At PWN, we are an optimistic group, but we’re not going to sugarcoat this: 2020 was a challenge. However, despite the events that tested our mettle this year, our classes kept us going. One huge bright spot week after week was our full Zoom classes, where our students showed up to read together, write together,…
by Jennifer Gallo Gaites I lost both my grandmothers in 2020—at the ages of 95 and 99, respectively. As my family reflected on lives well lived, we talked about their hobbies, their fashion senses, their cooking, baking, and sewing skills. But what we kept coming back were their stories. They had stories that made us…
We are grateful for so many things at PWN, but mostly we are grateful for our community of writers–for the opportunity to hear their stories and be part of their processes. Often, that process involves more than just writing … we draw inspiration from all around us! Last month, when we asked our memoir writers…
by Lisa Hartsgrove Are you looking for some writing inspiration to help you get pen to paper? Or are you gearing up for NaNoWriMo (or your version of it)? Sometimes the hardest part is getting that first word down, which is why I love using prompts in my Just Write class to generate ideas for…
We have a devoted group of memoir writers at PWN and their interests are as varied as their narratives. This month, we asked our memoir students what they are obsessing over and their answers did not disappoint. What are they using to inspire them, broaden their perspectives, escape from the world or inform their work?…
by Michael Farragher Quarantine viewing has made me a connoisseur of cooking shows, and I now find myself trying to socially distance from the refrigerator [buh dum tss]. I especially like the shows where chefs are given five ingredients that shouldn’t go together to create something edible. It got me thinking: How does one get…
by Gay Norton Edelman For me, writing is not only a way to earn a living and help people. It’s also a way to get to know who I am and what I believe. I’m talking morning pages, gratitude lists, free writes, written dialogues with my higher power, and more. And that deep stuff is…
When we think of being captivated by something, we think of immersing ourselves in it, focusing our senses and losing ourselves in a moment. What better expresses this experience than poetry? With its deep focus, rich imagery, and economy of words, a poem can allow the reader to experience the world through the poet’s eyes.…
by Lisa Hartsgrove My generative students tend to arrive like a blank page. Most are eager to start, but at the same time have not written in years or do not keep a consistent routine. That means I have the privilege of inspiring them to create a writing practice, helping them fill that blank page…
This month, as we figure out what back to school is going to look like, we’ve decided to focus on our creative and brave teen writers. If we need inspiration as the world keeps changing, we need look no further than to the young people around us. Not only can they tip us off as…
