What we’re about
Please consider joining us for one of our events. We do short timed writings together from writing prompts of various kinds, including a short list of words. We read our impromptu work out loud and receive good, specific feedback from the group, words or phrases that strike people, images, feelings the work evokes. (There is no critique, no advice for strengthening the writing, because this is spontaneous writing, not polished work.)
You don't need to be a writer in order to join us for these events. I am a big believer in Brenda Ueland's claim that "everyone is talented, original and has something important to say" (If You Want to Write, Graywolf Press). And if you are already a fan of Peter Elbow's "freewriting" or Natalie Goldberg's "writing practice," you may delight in the chance to do this in community. I believe there is a kind of alchemy that happens when we write together like this. I believe it can change us, as writers, as humans.
In addition to these ongoing writing sessions, we hold other meetings and workshops periodically, including the occasional retreat and workshops on various aspects of both the process and the craft of writing. Please check the events page here for upcoming offerings. (All events offer a chance to write together, as well.)
If you are interested, do please sign up here for my email mailing list.
https://499words.org/email-form/
All good wishes,
Riba
***
Riba Taylor
Desert Writing Group
https://noholdsbarred.blog/
Upcoming events (1)
See all- Save the dates!!! — Full Circle: Honoring the Turning of Our WorldOnline, California, CA
Full Circle: Honoring the Turning of Our World
Let's save these nine dates while we can!!!! ;-)
More details to come. But let's celebrate the 8 main pagan holidays together, these gateposts that mark the turning of our world, a year of Sundays. (We'll begin and end in November so we come full circle together, ending where we began.)
I'm hoping those of you who've worked with me before and all other adventurers reading this will jump in with both feet and write all nine dates on your calendars now. Or enter them into your phones! I have my next year's bird calendars already, so I may inaugurate them early this year. :)
You don't have to attend all nine sessions, of course, but wouldn't it be delicious to have a strong core group who does just that??!?
Sundays
9:30am to 12:30pm Pacific TimeNovember 2, 2025
December 21, 2025
February 1, 2026
March 22, 2026
May 3, 2026
June 21, 2026
August 2, 2026
September 20, 2026
November 1, 2026We will be marking together the two solstices and the two equinoxes and the days that fall halfway between each of these. We'll do some spontaneous writing and reading together and a bit of ritual or ceremony to honor these days, weaving the alchemy of writing in community with the magic of these holy days. (Note, only some of our dates align exactly with the actual holidays, but our time will be infused with the energy of these special turnings of the year.)
I don't have all the details/structure sorted out for myself yet, but I believe there will likely be some "preparations" for us before each session, perhaps a gathering of altar items or herbs (or ??) and maybe even an optional prep session (the week before?) for those of us who might want to do some seasonal craft thing or sing or something.
All sessions are for all levels of writing or magic. ;-)
Beginning, experienced and non-writers or non-magicmakers all welcome!***
For those of you who don't know, I have been on a very long (years-long!) hiatus, so for me this return has been a long time coming. It's here now, and so are my nerves about committing to a whole year of sessions! (Gulp.) But it feels right. I hope to connect and/or reconnect with many of you at our first meeting in November. I'll post sign-ups and more detailed information for the first event by the end of September at the latest.
With fondness, eagerness and gulping,
RibaP.S. I owe my inspiration for these sessions to Becca Klaver! I caught the last session of her Writing the Wheel of the Year, and it was so valuable to me. I was hooked. And I've always wanted to be in community for these holidays. Thank you so much, Becca, for the idea and for your incredible sweetness and support for me to take this and run with it.
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