"Sarah is like a doula for the creative process—which I mean in the least treacly way possible. Her empathy, clarity, and academic prowess shine in her course for writers who happen to be mothers. She has a zeal for creating a pastiche of experience on the page despite motherhood’s incessant demands, and revived a dormant spark of craft I thought I’d lost. Today, I count the women in our six-week workshop as friends." —Meredith
"I joined the workshop with a ten-month old baby, and a day job that had turned into a night and weekend job. I needed to find a way back to writing, to being creative for myself, but really at the end of an exhausting day, covered in spit up, I needed to find a way back to the desire to write. Being able to hold space for the workshop was the first time in more than a year, I was holding space for myself, and honoring my own creativity. Sarah was the ultimate guide, supportive, inspiring, funny and full of compassion. I loved spending a few hours a week with other mothers who were struggling with the same issues I've been struggling with, and together we started to find solutions that would fit our own lives. I'm going back for a second round, I was so happy with the first session." —Winnie
And/And/And
A creative writing group for moms*
Thursdays, 9:30-11am PST on Zoom
September 29, October 6, 13, 20, 27 & November 3
Limited to 8 participants
$350
And/And/And is a defined space (in digital fabric) and time (in your calendar) with a loosey-goosey interior. This is by design: the needs and desires of our group will shape how our time together unfolds.
A basic structure gives us room to improvise. Each week presents a theme related to motherhood. We’ll read, write, talk, and listen to each other think and process around those themes. We’ll look at some writing by others about the experience of motherhood, including (perhaps) Julia Kristeva, Clare Vaye Watkins, Kimiko Hahn, Audre Lorde, and Grace Paley. And we'll use our reading and conversation as springboards for in-class writing. In these shared processes, we will witness, support, encourage, and stimulate each other in our creative lives as art-makers and human-raisers. Our goal is to reserve time and space for these twin identities, both of which are at once undervalued and vital.
This is not a traditional workshop in which we critique each other’s writing, reading and responding to work outside of workshop. The time commitment is the meetings themselves, during which we expect and welcome the realities of family life. Outside "homework," including readings and writing prompts, is always optional. During our time together, you can expect to begin at least a half-dozen new pieces, deepen your thinking, and connect meaningfully with others. Writing is shared not for critique but for encouragement.
This workshop is especially well-suited to those who are feeling artistically isolated or depleted; who feel creatively stuck, listless, or lost; and/or who crave an artistic community with other writers who are also mothers.*
Week 1: Isolation
Week 2: Overwhelm
Week 3: The Sacred & The Banal
Week 4: Ecstasy & Joy
Week 5: Embodiment
Week 6: Ambivalence
Questions? Email hello@sarahmccoll or register here.
*To mother is a verb, to bring into being via creative actions that look different to each of us.