Not Sorry Fall Writing Course: Non-Fiction

Bad First Draft: Sharing Your Story Through the Food You Love
Sundays, October 5th - November 23rd
12pm - 1:30pm ET

Course description

Have a story to tell through food? Whether you're a chef, home cook, food writer, or passionate eater, this eight-week virtual course will guide you through the process of drafting your culinary memoir or cookbook—one chapter, recipe, or reflection at a time.

Led by bestselling writer and renowned chef Christine Flynn, this very special iteration of Not Sorry’s annual non-fiction writing class blends practical instruction with personal storytelling. Each week in Bad First Draft: Sharing Your Story Through the Food You Love, you'll receive thoughtful lessons, writing prompts, and group feedback designed to help you clarify your vision, stay accountable, and make meaningful progress on your manuscript. By the end of the course, you’ll have a solid first draft—or the foundation of one—and the confidence to keep going.

Through Christine’s expertise and experience in recipe creation and writing, students will spend eight weeks planning and writing their own manuscript, focusing on the intersection of cookbook and memoir. Students will explore the building blocks of voice, structure, and narrative momentum while reflecting on the meals, memories, and moments that shaped them.

Cookbooks only deliver if the recipes work and the readers feel connected to those recipes, and personal relevance to the food you delight in is a gateway to reader engagement. This course will allow you to share your story and invite others into that story through the very element that transcends time, space, and distance: the food you love.

Whether you are an experienced chef or a passionate, amateur cook, this space is for you. 

By the end of this 8-week program, you will:

• Write a collection of at least five personal essays to accompany 35-40 recipes

• Gain more technical experience in recipe building and cookbook publishing

• Create your own cookbook in a community of supportive, collaborative writers working on their own food memoirs

THE COURSE IS PERFECT FOR:

• Aspiring cookbook authors

• Culinary professionals

• Food bloggers

• Folks who wish to create something to offer themselves and their loved ones

• Anyone craving a creative project rooted in memory, identity, and flavor

The overview

• Tuition:

  • Full Tuition: $450

  • Can’t Quite Afford Tuition: $350 (limited space provided for folks who cannot afford the full tuition cost)

  • There are no partial scholarships or payment plans available for this program.

• Registration Details: As soon as you buy your ticket, you will receive an email from programs@notsorryproductions.com confirming your spot and sharing the Zoom link for the class.

  • Please note that this email could become lost in your spam folder, so it would be helpful if you add programs@notsorryproductions.com to your address book.

  • You’ll receive an email from the course TA 48 hours prior to first class time.

• Dates: Sundays from 12-1:30pm ET, from October 5th to November 23rd, 2025.

• Recording: Classes will be recorded for asynchronous viewing, but the course is best experienced if you attend each session live.

• Enrollment: There is no registration limit to this course, so the class could be anywhere from 10-100 folks, with ample opportunity for small group interaction.

• Refunds: 90% refunds can be issued to participants if they can no longer join. Full refunds are not available.

• Questions? Email Courtney at programs@notsorryproductions.com, and she’ll return your message within 2-3 business days.

What You’ll need for this program

• Reliable wifi, a notebook/journal, and something to write with

• A kitchen for recipe creation assignments, access to a nearby grocery store

• An open heart and willingness to challenge yourself

PROGRAM LOGISTICS

• Eight, weekly live sessions on Zoom, Sundays from 12pm-1:30pm ET. Program runs October 5th through November 23rd. 

• The Sundays in October are dedicated to learning and planning your food memoir/storytelling cookbook. The Sundays in November are dedicated to writing the cookbook in its entirety.

• No food prep or recipe testing will be done during class time.

• The course registration will close on Wednesday, October 8th.

program structure

Christine will guide students through a series of hands-on exercises as well as facilitated discussion and conversation, and you will walk away with a beautiful compilation of the recipes you hold most dearly, woven with the story you know most intimately—your own.

• Targeted writing prompts

• Optional peer workshopping and group feedback

• Templates and tools for organizing your draft

• Ongoing support and inspiration from a like-minded community of food lovers

Faculty bio

Christine Flynn - Instructor - she/her

This program will be led by Christine Flynn, a celebrated cookbook author, recipe developer, and content creator. A veteran of the hospitality industry, she graduated at the top of her class from the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan, and has worked in kitchens everywhere from Burgundy to Nantucket.

Christine’s first cookbook, How to Eat with one Hand: Recipes and Other Nourishment for Expectant and New Parents, co-authored with New York Times bestselling author Emma Knight, was a national bestseller. Her second cookbook, A Generous Meal: Modern Recipes for Dinner, was one of The Globe and Mail’s top 100 books of the year and won a silver Taste Canada award. Christine’s next cookbook, Easy Does It: Smart Techniques and Simple Recipes for Stunning Food is available for pre-order now, and releases in March of 2026. She is currently working on her first novel.

She has a passion for simple recipes, affordable ingredients, loaded pantries, and cooking for pleasure. Christine lives in Niagara, Ontario with her husband, three daughters, and ten chickens. Find more of Christine at her website or on her instagram @christineanneflynn.