What some women have to say about The Women's Writing Project
"I love that artistry fulfills me. I do not want to be small & safe. To put on paper what is in my soul is my only goal." Denise
"Your writing groups are a healing and an inspiration, and it all flows so effortlessly from your nature." Sharon Gilbert
"You brought a great deal of contagious enthusiasm and excitement for writing to us, and this very special process of writing, reading, and witnessing is a huge gift that you gave us! Your ideas were abundant and well thought-out, your approach refreshing and creative. You put a lot of time and work into the assignments and exercises, and the idea of sacred space made it safe, even for beginners and us "non" writers! The exercises you shared with us opened lots of doors creatively and improved our writing skills. Thank you!" Sadie Salim, Artist, Orcas Island, Washington
"The free-writing class was definitely an opening experience for me. I was terrified when I first went to it, literally shaking because I didn't know what to expect. Rae and Karla were so welcoming. I was just scooped up and taken in. They created a safe space for me to open up and let the inspiration flow in. I can really relax in their class. It's like play. Writing is my life. I was doubtful of that before, but now I know it's what I want to do. And I have the confidence to do it." Kelly Miller
"If only I could do this every day and I could always read my writing. I love the reading what I've written and have others listen. I love the freedom and support to write whatever. I love the self-revelation that results from this format, the coming into myself my own voice, the discovery - the work in progress that I am. The safe harbor of these women, the shared hearts in some indirect, off the focus, out of the side of your eye where you relax and are surprised by the level of exposure because I wasn't thinking about it - Diffused focus, tiptoes past sleeping elephants, wakes up one or more and they parade across these pages, introducing themselves to me." Carol Paterson
"The group heat keeps me alert and magnetizes the words, pulls them out of my gut, out of my heart, out of my nose, if need be. Its scary, yet safe, and filled with wonder, for I have no idea what (I) will say or do or fail to do. The group consciousness develops the atmosphere, on a regular basis, where my outlet to words is unclogged, my creative gate is opened, my characters are given birth. May this gate never swing shut." Ellie Ditzel
"I enjoy taking the time to do something alone. Taking time to develop a creative side of myself and not spending all of my time cooking, eating gluten free, and tracking crumbs. I am thankful I have the time to write and have been given to opportunity to do so. I don't really like my writing. Sometimes you just have to take a chance. I don't know how I write things others like I just get in this non-thinking state and it spats itself out on the page. I am usually totally amazed at the results and sometimes don't know what others see in what I write. It's a lot of writing and creativity in a short amount of time." Patty Crist
"What I said, when we were asked at the beginning what we wanted from this class, what I wanted, was to live my life from a less superficial level...and to be loved, to be seen as the smartest and deepest and best of them all. What I have received is gorgeously that. Fifteen minutes of free-writing lets you go deep into your reality; other people hearing it and liking it lets you know you are good. They LIKE your deep reality. Hearing other people's universes, every one so different, yet each with its own irresistible truth lets you know they also are good. We laugh and we cry and we silently "ahhh" at the beauty we hear and feel. Even when the writing is dark and despairing, the WRITING of it is exquisite. More and more deeply we come to know that we are not alone.
I find my heart is so much more open and so are my ears. In every casual conversation, I express more of what I really want to say. Because people have listened to me, I can listen better to others now. This class has freed me from isolation, which was rooted in a sense of shame I had not known was there. I started to break through it by pouring out whatever was inside me, and having it received with enjoyment and pleasure. Rae and Karla have a magic energy that permits, encourages, and nourishes this adventure into freedom." Carol Olicker