From Situation to Story: A Diagnostic Writing Session

Overview

This is not a full workshop, but a diagnostic session: the emphasis is on identifying the narrative center of each piece.

Each participant will receive targeted feedback aimed at identifying the difference between what is happening in the piece (the situation) and what the story actually is, or wants to be.

Drawing on the distinction articulated by Vivian Gornick, the session is designed to clarify overall narrative direction rather than to provide line-level editing. This session is best suited for writers who are open to direct, focused feedback and are interested in clarifying what their story might be.

Format

  • Maximum 8 participants (minimum 5)
  • Each participant may submit up to 1,000 words
  • All participants will receive focused feedback during the session
  • Format combines brief framing, close reading, and moderated discussion

Details

Date: October 3, 2026
Time: 1- 4 pm (includes 15 minutes break)
Location: Online (Zoom)
Duration: 3 hours

Fee: $20

Submission

Participants will be invited to submit:

  • One piece (maximum 1,000 words)
  • A brief preamble (2–3 sentences): What do you think the piece is about?

Submissions must be received by September 28, 2026.

Registration

Enrollment is limited to eight participants, and the session will run with a minimum of four. Registration closes September 28, or when the session fills.

To request a place, please complete the short registration form below. Payment will not be requested until minimum enrollment has been reached.

Once the session is confirmed, the $20 fee will be due within three days. Your place is secured when payment is received.

Heart on the Page: Two Summer Retreats, Two Inspiring Settings

One of the greatest pleasures of teaching writing is watching someone discover the story they were truly trying to tell.

Often, we begin writing with an image, a memory, or an idea. It’s only through the process of slowing down, paying attention, and following our curiosity that the deeper story begins to emerge.

That belief is at the heart of a new writing retreat I’m delighted to be co-facilitating this summer with Toni Short and Joni Daidone.

Together, we’ve created Heart on the Page, an immersive retreat designed to help writers reconnect with their creative practice through movement, sensory exploration, reflective exercises, and narrative craft.

What excites me most is how naturally our three approaches complement one another.

Toni begins by helping participants arrive fully in the present through gentle movement, breath, and somatic practices that quiet the mind and create space for creativity.

Joni then invites writers into memory and imagination through sensory exploration, visual art, and reflective practices that open new pathways into voice, image, and story.

My role is to help writers discover the heart of their story and shape it into compelling narrative—exploring emotional truth, narrative voice, structure, and the deeper meaning that gives a piece its lasting resonance.

Whether you’re beginning something entirely new or returning to a work in progress, our hope is that you’ll leave not only with new pages, but with a deeper understanding of the story you want to tell and renewed confidence in your creative process.

We’re offering two retreats this summer—one in Manhattan and one in the Hudson Valley—and there are still a few spots available.

If this sounds like the kind of writing experience you’ve been looking for, we’d love to welcome you.

You’ll find all the details below, including dates, locations, and registration information.

The Heart of the Page : A New Weekend Retreat

I’m delighted to announce a new collaboration with interdisciplinary artists Toni Short and Joni Daidone: The Heart on the Page, an intimate weekend retreat exploring creative expression through body, voice, memory, and story.

Hosted in a Manhattan home and limited to eight participants, the retreat brings together somatic exploration, sensory reflection, visual expression, and generative writing in a collaborative and supportive environment. Across the weekend, participants will write, sketch, move, reflect, and create new work while exploring the connections between lived experience and artistic expression.

The retreat culminates in a celebratory public salon reading featuring pieces generated during the weekend.

Whether you identify primarily as a writer, artist, or creative seeker, The Heart on the Page offers dedicated time and space to reconnect with your creative practice in community with others.

July 10–12, 2026
Manhattan, New York
Limited to eight participants

Registration and additional details are available here: www.bit.ly/heartonthepage