1:1 Weekend Submission Weekender
About the course
Course Fee
395
Course Length
1 weekend
Weekly Study
90 mins
Testimonial
“Litro Masterclasses pushed me to see my strengths and weaknesses clearly, with honest feedback and detailed critique. The experience helped me develop work I could take beyond my local scene and into international opportunities.”
Course summary
1:1 Weekend Submission Weekender is a concentrated edit + submission sprint for one short piece (up to 4,000 words).
If your draft is close but not consistently landing, this is where we fix the real blockers: an opening that doesn’t pressurise quickly enough, a middle that drifts or repeats, an ending that over-explains (or stops too soon), and line-level habits that soften impact.
We work in three layers:
- Reader contract: what the piece is, what it’s doing, and what the reader should understand early.
- Structure + momentum: what to cut, what to move, what to escalate, and where the turn actually belongs.
- Line-level control: clarity, compression, rhythm, and the passages that carry the emotional load.
You’ll leave with:
- a stronger, cleaner draft with a sharper opening and a more controlled landing
- a clear revision checklist (what to do first, second, third)
- written notes you can apply across the whole piece (not just one paragraph)
- a cover-note draft/angle you can adapt
- a shortlist of 5–10 realistic places to submit, with a reason for each
Scope: one piece only. No acquisitions language. No publication promises.
How you will learn
You’ll work 1:1 with me on one short piece (up to 4,000 words). The aim is practical: work out what the draft is really doing, tighten it, and leave with clear next steps for submitting.
- Two focused sessions (Sat + Sun): we work directly on the pages — structure and momentum first, then a clean line-level pass so the writing lands.
- Prep-read: I read the full piece in advance, so we’re not spending your time “getting into it” on the call.
- Written notes: 1–2 pages of priorities (what to cut, what to strengthen, what to leave alone) so you know exactly what to do after we finish.
- Submission package: a cover-note angle + 5–10 realistic targets that fit the piece (not a generic list).
- One piece only: we go deep, and we finish the weekend with a workable plan.
Important: this is editorial guidance and submission planning — it’s designed to improve the work and its chances, but it does not guarantee publication.
The Tutor
Eric Akoto
Eric Akoto is the editor and publisher of Litro Magazine, which for two decades has published emerging and established writers from around the world — in print, online, and through live events. He has read, selected, and edited short work at scale, and worked closely with writers on getting individual pieces into publishable shape.
His editorial focus is practical: what to cut, what to strengthen, what to leave alone, and where a piece should go next. Writers who have worked with him through Litro Fast Track know him for concise, exacting feedback that turns a near-ready draft into a submission-ready one.
In his sprints he brings that same editorial eye to a small cohort — clear diagnosis, sharper revision decisions, and a realistic plan for sending the work out.
"A few craft points have finally clicked into place for me, so I'm feeling a surge of enthusiasm."
Nicky Torode, June Submission Sprint student
