About & FAQ
Welcome to Literary Liberation. So happy you landed here!
We’re a community of artists, writers, and activists across multiple creative concentrations working towards our collective liberation.
Founded in 2023 by Sherisa de Groot, Literary Liberation focuses on our writing, our wellness and our liberatory practices. We center the Global Majority and all marginalized communities within that majority in all that we do. We want to access and activate our radical imagination within ourselves and in one another.
Literary Liberation Is For You If:
You believe in the power of radical imagination and its transformative potential.
You are dedicated to creating or deepening your writing and wellness practices.
You seek a brave and respectful environment to share ideas and receive feedback from fellow writers.
You are dedicated to centering the Global Majority in your work and life.
You crave connection with like-minded, ambitious writers who share your passion.
You understand the value of giving and receiving within a supportive community.
You are eager to share your experiences and resources openly with others.
At Literary Liberation, we believe that our collective liberation begins with the stories we tell and the worlds we create.
Our Ethos
We champion diversity, rejecting all forms of discrimination (including but not limited to racism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, ageism, ableism, sexism) while fostering a culture of respect, kindness, and empathy. Everyone's voice matters, and we value collaborative learning over expertise. We're serious about our craft, defining ourselves by our dedication rather than external validation. Community is our cornerstone, built on active participation and support for each other's growth. In our shared brave space, vulnerability is embraced, and our intersectionality is celebrated.
Our ethos is ever-evolving, rooted in our commitment to collaborative learning and communal growth.
What’s Inside?
Paid subscribers receive every essay, interview and prompt in full; one week advance workshop registration access; free access to every WRITE NOW co-working session; Starting Points, original prompts crafted by today's working writers; LIT LIB DAILY, which includes columns written by our community: Lunar Lit, Write On, Everything Everywhere Write and a few others coming soon; The Write Stuff, full access to our short and long form interview columns, essays on craft and more. There’s a lot in here and a lot more to come. Paid subscribers make it all happen.
For now, everyone gets access to our Slack community (you should really join before we close it up again!) and our Tuesday & Thursday WRITE NOW sessions will always be free.
Who’s behind this?
That would be me. Hi, I’m Sherisa de Groot—a writer, editor and cultural steward from New York. A real live native New Yorker *shimmies*. I’m a first generation American of Caribbean descent living in the Netherlands for the last fifteen years. No, I don’t speak Dutch. No, I’m not an expat. Yes, I am an immigrant.
I’m also the founder of
FAQ
Workshops
How do I register for a workshop?
The registration process is two steps. First you pay for the workshop at your corresponding tier and then you register for the zoom meeting. When paying, please make sure to check friends/family on PayPal and add the name of the workshop in the note section. If you are using a different email address for PayPal/Zoom, please inform us so we know who to match payment to.
When can I register for workshops?
Workshop registration open in two phases:
Paid subscribers can register first, with exclusive access for one week
After the priority window, registration opens to everyone, including free subscribers
As a paid subscriber, you'll always get early access to secure your spot in our most popular sessions. Not a member yet? Join today to enjoy priority registration and never miss out on the workshops you want to attend.
How many students will be in my class?
Every class needs at least 6 students to run. If we do not reach 6 seats, the workshop might be canceled or postponed (after discussing with the instructor) and full refunds will be made available. We encourage everyone to register as soon as possible.
In most cases, our workshops are capped at 15 students. If it is a more lecture based, the class size can be much larger than that, but we will always make that clear.
Are all workshops recorded?
Most workshops are recorded and available to students for one month after the completion of the course/workshop. After three months, it joins our library and is available to paid members.
If you can’t make a class, but would like access to the recording, you can still pay upfront and send an email to hello@literaryliberation.net letting us know you won’t be in live attendance (and not occupying a seat that could otherwise be filled). You’ll receive the recordings the following day typically.
Do you offer payment plans or sliding scale?
Yes and yes! We offer select payment plans and where announced, sliding scale options. You can email directly for payment plans or keep reading for our sliding scale offer.
Our Sliding Scale Commitment
We believe in making our workshops accessible while sustaining our work and community. Where indicated, our pricing operates on a three-tier sliding scale system:
Supported Price
This reduced rate is offered for those who are experiencing financial constraints but wish to participate. We reserve a limited number of spots at this tier to support those who would otherwise be unable to join. If this tier speaks to your current circumstances, we welcome you to choose it.
Standard Price
This represents the actual cost of the workshop, including fair compensation for our facilitators and operational costs. If you can comfortably afford daily expenses and have steady income, this is likely your tier.
Pay-it-Forward Price
By choosing this rate, you're directly supporting others' access to this workshop. If you're financially secure, have disposable income, or benefit from generational wealth, consider this tier as a way to invest in our community's growth and accessibility.
Important Notes:
Tiers are based on honesty and will never require us to inquire about your financial situation. We do hope as financial situations improve, that you too might pay it forward for someone in similar circumstances.
All participants receive the same workshop experience regardless of tier choice
Supported price spots are limited and offered on a first-come basis
We trust you to select the tier that honestly reflects your current situation
No questions asked about your choice – you know your circumstances best.
What is your refund policy?
We're so excited you've signed up for one of our workshops! We know life can be unpredictable, so here's what you need to know about our refund policy.
Unless a class is unable to run due to low enrollment or an instructor emergency, we are generally unable to offer full refunds. However, we understand plans can change, so if you need to voluntarily withdraw, we're happy to provide a partial refund. To qualify for a partial refund, please let us know at least 7 days before the first session. In this case, we'll refund 75% of your registration fee - the remaining 25% helps cover our costs for planning and preparation.
If you received financial assistance to attend, your refund will be calculated based on the discounted rate you paid, not the full market value. So you'll get back 75% of your actual out-of-pocket costs.
We're here to support you, so if you have any other questions or concerns, don't hesitate to reach out. We want to make sure this is a worry-free learning experience from start to finish.