This One's for the Writers
fall classes and a gift
Yesterday I found myself driving an hour away from home, down cornfield-flanked dirt roads, to interview stewards of a farm sanctuary and to collect barnyard sounds. The person who emailed me directions made sure to say, whatever you do, “Do NOT go down Raccoon Hollow Road!” I heeded her warning and passed it by, noting all of the “private property” and “enter at your own risk” signs, just as a huge dusky-orange deer leapt across the road, surprising me—in a good way. I gasped in awe, thankful I was not speeding, grateful for the glimpse. I hope you are finding beauty in your summer, too.
Oh yeah, this is all because I pitched a new podcast on animals to our local NPR station, which I am so dang excited about! Logo and intro music are underway. My stories will be coming for your ears soon.
But I’m here to say that if you’ve never heard pigs eating watermelon, are you really even living? Behind-the-scenes video below. [TW] if you hate chewing sounds. I think it’s pure ASMR, though.
Anyway, I’ve got some classes coming up this fall.
Something I’ve done before, but not for a while now:
PROMPT(ER)
7 writing prompts in 7 days
If you just need to get going again, maybe you need a nudge, a sign, a prompt?
How it works:
I email out a writing prompt of the day every morning, you freewrite on it for at least 20 minutes, then email it back to me by midnight (your time) that night. At the end of the 7 days, I send you personalized notes, highlighting gems found in the rough. Previous participants have used this as a way to generate blog material or the beginnings of bigger pieces.
*Take off any one day of your choosing (say if a prompt doesn’t move you or you have a non-writing-related life event get in the way).
Sept. 15 – Sept 21
$99
Let’s goooo!
Something new:
Short Form Sessions:
A results-driven writing class for people who want to publish
The nagging need to write something is a feeling I always liken to coming down with a flu. It starts with a dull ache, growing to a gnawing then a snarling of tangled thoughts until I get it down on the page. And then I have to send it out to editors, hoping it finds a home. The whole process is by turns exciting and nauseating.
Do you have an essay, op-ed, short story or reported story in mind, or a rough draft of one of these that could use some love before sending it out into the world? Is there a narrative problem you need help solving? Or do you wonder whether a piece you have been tinkering with is any good?
THIS FALL I’m offering a 4-session seminar for writers who seriously want to finish a short, written piece, poised for publication.
This seminar offers market research tailored to your work, focused reading & case studies, community feedback on your draft, and a final Narratively-style professional edit from me.
*Unlike a traditional workshop, there is no reading of anyone’s work outside of class time.
**If you’ve taken my Pitching for Publication class, this is a step beyond (or before)—where I am helping with the shaping of your actual draft, not your pitch.
Ready to set and meet some writing goals?
I am here for you!
This is a 4-session seminar, capped at 6. We meet 4 times via Zoom.
Mondays, 6 – 8 pm ET:
Oct 6
Oct 13
Oct 20
Oct 27
Pieces may be up to 1500 words. If you’re not sure if this is for you, email me and we’ll talk it through.
Book your spot now:
$500
Pay by Paypal
Or venmo: @Shawna-Kenney-1
Or Zelle: shawnaDOTkenneyATgmailDOTcom
Fully refundable up until Oct 1.
A FREE gift for you:
Thanks for reading this far! Here’s a fun little bonus. I have written and recorded 108 unique affirmations for creatives, with my voice, set to music. Hey, it never hurts to brainwash yourself into believing in yourself! Artists need all of the encouragement we can get.
Let me know what you think. I have another whole set almost ready to go.
There is still room in the castle if you want to join us for Hamlet’s Hideway in Denmark, by the way—list closes July 1st (Tuesday!).
Hej hej for now.
I didn't realize how terribly, awfully, plaintive my post the other day came off as til I reread and rewrote it, seeing that somehow I'd totally failed to focus on the need to build community as artists and writers (my main intent), and just lamented how hard it all was for me lol. Am in a year of taxing physical work, making a home for my family, and not getting a chance to focus as much on writing as I'd like or connect with people enough and build community til it's done. Figured out that's where most of my frustration was coming from. These times make me think of the Hated "Every Song" lyric - "soldiery, why can't we live without it, community, because we're forced to doubt it". I appreciate that you put a lot of time into the writing community side of things. Once I'm settled and have the house done, maybe next year I'll join y'all for Hamlet's Hideaway in Denmark, as it's the land of my maternal grandfather. I need to stop living and writing in a vacuum so much, and be around other writers more.
I understand where you were coming from! I swear the year we were renovating our house I was kind of in hibernation because it was all so overwhelming.
Omg that’d be INSANEly amazing if you came to DK. You’d love my friend Anja and the whole vibe. Makes sense you have Viking blood!