EVENTS
WRITING TOGETHER (FREE)
ZOOM CO-WRITING SESSIONS for WOMEN
Tuesdays & Fridays 9:30 - 11:30am ET
Join me for writing or journaling on whatever project you are working on. We will do together what is often hard to do alone.
We start out by telling everyone what we’ll be working on that day, break half-way through, and wrap up each session by going around the circle and talking about how the writing went.
There’s something magical about the mix of structure, companionship, and devotion. Contact me for the Zoom link!
Praise for Amy's Celebration of Joy writing circle:
"I love these joy writing classes! They feel spacious, warm, and organized at the same time. Wonderful!" —Elizabeth M.
"This weekly focus on joy was a true delight! I loved meeting other women and sharing the safe, warm, inclusive space that Amy created. And we created, too—writing from interesting and helpful prompts that explored many facets of joy. In such trying times, it was a welcome and healing hour of relief in my week." — Julie Paul
PAST EVENTS
"This retreat was a profoundly nurturing experience. It offered not just a break from the daily grind, but a meaningful journey that fostered personal growth and well-being. I left with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of myself."
—Maria Martinez
"There are so few opportunities these days to slowdown and reflect on our own life and how we came to be who we are. The Uncovering our Stories retreat was a moment to take a breath in an environment of genuine creative kinship. You can attend without knowing a soul and leave having made deep connections - both within yourself and outwardly with other participants. I feel as if I have done something unusually nourishing and meaningful for me." —Liz M.
"The retreat was about far more than writing--it was about honoring oneself, learning to pause and reflect, and carving out time to connect with other women. Amy's gentle coaching and affirmations, along with outstanding home-cooked meals, and time spent communicating with nature along the beautiful Chesapeake River nourished my entire being." —Amie McGraham
FINISHING TOGETHER
Thursdays 9:30 - 11:30am ET
May 9 - June 6, 2024
I love to work with others through issues that are sometimes hard to face alone, so I’m offering a new writing circle called Finishing Together. You can join for the whole series or come to the first one and then pay-as-you-go. In this 5-session workshop, we will:
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identify pieces that we want to share with the world
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set intentions and depend on each other for accountability
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discuss revision tips to help us deepen and enliven our writing
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share our work and receive kind and helpful feedback
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finish and release our writing!
"Amy’s 'Finishing Together' workshop gave me just the right amount of structure and motivation to revise pieces I had all but given up on. Amy is really good at creating an encouraging workshop environment that honors each writer’s voice, strengths, and individual goals while also facilitating useful discussion and feedback." —Amanda Hiber
"Amy's class was the gently encouraging, motivational, writerly kick-in-the-pants I needed. For too long I'd been sitting on work, telling myself I'd eventually send it out -- and then not do that. Amy's catalyzing insight and guidance enabled me and my classmates to bust through those blocks (writer's and otherwise) and "finish together." What's more, she was sensitive and attentive to my writing such that helped me locate the perfect outlets for my work. The result? I'm submitting more, and with greater frequency, than I ever have. To Amy: thank you! And to everyone else: take her classes!” —Shawn W.
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Identify moments from our lives that have power and depth
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Explore how not knowing can be as interesting as the facts
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Discover craft elements that make strong micro-memoir
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Read and learn from a variety of multicultural authors
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Address our writing fears and try routines that work for us
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Use constraints of time and word count to ignite creativity
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Receive feedback that centers the writer's goals (not the tastes of others)
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Find out how and where to get our work out into the world,
and
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Have fun writing and being together!
"Amy's workshop was phenomenal, eye-opening, and an absolute game-changer for my writing. It exposed us to various writing frameworks and offered us the opportunity to explore our personal narratives within constraints that really allowed our creativity to blossom. If you enjoy writing micro pieces or have an interest in micro storytelling, I can't recommend this workshop enough!" —Matti Ben-Lev
"I appreciated Amy's encouragement, humility, and generosity in sharing her experience with us. She also introduced me to some key writers in this field who I am eager to follow-up on." —Jo Regan
"Amy taught us seamlessly about micro-memoir and different processes for considering, writing, and revising our own micro-memoirs. Each weekly session was comfortably paced with appropriate amounts of information and resources, along with some homework to practice what we learned. Amy is a very pleasant and knowledgeable teacher as well as a seasoned writer, who loves to share information and her learning with others. We not only learned something new each week, but also had opportunity to share our work and be beneficially responded to by each other." —Lynn S.
“I recommend the writing retreat to anyone, writers and those who don’t consider themselves writers. You will uncover so much about yourself, which was hiding in plain sight, and be invigorated and inspired to push your writing to greater heights. I cannot say enough good things about my experience!!" —Twinckle V.
"Beautiful weekend with thoughtful and meaningful writing exercises, alone and in small pairings. Nourishing moments with others in all different phases of life experiences. Delicious meals and lovely friendships. Loads of synchronicities and lots of releasing. So very grateful for the powerful experience Amy and Pleasance, thank you." —Melissa Stetz
“The writing retreat Uncovering Our Stories nourished both my soul and my body. I explored my interior world through writing, sharing, and listening, and treated my body to yoga, walks, dancing and delicious food. Amy’s and Pleasance’s facilitation created a safe space where I was able to express my vulnerability and be a supportive witness as others expressed theirs. I came away with a new community and with new ideas for self-exploration that I can take forward on my person journey.” —Jeannie Crist
"A retreat in the truest meaning of the word. Restorative, meditative, transformational. Thanks to Amy's magical ways, I found my creative soul again."
—Atsuko
"When I saw Amy’s invitation to spend one hour a day with joy for six weeks, it was like a postcard a poet friend sent to many of us at the beginning of the pandemic, “You are not alone.” I am so glad I said yes. And so grateful for the assembly of people, ideas, music, and exercises Amy curated and created. It was perfect! This will be one of those moments I will reference as a pivot point, a reminder of all things I love about life and human-ness." —Theresa P.
"Amy’s Joy Zoom class was a new beginning for me. It opened my eyes to the joy I still have in my life and introduced me to creative and amazing women. The format was perfect: a warm-up question about how we felt, some writing exercises, sharing our writing and closing with reinforcement of what we are thankful for. It was an hour of positive feelings and joyful expression!" —Christine Vanderberg
"I really appreciated the thoughtful, compassionate, and calm way in which Amy led the group,
how she commented on each participant’s contribution, making them feel validated in their feelings, heard, and appreciated." —Silvia
"I’m grateful for this workshop, because each of us were inspired in our way to share our joy and the things that light us up, which then has a ripple effect on the people in our lives." —Lindy