Dear Reader, How are you? I hope this finds you well. I know many of us are living through very difficult things; whether it's storms or illnesses, economic insecurity, political anxiety or violence, I hold you in my thoughts. We are all individuals, and yet, we are also in this together. I got back from leading a beautiful retreat at Omega last week where I was almost completely unplugged. Spending time in community reminded me of how precious each of us is and how connected we all are....
6 days ago • 3 min read
Dear Reader, There's still time to join my free poetry masterclass—the first time I'm offering it is tomorrow! This free class is for: Poets of any level who want to refine their craft. Prose writers who want to hone their language. Anyone interested in the art of attention and poetry as a sacred practice. In class, you'll learn: The three essential techniques poets use (applicable to every genre); and also... How to pay finer attention as a writer and person; How to communicate the unsaid,...
29 days ago • 3 min read
Dear Reader, It's a beautiful, warm day here in New England. It almost feels like summer again, but the leaves are starting to change, and the days are getting shorter. As we enter this new season, which calls for more subtle forms of attention, poetry can be a companion. I hope you'll join me next week live online for a completely Free Masterclass: The Poetry of Attention. I'm offering the class three times next week; sign up for the time that works best for you. The Poetry of Attention:...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, I hope this finds you well! Many of my students and clients ask me: how do I wake up my writing? My answer: Pay attention. Many then follow up: But how do I pay attention? How do I cultivate my ability to pay attention? My answer: One of the best ways is to study and practice poetry. The poet Mary Oliver once wrote: “Ten times a day something happens to me like this – some strengthening throb of amazement – some good sweet empathic ping and swell. This is the first, the wildest...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Dear Reader, I hope you're well! I'm spending these last few days of summer in Maine with my husband, Eric, and in this precious pause before the busyness of the fall begins, I've been thinking a lot about silence. One of my teachers, the Buddhist monk and activist, Thich Nhat Hanh, writes: If you don't have silence in yourself, you cannot hear the call of life. Your heart is calling you, but you don't hear. You don't have time to listen to your heart. So many of us don't have the silence and...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, How are you? How are your mind, body, and spirit doing? I'm writing to you today with a few exciting announcements, reminders, and reflections for the week :) Next Week! FREE Online Mini Writing Retreat on August 29th As I look ahead to the fall, I'm excited to offer a FREE online mini writing retreat. At this time of transition, use these 75 minutes together to center, come into your creative vision, and make a plan for your writing for this fall! A FREE Online Mini Writing...
about 2 months ago • 5 min read
Dear Reader, How are you doing? It's mid-August; amazing! I'm spending a few days in Vermont with Eric and the kids before the kids head off to their fall adventures (college and a new job); I find myself already looking back with nostalgia to earlier in the summer, looking ahead to the fall, and, at the same time, trying to be fully present, right here, right now. Today, I thought I'd share one of my poems, "August" (recently published in The Sun). The poem is about looking back and looking...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Dear Reader, I'm here in Panama taking a little break from my own creative writing to email you :) I'm really looking forward to my upcoming publication class next week, so I wanted to talk a bit today about publication and how I'm thinking about it right now... Publication can be a mystery and a challenge, even to the most seasoned writers. It can feel challenging to “promote” our work or to be our own spokesperson. I’ve taught and coached writers for over twenty years, and I’ve seen the...
4 months ago • 4 min read
Dear Reader, I'm so excited to be teaching my first in-person writing retreat in a long time...and this is going to be a really special one! I speak from experience when I say that group retreats, like this one, can be truly transformative. Several years ago, I was feeling I'd hit a plateau; I wasn't sure what was next— I cleared my schedule and set up a solitary writing retreat—but not much happened. Then, I went away with some friends to a group writing retreat, and something magical...
5 months ago • 5 min read