This is what we believe and know.
A succulent on an old wooden table, beside a press-back chair.
1. If you love to write, and need to write, you are a writer.
Our job is to help you reconnect to that feeling, and fuel it with vision, momentum and self-trust.
2. Creativity is messy.
Writing paths are full of fear, questions, periods of stagnancy and beautiful breakthroughs. It all belongs, it all matters, and you don’t have to hide any of it when you’re with us.
3. As part of the writing world, we work within a problematic legacy.
The writing world is full of homophobia, racism, misogyny, transphobia and other forms of oppression. We work to dismantle this by making decisions that are rooted in feminism, social justice, anti-capitalism and anti-oppression. We do regular trainings to grow our awareness and sharpen our skills, and recognize that every person brings a different lived experience to our spaces. We grow together and welcome feedback at every stage.
4. Community is built on care, trust and deep respect.
Our best writing comes when we feel nourished and trusted. We co-create our groups from there, taking time to hear what each person needs, and building conditions where belonging can grow. To learn more about how we invite participants to engage with one another’s work, you can read our Feedback Manifesto.
5. We aim to walk gently on the earth.
We deeply consider the ecological impact of our choices, including which businesses we partner with, which physical materials we use, and the carbon footprint of our programs.
6. Our work occurs on stolen land.
We are grateful to be able to work in the beautiful land of what’s now called Southern Ontario, but we never forget that it is stolen. We take a tangible action each season in solidarity with local Indigenous initiatives to make sure our territorial acknowledgement isn’t just words, and when we run retreats we “pay our rent” by finding a way to financially contribute to the Indigenous community whose land we’re on.
7. We support each other through the process.
We know that work within the frame of capitalism can be the cause of significant harm. We lean away from that by refusing to idealize overwork, taking ample time off, prioritizing relationship-building over profit, and gentleness over efficiency. We do trainings in topics like repair and conflict skills, and we have access to a self-care fund for moments when we need to re-balance.
8. We are always working on opening our door wider.
Accessibility is an area of constant growth, in terms of physical spaces, online platforms and relational practices. We’ve come a long way, and the road ahead is even longer. Read our full accessibility statement.
9. We are not for everyone.
Our goal is not to convince anyone to work with us, but rather to be ourselves unabashedly, and to provide lots of ways for people to figure out if we’re the right place for them to thrive.
If you’re looking for a highly competitive or critical environment, we’re not the right place for you. If you’re not deeply invested in the care of others, we’re not the right place for you. If you don’t believe that anti-oppression and anti-racism work is part of creating healthy communities, we’re not the right place for you.
10. We come from a beautiful lineage.
We have grown this business through the mentorship and inspiration of many others, including Felicia Rose Chavez, Ronna Bloom, Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Mia Birdsong, Priya Parker, Deborah Barndt, Pat Schneider, Natalie Goldberg, Writing The Other, all our team members past and present, and every writer who has arrived at our table.
We are grateful and humbled to have learned from such amazing people.
11. We have a great big vision.
We believe writing has the power to change minds, open hearts, and connect us deeply to ourselves, our world and each other. We believe that this is more critical now than ever.
12. This is all a work in progress.
We are in a constant process of growth, renewal and deepening into the values that guide us. We are accountable to you and welcome your feedback as we keep moving forward.