At Portland Women Writers, our passion is to offer a safe environment where women access their creative power and express their authentic voice. Our writing workshops give you the opportunity to share stories in a fun, transformational, and vibrant community. We offer breathing space for creative expression for beginning and seasoned writers and for women of all ages and backgrounds.
"Portland Women Writers creates the best kind of community. A safe and sacred circle where women can speak the truth, create, and come to know their hidden talents. There is some kind of magic that happens in these circles. They are life changing."
~Bonnie Minden Ward, PWW participant
"I don’t know how to say to you exactly the thanks that I need and want to. While visiting and stewing in all of the family narratives, I was so thankful to have taken classes with you. There is something about being in the circle and watching you hold space that, in borrowing a tiny pinch of this alchemy, it allowed me to be so present and in the moment with my grandmother. We went through photo albums I have never seen before and she told me all sorts of stories about her childhood and her war years that I had never heard. I have written about her quite a bit in our groups, and unearthing those memories and tying the past to the present meant so much to us both...I hope you know how valuable this work is and how lingering the impact."
~K.M., PWW participant
Writing our stories, whether they originate from our lives or our imagination is a sacred act that heals and transforms us. When we write we remember who we are. We reconnect with parts of ourself that have gone into hiding and thereby practice the art of reclaiming our wholeness. We connect with the voice beneath the voice.
Writing in community is soul work. It takes us down to the blessed dark where our stories of loss and grief, transformation and becoming await. We gather the ash and hard, black coal from these stories and through our writing build a new fire to live by.
Writing in community renews us. Through our writing we envision. We imagine. We pull ourselves back to the light on the wings of our natural creative genius. We transcend. We soar.
When we commit ourselves to a regular writing practice we learn to listen to the great intelligence of the heart and our writer's voice becomes strong and sure.
In the company of other women we are inspired, encouraged and forever changed.
Summer heat cools to Autumn breeze. Autumn breeze stills and becomes the long, dark nights of winter. Winter white takes on color and blossoms as Spring. Spring flowers turn to berries. Again and again.
Write about change of season in your own life. Where are the thresholds, the gateways? Let yourself borrow from the language and imagery of the natural world.
PWW hosted "Back to the Jungle Gym" on September 24, 2015 featuring PWW writers and author FayetteFoxwho read from her new book The Deception Artist.
Workshop Schedule (click on workshop for more info)
Click here to learn about:A free on-going writing workshop at OHSU for women with a cancer diagnosis
PWW Writers News ~Amazing things our writers are doing~
*PWW Writer Christine Wilcox will be offering a weekend writing retreat at The Shalom Prayer Center in Mount Angel from September 9-11: "From Bondage to Abundance: A Creative Writing Workshop for Women Survivors of Abuse." For more info visit The Shalom Prayer Center website.
*Visit PWW Writer and Facilitator, Lisa Kagan'sArt of Motherhood Program on her websiteFamily Heirloom Arts:Celebrating Life Stories. This fall Lisa will be offering a half-day retreat for Mothers, "Nurture & Nourish," on 9/24 and a monthly series, "Mom's Night Out," beginning in October.
*PWW WriterSarah Kastrup offers writing workshops for children and teens. VisitWrite Now! for more information:writenowportland.com
*PWW Writer April Brenneman has helped to found the First Annual Northwest Narrative MedicineCollaborativeConference to be held in September. Visit their website at: https://nwnmcollaborative.org
*Join PWW facilitator, Katalin Koda, for "Fire of the Goddess Women's Retreat on the Big Island of Hawaii, November 11-17. Click here for more information.
*PWW Writer and facilitator, Meg Weber, along with Sara Blackthorne and Megan Jennifer announce Paper Lion Press - Founded in 2016, Paper Lion Press seeks to publish exciting, engaging, and enthralling works by new and established writers. They want edgy stuff. Stuff that pushes boundaries, that calls privilege into question, that makes them ask questions. Visit them by
*PWW Writer Anne Richardson, Chaplain, Certified Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator and Certified Spiritual Director is excited to share Nurture Your Journeyand her new website, which includes her poetry, a blog and information about the workshops, spiritual direction and labyrinth services she offers. Click here.
Click Here to see the full listing of current workshops offered by Portland Women Writers
