Summer Camp for Writers is for anyone looking at a summer calendar of travel and disrupted routines and wondering how on earth they will find time to write. This 8-week asynchronous generative writing workshop provides scaffolding to nurture your writing life during the loosey-goosey summer months. Open to all levels and all genres—fiction, nonfiction, and poetry writers are welcome. Expect creative experiments, inspiring readings, lots of prompts for generative writing, and a supportive community of fellow writers.
This creative writing workshop grows from the steadfast belief that creating the conditions for pleasure—for awe and play, connection and feeling good—positively impacts our writing life. If you feel good about your writing life, you will want to return there. Our goals are two-fold: to bring lightness and liveliness to our creative lives during a season when they might otherwise get short shrift and to gather with a writing community who shares that desire. The instructor will comment on each piece of work writers post to Wet Ink. This feedback is intended to be supportive and encourage further generativity through questions and suggested opportunities present in the work. Writers are also encouraged to comment on each other's work to contribute to a community of mutual encouragement.
Readings may include excerpts, essays, stories, and poems by Kate Chopin, Chris Dennis, Elaine Dundy, Betty Smith, Emily Dickinson, Kim Addonizio, Gretel Ehrlich, Heather Christle, Sybille Bedford, Eula Biss, Susan Sontag, Rebecca Solnit, E.B. White, and others.
“You want to write, you need to keep an honest, unpublishable journal that nobody reads, nobody but you.” —Madeleine L’Engle
The diary can offer a record of the day and sharpen our observational skills, but it can also do so much more. The diary can be a clearing house, a vetting area, a problem solving space, a private sanctuary to experiment with voice and form, to doodle or to dream, and to imagine what we want from our lives. Writing in a journal offers us a moment to connect with the sometimes-quiet inner voice that can be drowned out by the cacophony of daily life.
Want to spend an hour together writing in our journals each week? Doesn’t that sound like a great pause for reflection in the day? Use the time to bullet journal, churn out your morning pages, or respond to the weekly prompts.
In each class session, we’ll look at a sample diary text from writers like Moyra Davey, May Sarton, Lynda Barry, and Helen Garner. Drawing (or departing) from our model texts, we’ll then write together for the remainder of our time, with a few minutes at the end to reconnect and share (always optional; note Madeleine L'Engle quote above).
These six generative sessions are low-key, low-stakes opportunities to write in community with others and start (or continue) a journal practice.
“In the journal I do not just express myself more openly than I could do to any person; I create myself. The journal is a vehicle for my sense of selfhood. It represents me as emotionally and spiritually independent. Therefore (alas) it does not simply record my actual, daily life but rather — in many cases — offers an alternative to it.” —Susan Sontag
My writing groups are inspiring, supportive spaces to share work-in-progress as well as the emotional realities of the writer's life (e.g. the ongoing psychological seesaw of "I'm a genius!" "I'm worthless!" and other fun stuff).
This group is for writers of memoir, personal essay, autofiction, and literary fiction. It's best suited for writers with an existing practice and/or those looking for more community and accountability around their writing. You've taken classes, maybe have an MFA, maybe have even published, but you're tired of flailing out there alone.
My feedback style is encouraging, constructive, and uses elements of Liz Lerman's Critical Response Process. I am eager to tell you what’s working so you can do more of it. I ask the writer to take an active role in the process when their work is being read by the group. My goal is to give each writer the clarity and encouragement to keep going.
Participants provide verbal feedback to one another in workshop. Attendance is mandatory. If a member of group misses workshop, they provide written feedback to whomever's work was discussed.
The cost is on a sliding scale from $65–85 per month paid quarterly. There is a six-month minimum commitment, though my hope is that writers will stay on as long as the group is a source of community and accountability. We meet once a month on Thursdays from 10:30-noon Pacific. We workshop two writers per month.
There are no refunds unless a writer is withdrawing permanently from the group. Notice must be given 30 days before the next meeting.
I can't tell you how much fun I'm having with writing this week. Not to be dramatic but my life has been completely transformed?! The knock-on effect on my mood and my motivation and even my patience in parenting is really noticeable. I'm amazed and delighted and so, so grateful to you.
I wanted a space where I could experiment without too much pressure. I liked that we didn't analyze the experience of the writing exercise too much, we just kept moving along. It made it all feel less important somehow, which made it less stressful, which made it more fun, which made for better writing. At least, for me. I also commend you, Sarah, for setting the tone of the workshop as a collaborative and supportive and curious space.
From the readings to the generative prompts and lively discussions, I came away feeling refreshed and invigorated not only to write and read, but to make writing an important part of my daily routine. I'm grateful to you for helping me to feel alive and curious again.
I felt like I was in really compassionate orchestrating hands. The experience, wisdom and energy provided at such a high level makes it really easy to just let go and go for the ride and see what you can mine from yourself. Okay....I don't want to get weird and whip out a pan flute but it's a really special blend of pragmatism, craft, inspiration, and magic. There's a feeling of it being spiritual if you want it to be without it having to be group therapy. I felt lucky to be there and definitely don't really know how to explain it's more than a writing workshop to people.
I am grateful for the way Sarah holds safe space for sharing and inspires everyone to have fun with writing.
My expectations were far exceeded. Not only did I get to read a lot of great writing and try out different forms, but the whole group exposed me to different styles of writing and I loved reading other people's work. I've also never been in a workshop before where the goal was to give positive feedback rather than jump in being critical. It was a real balm after having several experiences of being torn apart. Sarah was an incredible instructor who led with curiosity and kindness. It was one of the best workshop experiences I've had.