“The only answer in this life, to the loneliness we are all bound to feel, is community.”
—Dorothy Day
FALL CLASSES NOW OPEN!
We’re still riding the wave of inspiration from our June writing retreat in the Cotswolds. The sense of community, creativity, and deep connection we experienced there was unforgettable.
But here’s the best part: you don’t have to travel all the way to England to find that same spirit. This fall, you can join us right here in Jacksonville for a new season of writing circles—no passport required.
You’ll find a wide selection of offerings, from yoga and creative play to special programs for young women. Our core 12-week series is centered around Dear Writer by Maggie Smith—a beloved, practical guide for the modern writer, no matter where you are on your journey.
Still wondering what this experience feels like? One of our recent writers put it best:
“I am served so beautifully by being in community with women I may never have been around. What I like is the combination of young and old, seasoned writers and not. I need to hear the deep longing, the grief, the same fears for the country that I have. There’s unabashed truth springing from the pages of writing, and it touches a place in me that nourishes me. Others’ lived experiences startle and inspire… I started out not knowing if I was a writer. I compared myself to others—that’s long gone. What I know to be true is that I am one, and it pleases me. It doesn’t need to please anyone else. This is such a passion—to write—that I have to. Being heard is an added luxury—but the very act of writing is like breathing to me. I consider WWfaC my exhale.”
If writing is like breathing to you too, please—consider this your invitation to exhale.
Join us this fall.
👉 Learn more about all our classes here.
WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO LATELY
Bluegrassing In Upstate New York
When We Sing Together, We Rise Together
You won’t be surprised to learn that while many women have been bluegrass musicians, the industry has long been dominated by men.
But a little digging reveals that women have always been there—trailblazers like Olla Belle Reed, Elizabeth Cotten, Alice Gerrard, Hazel Dickens, Missy Raines, and Laurie Lewis laid the groundwork. Today, incredible artists like Molly Tuttle, Alison Krauss, Sierra Hull, Rhiannon Giddens (old-timey claw hammer banjo pickin’), and the all-women band Della Mae are claiming their rightful place at the heart of the genre.
That’s why my sister and I loved creating a Women’s Voices Bluegrass Circle at Grey Fox—the annual bluegrass festival in the Catskills that’s our happy place every summer. Just take a look at the photo below of our circle! We saw so many smiles, folks stopping by to listen, and heartfelt moments that made it a highlight for many of the women who joined us.
More of this, please.
Scroll down for some more photos and music (including a bit of Cajun—bluegrass-adjacent, but just as joyful). What really struck me was the beautiful connection between a father and son making music together.
Wishing you a happy summer.—JW
p.s. photos by Mark Tyler
Check Out ‘The Art of Play!’
An Offering by our Soon-To-Be-Certified Facilitator
You’ll have SO MUCH FUN with Olivia Vo during her hands-on circle of writing + art + play. (There will be lots of laughter, too!) Join us for The Art of Play: A Joyful Journey on Sat, Sep 13, 2025 at 2 p.m. Rediscover joy through play, creativity and reflection! Write, collage, and explore your playful self in this 3-part series led by Olivia at Happy Medium Books.Learn more here.
The Last Word
“If something cannot go on forever, it will stop.”
—Herb Stein, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, as quoted in a brief by the Council on Economic Policies
Something to consider these days…