Adoptee Voices Writing Group: Jan-Mar 2023

SIX THURSDAYS: JANUARY 19TH TO MARCH 2ND (no meeting February 23rd)

Whether your goals include writing for emotional expression or publishing your words, we hope you'll join us for our six-week online writing groups for adult adoptees who have stories to share.

In a supportive environment designed to help adoptee voices shine, the Adoptee Voices writing groups offer:

• Dedicated writing time: bring your work-in-progress or write something fresh using the week's adoption-specific prompt
• Writing accountability and motivation
• Community with other adoptees and writers
• Optional feedback on your writing
• Practice at sharing your adoptee story
• Your choice in interest tracks: "Honor Your Voice" or "Hone Your Craft"
• Publishing and writing support
• Opportunities for sharing your work in a small and supportive setting
• An invitation to publish your writing in the Adoptee Voices e-Zine

Interest Tracks

Honor Your Voice: This group/track supports adoptees who are new to writing and sharing their adoption stories. Each week, adoptees will be invited to write from adoption-specific prompts designed to help explore the unconscious and play with emotions through words. Facilitated by Jennifer Dyan Ghoston (Once Upon a Time…In Adopteeland), and Kate Murphy (The Couch blog), this group is about helping you build confidence in your abilities as a writer and learning to honor your voice.

Hone Your Craft: This group/track focuses on the craft of storytelling, writing with publication in mind, and marketing to agents, publishers, and readers. Adoptees can write from weekly prompts or bring their current works-in-progress. After writing together in community, we break into small groups for sharing our writing and giving/receiving feedback. Led by Sara Easterly (Searching for Mom) and Alice Stephens (Famous Adopted People).

Meeting Structure

• Meetings take place over Zoom from 4-7 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursdays.
• We start each meeting as a large group, and then break into track-specific groups for: A) Warm-up activities to invite your unconscious to play ("Honor Your Voice" track); or B) Publishing and writing instruction ("Hone Your Craft" track).
• After the adoption-specific prompts are shared, we turn off audio/video to write "side by side” for 1.25 to 1.5 hours.
• Following writing time, meet in track-specific groups of 7-8 adoptee-writers for feedback.
• For our final 10-15 minutes together, we return as a large group for a writing-related discussion.

Registration Details

• All genres, all writing levels, all adoptees 18+ welcome.
• Limited to 15 writers in each track.
• Cost is $150.
• Includes access to a private online group for ongoing dialogue.