Dear Beloved Reader, I began this post during Friday’s writing group, where I was when the Supreme Court released the Dobbs decision—overturning Roe v. Wade, restricting legal abortion access, and undercutting reproductive justice. I felt held in deep companionship through the news. And I remain incredibly grateful for activist-educator-writer-friend-colleagues who show up in the world with commitment and care. Now, more than ever, I feel the need for community—for ... Read more ...
resources
Interrupting Writer’s Block: Writing (and Pausing) Through Resistance
This blog post responds to a question I received recently and offers some ways to interrupt writing resistance or writer’s block. My hope is that it offers support for writers (because we all face resistance, right?), while also providing a glimpse into one-with-one coaching. I offer this post with gratitude for the writer who shared permission to use the question and response. And I offer many good wishes to writers feeling the pressure of due dates. The Question: ... Read more ...
Microaggressions: Too Sanitized, Too Safe, and Too Small?
I’m grateful to share a new article: “Do We Really Understand Microaggressions?” which is published online with Ms. Magazine. This piece is co-authored with Rasha Diab and part of our ongoing research on countering microaggressions. Here’s the opening: In recent years and especially since summer 2020, in the aftermath and reckoning of George Floyd’s murder, the term “microaggression” has become commonplace. Every week, new stories highlight racial microaggressions in ... Read more ...
Walking Meditation for Writers: A Contemplative Writing and Walking Practice
Sometimes serendipity and unexpected connections make for excellent contemplative writing moments. To close this series of posts on contemplative writing (for now—more posts are sure to come in 2022), I want to share another guided meditation: a walking meditation for writers. I was presented with the unexpected opportunity to record this meditation during a recent writing retreat. A participant asked for guided meditation during a mid-day walk. I love walking and ... Read more ...
What Is Contemplative Writing? A Definition and Guided Meditation for Writers
What is contemplative writing?What is not contemplative writing?And why do I want to prioritize contemplative writing in my life? While teaching the “Contemplative Writing” workshop series this October, the importance of definitions has become increasingly clear. “Contemplative writing” invokes a range of interpretations, so this blog post defines the term and shares questions for exploring your relationship with writing. From there, I offer a guided meditation for ... Read more ...
Contemplative Writing: Journaling and Other Practices for Reflection, Mindfulness, and Intentionality
This October, I’ll be teaching “Contemplative Writing,” a series of writing workshops offered through the Fayetteville Public Library and sponsored by the Brown Chair in English Literacy at the University of Arkansas. Much gratitude to Professor Eric Darnell Pritchard (the Brown Chair) for initiating and sponsoring this collaboration! As an extension of this workshop series, this blog post launches a series of posts (more will come throughout the month of October) ... Read more ...
Planning Writing Projects: Workshop Handouts and Resources
Welcome to this page of handouts and resources for the upcoming workshop: “Planning Writing Projects.” This workshop is offered through the Fayetteville Public Library and sponsored by the Brown Chair in English Literacy at the University of Arkansas. Much gratitude to Professor Eric Darnell Pritchard (the Brown Chair) for initiating and sponsoring this collaboration! I'm really looking forward to this virtual, public workshop coming up on Thursday, July 29th. I’m sure ... Read more ...
Reflection Questions for Committing, Creating, and Pacing This Summer
Recently, a Patreon subscriber shared that they appreciate reflection questions, and their feedback prompted me to consider which questions feel especially important for this summer (summer 2021). Spinning off the original Q&A response (shared as part of the Q&A newsletter for subscribers), here are some questions I’m sitting with. These are influenced by the CHANI app (“astrology for self-discovery, mindfulness, and healing” by Chani Nicholas and team). The app ... Read more ...
Q&A with Cedric Burrows about His New Book Rhetorical Crossover: The Black Presence in White Culture
This Q&A blog post features Cedric D. Burrows, Ph.D., an assistant professor of English at Marquette University and author of the new book, Rhetorical Crossover: The Black Presence in White Culture (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2020). Cedric’s scholarship focuses on African American rhetoric, cultural rhetorics, social activism, and the legacies and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and the Civil Rights Movement. As a colleague of Cedric’s, ... Read more ...
Contemplative Practices for Setting Intentions and Welcoming the New Year
As we approach the new year (saying goodbye to 2020 and hello to 2021), I recognize that this year especially is calling for intentional reflection, ritual, and recommitment—ways to mark the passage of time and to honor longings for change. Over the past weeks, I’ve received multiple questions for the Patreon Q&A newsletter asking for meditations and resources to set resolutions and goals for the new year. In this blog post, I answer by offering contemplative ... Read more ...
