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Book Lab (Virtual)

with Prachi Gupta, Sonora Jha and Kim Fu

Genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Essay

Online

Advanced, Intermediate

10 Sessions

Start Date: September 24, 2025
End Date: December 3, 2025
No Class: (skip days) 11/26/2025
Day of Week: Wednesday
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm PT
Capacity: 8 seats
-2 seat left!
General Price: $6600.00

Please login or create an account to receive notifications when a seat becomes available.

Enrollment in Book Lab is through application only. Priority applications open Monday, July 21, and close Sunday, August 17 at 11:59 pm PT. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting Monday, August 18—until the program fills. 

👉 Click here to apply to the 2025-26 Book Lab Cohort.

No class: 11/26/2025 

Winter & Spring Cohort Dates (Tentative): 1/7/2026, 2/11/2026, 3/11/2026, 4/8/2026, 5/6/2026, 6/3/2026 

— 

You’ve finished a draft. That’s no small thing. 

It’s a little messy—there are plot holes, chapters labeled “fix this later,” and whole sections you pretend not to see. But it exists. You made a book. 

Now you’re staring into the space between finished and publishable, and the gap feels enormous: 

How do I know if it’s ready? What does ready even look like? 

Book Lab is a nine-month intensive for writers who’ve completed (or nearly completed) a draft of a novel, short story collection, memoir, nonfiction, or hybrid manuscript and are asking: What now?  

Whether you're preparing to publish or refining your story into the best version of itself, this program offers mentorship, structure, and community to help you take the next step in your book journey.  

Book Lab is by application only. You don’t need an MFA or a perfect manuscript to participate in Book Lab. But you do need a project you believe in, and the readiness to take your work seriously. 

Over the course of Book Lab, you will: 

  • Work with a dedicated mentor—a published author who meets you where you are and pushes you toward your end goal. They’ll read your entire manuscript, provide detailed feedback, and help you build a personalized revision roadmap. Whether you’re restructuring your plot, deepening emotional stakes, or fine-tuning line edits, they’ll help you strengthen and polish your draft. 
  • Learn alongside a small, committed cohort of fellow writers who are also in the thick of it. You’ll write together, workshop monthly, share progress, swap strategies and—most importantly—cheer each other on. 
  • Get smart about the industry. You’ll explore the publishing world: how it works, where your book fits, and how to move forward with confidence. And learn to pitch your work, write an effective query letter, and develop a strategy for next steps—whether you're planning to query agents, submit to small presses, or explore alternative publishing routes. 

You’ll also get: 

  • A $500 professional development stipend to use on: 
    • A second read by a published author 
    • One-on-one sessions with a Hugo House coach or consultant 
    • Hugo House classes of your choice 
  • A one-year Hugo House membership (or extension of an existing membership) 
  • Access to a private Book Lab Slack space to connect with your cohort between sessions 

You’ll leave Book Lab with: 

  • A thoroughly revised manuscript 
  • A draft of your query letter 
  • A personalized submission strategy 
  • A clear, actionable roadmap for what comes next. 

Program Schedule

You’ll start in the fall with a ten-week course: part welcome wagon, part story lab. This is where you’ll meet your cohort, share your project, and begin charting your revision path. Expect guided readings, craft conversations, and light critique designed to prepare you for deep-dive manuscript work. 

In the winter and spring, you’ll move into focused revision and long-haul strategy. That includes: 

  • A full editorial read of your manuscript from your mentor, including a detailed editorial letter, margin notes, and line edits (where appropriate) 
  • Monthly cohort meetings to workshop scenes, swap feedback, and stay accountable 
  • Four one-on-one mentor sessions to troubleshoot, talk about your project, and celebrate progress 
  • Guest talks and craft lessons to sharpen your revision skills and deepen your industry insight 
  • A revised draft, a working query letter, a clear path forward—and a community of fellow writers cheering for your project. 

Is Book Lab Right for Me? 

Book Lab is open to writers of all genres and backgrounds, and we’re especially excited to support voices that have historically been excluded from traditional publishing spaces. We’re looking for: 

  • Writers with a completed or nearly completed draft of a book-length manuscript (fiction, memoir, nonfiction, or hybrid) 
  • Writers ready to revise, experiment, and commit to their project for the long-haul. 

If you said yes to the above, but still find yourself asking, Am I ready? The answer: You are. 

How to Apply

To apply, you’ll submit three short pieces: 

  • A short bio (250 words max): In 250 words or less, tell us who you are, what your writing journey to date has looked like so far, and any struggles you're currently facing in your writing life. 
  • A project synopsis (500 words max): Give us the big picture of your book. What genre are you working in? What story are you trying to tell? Where are you in the process (drafting, revising, reimagining)? Include the current word count—or your best guess. 
  • A 3–5 page writing sample from your manuscript: Send us the pages that best reflect what you’re working on—whether it’s a novel, memoir, short story collection, or a hybrid-style manuscript. We’re looking for a sense of your voice, your vision, and where you might want to go next. 

This process helps us get to know you as a writer, your project, and your goals so we can place you in the cohort that best supports your growth. We’re not looking for polished perfection—just an honest reflection of you and your work. 

Important Dates:  

  • Priority applications open Monday, July 21, and close Sunday, August 17 at 11:59 pm PT 
  • Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting Monday, August 18—until the program fills.  
  • Applicants will begin receiving decisions on Tuesday, September 2, 2025. 
  • In Person Book Lab with Tara Conklin starts on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at 7:10 pm PT  
  • Virtual Book Lab with Sonora Jha starts on Wednesday, September 24, 2025 at 5:00 pm PT 

Book Lab tends to fill quickly. If this sounds like the right next step for you, we recommend applying early. 

Important Notes 

  • This is an application-based program.  
  • Winter & Spring cohort meeting dates are tentative and subject to change. 
  • Payment plans are available. Students may choose to pay in 5 monthly or 10 semi-monthly installments. 
  • There are no refunds once the class begins—please apply only if you can commit fully. 

Click here to apply to the 2025-26 Book Lab Cohort.

ďťżStudents Say…

"It was great to get connected with a writing community and see the writing life of other writers. Sonora's insights and wisdom were a highlight. I learned how to mature my craft, learned a lot about the publishing industry, and gained the confidence that my project is actually something I could publish."

–Anonymous, Book Lab 24-25

Sonora Jha and Hugo House's Book Lab was exactly what I needed to get my manuscript over the finish line. The careful readings and helpful editorial suggestions combined with invaluable insights from Sonora and other talented guest speakers will help you get over that mountain peak between writing and publication. The class is collaborative, supportive and gives you an instant writing community whether you're working in fiction or non-fiction. I can't recommend it highly enough.”

–Dr. Wendy Johnson, Book Lab 23-24, Author of The Coyote and the Cottonwood: How Kinship and Connection Can Heal the Earth and Ourselves (tentative title) forthcoming August 5, 2025 from North Atlantic Books. 

Prachi Gupta

Sonora Jha

Sonora Jha

she/her/hers

Sonora Jha is the author of four books, including the novel The Laughter, winner of the 2024 Washington State Book Award. Her previous books are the novel Foreign (2013) and the memoir How To Raise A Feminist Son (2021). After a career as a journalist covering crime, politics, and culture in India and Singapore, she moved to the United States to earn a Ph.D. in media and public affairs. Sonora’s work has been featured in The New York Times, on the BBC, in literary anthologies, and elsewhere. She is a Loyola Endowed Professor at Seattle University and lives in Seattle. Her new novel, Intemperance, will be out from Harper Via in October 2025.

Kim Fu

Kim Fu

Kim Fu is the author of, most recently, the story collection Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century, which received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Foreword, Booklist, and Quill and Quire. Her first novel, For Today I Am a Boy, won the Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction and was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award, as well as a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice. Her second novel, The Lost Girls of Camp Forevermore, was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award and the OLA Evergreen Award. Fu’s writing has appeared in Granta, the Atlantic, the New York Times, BOMB, Hazlitt, and the TLS. She lives in Seattle.

FAQ

Complete FAQ

Each class description includes a breakdown of what you can expect in terms of in-class activity, feedback, and homework (if any). 

Generative means you’ll be generating new writing, either in class or at home between classes.

Workshop means you’ll be sharing work to be read and critiqued by your instructor and classmates and that you will also be critiquing the work of your peers. 

Reading means you’ll be doing close reading of a work with an eye toward craft. 

Craft discussion means you’ll be looking at the tools writers use to do that thing they do so well and then trying it out yourself.

Class levels are designed for various stages of the writing journey. Simply self-select the level that sounds best for where you’re at. 

Introductory: This is your first creative writing workshop, first writing class since high school, or first foray into a new genre or form. You’re looking to try something new, kickstart your writing, and/or establish yourself in the fundamentals.

Intermediate: You have a strong understanding of writing fundamentals and are eager to deep dive into craft. You’re honing your writerly identity and voice through independent projects. In workshop, you look for constructive feedback and are ready to do writing and reading outside of class.

Advanced: You’ve written a significant body of work and have taken it through several stages of revision. You’re getting ready to publish or are in the early stage of publishing, and you’re interested in refining the skills that will take you to the next level in the literary industry.

All Levels: You are any of the above and are looking to play with new possibilities.

You’ll get your class information, including Zoom link if applicable, three days before the first day of class.

If you register for a class within this three-day window and do not receive this information, please contact us at welcome@hugohouse.org  

Write With Hugo House is our free monthly write-in program that takes place online via Zoom.  

We also have payment plans available for most of our classes. These payment plans are available to all students. Additionally, we offer partial scholarships (covering up to 40% of class tuition) for students who meet our income guidelines.  

Lastly, we announce flash sales, early bird periods, and special deals through our e-newsletter; sign up at the bottom of this page. 

 

At this time, we offer payment plans on classes 4 sessions and up. To register for a payment plan, select “Pay in installments” on the class details page, select your preferred option, and proceed to add to cart usual.  

Our payment plan policy: 
  • We charge a 5% nonrefundable administrative fee for all payment plans. This fee is based on total class cost.
  • We are unable to hold seats for prospective payment plan students. Students will be enrolled once their first installment has been paid. 
  • If you need to cancel, Hugo House will issue refunds according to its cancellation and transfer policies. Your 5% nonrefundable admin fee will not be refunded. 
  • If you withdraw from a class after it begins, you will not receive a refund and are still responsible for paying the full course tuition.

Asynchronous classes are perfect for students that need flexibility!

During an asynchronous class, instructors release new lessons once per week. Students then have one week to complete that lesson and any accompanying coursework. You’ll learn as much as you would in a traditional class but with the flexibility to work at the best times for your schedule!

While there are no live sessions, asynchronous classes are still a lively and rigorous experience. Async classes are not static lessons but an adaptable and energetic community space. Be ready to work in a collaborative environment, giving and receiving feedback on your writing, participating in discussions, and growing your writing practice in a way that works best for you.

Asynchronous classes take place through the website Wet Ink. Students receive an invitation to the class and to set up a Wet Ink account on the start date of the class. Each week of the class, a new lesson will be available through the Wet Ink portal. Classes close two weeks after the end date, and students receive an email containing their content from the class when it closes.

Hugo House will only process refund requests that are submitted 5 days or more before the class start date. To request a refund, log in to your account, go to “My Account,” select the “Orders” tab on the left-hand side, click the appropriate order, and request a refund for your specific class. Administrative fees apply. Please see our full refund policy here.

To request a refund for class credit, please note such in the message section of your refund request.

In general, we do not record classes. However, an exception can be made with instructor approval if a student has specific access needs.

We encourage students to only sign up for classes that fit with their schedule.   

We do not tolerate racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist, transphobic or any other oppressive behaviors, regardless of who commits them. Please check out our full community guidelines by clicking here. If an instance of community guidelines are violated and not resolved within the classroom, students may let us know by filling out the student incident report.

If Hugo House needs to cancel a class for any reason, you’ll receive a full refund.

You can apply for a scholarship by clicking the red “Request a Scholarship” text on class pages. The scholarship request text is located at the top of each class page, underneath the “add to cart” button.

Scholarship application dates can be found in our Academic Calendar. 

Due to the limited number of scholarships, please only request up to two scholarships for two different classes per quarter if you truly meet the financial need requirements.

Hugo House members get to register early for classes – a full week before they open to the general public!, receive a 10% discount on events and classes, and more. See the full list of membership benefits here!

Donations of all sizes allow us to provide access to quality writing classes, events, and experiences for all. Please consider making a donation to Hugo House today. 

If you’re interested in contributing your skills, Hugo House accepts volunteer applications for a variety of roles, including event support, administrative tasks, and more. Learn more on our Volunteer page. 

Finally, becoming a member is an excellent way to support Hugo House and our mission. 

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