Workshop Wednesdays: Find your writing community with Yellow Arrow
By Annie Marhefka
We’ve been thinking and talking a lot about our Yellow Arrow community lately, about the women-identifying writers who seek solace in our words, whether through reading the latest issue of Yellow Arrow Journal, attending a poetry reading featuring one of our chapbook authors, or joining in our online workshops in search of a spark of inspiration. We’ve been asking you, at events, workshops, and through surveys, “What drew you to Yellow Arrow?” We get a variety of responses to this question, but there is always a common thread—the desire to explore this creative urge of yours. The desire to grow your craft, gain confidence in your work, and find inspiration. The desire to find others who also feel that inclination towards writing, and to connect with them.
When I first made the decision to refocus on my writing, I felt overwhelmed by what was out there. I found there were writing groups and communities on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Discord, BookTok (what even was BookTok?!), and some of them had numbers in the thousands or tens of thousands of members. I was unsure of myself as a writer (and also an introvert) and I didn’t know how best to immerse myself in the literary scene. Two things really were the catalyst for the change in my comfort level as a writer, and as a member of this literary sphere. The first was finding Yellow Arrow. It felt serendipitous: a local group of women-identifying writers each on their own unique journey, collectively encouraging each other on. The second was beginning to attend writing workshops.
I found writing workshops were a place of comfort for me—a place to hear about other writers’ inspirations, a space to pause and reflect, and a setting where, eventually, I started feeling brave enough to share my own writing with others. There is nothing more fulfilling to a writer than the support of other writers, the cheering on of each other, the moments when you can see that you’ve moved someone with your words.
This is exactly the type of nurturing environment we have tried to create with our Yellow Arrow workshops. Today, we’re announcing our full 2023 spring workshop schedule. In addition to our monthly workshops, Restorative Writing with Raychelle Heath and Poetry is Life with Ann Quinn, we’ve now opened enrollment for a series of Workshop Wednesdays. Each Workshop Wednesday has a different instructor with a different workshop topic, and we’re just thrilled to offer this variety of sessions to you. We’ve also made a firm commitment to ensuring our workshops are accessible to everyone, so Workshop Wednesday sessions are all just $25 each. Check out our Workshop Schedule for full workshop listings and sign up in our online store.
Our workshops are small, intimate groups that meet online to write and share together. They are intended for writers of all stages—even if you aren’t sure you would call yourself a writer (yet!). If that is you, know that you are welcome here. Come write with us! We’d love to create with you.
If you’re interested in both purchasing Yellow Arrow Journal and attending a workshop, check out our new membership option! Yellow Arrow members receive both 2023 issues of Yellow Arrow Journal, bonus items, and 50% off a workshop! We also have the option to donate a workshop space for a writer with a financial hardship available in our bookstore. If you have a financial hardship but wish to attend a workshop, we encourage you to sign up for our no-cost workshop wait list and we’ll contact you when a no-cost space becomes available!
At Yellow Arrow, we believe every writer has a story to tell, and every story is worth telling. Maybe your story starts with a Yellow Arrow workshop.
Enrollment is now open in our online store.
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Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. You can support us as we SPARK and sparkle this year: purchase one of our publications from the Yellow Arrow bookstore, join our newsletter, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter or subscribe to our YouTube channel. Donations are appreciated via PayPal (staff@yellowarrowpublishing.com), Venmo (@yellowarrowpublishing), or US mail (PO Box 65185, Baltimore, Maryland 21209). More than anything, messages of support through any one of our channels are greatly appreciated.
