PLEASE NOTE: THIS FORM IS FOR APPLICATIONS TO FATIMA KOLA'S FICTION WORKSHOP ONLY. ALL MAGAZINE SUBMISSIONS TO THIS FORM WILL BE DECLINED UNREAD.

Wednesdays, 6:30-9pm ET, June 11-July 16 2025, Zoom
Application Deadline: Tuesday, April 15, 11:59pm ET

Price: $525

Patron Price: $475

Application Fee: $10

This advanced fiction workshop will provide individualized feedback to writers with the goal of helping them improve their craft. In our first session together, we will explore the contours of each individual project: identifying its keenest craft and narrative concerns and outlining specific artistic goals and interests. Over the following weeks, each participant will have their piece workshopped once. Subsequent craft lectures and discussions will be built around what emerges in those workshops. In the final class, we will turn our attention to revision, so that writers will leave with an individual revision plan and can look ahead to the completion of their projects, honoring their highest aspirations for them.

This class is limited to 10 students and is designed for writers with workshop experience. Tuition includes a 30-minute meeting with the instructor.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:

Fatima Kola is a writer-in-residence at Vanderbilt University, and holds an MFA from the Michener Center for Writers at UT Austin. She was previously a Stegner Fellow in Fiction at Stanford University, a 2015 shortlistee for the Caine Prize in African Writing, a 2017 recipient of the Miles Morland Foundation Grant, and a 2023 artist-in-residence at the Cité internationale des arts in Paris. Her work has been published byOne Story,Granta,New Contrast,The Guardian, andZoetrope: All-Story. She is currently completing her first novel, about loneliness, the river Thames, haunted bodies, sickness, and time travel.

This workshop is open to fiction writers 21 years of age and older. Applications will open on Tuesday, March 4. The deadline to apply for the workshop is Tuesday, April 15. Please send in your application, which should consist of a personal statement and a manuscript (either a short story or novel excerpt of 5000 words or less) of what you would like to workshop, via Submittable.

We are seeking writers who are looking to hone their craft and are excited to learn from each other and the instructor in an intimate and supportive environment. Workshop participants will be selected based on the strength of their writing sample and personal statement.

Complete application guidelines are available on the application. Please note that you will need to create a Submittable account to apply.

There is a non-refundable $10 application fee.

Please note that to be eligible for the Patron rate, applicants must be an active Patron of One Story as of April 15, 2025. Patrons commit to annual donations and receive benefits that allow them to participate in the organization in more meaningful ways. Not all One Story subscribers are patrons. If you’d like to find out more about becoming a patron, you can do so here.

Applicants will be notified of their status in mid-May.

Detailed application guidelines follow in this application.

For more information on the workshop policies, please visit our website.

PLEASE NOTE: THIS FORM IS FOR APPLICATIONS TO OUR APPRENTICESHIP ONLY. ALL MAGAZINE SUBMISSIONS TO THIS FORM WILL BE DECLINED UNREAD.

Application Deadline: Monday, May 5

One Story is seeking a paid apprentice to join our team from September 2025 to May 2026. The apprentice will have a chance to learn about all aspects of a literary organization, including the editorial process, grant writing, and online educational programming.

This is an entry-level position for those looking for a career in publishing with a focus not just on editorial work, but also on future leadership roles in nonprofit management and online education. 

We are specifically seeking applicants from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the publishing industry who are recent college graduates or in their final year of college (class of 2025 or 2026) and not enrolled in a graduate program. Candidates should be creative, eager to work with a small, dedicated team, and have a demonstrated interest in the literary community and publishing world. 

We will provide an opportunity to gain valuable skills and forge connections with peers and potential employers in the industry. In addition to experience gained from day-to-day tasks, the apprentice will receive specialized training in marketable skill sets such as design and production, project management, social media and marketing, proofreading and copyediting, online pedagogy best practices, and others. The goal is to leave their time with One Story with industry connections and a diverse and varied set of skills that will make their resumes stand out to future employers. 

The apprentice will spend three months working alongside a core member of One Story’s staff before rotating to the next. This way, they will have an opportunity to gain insight into how each facet of our organization operates. This is a hybrid position. Candidates must reside within commuting distance of our office in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

For a complete job description, please visit our website.