Newsletter: April 1, 2026

Dear Writers-at-heart,

Welcome to my first newsletter, offering:

• Something useful

• Something fun

• News about my upcoming events

to help you create the writing -- and writing life -- you love.

Something useful

Here are some mantras for a better writing life that I shared during a recent workshop.

They are yours to adopt, adapt, or use as a springboard to create one of your own. Repeat them, rewrite them, post them, chant them.

Over time, you will groove in beliefs that will empower you to stay the course as a writer.

If you have a mantra for a better writing life, I'd love to hear it.

Something fun

I've never been one for collecting spoons or memorabilia, but here's a collection that's free, travel-friendly, and appreciates in value . . . the more you appreciate it: Start a WORD COLLECTION. What words that make you feel more vibrant, alive, melancholy, human? (And yes, the words you make up count!)

Here are some of my favs:

• flexi-nacity - a combination of flexibillity about means and tenacity about ends that I try to adopt as a writer.

• kintsugi - the Japanese art of beautiful repair to create an object even more beautiful than the original, whose cracks display its journey.

• erumpent - vigorous growth. I love the way the sounds burst erumpently from the initial 'e'.

How is life like kintsugi?

What are yours?

Favourite words make great writing prompts, and your characters' favourite words tell you a lot about their fiber.

Upcoming events

It's gonna be an erumpently busy spring. Here are some events I'm leading. If they resonate, I'd love to see you there.

April 8, 7-8:15 pm UK time: Open Write-by-Zoom session with writing prompts and Q&A. Productive, inspiring and welcoming.

April 11 - June 21: Write in Ten writer development program, transforming dreamers into writers in ten weeks, with ten minutes of writing a day - open to ten students max. I am gobsmacked by all that the Jan-April Write in Ten group created, experienced and learned and can't wait to see what happens next.

May 9-10: Live workshops at the Tunbridge Wells Literary Festival, Kent UK

• Write a Heartfelt Letter of Gratitude

• Letters as a Literary Device

• Three Myths That Keep You From Writing...and one Truth to Get You Back on Track

And finally . . .

Are you a writer-at-heart trying to figure out how to ignite the magic or create space for writing in a whirling world? I can help. Join my mailing list and/or contact me for a short discovery call.

“I couldn’t have done it without you, Jo. It’s as simple as that. All the characters were always there but I needed the one-on-one nurturing to get to the nub of the story. A few weeks in, through our meetings, there was a moment when I realised I was actually writing about myself — not just Ollie Alpaca — and it became a real story.”

Nicki Fisher, picture book author, Take a Look in the Nook