Loving the work is revolutionary.
In our attempts to write life-changing and world-changing literature, or to contribute to the causes we believe in, sometimes we overwork ourselves. We believe that suffering is a core component to revolution. Actually, that’s a narrative from a capitalist, labor-focused society. Slow down. Enjoy what you do. See where satisfaction and self-love lead you — it’s sure to be a different place than where guilt and pressure go.
Writing may be difficult, but it shouldn’t hurt.
Yes, we do have to put in effort. We learn new things and chew on problems to solve. But it shouldn’t be painful. Pain has always been our bodies way of letting us know we need to pay attention and change something, so let’s listen to our minds in the same way. When we are really struggling and feeling overwhelmed, let that be an invitation to switch gears instead of a sign to soldier on at all costs.
Perfectionism is an agent of capitalism (and must be defeated).
Whenever we fall into the pattern of wanting to write with a certain process or wanting the end product to look a certain way, we are falling for the trap of the ‘perfect writer’ or the ‘perfect piece of writing.’ When we believe this is achievable we will do anything to get there. This is a tool of capitalism because it insists on constant improvement and constant lack of perfection. We never get to feel ‘done.’ We need to do something or buy something to reach our end goal. All we have to do in order to resist it is get comfortable when things are in-between and develop a practice of unconditional love and acceptance for our writing projects, no matter what stage they’re in.
Writing is art, not labor.
“You’ve got to treat writing like a job. Take it seriously. Write every day.” But writing isn’t a job! It’s an art form, amorphous and unpredictable. We have to fuel ourselves and feed the muse. We can’t predict when inspiration will strike, we can only learn how to harness it. Let writing be unpredictable and strange, and develop the skills to live alongside it instead of becoming an ever-producing machine.
Transparency > Hierarchy
Instead of attempting to outdo each other with what books we’ve read, what we’ve published, or what craft skill we’ve learned, let’s break down our processes and struggles for each other. When we openly share where we’ve come from and where we’re going, we create a community of honesty and connection. When we compete, we drive disconnection. Being open and interested in each other also helps us have complex conversations and hold each other accountable for representations and new ideas in our writing. Celebrating yourself + celebrating others = community.
Class Policies
Scholarships
For every new class, I set aside a few slots for discounted tuition for BIPOC writers. Whenever I do the math of calculating tuition, hourly rates, resource creation, contact hours, and reading hours, I make sure to build in some scholarship rates so that even more writers are able to add their brilliance to this community and invest in their writing. For any class, simply send me an email letting me know you’re a BIPOC writer interested in the scholarship rate, and I will send you the registration links. No application necessary.
Refunds
I trust you to make careful and enthusiastic decisions to invest your time and money into writing resources for yourself. I also want to make sure I represent classes and resources effectively. If you get into your class portal and the materials aren’t what you expect, email me within 48 hours of your registration and I’m happy to process your refund.
Privacy
If I ever need to use any material related to you and your work such as a screenshot or testimonial, I will always ask in advance. In addition, if you ever spot anything of yours on my website or newsletter that you’d rather not be public, let me know and I’ll take it down immediately.
Come in & Out
Sometimes I see you once a year for a short writing seminar, or several times a month for long, intensive classes. No matter when or how often I see you I am your biggest fan and I want the best for you and your work! I love it when you go on to develop your own writing groups. I never want you to feel pressured to take every single class I offer in a row. I often design sequenced classes to build off of the materials and skills from the previous cohort. In exchange for my curriculum design and communication letting you know what’s going on, I trust you to make the best decisions for your writing life at any given time.
Time
I believe in valuing your time and valuing my time. Your tuition and time that you invest in your writing practice contributes to my ability to spend more time reading your work, hosting live classes, and developing even more self-access materials like workbooks and asynchronous classes. When we get to exchange time and money like this, we get to write and create together in a sustainable way.
Professionalism > Perfectionism
Instead of trying to get everything to look absolutely perfect (and believe me, it’s tempting to spend five hours moving text boxes three centimeters to the left) I promise to prioritize communicating with you on what you need to get the most out of a class while you’re enrolled, and providing useful information when you’re deciding to sign up. Instead of perfect, I want things to be useful and streamlined for both of us (like still using my free UMass zoom account from grad school until they kick me out)
Writing resources for you
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Mini-essays on Writing
The blog is a resource library of my past newsletters and ruminations on the writing process, staying inspired, and recent artistic revelations.
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Community Membership
Join Writing Behind the Scenes and exchange work with your fellow writers, ask questions for your personalized podcast, and write together every month to stay on track.
