Studio Sonder Creative Reviews 

In summer 2025, I rediscovered the joy of creative writing, something I hadn’t done since I was a child who dreamed of becoming an author. The more I wrote, the more I realised I wanted to turn my fun little hobby into something serious and really strive towards that goal. As a neurodivergent person, I also know I need accountability to help me stick with something. And then, thanks to a handy algorithm and getting some really good vibes, I found Studio Sonder in March 2026.

When I signed up, I hoped I’d find people like me - people who love writing and world-building, and a place that would help me develop my craft and stay consistent. What I didn’t expect was to find a community that would inspire me to keep showing up each day even when my life gets busy. The members are genuinely lovely, coming from all kinds of backgrounds and bringing different perspectives, experiences, and strengths to the table. Being surrounded by people who care so deeply about stories has made me a better writer and helped me feel less alone in the process.

My fellow writing rebels strike a wonderful balance between encouragement and honesty, offering constructive feedback in a thoughtful, human way. And sometimes, they just offer you a bit of hype, which is exactly what you need to help you believe in yourself and get the bloody thing written.

There are also prompts, challenges, workshops, roundtables and resources that give me something to work on when I’m stuck with my own story. They’ve helped me think more deeply about character, strengthen scenes, and experiment with techniques I might never have tried otherwise. Sometimes though, they’re just the perfect low-pressure way to get words on the page when everything feels too important and the blank page is winning.

Studio Sonder has given me structure, accountability, and purpose, but it’s also reminded me that writing doesn’t have to be a solitary journey. Being surrounded by people who genuinely care about stories has been invaluable for me. I’m now deep into planning and drafting my novel, and I’m thrilled to be joining the second cohort of the Year of the Novel programme.
I genuinely don’t think I would have reached this point on my own. Studio Sonder helped me move from "I'd love to write a novel someday" to actually believing I can do it, and that I have a story worth telling.

If you’re looking for a place that’s caring and kind, while also being supportive and serious about helping you become the writer you want to be, I’d wholeheartedly recommend joining Demi and the rest of us rebels. Oh, and the vibes are immaculate!!

I have been writing for practically all of my adult life - short stories, poems, and snippets of plays, scripts, and novels. However, I have never finished a novel-length project, despite having made numerous attempts with numerous story ideas.

And then along came Studio Sonder - an absolute game changer!
The community of Studio Sonder itself is an incredibly supportive and valuable place filled with like-minded creatives who provide constructive, useful, and genuinely insightful feedback on your writing when requested and it is a joy to read the works of other community members who share their own writing. It’s helped me grow - as a writer, as a reader, and as someone who wants to help others grow and improve their writing too.

Then I joined The Year Of The Novel (TYOTN) programme.
Honestly, I am so glad I did! Like I said, I’ve never managed to follow through on a large, novel-length project before but Sonder has provided not just the structure to help me do so but the support, accountability, and knowledge to plan, draft, and edit such a mammoth undertaking.

The programme was split into three “terms” - planning, writing/drafting, and editing.
The planning term was filled with enough resources, sessions, masterclasses, and insights to make the price of the programme worth it on its own! I honestly feel like I learned enough from the planning stage to help not only with the project I chose to work on for TYOTN but for any future projects I choose to work on. The skills I’ve learned, the worksheets provided, and the insights I’ve gained through Demi (the programme leader) and the rest of those taking part in TYOTN during the planning stage have been invaluable.
Then the drafting stage added accountability to my novel writing efforts - with regularly group co-writing sessions and progress check-ins to help me stay on track. The wider community and those on the course were at hand if I needed a pick-me-up, advice, feedback, or assistance with any particularly difficult sections I was working on and the way Studio Sonder structured the term kept me wanting to develop and explore my story consistently. The groundwork laid during the planning stage was a lifesaver for my writing too - I felt, going into the drafting stage, like I knew my story and my characters inside out.

Now I have a whole freaking draft of a whole freaking novel completed and ready for editing as I move into the editing term shortly! How many people can say they’ve written a book?!

If you’re looking for great value for money with incredible support, guidance, structure, accountability, feedback, and resources - Studio Sonder is well worth the investment!

Studio Sonder is a hidden gem - a place to connect outside of traditional, noisy social media platforms, and I’m grateful to be part of this community.

I signed up to the Year of the Novel on a bit of a whim after feeling frustrated with myself for not taking my writing seriously enough. I haven't looked back! It is great to be part of a community of interesting, supportive people who truly value creative writing and the arts. We have bounced so many ideas off each other, shared our frustrations and celebrated our wins. I’m now almost as invested in the novels the others on the course are writing as I am in my own!

I learnt so much in Term One during which I had ample time and space to research, plan and explore. The workshops and materials were all top-notch, too. Term Two helped me become more consistent with writing and get over some perfectionist tendencies. I now look forward to seeing what the redrafting and refining stage looks like in Term Three.

I can’t recommend Studio Sonder and YOTN highly enough. I’m more consistent with my writing now than I’ve ever been before and, what’s more, I’m thoroughly enjoying it.