Structural Designs
New resources and events to help you structure your writing (and your writing life!)
Dear fellow writer,
I clipped the maps, buildings, and grids in this colorful paper collage from a community theatre prospectus that I picked up in Lucerne, Switzerland on the way to my annual Mountain Rise writing retreat. (What an amazing week that was!) The two appliquéd birds graced a postcard that I purchased in early June at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and I cut out the two Swiss chalets from a tourist brochure advertising tours of a chocolate factory.
Together, these images represent many different kinds of structure: textual, textural, architectural. And what better way to invoke the varied structures of scholarly writing — and to launch my new 6-week focus on Structure — than with a riotous array of straight lines and curved lines, buildings and birds, maps and metaphors?
Here are some of the structural delights that I have planned over the next 6 weeks to help you build and fortify your writing practice:
Structural Metaphors: A new 6-week Swordcraft series
Don’t miss these short, sharp weekly videos exploring metaphors for structuring six key aspects of your scholarly writing: your ideas, your priorities, your processes, your texts, your reader’s journey, and your writing time. (Six weekly videos for paid subscribers; upgrade to a paid subscription here).
The Structure Sequence: 6 weeks in the Live Writing Studio
Deepen your structural savvy with the Structure Sequence, a 6-week series of two Live Writing Studio sessions per week focusing on the theme of structure. (Twelve 2-hour Studio sessions; sign up for a 6-week Structure Sequence pass here).Structural Designs: A free WriteSPACE Special Event (July 9 & 10)
Sneak a peek into the Live Writing Studio at this free Zoom event, offered twice to accommodate participants in any time zone. In the first hour, you’ll learn strategies for identifying the optimal structure for your own current book, thesis, article, chapter, or any other writing project you’d like to focus on; in the second hour, you’ll have the opportunity to get feedback on your new structural design. (Two 2-hour sessions, July 9 & 10; register for this free event here).
I’d love to see you there!
Other writing news
Don’t miss out on these special offers expiring in mid-July:
Island Time Earlybird Special
My annual Island Time Writing Retreat will take place on beautiful Waiheke Island in January 2025. SPECIAL OFFER (extended to July 15): Get 20% off the regular price by booking and paying in full now. Submit your expression of interest here.Stylish Writing Intensive PLUS The Creativity Catalyst
Transform your writing from stodgy to stylish, or from adequate to amazing, in just 3 action-packed days! My next Stylish Writing Intensive runs over three non-consecutive weekdays on Mon July 22, Wed July 24, and Fri July 26. SPECIAL OFFER (until July 15): Sign up for the Stylish Writing Intensive and get my 6-week Creativity Catalyst course for FREE (a $550 value). Learn more and register here.
Want to share the secrets of structure with other writers? You can help this post rise in the Substack algorithms app (and make my day!) by dropping me a heart, leaving a comment, and/or clicking Restack at the bottom of this message. Your enthusiasm and support mean so much to me!
Kia pai tō koutou rā (have a great day) – and keep on writing!
Helen
Write more, right now! Join me and fellow writers from 30+ countries in the WriteSPACE, the ultimate membership site for scholarly and professional writers who aim to lift their writing game. To try free for 30 days, click here and enter the discount code SNEAKPEEK.
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