Trojan Horse Course — Will Mannon

Write of Passage is a writing course.

Or is it?

Our website touts the benefits of writing online: publish quality content. Build a following. Grow your influence. These are true. Publishing your ideas unlocks opportunities. The syllabus describes how you’ll build your writing infrastructure, develop a system to write consistently, and distribute your ideas to an ever-growing audience. You’ll learn how it all aligns with your emerging Personal Monopoly of skills, experience, and interests.

But ask any WOP alum: you leave the course with far more than articles. In our final live session last night, dozens of students shared how they grew over five weeks. All of them published, but few essays were mentioned. Instead, they spoke from the heart. Stories about challenges overcome, layers of self discovered, close friendships made. They described the courage it took to press publish as the pesky Resistance screamed at them to stop. Goals were shared, thank-yous were given. A few tears were shed.

We don’t flaunt these moments publicly. And that’s by design.

See, Write of Passage is a trojan horse course. In our public materials, we focus on tangible, career-related value. As we should! Write of Passage is expensive. Incoming students need to have a clear sense of the expected ROI. Writing online does open doors and help you stand out professionally. WOP alums grow their influence in their industries, and sometimes even launch new career trajectories.

But beyond this professional exterior lies the hidden, heartfelt core. Students who keep showing up discover the depths of growth that even career-focused writing unlocks. Sharing your views with the world is an earnest act. Sincerity exposes you to irony, imposter-itis, and cold crickets of indifference. To overcome these hurdles you must become a fuller version of yourself. This growth journey happens among supportive peers: breakout rooms and mentor sessions filled with discussions, confessions, and encouragement. Open and honest feedback that flows from day one. Members overcome challenges and improve their craft while building close bonds with fellow students.

On the surface, Write of Passage is a writing course. But our most committed students discover a rich swirl of personal growth and Internet friends well beyond initial expectations.

Connections sparked. Fears shattered. New identities declared: I am a writer. You have to be there to feel it firsthand. The real Write of Passage is hiding within.

Thanks to Julia Saxena and Simone Silverstein for conversations and feedback that helped lead to this piece.