may writing prompts + free first friday workshop

plus: a new book giveaway and may offerings

May 01, 2024

Hi friends,

Below I’m sharing the monthly prompts and our free workshop this Friday, a new book giveaway, and details on upcoming writing sessions this month for free and paid subscribers. But first—a few thoughts on nurturing your creative callings.

write with us

As an artist, I frequently have to check myself and recommit — to the self-care it takes to be vulnerable in my work, to the boundaries I set to protect my time and energy, to the purpose behind the risks and sacrifices. Giving myself little challenges to make sure my actions support the creative expression that I value.

One of the ways I nurture my creativity is by spending a significant amount of time cultivating community. In addition to my paid memberships, I offer free resources monthly including the prompts above and a free writing workshop on the first Friday of each month.

The Writing the Layers free monthly workshop is a virtual safe space for adult writers — from beginners to seasoned hobbyists to professionals — to nurture their writing practice and connect with other writers. Participants have the opportunity to write, share, listen, discuss, and come away feeling inspired and replenished. Our next one is this Friday, May 3 from 7 - 8 pm et on Zoom. You can RSVP to join us here. New faces are always welcome.

author visit and book giveaway

On Wednesday, May 8, the Inner Story Writing Circle will be joined by author Kern Carter. Kern is an author, filmmaker, and community builder, and you can learn more about his work here.

He recently released And Then There Was Us, a YA coming-of-age novel where a mother’s death forces a teen girl to reevaluate their tumultuous relationship. Our author chat with Kern will take place on Wednesday, May 8 from 5 - 6 pm et.

I’m consistently drawn to books that explore the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters. As I’m reading this book it is bringing up mixed emotions about my own relationship with and estrangement from my mother, although the circumstances are quite different. It’s stirring up new reflections on my own journey of reevaluating our relationship to seek a deeper understanding of her life and the circumstances that shaped her.

We’ll be chatting with Kern about the book, his writing journey, and creative process.

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how to attend this author visit:

Join the Inner Story Writing Circle. If you’d like to attend this session and join our all-access writing group to support your story work & creative development, you can learn more about the Inner Story Writing Circle here.

Purchase a Copy. You can also attend the session by purchasing a copy of And Then There Was Us and sending me proof of purchase. Proof of purchase can be a photo of you with the book, a picture of your receipt, etc.

Enter the Giveaway. Everyone who comments on this or any post that goes up between today and Monday, May 6 will be entered to win a copy of And Then There Was Us and access to our visit with Kern on Wednesday, May 8 from 5 - 6 pm et.

the creative courage writing intensive

“Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can’t get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you are doing. What you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.’ — Alan Alda

The parts of ourselves that we have the most resistance to express often hold the key to our healing, evolution, and personal fulfillment. It takes courage to open those doors.

The next cohort of The Creative Courage Writing Intensive opens soon. This is my signature offering that lays the foundation for how I coach, mentor, and of course, navigate my own creative journey.

In the Creative Courage Writing Intensive, we break the heart-centered work of self-discovery down into a process that benefits you, not just creatively, but holistically, impacting your entire life.

The Creative Courage framework is based on my personal + professional journey, years of research and client work. You will be guided through a 3-month transformation of how you think about your creative work and how it fits into your life. With mentorship and community, you will develop the courage to ask yourself hard questions and explore the answers through creative expression. All while learning strategies to cultivate a lifestyle that fuels that courage.

You can sign up here to be notified when registration opens and to get access to the early bird discount.

This experience will be transformational to the souls that have been craving fuller expression and are ready to expand. Does that sound like you? What stories are you carrying that are blocking you from letting your authentic self become more visible? Have you allowed yourself to imagine all the places your creativity could take you?

Here are some other ways to connect with our community this month:

join the inner story writing circle

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The Inner Story Writing Circle is a guided writing community to support your personal story work & creative development. A monthly membership for people seeking guidance and strategies for the heart-centered work of writing about their lives. Each month members have access to a variety of virtual sessions to study, share, and celebrate personal storytelling:

Weekly, we gather for cowriting and accountability sessions. Monthly, we have storytelling workshops, group journaling sessions, author visits, office hours, and project planning sessions.

The offerings are designed for individuals who are committed to their creative practice, and are seeking mentorship and community support for the emotional, strategic, and developmental challenges that come with doing your creative work in the world.