Dear friends,

Happy early new year to you all. Today I’ll sit down and write my annual letter to myself, a rite of passage at this time of year, looking back at all that transpired (so, so much this year) and how I feel about it all. No one sees this letter but me. It helps me place pattern to life and its many transitions (and also helps me see I’m more resilient than I often feel).

January brings another rite of passage, which is a week of twice-daily writing prompts I give myself. This is a week I set aside for pure freedom, exhilaration, and who-knows-where-this-writing-may-go joy. Every year brings fourteen passages of sometimes strange, sometimes great, sometimes boring, sometimes terrible, always unexpected writing. 

What I love about this week is that there are no expectations beyond completing two passages of writing per day. No judgment. No feedback. No sharing with anyone else unless, of course, you feel like it. I think of the writings that result from this week as a storehouse of ideas. Playing around with words, without expectation, replenishes the spirit. 

This year, for the first time, I’m turning my own practice into a shared week of writing for up to 30 participants. We’ll gather in the Zoom room for an hour every morning and evening, January 7-13, for guided prompts –a different theme each day– preceded or followed by a tiny reading of a published piece that complements the prompt. 

It can be so comforting to write in the silent presence of others. This is why I’ve always loved tapping away at my laptop in a busy coffee shop surrounded by others (a pandemic-neglected habit that I need to get back to). If you too are comforted by the idea of writing in community, with prompts supplied by someone not yourself (i.e., me), with no expectation of feedback or sharing, come join us! Each session recorded in case you miss one. 

Fee: $200. Payable via Venmo, Paypal, Zelle, or personal check (click here for all the details).

Bonus: weekly prompts sent out for one month after the session. 

If you’re interested, let me know. I’d love to see you in the Zoom room! 

Cheers and thanks,

Alison