Firefly FAQ
Do you have a physical space?
We had a studio for five beautiful years, but closed our doors during the COVID-19 pandemic. These days most of our programs are online, but we rent spaces around Toronto for some workshops, and we run retreats in person.
Are your workshops and retreats accessible?
Yes, we currently only offer programming in barrier-free spaces, such as The Sumac Center and Wychwood Barns. We offer detailed information about accessibility on the individual pages for our in person programs. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any specific questions.
How can I check out your approach before I sign up for a program?
We have some online resources that can be useful for this — the video on our main page, our blog, and our free writing prompt videos.
You can also try one of our drop-in programs like Morning Coffee Sessions if you want a low-commitment starting place.
Also, if you’re signing up for a retreat or a workshop, you’ll have a call with the facilitator beforehand to connect and make sure it’s the right fit.
Who comes to Firefly?
We welcome all kinds of writers here. Some of the common stories we hear are:
“I used to write but then I stopped, and I want to find my way back there.”
“I have an idea for something I want to write, but I don’t know where to start.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to write, I just know it’s time.”
“I want to be more creative, but I’m scared and overwhelmed by the idea of it.”
We shine when we’re helping people to find their power as writers and reclaim the joy of the blank page. We also love to help stuck writers come back to their magic or move a project forward.
We don’t specialize in helping people with the technical aspects of writing like grammar and spelling, or navigating the publishing world.
What’s the difference between “Small Group Writing Workshops” and “Large Group Writing Programs”?
Small Group Workshops are our original, mainstay offering. They are groups of 6-8 participants, sometimes around a table, sometimes on a Zoom screen, growing together as writers. There’s a deep focus on building trust and relationship, sharing our writing with each other, and getting feedback. With this size of group, we can get to know each other’s writing and witness each other’s growth.
When COVID-19 started and we began to move our offerings online, we realized that we could create programs for larger groups, so we started Large Format Programs. These have less (sometimes no) focus on sharing. They’re generally drop-in programs, so if you don’t know how much you can commit, they are a good place to start. We can offer them at lower prices and have made all the fees sliding scale.
If you’re looking for sustained connection with others and a place to grow in trust and relationship, Small Group Workshops are the way to go. If you’re looking for a place that’s distraction-friendly and requires less commitment, Large Format Programs are probably for you.
How long have you been around?
The first workshops started in March 2005, in our founder Chris’ living room. Nine years later, the first team members were hired, and we have steadily grown from there. Over the years we’ve run over 1000 workshops and over 150 retreats. We’re not planning to retire anytime soon.
Can I hire you to work with my company or community group?
You sure can. We have a suite of workshops designed for organizations, and we often create custom ones. Hit us up with any ideas.
I want to hire a writing coach, but I don’t know which one.
This is an important question, personal fit is a big part of coaching.
We have videos introducing each of our coaching team — click through in any of our names on the team page. You are also welcome to talk to any coach you are interested in working with.
Not everyone has availability all the time, so a good first step is to fill out a no-pressure intake form, let us know your availability, and we’ll tell you who your options are.
When does registration open for your programs?
For our seasonal programs, registration opens four times a year. Dates are announced on the page for each program.
For our ongoing programs like Morning Coffee Sessions, Hello Writer and the BIPOC Writing Space, registration is always open.
If you know you’ll want to sign up for a program, add yourself to the early bird mailing list — we have one for workshops, and one for retreats. We’ll send out an email a week before registration opens to give early birds a chance to skip the line and use a discount code.
What happens after I register for a workshop and pay the deposit?
Visit our Registration FAQ page for step-by-step instructions on how to complete your workshop registration.
I see that the workshop I want is full this season, will you offer it again soon?
Each season is different at Firefly. We offer workshops that the coaches are excited to provide, and what we know our community wants. We announce the upcoming season around a month before registration opens. If there’s a particular class you want to see back, you can put in a request.
How do I get on a waiting list?
We have a waitlist available for each workshop. As soon as a workshop fills, the link is posted on the workshop page. You can always sign up for an early registration nudge to get a head start on next season’s sign-up. We know our programs sometimes fill fast!
Bah, I forgot my password.
No problem. Just go to your account login page, click on "Forgot Password?" and reset it from there.
Will you be offering your workshops in other time slots in the future?
Our schedule changes from season to season. We do our best to put in lots of variety each time, shifting things around to accommodate different schedules and needs.
Is it cool if I miss a class?
Yes, but there are limits. In our Small Group Workshops, trust and relationship-building are a core part of our process. So, while it’s inevitable that not everyone will make it every time, we draw the line at three classes in a row. If you miss three in a row, the group will have connected too much without you, and we will ask you to sit out the rest of the class.
For Large Format Programs, there is less focus on relationship, so you’re welcome to come when it works for you.
I’m a beginner writer. I’m not sure if I’m ready for this.
Beginners are very welcome at Firefly, especially in Begin Here, Keep Your Pen Moving and our Large Format Programs. Bring us all your sweet, nervous energy, and we’ll meet you there.
Are the classes a “safe space” for LGBTQ2S+ voices, people of colour and others?
Safe space means something different to everyone, so we wouldn’t ever promise it. But, we go to great lengths to create principled and welcoming spaces for all voices, especially ones that have been traditionally marginalized in the mainstream.
All our staff do anti-racist education, and we engage in ongoing monthly training. We work hard on being aware of power dynamics and internalized bias in ourselves and in groups. When we inevitably mess up. We welcome feedback, and let it guide future learning.
Recognizing that our community is largely white, which can make it challenging for Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) to express themselves fully, we have a wing of Firefly run for and by BIPOC.
If you have specific concerns, or you encounter anything that makes you uncomfortable, we’d love to talk it over.
I want to help improve my English and grammar. What class is best?
We don’t actually focus on grammar or spelling. It’s just not our jam. Our programs focus on connecting to our creative instincts, moving through fears, and deepening into our creative power.
How much do workshops and retreats cost?
Each program is priced differently depending on length. See each individual page for more info.
If I cancel, will you give me a refund?
Sometimes — it depends on how early you cancel. Since our programs have small groups, we’re not able to give refunds late. See our full financial and cancellation policies.
Why are your financial policies different for different programs?
We have a few categories of programs at Firefly — large group, small group, retreats and 1-on-1. These have different administrative processes, so each has policies that match the amount of commitment we are making to each participant when they register. Make sure to look at the financial policies for the program you’re signing up for before you commit.
Do you have gift certificates?
Absolutely, visit our gift certificate page.
Do you have classes for children or teens?
We don’t currently offer classes for people under 13. We do have some programming for teenagers that we offer a few times a year.
What is your phone number?
We love writing, so we’ve made the decision to go phone-free. Of course, if there’s an emergency, we’ll call you (we gather phone numbers at registration) but we prefer to answer questions via email.
Are you hiring?
We aren’t currently in recruitment. Any hiring announcements will go out on our newsletter, as well as our Facebook and Instagram.
There’s a word or term I don’t understand on your website
Thanks for noting that! We’d love to hear what it is so that we can make it clearer. We try not to talk in lingo, but every community has a vocabulary — it’s hard not to slip into it from time to time. We also have a Firefly Glossary that the word or term might be on.