It was English class in 8th grade and Kyle, the kid sitting to my right and slightly behind me, was getting bullied by Mrs. G...again. You know the question people ask on the internet, "What radicalized you?" This class was definitely one of those moments because I believe what radicalized me was a confluence of moments like this. This moment where a nearly-retired teacher abused her power by reprimanding kids like Kyle who needed encouragement and care, not punishment and disgust. This is one of those moments seared into my mind--where you see the injustice and you don't have the words, but you know it's wrong.
To "prepare" us for high school, Mrs. G. was drilling the rigid structure of the 5-paragraph essay into our sparkling, susceptible minds. Because I've got Mercury in Virgo in the first house writing always came easy to me, but I knew this was a bunch of bullshit and I knew I hated the way Mrs. G. would surveil our writing and bodies in that class, making sure we didn't move a muscle outside of introduction-body paragraphs-conclusion. Writing was my favorite subject in school because it wasn't math and it allowed me to swim in my own inner world in which I could mold the shapes and sounds, but somehow Mrs. G. was able to make me loathe 8th grade English as much as fractions and decimals.
Mrs. G was a real-life Trunchbull who managed to turn writing from a soft sunbeam into a concrete slab. Not the kind of witchcraft I subscribe to or promote.
(Now, this is the witchcraft I can get behind).
In this beginner friendly ~2-hour workshop, we'll discuss how to shift your relationship with writing from one of rigidity to one of fluidity, from one of "shoulds" to one of loosey-goosey, unfiltered, unapologetic possibilities.
In this workshop we'll dive into:
How to trash the three biggest "rules" of writing that are holding you back from publishing your debut article, poem, or book (and how we can break them because ya gotta crack some eggs to make an omelet, amiright?!)
How to adopt the three biggest antidotes to unlearning these so-called rules, so you can finally heal from Mrs. G-induced writing trauma (oh, it's real) and become feral and uncensored with the process (aka tap into your inner Lilith)
How to pull yourself from the treacherous swamp of self-doubt that has immobilized you every time you try to type a word, and instead reclaim your intuition, your impeccable sense of humor (that might've been squashed by your 50-something white man college professor), and your memory (because this world likes to gaslight those of us who speak truth to power and your story is yours)
(Because even though we're unlearning and re-writing everything we were taught, structure isn't necessarily a bad thing, aka structure and rigidity are two different things).
Introduction (15 minutes)
Presentation/Group Discussion: 3 biggest "rules," 3 biggest antidotes, and tips and tricks as to how to sit your butt down and write your heart out (30-45 minutes)
Break time! Because stretching is good for the mind and body! (5 minutes)
Writing exercise (30 minutes)
Closing Discussion/Pep Talk/Goodbye/Q+A (~15 minutes?)
📅 Date: Thursday, December 19, 2024
⏰ Time:
12 PM - 2 PM CT
10 AM - 12 PM PT
1 PM - 3 PM ET
6 PM - 8 PM GMT
📍 Location: Online via Zoom (link provided upon registration)
The workshop will be recorded, and you’ll have access to the replay for 48 hours after the event. Please note that this recording may also be used for future sales of the workshop. By attending live, you agree to this use.
In exchange for your participation and feedback, this beta round is offered at a special introductory price!
For this beta edition, I’m offering a special early bird price of just $27. After that, the price goes up to $47, and in the future, this workshop will be offered at its full price of $77+.
💡 What’s in it for you?
A 2-hour immersive, transformational writing workshop.
Practical tools to break free from writing rules and reclaim your voice.
A space to explore your creativity with like-minded feminist disruptors.
Newfound confidence in your ability to write YOUR story, your way.
Direct access to me during a live Q&A and personalized feedback.
💥 Why Beta Pricing?
This is the beta round, meaning you’re helping me shape the final version of this workshop. Your feedback deeply matters to me, and in exchange for your insights, you’re getting early access at a fraction of the cost.
Hey, it’s me. I’m the problem, it’s me. I’m Erin, co-founder of Terra Incognita Media and professional feminist killjoy/toxic masculinity interrupter. Nice to e-meet you! I discovered the power of my voice when I wrote an essay in 2015 that sent shock waves through my climbing gym (yes, I’m looking at you, Planet Granite-now-Movement Portland 👀) for calling out my boss and their nonsense. Turns out, speaking truth to power is my favorite sport—and now I’m here to help you find your voice and critique oppressive systems too, all while building toward collective liberation!
In this workshop, we’re throwing out the writing “rules,” healing from creativity-crushing trauma (thanks, Mrs. G), and getting feral with our words.
When I’m not writing or working on Terra, you can find me climbing, running, or flagrantly disparaging John Muir. I can't wait to disrupt, create, and connect together!
WARNING: This is not your ordinary writing workshop. Participants may feel the sudden urge to spend hours word-vomitting onto a once-blank google doc without getting up to pee. (But we do encourage pee breaks around here).
I can't wait to support you and facilitate this part of your untamed journey!
Secure your spot for just $27 before the early bird pricing ends!