That's a wrap! 📚
After being locked in a room with other story nerds all week…
I’m reporting in from Jackson, Missouri on my way back home after a week in Nashville with (most of) my favorite story nerds. It was a grand time. I got to hug two of my students in person this year.
Story Grid Writer Mentorship Summit
WMP students are invited to Nashville every year to celebrate their progress and kibbutz with other story nerds (and their mentors) from all over the world. Every year is bigger than the previous. This year was no different.
Shawn delivered a pair of keynotes. Tim delivered a number of info dumps and workshop-type exercises. Everybody got at least two new-to-them books. The book exchange is many people’s most memorable part of the week—to hear the reason why that particular book is meaningful to the person who brought it.
A great time was had by all. 🙌
The Trauma Machine
Brent is the first alum of the Writer Mentorship Program to publish his book with Story Grid Press: The Trauma Machine. I got my advanced copy signed! Can’t wait to read it. The book will be in print everywhere in January.
Story Grid Press
Perhaps the biggest announcement is the tough decision Tim and Shawn have made to close SGP to outside submissions. Going forward, only WMP alumni will be invited to publish fiction through SGP. Staff, certified editors, and mentors will continue to publish craft nonfiction through SGP.
Next?
If you’re on the fence about whether the Writer Mentorship Program is right for you, join us at the State of Story Grid live event (on my birthday 🎂) on Thursday 13 November 2025 at 14:00 Central/US. It’ll cost you nothing to hear about all the exciting things we have planned for 2026!
Want help with your story?
If the Nine Circles of Revision Hell seem daunting to you, you’re not alone. They can be a slog, even when you’ve done them many times. For a lot of writers, the editing process is the most painful part of publishing. I’m weird. I enjoy it! But I’m aware that not everyone does. If you don’t get off on revisions or if you don’t even know where to start, let me help you.
I’m a Story Grid Certified Editor and founding member of the Story Grid Guild. I’ve been helping my clients with developmental editing of their novels and screenplays as well as chapter-by-chapter scene coaching for their works-in-progress since 2020. I joined the staff of the Story Grid Scene Writing Workshop as a coach in June 2024 and the Story Grid Writer Mentorship cadre as a mentor in January 2025.
Yes, I’m still closed to new clients. I’ll be open to accept new clients once more in January 2026. Slots fill up fast. I’ve already got two new folks on the docket for the first Monday after New Year’s. Tuesday’s open, though. 😏 Book a campfire chat and let’s see if we might be compatible story adventuring companions.
Can't wait to hear all about what you learned! Thanks for sharing.
Brent's book, The Trauma Machine, is now up for preorder, if you're interested. https://geni.us/oXMgB