowed me to complete multiple drafts of a novel and chart out a path toward final polish with confidence. I'm grateful for the time, attention, and community Isle and the course provided for me and my work.

    -Rebecca, former student

  • Isle McElroy's First Novel Generator is as challenging as it is rewarding. It is an excellent opportunity to learn about the process of creating a novel, and to develop one's own project in a supportive and encouraging environment. Under Isle's leadership, everyone's work is treated with care and respect making it an enriching and productive experience. Isle is truly an inspired and inspiring teacher.

    -Eileen, former student

  • Class with Isle was fantastic, it was the highlight of my year. They are a thoughtful, engaged reader and an excellent teacher. They clearly articulated certain patterns and tendencies in my writing I could not see for myself, and generated lively discussion around all of our manuscripts. I recommend this class to anyone looking for any of the following: writing accountability, animated discussion, and significant feedback from a committed group of writers and a brilliant teacher.

    -Eve, former student