june writing prompts + creative courage workshop
write with me this weekend
Hi everyone,
What does creative courage mean to you? Let me tell you what it means to me.
The dictionary says that courage is the ability to face your fears and do something that frightens you without knowing the outcome. I think of creative courage as the ability to face your fears and show up as your fully expressed self in your life, work, and relationships despite the risk and vulnerability that comes with letting yourself be seen.
Creative courage describes the collection of instincts, urges, and clues that woke me up to the person I wanted to be and the life I wanted to live. It’s the inner voice that questioned me every time I silenced things I needed to say. It’s the search party that found me every time I wandered too far from myself.
Creative courage is a life-giving, purpose-driven energy that entered my life through questions like:
What if I stopped hiding, shrinking, and swallowing my voice? What if my defeated inner narratives aren’t true? What if I told myself a different story? What might I find on the other side of my fears? What if I trusted my creative impulses? What kind of life could I create?
I like the way Rick Rubin describes the creative impulse in The Creative Act:
“Think of the universe as an eternal creative unfolding.
Trees blossom.
Cells replicate.
Rivers forge new tributaries.
The world pulses with productive energy, and everything that exists on this planet is driven by that energy.
Every manifestation of this unfolding is doing its own work on behalf of the universe, each in its own way, true to its own creative impulse.”
Are we not part of this universal unfolding? Of course we are.
But unlike nature, we need courage to follow our creative impulses, to go against the grain, step outside of our comfort zones, and embrace vulnerability as a strength, not a weakness. So how do we do that?
This is what we cover in my Creative Courage and Vulnerability Workshop that I’m teaching this Sunday, June 7 from 3-6 pm et via WritingWorkshops.com.
We will:
Identify your unique storyteller type and understand how it influences your relationship to courage, vulnerability, and self-expression
Learn and practice actionable strategies for writing about sensitive experiences with intention and care
Cover ways to establish emotional boundaries and self-care practices that support your writing life
You’ll leave with new material, insights, and tools you can apply to your current and future writing projects.
If you want to write about personal experiences but feel uncertain about how much to share. Or you’re stuck in the tension between privacy and expression. Or you find yourself censoring or second-guessing your voice. And you want practical strategies for building confidence and resilience as a writer. This class is for you. If you have questions about it, feel free to respond to this email or direct message me through Substack.
Okay! Below are the June prompts.
If you’re new here, I share a new list of prompts every month, and I host a free workshop every first Friday. The next one is happening this Friday, June 5 from 7-8 pm et. New faces are always welcome, and sharing is optional. You can register to join us here.
Feeling curious but shy about joining us? I explain how it works here.
more upcoming workshops
Thinking about working with me as a creative coach? Sign up for this newsletter to be the first to hear about my coaching programs and upcoming intensives.
June 5. Free Monthly Writing the Layers Workshop // 7-8 pm et
June 7. Writing with Vulnerability and Creative Courage via Writing Workshops // 3-6 pm et
June 14. Memoir Journaling Techniques (Part Two) // (free for paid subscribers and Inner Story members)
July 12. Writing about Family: Finding Themes, Angles, and Meaning via Writing Workshops // 3-6 pm et
In my most recent book, Story Work: Field Notes on Self-Discovery and Reclaiming Your Narrative, I write about a defeated narrative I’ve carried for most of my life: The belief that my mental health and sensitivity made me broken, destined to struggle no matter how hard I tried. Reclaiming that narrative is not a one-time breakthrough—it’s a lifelong practice. Part-memoir, part-guide, Story Work is about reclaiming the power to shape your own story, using writing to turn limitations into creative vision, as I did with my own. You can purchase a copy here, here, or wherever you get your books. I’m available for talks and book clubs. If you’ve read the book, it would be so appreciated if you would leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Thank you for the support!