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Catherine Mwitta

Polish and Pitch: A Black Woman Writer’s Guide to Self-Editing and Querying | 2 Day Online Writing Workshop

$129.00

Whether you're taking your first steps as a writer or refining your work for publication, this immersive weekend workshop is designed to level up your skills and your confidence.

Over the course of one dynamic weekend, we’ll explore the art of editing across genres and written mediums, while also learning how to prepare your stories for publication.

You’ll gain a clear understanding of the four core types of editing and understand how each can elevate your writing from rough draft to polished piece. Polish and Pitch: A Black Woman Writer’s Guide to Self-Editing and Querying doesn’t end there, though; it goes beyond technique. You’ll also discover how to shape your work for a target audience and develop practical strategies for pitching to editors and publications that align with your voice and goals. 

This is a supportive, interactive space where your creative voice is heard and valued, and where writers at every level are encouraged to grow. You’ll engage in close readings of published works and receive personalized editorial feedback on your written drafts.

By the end of the workshop, you’ll walk away with sharper writing, a deeper editorial eye, and the tools you need to submit your work with purpose and confidence.

2 class sessions

Saturday & Sunday, September 27-28
2p-4:30p ET
11a-1:30 PT
1p-3:30p CT

All class meetings will be held via Zoom. For more information on how to download or use Zoom, please click here.

    Course Takeaways

    • Knowledge on how to substantive edit, copy/line edit and proofread
    • How to pitch to the right publications or literary agencies
    • How to self-edit
    • How to think like an editor
    • Collaborative discussions with peers and your instructor
    • Personalized editorial feedback on your own short stories, essays, or articles
    • A supportive, interactive environment where your creative voice is heard and valued

    Course Expectations

    • A story first draft

    Course Skeleton

    • DAY 1: How to Self-Edit
      Learn about the types of edits commonly used in the publishing industry. Students will participate in activities that transform their project ideas into more detailed descriptions through the use of expository text
    • Day 2: What’s the Best Publication for my Writing
      Learn about querying the right publications. Students will learn the basics of query letters, online catalogues of different publications, taking queries, and magazine acceptance rates. By the end, writers should be better informed of the socioeconomics of their genre, how to find the best publications for their piece, and the mechanics of writing a query letter

    We offer full refunds for cancellation with written notice up until 7 days before your class start date. From 6 days to more than 24 hours before class begins, we offer a 25% refund. If you drop a class less than 24 hours before the class begins or after it has started, you are ineligible for a refund.

    By signing up for a class, you agree to our refund policy and code of conduct here.
    Meet Your Instructor

    Catherine Mwitta

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    1. Catherine Mwitta is a writer and editor based in Toronto, ON, whose work encompasses fiction, journalism, screenwriting, and music. She works as a prose editor for Augur Magazine and an Arts and Culture editor at INKspire. Additionally, she teaches writing at Breaking Free: Writers Studio, an interdisciplinary workshop for Black writers. Her short stories have appeared in Quarantine Reviews, Random Photo Journal, Otis Nebula, and PULP Mag. Her bylines include Stir Vancouver, SAD Mag, This Magazine, and many more. A passionate storyteller across all mediums, Catherine was a quarter-finalist for the 2022 Spring Screencraft Film Fund and a finalist for The Script Lab - TSL Free Screenplay Contest in 2023. She also expanded her creative reach into music, producing a song featured in the 2022 ART SongLab.