Story Spring

Story Spring Do you have a soul-stirring story to tell? Join a creative writing course or coaching session to write your book.

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Editing: A Recipe for Great WritingWriting is a lot like cooking. Many of us have that recipe we can pull out for potluc...
06/05/2026

Editing: A Recipe for Great Writing

Writing is a lot like cooking. Many of us have that recipe we can pull out for potlucks. Whether we make a half batch or triple the servings, it comes out delicious. Experienced writers have strong outlines and good formulas that can be tweaked for an assortment of occasions. However, when we are trying new things, we need to employ good taste testers who can advise us on how to improve our creations.

In the writing world, everyone talks about the need for editors, but seldom do they explain what a thoughtful editor can really do for a piece of writing. A good editor is like a great chef; they know how to fine-tune recipes to adjust the flavor. With writing, as with cooking a new dish, it takes some time to get the measurements and seasonings just right, so we need friends with refined taste to try what we make, give us honest feedback, and suggest improvements.

๐Ÿ”— https://www.storyspringwriting.com/blog/121053-editing-a-recipe-for-great-writing

Word Game: Come up with a saying based on what you see in this picture. Just ducky! Let's not get into the weeds and get...
06/05/2026

Word Game: Come up with a saying based on what you see in this picture.

Just ducky!
Let's not get into the weeds and get bogged down.
Take a moment to reflect.

And post in the comments โฌ‡๏ธ

It has taken me awhile to figure out my writing process ๐Ÿ““๐Ÿ“ In school, I learned to draft and revise as well as to worksh...
05/28/2026

It has taken me awhile to figure out my writing process ๐Ÿ““๐Ÿ“

In school, I learned to draft and revise as well as to workshop in groups, but these methods have only taken me so far as a writer.

More recently, I have been applying another learning model to my writing work. The acronym is ARCS
๐Ÿ’ช Act
๐Ÿง˜โ€โ™€๏ธ Reflect
๐Ÿ‘ฅ Consult
๐Ÿ“– Study

This flexible mode of learning pushes me to write more drafts, think deeply about my ideas, get feedback from the right people, and study what I don't yet know. It has pushed me to work smarter instead of trying to be perfect.

Check out my blog post at the link below
๐Ÿ”— https://www.storyspringwriting.com/blog/120434-arcs-of-writing-newsletter-5-28-26

๐–๐ž๐ž๐ค๐ž๐ง๐ ๐‚๐จ๐ง๐Ÿ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž - ๐˜๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐  ๐–๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ ๐’๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ž๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฉI was an awkward teenager growing up in Marquette, Michigan (a t...
05/21/2026

๐–๐ž๐ž๐ค๐ž๐ง๐ ๐‚๐จ๐ง๐Ÿ๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ž - ๐˜๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐  ๐–๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ ๐’๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ž๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐–๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ
I was an awkward teenager growing up in Marquette, Michigan (a town of twenty thousand four hours away from the next largest city Green Bay, Wisconsin). For people familiar with the areaโ€”this was the time before the Childrenโ€™s Museum opened and more than a decade before the library became an award-winning institution with outstanding youth activities. My middle school and high school classmates were interested in hockey, basketball, and skiing. My two outgoing sisters were involved in artistic and theatrical activities. I wanted to be a writer, but that was an individual pursuit in rural Michigan. Looking back, this was not a missed opportunity, it was just the reality of thingsโ€”regrettable yet understandable.

In the decades since then, my hometown community has grown and changed. We now have clubs and activities that encourage youth who are interested in writing such as the organization 8-18 Media and the Dandelion Cottage Short Story Contest. There is still not nearly enough for the creative scribbler, but there are more programs than when I was a teenager. When I returned to the area a few years ago, I wanted to find a way to create something for aspiring authors to find their place in a community. For the last three years, I have collaborated with the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA) to create the Young Writers Storytelling Workshop (YWSW).

Read more at: https://www.storyspringwriting.com/blog/120276-weekend-conference-young-writers-newsletter-5-21

Join us for the FREE Inspiration to Write Online Writing Sessions! โœ๏ธ๐Ÿ’ปEvery Friday Morningโฐ 10:00โ€“10:30 AM Eastern TimeS...
05/15/2026

Join us for the FREE Inspiration to Write Online Writing Sessions! โœ๏ธ๐Ÿ’ป

Every Friday Morning
โฐ 10:00โ€“10:30 AM Eastern Time

Start your Friday with intention and creativity. We begin with a warm welcome and a prayerful meditation, then dive into 25 minutes of focused writing. We sometimes share a bit at the endโ€”always optional, always encouraging.

Whether you're journaling, writing a novel, or simply craving a creative pause, youโ€™re welcome here. ๐Ÿ’–
Sign up here to join the email list: https://www.storyspringwriting.com/inspiration-to-write

05/14/2026

๐ˆ๐ง๐ฌ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐Ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐–๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐๐ซ๐จ๐œ๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ
I think about breathing a lot. I have had asthma since I was a child, but it was exacerbated by living in heavily polluted places for decades. It is a terrible feeling to be gasping for air yet being unable to catch my breath. I now use an inhaler so that I can climb flights of stairs. Last December, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, which means that at night I do not take in air naturally when reclined in bed. Every evening I plug into a CPAP machine just to breathe regularly. These two diagnoses mean that I must pay attention to my breathing problems around the clock. Fortunately, both my asthma and my apnea are under control, but they remind me to think about the gift of the inhale and exhale.

I have meditated for decades. I stumbled into the practice in my early twenties when I attended a ten-day silent meditation retreat where I learned a great deal about the connection between my breath, body, mind, and spirit. I went to this sanctuary not to become more spiritual, but because I was traveling in Thailand and had run out of money. It was a free place to sleep and eat until my flight home. Of course they expected a donation at the end, but in my youthful naivetรฉ I could not contemplate that contribution. That week and a half of silent meditation did change my lifeโ€”first, for the worse and then for the better. For the year following the retreat, I was extremely depressed because I had gone so deep into myself that I was very sensitive to the hustle and bustle of the world around me. However, in the years since then, I have been very grateful because I am so comfortable with the practice of meditating. This gift has enriched my life in many ways.

Read more at:

https://www.storyspringwriting.com/blog/119745-ins-and-outs-of-the-writing-process-newsletter-5-11

Now is the time to write your soul-stirring story. โœจYour story matters. And itโ€™s time for it to be told.The Story Spring...
05/06/2026

Now is the time to write your soul-stirring story. โœจ
Your story matters. And itโ€™s time for it to be told.

The Story Spring Memoir Writing Course begins tomorrow! Spots are limited, so secure yours before enrollment closes tonight.

Over five weeks, weโ€™ll turn your lived experiences into a meaningful narrativeโ€”one that only you can write.

What youโ€™ll receive:
โ€ข Weekly live online classes (plus recordings to revisit anytime)
โ€ข Guided materials to support your writing between sessions
โ€ข A free workbook to help you begin your memoir journey

If youโ€™ve been waiting for the right momentโ€ฆ this is it.

๐Ÿ”— Learn more + reserve your spot:
https://www.storyspringwriting.com/memoir-writing

๐Ÿ““ Young Writers Invited To Storytelling Workshop In Marquette๐Ÿ“ป Radio Interview https://www.radioresultsnetwork.com/2026/...
05/05/2026

๐Ÿ““ Young Writers Invited To Storytelling Workshop In Marquette
๐Ÿ“ป Radio Interview https://www.radioresultsnetwork.com/2026/05/03/244195/

The Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA) is excited to announce that the Young Writers Storytelling Workshop will be back for a third year and has grown in scope and mission since its debut in 2024.

This year, the workshop will have additional breakout sessions for the students to choose from. It will be adjacent to and share amenities with the conference for adult writers on Saturday, May 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Peter White Public Library.

โ€œThe workshop will run in parallel to UPPAAโ€™s main conference, but the sessions will be aimed at a youthful audience, in grades 6 to 12, who are beginning their writing journeys,โ€ said Rehema Clarken (Hancock, MI), who is the workshop chair.

In previous years, our award-winning author instructors taught the basics of storytelling, but this year, participants will have more to choose from with

reakout sessions in the afternoon. The additional sessions are designed especially for returning participants to help them further develop their writing skills.

These sessions, led by published authors and industry professionals, will cover topics such as creating vivid characters, compelling use of point-of-view, and dynamic plots that both captivate and engage readersโ€™ imaginations. Specialized breakouts offer opportunities to explore the fun of poetry and demystify the publishing experience.

Like the UPPAAโ€™s Spring Conference, participants in the Young Writers Storytelling Workshop will sign up for the tracks they wish to participate in, have additional writing time in each breakout, and a Q&A session with a panel of authors during the lunch break.

Enrollment for the workshop for children in grades 6 to 12 is now open at www.storytellingworkshop.org! The workshop fee is $30 per student for the general public. Children of UPPAA members with family membership packages can attend for free. A limited number of need-based scholarships are available. Please contact [email protected] for details.

My Memoir Writing Course begins May 7. Over five weeks, weโ€™ll explore guided exercises designed to help you uncover mean...
05/04/2026

My Memoir Writing Course begins May 7. Over five weeks, weโ€™ll explore guided exercises designed to help you uncover meaningful memories, shape them into compelling stories, and build momentum in your writing practice.

This course has weekly live classes that you can access afterward as recorded lessons. Bonus material includes a complimentary download of the Journaling to Write a Memoir Workbook as well as weekly course handouts.

If youโ€™ve been waiting for the right moment to start writing your story, then join our supportive community writers as we pursue our goals!

Enrollment closes in two days. Sign up to secure your spot!
https://www.storyspringwriting.com/memoir-writing

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