We’re a craft-driven community of 200+
poets and lyrical essayists.
Sustenance is a curious, intellectually rigorous, and deeply welcoming community that helps writers nourish their practice and reach their goals.
Doors open to our waitlist subscribers June 12, 2025
Join the list
We’re a craft-driven community of 200+
poets and lyrical essayists.
Sustenance is a curious, intellectually rigorous, and deeply welcoming community that helps writers nourish their practice and reach their goals.
EST. 2022
Video library
When you join, you get immediate access to our extensive library, which includes every workshop I’ve ever taught as well as the replay of all guest speaker visits.
Past replays include:
Over 30 replays including workshops with:
ellen bass
Kate Baer
Caroline Bird
Chen Chen
Brendan Constantine
Pam Houston
Marie Howe
negesti kaudo
Danusha Lameris
Anis Mojgani
Jeannine Oullette
Maggie Smith
ellen bass
The Image + The turn
kate baer
IN CONVERSATION
Caroline Bird
MOvement of the mind
chen chen
rewriting the family
Brendan Constantine
at home
with ghosts
PAM HOUSTON
writing emotional landscapes
Marie Howe
the art of transformation
Negesti Kaudo
writing the body
in cnf
Danusha Lameris
writing into the unknown
anis mojgani
in conversation
jeannine ouellette
How to stir emotion
maggie smith
in conversation
Generative sessions
Twice a month, you can join a live poetry session with Joy or Essay Club with Nellie. These virtual sessions begin with a craft lesson, a time of group analysis on a sample work, and then guided exercises.
what Our members say:
Generate new work with:
joy sullivan (MA)
Writer, founder, educator
Nellie croy SMith (MFA)
essayist, Educator
writer's workshop
Twice a month, we offer Writer's Workshop where you can sign up to have your work critiqued by me or one of our resident professors. Like me, both Kelly and Brad have MFAs and extensive teaching experience so you can learn from a diversity of aesthetics and writing philosophies.
Members are allowed one critique session with a resident professor quarterly, but have infinite access to peer review circles and the feedback forum.
Be mentored by experts:
joy sullivan (MA)
Writer, founder, educator
Author of Instructions for Traveling West
kelly grace thomas (MFA)
Writer, poetry coach
Author of Future Tense
+ Boat Burned
brad modlin (PhD)
Writer, Associate Professor
Author of Everyone at This Party Has Two Names + Surviving in Drought
what Our members say:
our resident professors...
our resident professors...
ready to jump in?
MONTHLY ASSIGNMENT + BIANNUAL CHALLENGES
In Sustenance, you’ll be given a monthly writing assignment to complete as well as an opportunity to share it with peers. Twice a year, we also hold an intensive 30 day challenge to help you explore and expedite new writing projects.
what Our members say:
Behind the Scenes...
Behind the Scenes...
In Sustenance, you have the opportunity to have your work critiqued by a supportive and mature readership as well as a team of MFA-level instructors in Writer’s Workshop. Additionally, we have acclaimed, award-winning authors who visit us every month live.
MFA-level Instruction
We have dedicated core groups so you can meet weekly with a small circle of folks to share work, write, and find inspiration. Sustenance is also intentionally capped so you never have to worry about it becoming too large or impersonal. In-real-life meetups often happen also!
soulful Community
What makes Sustenance so unique?
There’s a lot of writing communities out there. Sustenance is distinct in that we’re deeply focused on foundational craft, intentional community, and achieving our writing goals.
Sustenance writers go on to do and write remarkable things. Our writers consistently get accepted into MFA programs, place work in literary magazines, are featured readers at events, and publish both full-length manuscripts and chapbooks.
Extraordinary Outcomes
Join us.
Joining Sustenance is an annual commitment.
Your subscription will renew every 12 months unless you choose to cancel.
- Monthly feedback sessions with Joy and other MFA-level professors and instructors
- Live monthly learning with acclaimed guest authors
- Writing showcase forum for feedback
- Bi-monthly generative writing sessions with Joy and other MFA-level professors and instructors
- Community writing challenges and assignments
- Weekly peer writing and feedback groups
- Immediate access to our video library, including previous workshops with Joy and other guest speakers, including Kate Baer, Ellen Bass, Danusha Lameris, Maggie Smith, and Leslie Jamison
(over $5,000 value) - 1 year subscription to Joy's Substack, Necessary Salt ($50 value)
$1400 For ANNUAL Subscription
Join the waitlist to be notified when doors open.
Includes access to:
what our members say...
what our members say...
In Real Life Meet-ups
Sustenance is committed to making virtual friends become IRL friends. Within the community, folks self-organize to attend literary events, write together, and share creative life together.
kind words
FAQ
Sustenance is an intentionally small community (under 250 members) so you receive personal mentorship and attention from our MFA-level professors and highly talented community. Additionally, our small group model helps you keep accountable and stay inspired. And every month, we bring in an acclaimed author to teach us a new craft technique.
Sustenance is modeled after an MFA program, without the price tag. The community is designed to encourage cohesive and holistic participation, and an investment of time and participation is necessary to see the full benefits.
Our members go on to do exciting things—such as getting accepted into MFA programs, publishing their own manuscripts, getting agents, and falling in love with a consistent and nourished writing practice.
We have anywhere from 6-8 live events monthly, so you can choose the time and cadence that best suits your schedule. I encourage folks to attend at least 2 live events monthly to make sure they are absorbing the month's craft lesson and to turn in the homework assignments regularly so they get the most from their membership.
Timing of our live events varies, but typically our main weekday offerings happen around 12pm or 5pm Pacific time, and our main weekend offerings are often held around 10am Pacific time.
The Sustenance community is beautiful in the way we share wisdom and support every member, wherever they're at.
We have members who have published books, have received MFAs, or regularly share their work online—but beginners are very welcome in Sustenance, and you'll grow quickly.
The Sustenance community is beautiful in the way we share wisdom and support every member, wherever they're at.
Sustenance offers one of the strongest curriculums outside of an MFA for those who want to dive deep into the craft of poetry and essay writing. If fiction is your focus, I'd recommend looking elsewhere first, though we welcome everyone who wants to learn within the community.
The Sustenance community is beautiful in the way we share wisdom and support every member, wherever they're at.
No worries. I have a 30 day money back guarantee so if this community doesn’t meet your expectations, I’ll give you a refund. You are required to attend at least one live event before requesting a refund.
The Sustenance community is beautiful in the way we share wisdom and support every member, wherever they're at.
I’ve been writing poetry for nearly 20 years. I went to grad school for poetry, taught creative writing for several years, and am the author of the national bestselling poetry collection, Instructions for Traveling West (from Dial Press/Random House). It took me a long time to find the kind of spaces and community that truly honed my craft. I spent a lot of time and money searching for spaces that were genuinely nourishing. I wanted to offer fellow writers something better—a community where people could experience all the benefits of a grad school program—intensive workshops, group feedback, and kind mentorship— without the financial and time investment.
And thus, Sustenance was born.
A bit about me
Doors open to our waitlist subscribers June 12, 2025
join the list
