Mindful Writing Marathon

Ever feel like your inner critic is running the show when you sit down to write? Or like you're overthinking every word before it hits the page? This 2-hour Zoom session is designed to help you slip past all that noise and connect with your authentic voice.

Here's how it works: we gather together online and dive into timed writing sprints - starting with 10 minutes of writing, then 10 minutes where anyone who wants to can read what they've written. No feedback, no critique, just pure listening. Reading out is completely optional, and depending on how many of us there are, we'll take turns.

We keep this rhythm going for the full two hours - write, listen, write, listen. I'll give you a prompt to start, but after that first sprint, you're free to continue with what you've begun, respond to something someone else shared, or jump into whatever new prompt I offer.

There's something magical about this process. When we remove the pressure of commentary and judgment, something shifts. You stop worrying about whether your words are "good enough" and start trusting what wants to emerge.

"Not commenting on another person's work builds up a healthy desire to speak. You can pour that energy into your next round of writing. Write, read, write, read. It is an excellent way to cut through the internal censor and to give yourself tremendous space to write whatever's on your mind. What usually happens is you stop thinking: you write; you read; you write; you become less and less self-conscious. Everyone is in the same boat, and because no comments are made, you feel freer and freer to write anything you want." — Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within by Natalie Goldberg

How much does a Mindful Writing Marathon cost?

• £10 - for non-members.
• Included with paid membership at The Mindful Writer Substack.

Check your local time here.

Who am I?

I'm Amanda - a writer, editor, and publisher who believes writing can be a practice that heals both ourselves and our world. I've written two novels, a novella-in-flash, and countless stories. I founded Retreat West back in 2012 (we won Most Innovative Publisher at the 2020 Saboteur Awards), launched WestWord literary journal in 2022, and brought The Mindful Writer to life in 2023. After a decade of mindfulness practice that transformed both my life and my writing, I'm passionate about creating spaces where writers can connect more deeply with themselves and their craft, because I believe that when we write with compassion and authenticity, our words have the power to bring healing to our divided world.

Find out more here: https://www.themindfulwriter.net/ and here: https://themindfulwriter.substack.com/