PARAKEET is an intense program for intense people.

Inquiry forms due by November 18
Parakeets notified by November 30
Our 2025 cycle kicks off in January!

Look, I’m really good at getting books out of people. I’m fiercely devoted; I have more than 15 years experience working with writers. I want to help you get out of your own way.

If you’re ready - like really ready and sick of not doing it - PARAKEET is for you.

This book wants to come out of you already! This book needs to get to its readers!

This book is blocking traffic - let’s find out what is waiting behind it!

What Parakeets are saying:

"This has been such a transformative experience for me! We've been gifted community, loads of relevant and thoughtful inspiration, structures and supports to get our projects out, and the feeling of being held and valued along the way. I'm so grateful for the generous offering - Beth and Carolyn are incredible."

— Lindsay

"Parakeet is getting this book out of me! I’ve taken countless workshops and classes on writing craft over the years. They’ve been helpful—but they also put me in perpetual tinkering mode. I worked on my manuscript for eight years, polishing the same parts again and again, never completing a draft. Parakeet changed all that. It helped me create a structure for myself and gave me the encouragement, the community, and the accountability I needed to get out of my head and just write the book. As I passed the mid-year point and the chapters stacked up, the book stopped seeming like an idea and started to become a tangible thing, separate from me, something I haven’t experienced before. I’m so excited to get this book out into the world, some way, somehow. I will be forever grateful to this program, and to Beth, Carolyn, and all my beloved parakeets for helping me turn my book idea into an actual BOOK."

— Patricia Z.

"Parakeet has held us right when we need it most.

It was hard to capture how incredible this experience has been for me. I'm really hitting my stride and it's because of all of it. Not one thing. The one-on-ones with Beth and Carolyn, the accountability partners, the whole group sessions, the cohorts, and the writing friendships. Freaking, all of it! My year with Parakeet taught me that I am a writer. For years, I'd been scared to say, or more importantly, believe these words. But month after month, Beth, Carolyn, and the Parakeet community helped me practice saying and believing that I am a writer. Parakeet allowed me to push through the toughest moments and keep going. There is no chance that I would be where I am now with my manuscript without this community. I read more, I wrote a ton, and my confidence blossomed. I am forever grateful and will be back for more of whatever Parakeet serves next. Thank you for making 2024 the year where I grew into my project and imagine fully what it can become."

— Liza

“I debated signing up for Parakeet for a long time--would it be worth it? I’m here to tell you that it is. Parakeet is a literary community, professional development seminar, 12-step program for writerly doubt, and a sacred coven of beautiful weirdos all rolled up into one. Even though writing is solitary, we don’t do anything alone--and Parakeet provided the community care that I needed to write the book that only I could write. For me, it’s been more than a program or class but a practice of liberation.”

— Anya

“Parakeet has surpassed my expectations. I was skeptical about the upfront cost and the efficacy of something entirely remote and just once a month, I was deeply insecure about my lack of status as Published Writer, worried about social anxiety and sharing work with strangers, wondered if I had been admitted by accident while simultaneously wondered if I was falling for a one weird trick scheme. But by even the second month I felt it was worth it, and could see it already changing me and my writing practice. Parakeet has given me the structure and full toolbox to do what I have longed to do since I could read: write a whole ass book. Beth and Carolyn are so good at what they do! It sounded frankly unlikely that a couple people could shepherd a few dozen of us through book writing in one year, but they are doing it together with the absolutely delightful community that is Parakeet. I knew I wanted to write a book, but I didn't know how much I was missing a community of smart, creative people and that has been a whole extra dimension of benefit. I really love my accountability partners. I wish I could take them and the whole group with me into my life beyond Parakeet.”

— Dana

“One of the best parts of Parakeet has been when any of us share an anxiety and the answer is: FUCK THAT IT’S NOT TRUE”

— Kiera H.

“Parakeet reminds us that writers are unique and uniquely talented to tell exactly the story they were born to tell.

Parakeet has been a safe and solid place to land every month, tapping into group of writers working to manifest their dreams.”

— T

PARAKEET is for me if…

I have a book that I need to get out of me and I think it’s somewhere between 40k - 90k words: fiction, non fiction, autofiction, short stories, essays, hybrid, memoir, etc.
I am willing to dedicate 15-20 hours per month to all the Parakeet aspects including writing, workshops, writing community, meetings, and reading
I am willing to surrender to the fact that I need to write a book
I am willing to try to write 5000 words a month

PARAKEET might not be for me if…

My book is mostly written and I am just in editing phase; I’m not generating new words
My book is finished and I now need to get it published
My book is quite brief or mostly image-based / graphic work
I cannot or will not spend 15-20 hours per month on my writing life
I don’t want to participate in writing community

FAQs

A yearlong intensive program to help you get that book out of you and make plans to get it into the world.
Anyone who has a text-based book roughly between 40k - 90k words (novel, nonfiction, memoir, essays, short story collection, etc) that is stuck in them and wants to get it out. Whether you’ve published many books or struggle to write your first, PARAKEET is for that book that needs to get out of you.
- Welcome kit.
- Monthly workshops and small group gatherings led by Beth Pickens.
- Two hour-long individual consultations with Beth Pickens in Q1 and Q4 of the program.
- Reflection meetings with Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs.
- A cohort of writers.
- Four accountability writing partners throughout the year.
- An optional writing group (all Parakeets must be in a writing group, inside or outside of the program.)
- Custom reading recommendations.
- Affinity discussion groups.
- Co-writing hours.
- Monthly word count deadlines.
- Support, structure, and insight into why it’s so hard to write this fucking book while you finish it.
- Professional development and instruction on things like agents and publishers.
- A draft of your manuscript (you gotta write it though.)
PARAKEET isn’t a craft workshop and we do not provide creative nor editorial feedback.
We do not review manuscripts. Instead, you will be in a writing group of your own design and/or be assigned to one so that you have a community to support the craft.
PARAKEET will get you to do the writing. PARAKEET staff and community will recommend classes, teachers, writers, and books that can strengthen the writing. What makes your writing better? Reading and lots and lots of writing.
This is a secret that only writers who finish PARAKEET will learn at the closing ritual.
PARAKEET is $3800 for the year ($316.66/month).
We offer an early bird price of $3600 ($300/month) if paid before December 15.
Part of the program’s design is commitment so PARAKEET must be paid for at the outset.
PARAKEET meets on Mondays and Tuesdays in 2025 (all times PST).
All writers meet in the Monday 4pm main workshop.
Each writer is also assigned to a small group - yellow, blue, orange, or green - and you have a say in which one.
MONDAY
11 am - Yellow small group gathering - check-ins, trouble-shooting, strategic support
4 pm - large group workshop*
5:30 pm - Blue small group gathering - check-ins, trouble-shooting, strategic support
TUESDAY
11 am - Orange small group gathering - check-ins, trouble-shooting, strategic support
5:30 pm - Green small group gathering - check-ins, trouble-shooting, strategic support
*recorded but live attendance on zoom is encouraged and more effective!
Dates:
January 6 + 7, 2025
February 3 + 4, 2025
March 3 + 4, 2025
April 7 + 8, 2025
May 5 + 6, 2025
June 2 + 3, 2025
July 7 + 8, 2025
August 4 + 5, 2025
September 8 + 9, 2025
October 6 + 7, 2025
November 3 + 4, 2025
December 1 + 2, 2025
You will want to quit sometimes. This is normal. I will talk you through it in our workshops and one-on-one meetings. The payment is nonrefundable, which will incentivize you to stick with it. You will have a community of writers and many tools to help you ride out the discomfort, fear, avoidance, distraction, and de-prioritizing of writing that writers grapple with. This is all part of it and we’ll help you through the moments when you want to give up.
The questionnaire helps us understand a little bit about you and your intended project. Notifications will be sent out no later than November 30.