Once, during a writing workshop I was co-leading, a writer asked me if writing was more inspiration or habit. “Or a mixture of both?” she added.
It’s a great question, and one I think she answered with her third question. I write because I’m inspired (or haunted, sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference), but it is the habit – or habits – I’ve established that keep me writing. I don’t think we can depend solely on one or the other.
From Inspiration to Habit is a 5-week writing course I designed to offer new writers a few tools to help you as you pursue your writing dreams. Each week you’ll get a story I wrote paired with a writing exercise that will provide a way into the stories you need to tell. These are exercises I’ve used myself, with the students I taught, and with other writers I coach. They can be used every time you write, or you can pick and choose as you find which ones work for the project you are working on.
Follow your inspiration, but build the habit. Both will allow for stories that push you toward yourself and others.
What You Get:
- Five essays on the writing life.
- Five habit-forming exercises that will shake loose your stories.
- Access to an online group for gathering, sharing ideas, questions, and writing.
- A chance to share your writing with a compassionate audience who will support your storytelling.
- One 45-minute phone call with Callie to discuss goals, ideas, and questions on writing.
- Optional add on essay critique.
What You’ll Walk Away With:
- A group of like-minded colleagues to continue the writing quest with.
- At least five essay drafts.
- A bag of tricks you can apply at any point of your writing practice.
- The growing confidence that your stories matter, and the energy to keep writing.
Price: $50, with an extra add-on opportunity for one full essay critique from Callie (1800-word essay critique: $25).
Open to 30 writers.
Dates: February 15 – March 15
Endorsements:
“Callie has provided a wealth of encouragement and practical, tactical advice in my writing journey. She challenges me to stretch myself and keep moving forward when the writing is hard, but she does it with a gentle kindness that is so encouraging. Beyond that, she has many tricks, tips, and pieces of advice that help overcome obstacles along the way. I cannot say enough about how wonderful it is to work with her!” – Laura Beaver
“Working with Callie has moved my writing forward and given me tangible exercises to improve both my reading and my writing. She is an excellent teacher and encourager, and a guide who has helped me shape my own work.” – Tresta Payne
“Writing can be so vulnerable, but Callie made me feel safe. Callie’s insightful feedback and gentle guidance taught me how to become a confident writer, and her exercises continually teach me how to improve. I am so grateful that I took Callie’s writing course! I still feel its effects to this day.” – Kristine Farnum
“When Callie Feyen walks beside you on your writing journey you are joined by someone who prayerfully and masterfully brings out the best in your work. She knows what questions to ask and she knows what words to share to inspire. Most importantly, Callie knows that stories matter. And she then guides you through the work to believe in your own stories.” – Kim Knowle-Zeller
“Reading Callie’s words is magical. They always make me want to pick up my own pen or open up my laptop and just start writing about how the new jeans I ordered online made me feel or how I wasn’t comfortable in my new Harry Potter-esque glasses or how black ankle boots relate to Ash’s song “Set it All Free” relate to each other (from the movie Sing). Working with Callie is a whole other level of magic. She took my notes and scribbles, ideas and scenes and loved them but offered constructive feedback that I could put into practice to help my writing craft grow. Callie takes in all writers—the serious, the wandering, the dreamers—and guides them through the piles of ideas and gives us something to work on, that we can dig in with and use. Callie’s words are writing gold in the internet and she is a writer’s biggest champion.” – Tracy Erler
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