For as long as hands have pressed seeds into soil, this has been a time of gathering and gratitude. We honor the harvest and prepare for the inward reflections of winter. This newsletter follows that rhythm, offering thanks for all we’ve grown together, tending our shared writing practice with a new twice-weekly schedule, looking ahead to the January retreat where we’ll step into a new year of storytelling, and nourishing the Yoda Fund so more writers can find their way to the retreats and community where their stories can take root.

With love & gratitude,

Polly

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Online Writing Sessions

Our weekly online writing sessions are shifting to a new twice-weekly rhythm:

• Tuesdays at 1:00 PM PST (starting Dec 2)

• Thursdays at 5:30 PM PST

These two-hour sessions are dedicated to supporting your writing practice, deepening your creative flow, and connecting with fellow writers. Each session includes grounding, guided visualization, writing time, and optional sharing in a supportive circle.

Free for Members

👉 [View Schedule & Register]

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Help Marginalized Writers Access Transformative Retreats

The Yoda Fund has already made a real difference, subsidizing nine retreat spots and two annual memberships for writers who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate. Today, we have an urgent goal: we need to raise $1,377 to fund the scholarship for 2025.

• $175 sponsors one full retreat spot
  (I personally contribute the final $100 to meet the low-income rate of $275.)

• Monthly contributions help sustain ongoing access and community support.

Named in honor of the brilliant writer Yodassa Williams, the Yoda Fund is a community-powered effort to ensure more voices have the space and resources to write, rest, and grow. Every contribution plants the seeds for new stories that might otherwise never be told.

👉 [Donate here]

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Death Valley Hot Spring Weekend Retreat

January 9–11, 2026, 90 mins drive from Las Vegas

This January, take a whole weekend to immerse yourself in your writing practice. If you want to start the new year with intention and momentum, join us to set your creative goals for the months ahead.

Throughout the weekend, you’ll enjoy daily writing rituals, home-cooked meals, nature walks, optional gentle yoga, and ample time for soaking, writing, or simply resting. The retreat is limited to a small, supportive group of around 10 writers.

Accommodation ranges from shared rooms and glamping to camping by the pools. Simple, vegetarian meals are included.

👉 [Learn More & Register]