Coworking Experiment
A dear friend and I connected in 2021 to talk all things writing. We even did some cowriting sessions together. We took examples from things we’d seen online, like prompts, timers, sharing, etc. It was a lot of fun, but it’s hard enough to keep something going with work schedules and changing time zones, but it can feel like an option when it’s rooted in a friendship. So, we ventured out on our own to see if we could find some online options.
Below are the ones I spent the most time with this last year. The last one is the current one and so far, it suits me perfectly!
Jennifer Louden’s The Oasis. I loved her book, Why Bother?, but I wasn’t a fan of her coworking program. It’s a LOT. The dates and times are willy-nilly; they change with every week. And there were just 4 or 5 per month. That’s not enough for me. All the action was on an intricate Oasis website and Facebook page. This was really where you had to invest your time. She would also conduct one or two “coaching” sessions a month. She talked about her dog and her new windows in the ones I attended.
I paid money for the program for 2 or 3 months, until the next to final shove when she started throwing her political views into it, as so many do nowadays. I’m grateful that we can all speak our opinions, but for me, writing is an escape. The final shove was learning that, as she was constantly bitching about all things on the other side of her political aisle (the reason I can’t stomach Anne Lamott anymore), this doctor’s wife signed up for $35K in PPP loans in 2020 AND 2021 that were both forgiven. I guess everybody else’s money is acceptable to her. Like I said, I just thought I was paying to write.The GSDC (Get Shit Done Club). I really enjoyed Nicole Antoinette, the creator and facilitator of this program. She’s adorably high energy and encouraging! Sessions were at set times each month, which was super helpful. It’s not all about writing. Some people were cleaning their offices, sewing a costume for their child, exercising, or just organizing their day.
Something she did that I dearly loved was devote the last session of the month to doing whatever thing(s) you didn’t want to take with you into the next month. I LOVED this!
But it didn’t take long for it to start, too. “Enter your pronouns in your Zoom profile.” “If you pay an extra $10, I’ll donate to the Abortion League of America.” Seriously? Hey, it’s your platform, but, again, I really just wanted to write.Next, I tried Firefly Creative Writing. Very welcoming website presentation. They offer a wide variety of workshops and groups. The Large Group Writing Program offers what I was looking for. They have a separate session for people who identify as BIPOC. A separate session? As in segregation? I understand cultural differences and community, but I wish history wasn’t repeating itself YET again, and we would encourage learning from each other’s experiences. Enough virtue-signaling already. Again, I just came her to try to write.
And then. Dear friend referred to above sent me information about an upcoming Heal + Create Writers’ Retreat. In researching the authors/speakers, I was drawn to Lauren Sepala. She offers a program each month called Silent Writing. The timing was perfect, because I signed up just in time for September’s sessions. Three sessions at set times each week. (Not so great if you’re on the East coast, but I’m not, so it works. I imagine she changes things up each month, but I’m not sure yet.)
I googled and watched many videos on her YouTube channel and didn’t hear one mention of the world or her thoughts about it. And I HAVE WRITTEN!! Yes, there are words! She starts each session with a calm, heart-centered message grounded in the present, and then she starts the hour. Camera, no camera, come and go as you please. It’s just been perfect for this HSP, INFJ gal.
I’m going to stick with Ms. Lauren for a while, I think. It’s working, and I don’t want to think about anything but that. No division, no politics, no world. Just my personal escape and flow with God for a few hours a week. I will update this post if I learn about others to try, too, should this go horribly wrong.
And I’m now offering coworking sessions on Eventbrite.