A Rough Trade Writing School

Writing school for writers who mean it.

Not a productivity course. Not a content system. A writing school — built around Wild Magic, a set of techniques centered on trust, wonder, and learning to say the thing only you can say.

For writers of literary fiction, creative nonfiction, and the strange hybrid work that doesn't fit neatly in either category. For writers who are serious about the practice even when — especially when — the practice isn't going well.

The 8 Chains → Join on Patreon

What the School offers

Email Courses

The 8 Chains

Eight 8-week email courses — one for each fundamental territory of the writing life. The Life, The Craft, The Secrets, The Eye, The Voice, The Narrative, The World, The Practice. Pay what you want, $5 minimum.

Browse the Chains →
Community

Patreon

The school's home. Writing dispatches, behind-the-scenes work-in-progress, the Wild Writer's Herbal and Grimoire PDFs, dog photos, and a community of writers who take this seriously. From $5/month.

Join on Patreon →
One-on-One

Wild Magic Counsel

A session with Jacob Clifton — for blocked writers, writers at crossroads, writers who need someone to think alongside them about their work. By appointment.

Book a session →

The Wild Magic newsletter

Letters about writing, dogs, television, and paying close attention to things. Free, whenever there's something worth saying.