An invitation: Come write with us!
Join us for our first-ever public Authoring Circle next Thurs, 11/16, at 12 ET
TL;DR - Foster is hosting a public Authoring Circle next Thursday, 11/16 at 12 ET and you’re invited! Register here.
Earlier this fall, Foster started offering free, weekly Authoring Circles on Zoom to cultivate a safe space for writers to access their creative expression without fear or judgment. After a few years of experimenting with different ways of being in community, we thought, why not just keep it simple and come together to, you know, WRITE?
We intentionally crafted these circles to help attendees drop into what feels most alive to them in the present moment, and write from that place. And to feature the same small group of committed writers, week after week. It’s an intimate process, designed to help writers deepen into connection with themselves and a small group of kindred spirits.
The structure of Authoring Circles is simple.
For the first 15 minutes, we check in. The facilitator leads the group through a grounding practice, drawing from techniques including guided meditation, somatic experiencing, breathwork, intention-setting, peer sharing, and more.
Then we write together for roughly 60 minutes.
For the final 15 minutes, we come back into the space and reconnect with each other, sharing how the session went and any insights that arose.
We have found that committing to the practice of writing with friends every week is good for us. It enriches our writing, our relationships, and our lives more broadly, and we’ve seen it do the same for the others who write with us each week. Some people publish work regularly because of these circles, others just do it to stay in touch with themselves and their creative energy. Writers use these sessions for a wide range of works – books in progress, journaling, poetry, essays, social posts, academic papers, important emails, or anything else.
There’s a quote we return to often from Muriel Rukeyser: “The universe is made of stories, not of atoms.” When we begin writing consistently from deeper places, we not only produce better work, but become the authors of the stories underpinning our lives. And when we begin sharing and publishing this work, we become co-authors of the stories underpinning the cultures surrounding us, both local and global. That’s what we do, together, at Foster.
So, next week we’re hosting our first-ever public Authoring Circle where anyone can experience the magic for themselves before applying to join.
We’ll convene on Zoom next Thursday, 11/16, at 12 pm ET.
Care to join us? You can register here.
Notes from the Fosterverse
Before we go, here are some recent posts that have resulted from writing done in Authoring Circles.
Blinding Glimpses of the Obvious by
As a person in long-term recovery, I’m accustomed to great change. I’m also comfortable with uncomfortable topics. Shit happens. Life comes at us. The solution is often hidden or simply not available. In the old days of running amuck I would often blow right through something without further thought. It didn’t register. My lens was murky. My response could be emotionally reactive, or I’d stuff my reaction and play the stoic. Today I live a more examined life. My reactions and responses are healthier, balanced and held lightly in the wisdom of knowing whether I can control the situation or not. My lens is clearer.
Jean Sibelius / The Swan of Tuonela by
Like all artists, Sibelius wasn't an adequate judge of his work, and the bleak future he envisioned for his music would be proved wrong by the Finnish people. Instead of being relegated to a "small, modest place" in history, he became a national treasure: His visage printed on Finland's currency, a national monument erected to his legacy in Helsinki. Even the country's premier music conservatory bears his name today.
Welcome to Age Like Yourself: Why I want you to see my back fat. by
That’s it. I’m here to share my back fat so we can all stop hiding and being ashamed of it. There’s nothing wrong with seeking to change an aspect of yourself while cultivating self-acceptance and compassion at the same time. There’s nothing wrong with being seen in our imperfection. In fact, it’s necessary for our wellness.
The Introvert Who Never Was by
I started feeling, more and more, like the child who used to walk through the world guided by fearless curiosity. The child who knew that he could trust wherever his instincts led him.
I no longer identify as an introvert.
Out of the desert onto the cliff
where the edge, between me & you,
is the shape of my breath, jagged, briefDripping into eyes and out again
the memories of rains gone and yet to come
as I play in the mud, the muck, between me and you
If you have questions about Authoring Circles, please let us know in the comments.
We hope to see you next Thursday!