Writing need not be a solitary process. Although I do much of my writing alone with a pen and paper or a keyboard and monitor, I have found writing with others to be the most creative time in my writing life. A writer's words are meant to be heard, to be seen, to be alive in the world. When we write with a group, we return to the root of all writing--storytelling. When we write within a group we can find the support to take greater risks, the understanding to face significant blocks or problems, and the interest to spark new work.

My writing workshops are based on the Amherst Writers and Artists Method, developed by Pat Schneider and continued by Patricia Lee Lewis. In these groups beginning as well as experienced writers work together within a supportive, encouraging environment. Participants write in response to exercises and are invited to read their work aloud. Group members respond to initial work without judgment, to edited work, with critiques. For more information about this process, visit www.amherstwriters.com.