May 29th, 2017

I have been reading Pat Schneider’s Writing Alone and With Others both for general inspiration and to prepare for leading the Lansdowne Writers’ Workshop which will be starting in September 2017.

Ms. Schneider, the founder of Amherst Writers & Editors, has compiled a book full of exercises for long-time writers, new writers, and those getting back to writing after a break (which includes excellent information for mothers returning to writing). Her suggestions are down-to-earth and straightforward. The exercises allow writers to jump into writing as beginners or for more seasoned writers to jump-start a piece that may be stuck.

My favorite section is on the topic of solitude. Schneider writes, “Solitude is an absolute necessity—the single most crucial necessity—for the writer. Only in the deepest solitude is it possible to achieve the utter surrender required for creative work.” Schneider then goes on to quote Rilke, “I hold this to be the highest task of a bond between two people: that each should stand guard over the solitude of the other.”

Lately, I have been lucky enough to have a friend who has provided me this necessary solitude by offering me a quiet room in which to write. In exchange, I’ve provided her with a steady stream of writing exercises. One hour a week, I write in this room, and over the weeks I have been compiling the pages of a long piece of fiction.

Another way in which we can stand guard over each other’s solitude and provide a place to write is by joining together in a writers’ workshop. In such a group, where members quietly focus on their own writing, solitude is preserved for the whole.

Experienced writers, new writers, and writers returning to writing who are looking for this kind of solitude and supportive environment in which to write may want to join me for my Fall 2017 workshop. More details will follow, but for now, if you’re interested, go ahead and contact me.