Embodied Writing Mentorship Group

Writing from the Inner Grounds

Late Summer-Autumn 2024 TBC

9 Online Sessions + 1 Fieldtrip

We experience the world through our bodies first, then we tell their stories. Welcome to your ecological self, your inner grounds. Together we will journey into our bodies and find what matters most to us that needs to be told.

Are you ready to take your existing writing practice further? Are you seeking new ways of developing your writing practice, exploring your voice, overcoming inner obstacles? Do you have an idea but don’t know how to get it out, or where to begin? Are you seeking new inspiration or beginning again after several false starts? Are you interested in writing from places other than your head? Are you looking to commit to an existing writing intention? Are you looking to root your writing content or practice in nature in curious new ways? Are you trying to find a way to show up that honours your quiet, calm or sensitive nature?

If any of these questions resonate with you then you may be ready to join my Embodied Mentoring Group in 2024-25 where we go beyond the words in our heads, to find the writing voice that lives in our bodies. In this creative and exploratory small-group we will go back to the foundations and bones of our ideas, passions, motivations and desires to reconnect with why we want to write, what we want to write, and how. We will connect with the ‘inner grounds’ of our wisdom, intuition and knowledge to establish what it is we want to say, and how we want to express ourselves through our writing.

Drawing on my experience as an long-time writer, published author and embodied psychotherapist I will help you come at your ideas and writing practice in new ways, encouraging you to write what matters to you from your foundations, overcoming the obstacles along the way, and learning how to be a soft and compassionate body in the ‘hard places’ that writing takes you to - whether it’s despondency, demotivation, imposter syndrome, creative envy, feelings of inadequacy etc.

This class is primarily about self-expression, exploration of voice and style and evolving a writing practice and community to move you towards your writing goals and dreams. We can and will share work, write together and seek feedback, arriving at industry insight. However, my focus is to help you become the writer you want to be from the inside out, to support your creative process and help you build awareness, confidence and conviction in your place as a writer. I am hoping that through the set up and content of the group you will find almost everything you need to get to where you’re going! Being a writer is so much more than putting words on a page and this is where I want to help you.

WHAT WE WILL BE COVERING:

I am not a fan of fixed curricula, preferring to hold a lose structure that can then be adapted and played-with as a group once we have formed, met and heard each other’s hopes and intentions for the group. That said, I have spent considerable time thinking about what I would have liked in a group mentoring programme, the areas I have struggled with, the topics that I think are worth exploring when it comes to finding voice, style and purpose in our writing and writing practices. Here are some things we might consider depending on the energy and flow of the group:

Exploration at the Foundations - what does it mean to be a writer // connecting with our motivations, dreams, goals and intentions // introduction to embodied writing as a practice and process of discovery // writing as a foundational movement // what do we mean by inner grounds // exploring writing as body-work //

Song of the Bones - writing from the deep places // setting your rhythm // words of bone-deep resonance that move and have energy // writing from all parts of ourselves // what matters to you most // finding passion and inspiration // making the personal universal //

Finding Substance - moving into your voice and style // giving your writing body // animal-vigour and vitality // mining the seam of your preoccupations and fascinations // experimenting with ideas, forms, techniques //

Hard Places, Soft Bodies - what’s stopping you // unpacking unhelpful narratives // self-compassion and the ‘who am I to do this?’ question // falling in and out of love with ideas, motivations, practice // doing it anyway //

Rock Work - writing as a process // pulling clay from the ground - writing then editing // writing practice // being in the present // playing with perspectives // fieldwork // where to go from here? // Submissions & rejections //

“The encouragement, kinship and inspiration I gained from being a part of the Embodied Writing Group led by Ruth was a pivotal experience for me. I knew I needed a safe container to explore my writing, and soon, the group felt more like a community, a place where we could honestly and openly share our work and the stories we had to tell…the writing group was the start of the next chapter for me”

Laura (Spring Summer 2023 Group)

“Joining Ruth’s embodied writing group was an unforgettable experience. I came away, not only with a group of fellow writers to be in community with—helping with accountability and creative problem-solving in togetherness—but also with the essential confidence and sensitivity to write my own story as I’ve always wanted to tell it. If you have ever wished to believe more in your creative self, you should join the group!”

Isabella (Spring Summer 2023 Group)

About me

I am a published author and embodied psychotherapist specialising in outdoor practice. I am also a bison-hearted quiet-type, but quietly confident with it. I know how to get things done, to keep the drama low, and to move through the inevitable difficult stuff. I don’t believe writing has to be lonely, tortured, anguished or blocked. I believe that we can all be successful writers (whatever success means to you) whilst preserving our creative integrity, passion and sanity.

As your facilitator and group host I bring bundles of inter-disciplinary experience to the (soul-) work of writing. I am a psychotherapist with years of experience working outside and in with people who are experiencing any number of challenges and issues that are causing them difficulty, and it is through this lens that I offer writing mentorship: I know how to help you overcome ‘your stuff’ with bags of encouragement, compassion, and a safely held space. I believe that in the right environment, people will flourish and it is this container that I look to provide for all of my professional work. Specialising in working in and with landscape and geo-forms I am particularly passionate about helping you connect with the sustaining, stabilising and grounding properties of rock and this will be the focus of our fieldtrip, as well as offering a structure for the content of our mentoring group. I am all about the bones, the foundations, the inner and outer grounds, the calm architecture of our bodies - and it is this framework of thinking, feeling and moving that I will guide you through over our time together. My approach is unique and innovative - based on extensive study, exploration and experimentation, and drawing on all sorts of systems of thinking and practice.

I have been writing creatively since I was a child, and have journeyed through the terrain of academic writing on everything from the geology of Bangladesh through to learning development in statistics curriculum, creative poetry, editorial and non-fiction book writing. If you had told me back then that I would leave one career behind, retrain, build my practice and then write 2 non-fiction books about my new work in just 6 years I wouldn’t have believed you! My first book ‘Grounded’ was published to critical acclaim in 2021 by Welbeck/Hachette, and my second book ‘Weathering’ will be published by Ebury/Penguin Randomhouse (one of the Big Seven publishers!) in March 2024. I also have an extensive portfolio of written pieces for magazines and journals. I hold a PhD in Geology and an MA in Creative Writing, but it is my experience of writing as a practitioner over the years that tells me now is the right time to host this group. I have a growing experience of the publishing industry and I have plenty of insight to offer when it comes to writing proposals, pitches and getting your work sold if that’s what you have in mind.

I offer myself as your guide for this group, but I join you with humility as someone still active in their own practice and hopefully with plenty of publishing years ahead. I am still learning as as well, and for me this is the most fruitful place to work, from for all concerned. Beware the teachers who believes they know it all.

Ruth has created the most nourishing space to explore and enrich your writing practice. 

From the connection and support with other writers to the thoughtful prompts, it’s been an incredibly generative time. My notebooks are spilling over and I’m excited for the next stage of the journey. 

Thank you Ruth for guiding us so expertly and being so generous with your time, energy and feedback.

- Christina (Spring-Summer 2023 Group)

GROUP MEMBERSHIP 24/25 - £950

£350 is payable on joining, with options to pay in full or by instalments in a way that works for you! Please do enquire about this option if you are interested in joining but wish to spread the fee. This will be a closed group and your place cannot be filled, so once the course is full refunds cannot be made.

The dates for my second cohort in 2024 are yet to be confirmed. However, it is likely to be autumn/winter again owing to a busy year with Weathering publishing and its book tour.

If you are interested in hearing first about the next programme dates then leave your email in the box at the bottom of the page!

Why GROUP and not One-to-One?

As writers who hopefully want to have our work read, it makes sense to tap into the power, empathy and encouragement of the group from the outset, rather than just on the thoughts of one pair of eyes. One to one work is vital for getting into the detail, but supporting eachother as a group is essential for building confidence and trust in the compassionate reader that is located in all of us. Forget your writing degrees though, this is a group where safety is created and cherished from the start. No brutality here!

We take time as a group to get to know each other and there is no requirement to share work until you’re ready (if ever) but when you are, hopefully you will experience the joy of giving and receiving feedback that is offered to build you, not destroy you. It’s amazing how much we see in our own work when we help others with theirs. If you think you could be this encouraging person to others then WELCOME to the group!

Outside of the group I aim to support you with my own one-to-one thoughts via email (additional ZOOM calls are available on request for £75/hr)

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

  • 9 x Group mentoring sessions 6-7.45pm UK Time GMT+0 - this will offer a mix of creative exercises, discussions, work sharing, Q&A, freewriting as a group etc. The schedule will be rich and varied and will give us bags of space to explore lots of terrain.

  • Recordings of each session so that you can watch again, or if you can’t attend you can catch up in your own time.

  • Reading and editing of your creative work outside of sessions - data limits may apply for HUGE downloads ;)

  • An included but optional group fieldtrip lead by me to write outside, in place, together. This will be held in the Peak District, UK in a location accessible by public transport. This is a unique chance to write wild as well as meet in person as a community.

  • After- and between- class activities and prompts - whilst I’m not a fan of the word ‘homework’, or sticking to a firm curriculum, I will be offering you inspiration and ideas to work on in your free time that will support your writing practice. You are never obliged to do them, but they will be there if you get stuck. In our last group, these were really important but the group asked for more!

  • My expertise and guidance towards building a regular body-lead writing practice that works with your own rhythms and preferences - no questions are too silly, too basic, too irrelevant.

  • My advice and guidance navigating the publishing industry - ask me all the things that are hard to find information on, in a notoriously closed industry!

  • Template for writing a proposal if and when you are ready to seek representation by an agent with a view to publishing

  • A generously, calmly lead space for exploration and accountability - a place to share your ideas, write together, workshop your writing if you want feedback, draw on the wisdom of a nurturing group

  • As much encouragement as I can give you!

“The experience of being in Ruth's writing group has been transformational; it is so much more than a writing group, it is a guided journey into understanding yourself as a writer, your ambitions and most importantly your voice. Through the group, not only did I find the confidence to write in the way that I want to, about subjects that hold meaning for me, but I am now part of a group of creative, focused and inspirational writers who continue to support one another.”

- Bel (Spring-Summer 2023 Group)

Oh no, it sold out!

If this form is here then it means the latest programme has sold out in which case pop your name and email address in the form opposite and I will add you to my mailing list for ‘first refusal’ next time. You will find out about the new dates first and have a limited time period to grab a place before anyone else. There are only 12 places and both seasons have sold out in the first week, so be quick! :)

Ruth P - Spring/Summer group 2023

'I’d heard a lot about ‘embodied writing’ but never really known how to tap into it.  And at the same time I wanted to get more out of my writing, to access the inner recesses of myself and find new ways of knowing.  So this group was beyond perfect for me - learning the techniques to enable writing from the body and developing my own work. Ruth created a space for trust and mutuality to flourish so sharing our work and feelings felt safe and enriching. Hands down the best thing I committed to in 2023’

Lynne - Spring/Summer Group 2023

“Being part of Ruth's first Embodied Writing mentorship programme was a transformative moment in my writing journey. I joined an extraordinary group of intelligent, caring and creative women, and under Ruth's skilful and compassionate leadership our regular evening sessions together became safe and grounded spaces in which we shared ideas, stories, inspiration and our own writing if we felt moved to, although there was never any pressure to do so. Most importantly, through working with Ruth's insightful prompts and playful reflective activities and writing projects, I finally found my writing voice - something I believe I have been seeking for most of my adult life. I produced some of my best writing during those months together - I wrote a book proposal, entered a competition, and learnt techniques of embodied writing that will stay with me forever. Whenever I feel my creativity waning as it naturally does from time to time, I know what to do now, thanks to Ruth. Step outside, tune into my interior world, write from my body. It never fails”

a few Qs

  • This group is suitable for anyone ready to take their writing seriously, but is especially suited to non-fiction writers, poets, interdisciplinary people, those looking to explore their work/passions in writing etc. I am a narrative non-fiction nature-based writer and this will tell you something about my expertise.

    You are welcome to join if you are a fiction writer, but this is not my specialism so get in touch if you want to join but this is your focus.

    I only ask that you are ready to commit to yourself and your writing - but if publishing is not your thing, that’s fine! Writing for yourself is equally valid. What I mean by this is being ready to write, submit and share with others. You will get the most out of it if you’re already writing.

  • That’s fine! Life happens. All of the sessions are recorded so you can listen on catch up. For the sake of group cohesion and confidence building I ask that you only join if you have an intention to join as many live sessions as possible, but I know that this isn’t always possible. Likewise, if I need to rearrange a session due to illness then I ask for your patience.

  • Of course! Please note the timing of the course however. It is GMT+0 (London/UK). If you cannot make the group trip at the end you will be given info on how to participate with the themes we will be exploring, from your own locations.

  • Yes! At the end of the programme we will go on a fieldtrip to explore the rocky landscapes of the Peak District National Park. This is included in your fee, but is not essential. If you cannot make it, then that’s fine. You will need to provide your own travel and accommodation as required.

    We will be outside for most of the day and you will need to bring food and drink accordingly, as well as wear appropriate clothing and footwear. I will give you more details on joining the group.

  • £950, payable in one go or by deposit and instalments. Just drop me a line if you have any questions.

  • I made the decision to increase the fee in line with my offer. This year I am offering unlimited feedback on written work between sessions, which is very time intensive as I give everything my upmost attention. This isn’t a ‘chalk and talk’ programme - instead I get alongside you and help you shape your writing with one-to-one attention to your words over the duration of the programme. I cannot do this and maintain other work, so this becomes my full time job for the season it runs.

  • Yes, I don’t offer refunds except in exceptional circumstances, and I deduct a fee to cover handling fees, time, readvertising and any other materials I have already sent. So please be mindful and don’t book until you are ready. I don’t do this to be mean, I do it because it’s not uncommon for folk to make a booking and then change their mind - perhaps the commitment is scary or they suddenly realise they are not ready, and this means other people lose out on the places that I can’t fill when the choice is made too late.