Workshops & Events

PAYMENT POLICIES
* Payment in full is due prior to the start of a class.
* If you have registered for a class but withdraw with less than 72 hours notice before the first meeting, please note you will be charged a $50 cancellation fee. 
* There are no refunds once a workshop begins, and past payment will not be transferred to a future workshop. 
* Workshops are not pro-rated for missed sessions. 

CHECK OUT JONI’S NEW BOOK PARTY LIKE IT’S 2044
“Finding the funny” is a daunting task these days, and it’s Ms. Cole’s super-power. Her essays are relatable and unsparing and filled with everyday human moments and thoughts (thousands of thoughts per day as it turns out).” Artful (Full Review)

Workshops (All times listed are EST)

6-Week Workshops ONLINE
NOTE: THE FEE FOR OUR 6-WEEK WORKSHOPS WILL INCREASE TO $275 ON SEPT. 1, 2025
Mondays, May 19 – June 30 (skipping Memorial Day, May 26), 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Tuesdays, June 3 – July 8, 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Wednesdays, June 4 – July 9, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Instructor: Joni Cole
$250
These small-group workshops are open to writers of creative nonfiction and fiction of all levels. Each group offers participants motivation, personalized instruction on craft, and a small supportive community. Share at the first meeting (and every meeting)  2-4ish pages of something brand new or revised for verbal feedback. Our goal is to meet every draft where it is at, and help you write forward productively and with confidence. Pre-registration is required and payment in full is required before the start of the workshop. Contact the instructor at: jonibethcole@gmail.com (Note: For the online workshops, we will be using Zoom videoconferencing.)

Let’s Do This! An Accountability Workshop (7 weeks plus one 1:1 consult) ONLINE
Open to all writers, newbie and seasoned, stuck or unstuck
Facilitator: Joni Cole
Wednesdays, June 11 – July 23, 6:30 – 8 p.m. 
$250
This class can’t help you find more hours in a day (or maybe it can?!), but it will help you make the most of the time you do have for writing. How? By being part of a community that has your back and holds you accountable. This workshop provides weekly deadlines to assure progress. We’ll do guided goal setting to help you make every day count, as in word count. We’ll also pool productivity hacks, gently call out any BS excuses, and even do some in-class writing, fed by prompts and a collective energy. “Let’s Do This” is about helping you achieve two months of real progress on your writing goals, but it’s also about helping you establish a long-term writing practice that is not just more productive, but more inviting and even joyful.  Space is limited. To register, contact the facilitator at: jonibethcole@gmail.com. Recommended reading: Good Naked: How to Write More, Write Better, and Be Happier
(Note: This workshop is not a critique group, so there will be no sharing of pages for feedback.)

One-Day Write-Away IN PERSON
Facilitator: Joni Cole
Saturday, May 31, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.  
Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm, Quechee, VT
$225 (includes full breakfast and lunch, plus afternoon coffee/tea/snacks)
Open to 15 participants. Newbies and seasoned writers welcome. Leave all self-doubts at
the door.
Consider this Write-Away a mini conference, workshop, and retreat all in one fun, fruitful full
day. As part of the Write-Away you’ll have two timed blocks to blissfully write
independently…together. (Prompts will be available if you need a jumpstart.) You’ll also have an
opportunity to share up to 300 words aloud for verbal feedback and appreciation to help you
write forward productively. In late afternoon (fortified by coffee, tea, treats, and a glorious view
of the Ottauquechee river), our guided revision workshop provides a hands-on opportunity for
you to rethink some pages-in-progress on both a structural and/or sentence level. Plus, our
communal closing session invites everyone to share their questions and wisdom on anything
related to the creative process, craft, and publishing.
For those interested in extending the Write-Away, feel free after 4:30 p.m. to gather by the
fireplace in the Quechee Inn’s cozy tavern room to keep the conversation flowing. The Quechee
Inn also has set off a small block of rooms at a discounted price for Write-Away participants who
want to stay overnight. To reserve a room call 802-295-3133.
To confirm your participation or request more info: email jonibethcole@gmail.com. Or visit
www.jonibcole.com
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations before April 20, 2025 will receive a 100% refund. Cancellations between April 20 and May 10, 2025 will incur a 30% fee. Cancellations after May 10, 2025 are non-refundable. When you register for the One-Day Write-Away you agree to these terms.

Good Naked Weekend Write-Away IN PERSON
TBA
Friday, 3 p.m. – Sunday, 2-ish p.m.
Hotel Coolidge in White River Junction, VT
Facilitator: Joni Cole 
$395 (includes dinner Friday evening; breakfast, lunch and dinner Saturday; Sunday light breakfast; plus snacks throughout the weekend)
One of the most productive things we can do as writers is shed our fears and share our efforts. To that end, this gathering of about 25 writers offers a weekend of interactive workshops, quality instruction, and lots of motivation and inspiration. Our prompt sessions provide a crash course on narrative craft. Plus, our workshop on revision, our feedback “salons” and other events offer tips on craft and the creative process that will serve you every draft of the way. Especially fun, our “Open Mic Openings” event gives you the opportunity to read aloud for appreciation and insights. Come. Write. And learn from our collective wisdom. Newbies and seasoned authors welcome. Please leave all self doubts at the door. To confirm your participation or request more info: email jonibethcole@gmail.com
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations before September 8, 2024 will receive a 100% refund. Cancellations between September 8 – October 8, 2024 will incur a 30% fee. Cancellations after October 8, 2024 are non-refundable. When you register for the Good Naked Weekend Write-Away, you agree to these terms. 

Sunday Salon (with Soup) IN PERSON
TBA
White River Junction, VT
4-6 p.m.
Single class enrollment: $36
2-meeting package: $62
It’s soup time again! This workshop invites participants (newbies and seasoned writers across genres) to present aloud their writing for verbal appreciation and quality feedback…and then sup on soup, as we continue the conversation. Participants can share 500ish words from something new, something revised, a start, an excerpt from a work-in-progress. All feedback is verbal. We meet every draft where it’s at with the intention of helping you write forward productively. Maximum enrollment: six. Registration and payment in advance is required to hold your spot. Leave your shoes… and all self-doubts at the door. To register, email: jonibethcole@gmail.com

FREE PROMPT WORKSHOP IN PERSON
TBA
Norwich Bookstore, Main St., Norwich, VT 
Join us for this fun “prompt” workshop where you’ll be invited to tap into your own stories, humor, meaningful material, voice, or whatever lands on the page. All welcome. All positive. Bring your own materials to write on/with!

How to Write More, Write Better, and Be Happier: Host a Full-Day Retreat IN PERSON
TBA
9 am – 4:30ish pm
$185/per attendee 
Location: You pick! (Mileage negotiable)
Have workshop will travel! Groups who want to participate in a full-day retreat can simply provide a comfy, private space and I will tailor the day to your needs. Typically, the schedule involves workshopping pages, prompts, lessons on craft and the creative process, publishing tips, and other forms of inspiration and camaraderie. As part of the retreat, everyone is encouraged to bring 3-4 pages of writing to share for appreciation and quality critique, plus a brown-bag lunch. This one-day event is a great way to super-charge your writing and motivation. Minimum participation 5. Max 8. For further information, email jonibethcole@gmail.com

Query Critiques ONLINE
TBA
White River Junction, VT
$45 per session
The query letter has one job to do and it isn’t an easy one: to convince the agent or editor to request your manuscript or proposal. Come to this session to learn all about the do’s and don’t do’s when it comes to crafting a query letter. Plus, make sure to bring a draft of your own query (in any genre) for a personalized critique. If you’re done with your manuscript or proposal, or only months away from completing your work, now is the time to start crafting that query. So why not make it more fun and fruitful! To register (required) email jonibethcole@gmail.com.