The Experiment: Day 290 ~ Okay, Deep Breath, Let’s Try This Again — The Sunday Night Writing Group…

I was simply trying to make it too hard. Today it came to me with a kind of clarity I have not had in years.

This is to be my work now, and it will take a bit to find my way into it but here’s the thing, I have written seriously for 55 years and been a writing teacher for 40 years. Writing is my way in the world. I have written both fiction and non-fiction, had several small presses, written for magazines, newspapers, been published in anthologizes, created a number of different zines, had several blogs, this current one for 11 years, I have run the gamut, but the main thing is I write like I breathe, writing has healed me, and in fact saved my life since I was a young girl. And I knew that finally it was time for me to come back to teaching a writing group but I didn’t know how.

The problem, you see, was that I was trying to make it too specific. I don’t want it to be on a particular theme, I want it to be all inclusive. If you write, if you have something specific you are working on, a novel say, or an article, or a blog post, or you just need to get juiced to write at all, I want this group to be the place you come.

I am trying to figure out exactly how to format this but I think, in the manner that I always have, I will used timed writings. Whatever you are working on you can write about within those timed writings, and maybe you will use the timed writings for just the sheer joy of whatever comes up, no destination intended or needed. These writings can also bring up for you what is in your mind and on your heart right now and can lead you to where you need to go with your other writing. They can be like a journal entry or the lead-in to a short story. There are no limitations.

As I see it we will write together, I will lead people into exercises, set the timer, and bring us to a close. I will ask for volunteers to read. We will write and read together for 2 hours. It is as simple as that.

Of course this is the bare bones. I see this having the potential to grow into something far beyond what I can imagine but I am not thinking of anything beyond showing up for 2 hours on Sunday nights to write with whoever can come that night.

Here’s what occurred to me. When I said yesterday that I wanted people to commit for 2 years — of course that was ludicrous! — it was because I had this sense of wanting this to be ongoing, wanted people to commit, was scared what would happen if no one showed up. Well, here’s the thing, I am committing to write every Sunday night from 8-10, EST. If nobody shows up but me then I am there writing for 2 hours. It is very Zen in my mind. It is my writing time, and I will be there, and if you can join me I will be delighted. That way you aren’t afraid to have to commit to something you might have to miss sometimes, and you also won’t be committing to something you can’t yet quite grok as far as how it will feel, if it will benefit you, and if this is something you really want to do.

Logistics. No video program, I can’t find a free one I like and a lot of people don’t want to be on video anyway. I have a free program that I used for mentoring in which people can enter the call with a dial-in number and special room code, we are all there together, it is audio only, and I can record the call (for participants if they want a recording. This is absolutely private for participants only!). This free program will actually allow for 1000 people to be in the conference call though I laugh imagining that I will be lucky, at least to start, to get a handful, and seriously, I couldn’t begin to handle that many people! But it allows for more, if more people did want to come, than me saying that I would only take 12 people.

This Sunday Night Writing Group will be for both men and women, all ages, sexes, races, genders, all inclusive. But I will say firmly that any and all work I ever do is rooted in compassion and loving-kindness, and I do not and will not allow anything of a sexual nature to be shared (What you write is your own business but you cannot share it in the group if this is what you write.) and I also will not allow people with an agenda, political, religious, or otherwise, to get up on a soapbox and use this as a forum for irate diatribes. Sorry, my group, my rules, you’ll have to take that elsewhere. A person will be immediately removed from the group for this. I don’t expect people’s writing to be all love and light by any means, but nor will I allow sharing that is contentious, ugly, or unkind. And this will absolutely be safe space. What you hear here stays here. You can share your own writings however you choose. You may not share what you hear anyone else read. This is a sacred trust and one I have held dear in my classes for 40 years.

There will be no fee for these Sunday night gatherings but it will be a lot of work on my part, a serious commitment, and I would appreciate a donation if you are able in any amount that feels fair to you. There is a PayPal link after every blog post, and there will be one on the page for The Sunday Night Writing Group. This page is now up on the website but there is nothing there yet. That will be fleshed out in the days ahead.

Also fyi the Free Conference Call program that I will be using has dial-in numbers that can be used from all over the world. While this is a free service if you have charges applicable from where you are calling that will be your responsibility.

For more information — I will be putting a special email with information together in the days ahead — or to sign up and get the information for the dial-in number and special room code, write to me at: TheSundayNightWritingGroup@gmail.com and I will get back to you asap. If you are out of the US please let me know where you will be calling from so I can look up your special dial-in number. I am thinking about creating a Mail Chimp mailing list to send information out to participants and since I will be manually adding you to this list you will have to send an email saying you give permission for me to do so. This will be taken care of at the time you sign up and get your dial-in number and codes. And once you are “signed up” you will not be committing to being there every week but you will be on the roster as a participant for whenever you can come. I’d love to see you every week but you do what you can.

I am not sure when the first group call will be. I’d like to jump in this Sunday night but I’m not sure if I can get it together by then. If you will email me and get on the list I will let you know. It could be a last minute notice for this Sunday or one or two Sundays out. The thing is the technology to do this on my own and manage the call is a bit much for me to manage and I am looking for someone to assist me. I have someone in mind who has offered to help me in the past but I don’t know if she will be available, even for just the first few weeks while I get the kinks worked out.

But the thing is this, as in everything else in life, I have been trying to overcomplicate, as I have so many things in my life, this whole thing. This is going to be a group where people who want to write, people who love to write, can come together for 2 hours once a week and write. I will provide the space and the material. I will be there. It is as simple as that.

Please bear with me as I get this all together but, after struggling for some time now to try to figure out how to do this I can say that I am just absolutely delighted, excited, and ready, more than ready. Get your notebook and pen, or computer, or tablet, or whatever you care to use, and let’s write!

The Experiment ~A 365 Day Search For Truth, Beauty &
Happiness: Day 1 ~ Introduction To The Project
“Do or do not. There is no try.”
Yoda

Comments

  1. happy dance and woot woot 🙂

    you can do this!

    • Thank you so much darling Julia and I’m so happy that you want to be part of the group. You will be receiving an email from me shortly. Woot Woot indeed! Let’s ROCK this thing! 😀

  2. katya taylor says

    This sounds absolutely lovely. i’m not sure how it will work for some people to be working on their own writing, and others doing the prompts together, in terms of the cohesiveness of the group. maybe (i’m just thinking outloud) sunday night will be following your prompts, they have 6 other days of the week to do whatever they are working on. just a thought. it’s magical for everyone to write on “A lonely time” or “A magic moment” or “a current obsession” and see how others write on the same topic.
    !!! or maybe i misunderstood. maybe people WILL be using the prompts, to help them with whatever they are currently writing.

    I personally am thrilled that it is audio only. While I may be in and out of town, or otherwise busy, i hope to dial in and write with “you-all” as we say down here in the South! So sign me up.

    Don’t rush Maitri. All will be well.

    xo
    ka

    • Thank you darling Ka and yes all will be writing with the prompts, as I have always taught, my point is that if they were working on something specific it could benefit them too. I didn’t say that well but will be expanding on the webpage for the group linked at the top of these pages.

      And I would be so tickled if you could come sometimes and I know that you are video shy! As are many people. So I think this will work out well for everyone.

      I am not rushing, it’s just that I am happy because I have been trying to figure this out for a very long time and today it just seemed to fall into place. Some people want to do something that is topical and focused on something in particular for a set number of weeks and that’s great but that is not what I have wanted to do which is why my attempt at a post about it yesterday said 2 years. No, what I want is an ongoing thing. A place that people know is there, that they can rely on, where they can show up and write and feel the exciting collective energy of writers gathering. Classes that are a set number of weeks, for very good reason, have their place but I am looking to create something ongoing in my life and I truly believe that this is the answer. I will begin, it will grow and mature and transform as things do over time but I think this is a good beginning and will draw more people than something specific topically for a set number of weeks. It feels right. It feels good. Now onward I go… 🙂

      M. xoxox

  3. Lynn Heritage says

    Maitri…I am very interested in this. For the most part, I can commit to this timeframe but, it seems that you are ok if we need to miss a session here and there. Thank you for creating this and I hope you have a really good turnout.
    Peace, my friend.

    • Oh Lynn yes it would be delightful to have you as part of the group whenever you could come. Please send me an email to the group home so I officially have your permission to put you on the mailing list. Just a short note to: thesundaynightwritinggroup@gmail.com And spread the word to any of the other grandmothers in your group or anyone you think might be interested. It’s free and I’m especially wanting to serve older women who perhaps are on more limited means hence offering it for free on a donation only basis for those who can. 🙂

  4. I like this, Maitri! Sundays are usually good, although I’m not an evening person, so after 9 pm, I don’t do my best creative work….and of course, we’re sometimes traveling, with different time zones, but I think that will slow down in the years to come.

    And I’m glad not for video either — I find them a bit distracting, even though Zoom is an interesting format.

    I really like the format of showing up as much as possible on Sunday evenings, and sharing writing — whether new or ongoing things. I’d rather like to do something different than my normal writing, or around a different set of topics, or something to be determined.

    • Lisa,

      The magic of this writing process is that when I put out a topic people come up, as they start to write, in their own worlds, exactly where they need to be. If, for example, I put out a simple phrase like “At this very moment…” you could be writing that as yourself as in, say, a journal exercise, or you could as many have in my classes over the years, if they were working on a novel, write that exercise from the point of view of one of their characters. There are so many ways to go, there is no wrong way. I create a very firm structure which makes people feel safe but within that structure people go where they need to go. Truly, it is a magical process!

      I look so forward to having you whenever you can come, and this is meant to be used in whatever way works for you. If 10:00 is too late perhaps you show up, on the Sunday nights that you can, from 8-9. You do what works for you. But, I can tell you, that if you get there and get writing and get all juiced, as does happen, you may easily fly on until 10! 😀 Whatever works for you is fine!

  5. Maitri,
    OMG this sounds awesome. My goal as I approach retirement is to find ways to enrich my world for me. This fits the bill perfectly. Whenever you are ready, so shall I be.
    Hugs,
    Lauren

    • Lauren I am just delighted that you will be joining the group. I’m very excited. It looks like I am going to have the help I need but not in time to start this weekend. I hope to start a week from Sunday. I got your email and have put you on the email list now so you will get the info. as soon as I know more!

      Blessings to you,

      Maitri

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