Survival Kit Writing Collective

No. But all of us are already writers in some way. We text, we write emails, reports, letters, social media posts. If you are interested in writing creatively, maybe it's time to start calling yourself a writer. The collective will give you tools to explore that identity and practice.

No. A lot of people come to me because they want to write specifically through trauma. Other people are writing about trauma but not about their own. And even if you are writing through your trauma, this does not mean you have to write directly about it. That's what this collective really does: helps you find genres and forms to write about difficult topics and content in ways that feel safe, productive, and generative.

Not in the Explorer Kit. In that kit you are invited and provided space to share, but you never have to until you're ready, and if you never are, that's fine too. The Workshop and Developmental Kits are aimed toward revision and drafts, so sharing in those spaces will happen frequently. People who sign up for those kits are specifically looking for in-depth feedback, though you will always be able to set boundaries on the type of feedback you're looking for.

It depends on the session. All kits include live craft sessions where I lead us through a craft topic, guest speakers where a published author discusses writing trauma in their own context, co-writing sessions with structured time to write and discuss obstacles and solutions together, and sharing sessions where you have space to read your work and receive on-the-spot feedback focused on what's working and what the room wants more of. No workshop-bro energy that co-opts your work into someone else's voice or shreds it because it's not theirs. Promise.

Sessions will mostly be during evenings and on Saturdays, all PST, mostly starting around 6pm on weeknights and 10 or 11am on Saturdays.

For the Workshop Kit, workshop sessions will be scheduled in the evenings and/or weekends. If this tier grows, we will add more workshop groups and try to accommodate people's schedules when scheduling new workshops. Workshops are all capped at 10 people.

The craft sessions and guest speakers will be recorded. The co-writing and sharing sessions will not be, because I want people to feel comfortable writing, discussing, and sharing, and not recording helps with safety in those spaces. I will also create an asynchronous option for the co-writing sessions. You are always welcome to email me to touch base. There is also an asynchronous prompt each month that you can do whenever you'd like. As the community develops, I can set up private groups for people who have formed bonds and want to meet on their own.

If you miss a workshop in the Workshop or Developmental Kit, you can email me to catch up. If you miss a day you are scheduled to be workshopped, email me so we can reschedule your time.

If you sign up month to month, you're committed to finishing the month you paid for but can cancel at any time before the next month renews. If you sign up for the year, you're committed to finishing the year.

No. I do not have a clinical license. My PhD is in creative writing, and I have run writing courses, DEI workshops, and implicit bias workshops. My expertise is in building intentional spaces that are safe and brave for participants. While your life may inform your writing, and is welcome to be referenced in relation to the writing and your writing process, as this collective is about the wellness of the whole person, it is still writing-focused.

The Explorer Kit is for people who want to develop a steady writing practice and explore different pathways for writing through and about trauma and other difficult material, without the pressure of formal workshops or feedback structures. It is truly a place to explore. The Workshop Kit is for people working on something specific who want direct, communal feedback. This is more like a supportive and caring MFA workshop community. The Developmental Kit is for people who are really delving into a project, a book of poetry, a memoir, a novel, a collection or series of essays, poems, or short stories, and want 1:1 feedback from me.

If you're month to month, it's easy. You just upgrade for the next month. If you're signed up for a year and want to change in the middle, email me and we'll set that up and prorate your kit.

Then you're not ready, and that's fine. The free 5-day course is designed for exactly this moment. It asks very little of you. If after five days you want more, the collective will be here. If you don't, you got five good prompts and that's enough.

There is no wrong here. There are drafts. There are attempts. There are pieces that don't work yet and pieces that surprise you. The only wrong thing would be for someone to tell you your experience isn't valid or your form isn't correct. That will never happen in this space.

You never have to share anything. You can write privately for as long as you need. And you don't have to write about it directly to write about it truthfully. Persona, myth, genre shift, fragment, these are all ways in. You choose the one that fits.

Yes, of course. This space does not discriminate. Everyone is welcome and everyone will be treated with respect and care.