about gg
Welcome! My name is GG. I write and work in a home office that was once a living room where my kids grew up playing on the floor. When I’m not at my desk, I write on my phone and in journals, notebooks, and notecards. I write to heal. I write to understand. I write to express. I write to grow.
I also make a living with my writing, and it took me a long time to figure out how to do that authentically without struggling. I’m still figuring it out. I think that’s just part of life as an artist.
It’s my life’s work to help people discover and reclaim their stories, and it all started when I found the courage to reimagine my own defeated story.
I used to sit in meetings at work and daydream about being a writer. It was an impossible fantasy. I had three kids, a mountain of debt, and was living paycheck to paycheck. I didn’t have a writing-related degree, I didn’t know anything about storytelling, freelancing, publishing, any of it. I only knew that I had to write. That if I didn’t write, I would be swallowed up by the untold stories and unacknowledged pain of my childhood. Like James Baldwin said, “All artists, if they are to survive, are forced, at last, to tell the whole story; to vomit the anguish up.”
Ten years later, I am living that fantasy and continuing to release the limitations I used to placed on myself. Writing is how I found a creative vision that gave me the courage to face my fears and change my life.
When I stand back and reflect, I’m thankful for the inner ache that let me know I wasn’t where I was supposed to be or doing what I was supposed to be doing. I know now that my calling to write was never just about the writing. For me, writing is the vehicle, not the destination. It leads me to the people, connections, projects, experiences, challenges, and adventures that my soul longs for.
Along the way, I got distracted by the the validation of it all. I wanted to prove myself as a writer and I attached my worth to the applause or lack thereof. It wasn’t until I completely lost my way that I began to reexamine my reasons, values, needs, and motivations.
Once I understood how to fuel my creative process through self-care, I found clarity, focus, and renewed energy. So I take care of the writing—I show up, take risks, and invest in it— but I realize that it's not about how talented I am or how many books I sell. It's beyond that. Writing is a medium that leads me through life and allows me to serve in an authentic and purposeful way. This is what means most to me and this is what I teach.
about writing the layers
If you want to write about your life, but you don’t know where to start, you’re in the right place. If you want to understand your creativity on a deeper level, you will find help with that, too. I’ll be sharing reflections from my creative journey, as well as tools for your own creative practice. Whether you write privately or publicly, you will gain insights on how to use writing to heal, grow, and connect.
As a free subscriber, you receive a list of daily writing prompts on the first of each month and access to a free monthly writing workshop that takes place on Zoom every first Friday. You’ll get occasional reflections on healing, creativity, and writing life, plus previews of the story work exercises that paid subscribers and coaching clients receive weekly. You also receive updates about my creative offerings including workshops and coaching programs.
As a paid subscriber, in addition to the free features, you receive weekly story work exercises delivered every Sunday night at 8 pm et. You will also have access to our online group journaling sessions called The Practice and our creative self-discovery workshops.
what is story work?
weekly exercises
Story work is a process of reflection, reclaiming, and reimagining. It involves looking at your life experiences as creative material that you have the power to shape. Exploring creative themes through the lens of self-discovery and storytelling, the story work series is crafted with love to spark ideas that get you writing.
All subscribers receive these Sunday night offerings, but to access the full posts, including the prompts and all the archives, you can become a paid subscriber here.
the book
My new book, Story Work: Field Notes on Self-Discovery and Reclaiming Your Narrative, is now available for preorder! When you preorder, share with your friends and communities, and request the book from your local bookstores and libraries, your support helps me give the book momentum as it makes its way into the world. Thank you for your help!
I’m so grateful you’re here, and I look forward to connecting with you!
bio
GG Renee Hill is the author of Self-Care Check In: A Guided Journal to Build Healthy Habits and Devote Time to You (Rockridge, 2020) and A Year of Self-Reflection Journal: 365 Days of Guided Prompts to Slow Down, Tune In, and Grow (Rockridge, 2021). Her debut book of essays, Story Work: Field Notes on Self-Discovery and Reclaiming Your Narrative is forthcoming from Broadleaf Books in fall 2025. Her books center writing as a tool for healing, self-discovery, and creative courage.
GG is also a creative coach and facilitator whose workshops and coaching programs break down barriers to expression through a holistic approach to creativity that emphasizes self-care and mindfulness. She is the founder of The Inner Story Writing Circle, a membership for creatives that provides mentorship and community support for the emotional, strategic, and developmental challenges of pursuing creative callings while prioritizing self-care.
In addition to working with individuals through 1:1 and group coaching, she has facilitated transformative workshops for a diverse list of corporate and non-profit clients and literary organizations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Morgan State University and she lives in Maryland with her family. You can learn more about her background and offerings here.
where else to find me
Instagram: @ggreneewrites | @writingthelayers
