Member-only story
Word by Word: Writing Workshops for Women of Color
One of the best aspects of writing is its solitary nature. I enjoy sitting in a peaceful environment, whether it’s on the beach or at my desk, with a refreshing beverage, typing away on my computer, or jotting down ideas in a notebook. As a professional writer, a significant portion of my day is dedicated to this quiet contemplative space. This approach has consistently helped me meet deadlines and complete my writing tasks efficiently.
But lately I’ve struggled to write while working on my projects in isolation. It’s been so challenging that I even found myself browsing the shelves of a local metaphysical shop in search of a book that could help me get back into the groove of writing my personal essays and release me from whatever mental blockage was holding me back.
That’s when I stumbled upon the 25th anniversary edition of Anne Lamott’s book “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.” After purchasing it, I took the book with me on my beach writing trips, hoping that Lamott would give me some wisdom to get my creative juices flowing. While the book was funny, like all writing texts, it included the advice we always get: just write. Write a little bit every day, and eventually, you will get something. Lamott also goes into great detail about the potential reasons why you may struggle to get words down on the page.
“Very few writers really know what they’re doing until they’ve done it.”
— Anne Lamott “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life.”
While reading the different chapters, I found myself psychoanalyzing my writing process similarly to Lamott. I wondered if my creative apathy stemmed from perfectionism or fear of criticism. However, upon reflection, I realized that although I can easily write professionally, I write more (and better) when I’m part of a writing community. Instead of writing alone, I thrive with other artists and creatives who hold me accountable and inspire me to write consistently.
So, I put my latest writing book aside and checked my email for a new writing workshop to attend. In case you also need some writing inspiration or just a new community, I wanted to share some of…
