A devoted space to upscale your writing, to uplift your voice…
The Writer’s Sanctuary
The Writer’s Sanctuary
an innovative writing program for women.
You burn to express. Writing is in your skill set. You have a message to share. You know how to write and what you want to say. You’re beyond a thin skin. you're ready to become a better story-teller. you're ready to understand revision as a spiritual opportunity. you're ready for collaborative editing. you're ready for developmental feedback.
the Writer’s Sanctuary is perfect for you.
“For all the writers who thrive in isolation, at least as many need a village...” Elizabeth Jarrett Andrews, Living Revision: A Writer’s Craft as a Spiritual Practice
You’re stepping up as a professional writer. You’re focused, devoted to the craft and ready for a writing program for women.
You know your writing is relevant. Worthy. Important. Powerful. Inspiring. You’re pumped to become accountable to it.
The Writer’s Sanctuary isn’t a composition or content development class. It’s not a class at all. The Writer’s Sanctuary sits between courses that teach you to be a better writer and programs that help you to publish.
You want to play with writing. To have fun creating. To learn the art of revision as a spiritual practice. You want colleagues in the profession. A group of women who think your voice is pan de Cielo, bread from heaven. Because it is.
You can bring writing to each session of the Sanctuary. In a typical session, we spend twenty minutes discussing a teaching email that I send ahead of time. Each writer then has about 25 minutes to share a curated two-three double spaced typed pages of writing for general assessment and line-by-line developmental feedback from me and the other writers in the group. Between sessions, I offer each writer line-by-line developmental editing of up to eight pages.
I’ve created a writing program for women just for you!
After taking several courses in creative writing and even having a few pieces published I found I was losing interest in writing because it just felt so hard. Revision was the worst part. It felt labor intensive and I just got tired of the piece. When I saw Linda’s ad for The Writers Sanctuary it struck a chord in me. Her language was beautiful, encouraging, and filled with a loving feeling. In the few months I have been working with Linda, my writing has improved immensely and I’m writing more and enjoying it more. I have found the gift and fun of the revision process through Linda’s intelligent, kind, and intuitive instruction. I have also fallen in love with my fellow writers in our small group. Having that much loving support inspires me to keep writing and find my deeper voice.
Doris Widhalm Boyle
Social Worker, Writer, Artist
Texas, USA
“Linda was the first person I dared share my writings with. Her encouraging “this could be a blog or start of a book!” birthed a first draft. I would not have started the manuscript if it wasn’t for Linda’s safe space to share my writings, thoughts, and feelings. She took time to read my work and gave me valuable feedback along the way. She saw my potential – the beauty and truth in my voice and story. She guided me, with gentle persistence, to see it for myself.”
Kari Siwe Haugen
Coach, Mentor and Writer
Norway
www.karisiwe.no
The Writer’s Sanctuary was born out of my wish for a test audience. My wish for beta readers. When I shared my writing, the responses of my readers often surprised me and sparked a flow of fresh ideas and words. Revision became a joy!
Sister Corinne, my first journalism teacher, was a nun. A white linen band held a starched black veil to her head. Curly brown bangs peeked from the band to frame her forehead.
She had dark eyes, a bottomless pool of kindness. She had projected my first ever news story on a screen in the front of the high school classroom. “This is near perfect work,” she said.
I couldn’t breathe. Sweat tickled my underarms. As she praised the specific elements of the story, her melodic voice blurred as though miles away. “You have a gift,” she said. She looked straight into my eyes.
The pilot light of my writer’s soul sprang high from the fuel of her praise. The burners of my heart ignited. From that day, I was a writer.
Over the next 50 years, I wrote in countless genres: News copy. Press releases, Publicity. Magazine articles, Advertising. Video scripts. Academic papers. A dissertation. Grants. Website copy. Social media posts. E-books. Blogs.
Three years ago, I started Method Writing classes with Jules Swales [www.julesswales.com]. As a writing teacher, she’s a diamond. I discovered the genre of creative nonfiction. I became a lifelong student of the authentic, deep voice.
Read my blog post: Becoming an author: five truisms.
The Writer's Sanctuary
The Sanctuary is a group of no more than four women writers. You can bring any type of writing to us – blogs, poetry, website copy, excerpts from a book manuscript or journals. The Sanctuary consists of:
• A bi-weekly 2-hour writing laboratory; the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month,
10AM to Noon Arizona time.
• Access to recorded master classes with me and guest speakers: authors, writers, publishing experts.
In the writing laboratory, we will:
• Discuss curated writings from Living Revision: A Writer’s Craft as a Spiritual Practice by Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew and The Writer's Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler.
• Listen to and share feedback on each other’s voice and writing.
• Play with collaborative editing.
• Spur each other to share our writing with the world.
Start when you like and renew for as long as you like.
Invest a one-time payment of $899USD for a 6-month subscription.
Available only as an "add-on": package of 4 individual writing coaching sessions: $1200USD
“Do you aspire to write a book but the thought of sharing your words has your heart thumping and the anxiety in your stomach swirling? That was me before Linda's Writers Sanctuary. I had a love/hate relationship with my writing. Linda's careful nurturing and kind, insightful feedback, along with that of my fellow writers, has changed that. My confidence has grown in leaps and bounds. More important, the Sanctuary is fun! I share without the need to feel guarded. I am crafting a book I'll be proud of and will sign up again to work on the next one.
Judy nahkies
Writer, Horsewoman, Rewilding Guide, Podcast Guest
New Zealand
I have participated in writing groups where we have responded to a prompt, written and shared our work and given each other some encouraging feedback. The Writer's Sanctuary is different. We share pieces written beforehand. We give each other generous feedback and helpful suggestions. To begin with, it was challenging and sharing the screen felt very vulnerable. I believe we have all become adept at offering each other just the right mixture of useful suggestions and appreciation as writers, as listeners, as readers.
The Writers' Sanctuary is a safe haven for both writers and maybe-writers. Led by Linda, whose loving presence encourages everyone to tap into their creative source, we are free to explore, to look from a different angle and to find our unique voices.
Sarah HN
Author: Holy Days:Reflections of a Travel Pilgrim
Intergenerational Writing Facilitator, Grant Writer, B & B Entrepreneur
Nova Scotia, Canaada
The Writers Sanctuary
Join the Writer’s Sanctuary, a sacred community of highly creative women writers. Become fierce and generous with your words. Embrace the spiritual practice of revision. Become devoted to your craft. Speak from your deep voice. Share truth.
