You don’t just need more detail in your writing. You need to trust less of it. Clarity comes from choosing what actually belongs—and leaving the other stuff out. Wrote more about this today: open.substack.com/pub/abonner/...

Most writing problems are actually attention problems. We know what we want to write before we even see what’s there. I wrote about a simple visualization practice for returning to attention at the start of writing. Includes a 5-minute guided audio exercise: open.substack.com/pub/abonner/...

Snagged books by @housleydave.bsky.social , @ericarstern.bsky.social @aaronburch.bsky.social & more from @autofocusbooks.bsky.social. S/o to great craft sessions from @aurorabonner.bsky.social and a Primetime Writers Wrestling Match between @samuelashworth.bsky.social & @writesloud.bsky.social

And we're off! A fantastic first #CCDC26 workshop by @aurorabonner.bsky.social on #writing place as a lived experience. @barrelhouse.bsky.social

Submitted to a dream pub’s annual contest that I’ve been watching for years. Didn’t get it, but received a generous rejection from them that praised my work and disclosed that I came close to the finals. It made my day! A reminder to take risks and put yourself out there.💫

Excited to be heading to the Barrelhouse Writers’ Conference, Conversations & Connections, if you want to geek out on writing and craft this weekend in DC. Also, joining the Ithaca Spring Writes Festival offering an online workshop in May. Would love to see some familiar faces there! 🥰

I spent 3 years writing my first draft thinking I had a craft problem. I didn’t. I had a control problem. wrote more about this here ↓ substack.com/home/post/p-...

Getting ready for a move and everything is scattered—including my focus. Trying to remind myself that small steps still count!

“You write your first draft with your heart, and you rewrite with your head.” James Ellison

Amazing what an impact these little finds have on my mental health

Part of what I love about teaching is getting to see the talent, drive, and passion coming from young people. This weekend I went to the showings of a high school musical, and watching a group of teenagers tell a story with their whole hearts just blew me away. ❤️

If you want to feel better about the world, watch theatre, look at art, read books, dance.

Canva is wild. There is literally any template imaginable (including lots of really bad ones!). I’m presenting on writing place next week and thought I’d add illustrations… and damn. Want an illustration of mountains? Hundreds. Rivers? Dozens. Wild geese? Done. A specific type of grass? Got it.

Yay! I wrote a novel. And was immediately reminded that getting to the end of the first draft is only the beginning. substack.com/@aurorabonne...

Stripes at the Met!

Community doesn’t just appear—it’s something we build, and sometimes building it means taking risks and getting out of our comfort zone. This week, I wrote about the work of building community in the creative world and how small gestures can develop into meaningful and lasting relationships.

Last week I lost ten days of work on my novel-in-progress. It sucked. But it reminded me that creativity is about curiosity, not control. It’s all about embracing play: how curiosity keeps the work alive, some techniques for sparking creativity, and how to find joy in the process of discovery.

Friendly reminder: back up your writing! Just lost ten days of progress on my work-in-progress because of a rookie move.

If you are a writer, artist, or maker, you know that every day is a little different—some days ideas flow and are some days not. But what if you could create a routine to get them flowing more regularly? This week on Substack I’m exploring how to structure and schedule your days and weeks.

So pleased to see Rivers, Ridges, and Valleys: Essays on Rural Pennsylvania — the anthology that includes my essay “Fractures” — has been longlisted for the Writers Conference of Northern Appalachia’s Book of the Year. Grateful to be part of this collection!

The creative life isn’t just about making art — it’s about managing everything underneath it. I’m starting a series about Living the Creative Life on Substack about how to organize a life devoted to writing and the arts. If you’re a writer, artist, or maker trying to find your rhythm, join me!

Kicking off spooky season with this poetry collection! Loving the eerie, enchanted world Mary Simmons creates. Folklore, myth, and womanhood seem to blur into something wild and otherworldly. ✨🌒

Cozying up to fall

A moment of magic on the trail! 💛🍂

So glad to be spending time with Level Watch by Mary Ardery, by June Road Press, a woman-owned boutique press publishing some gorgeous books. In this chapbook, she weaves recovery and nature, threads that resonate deeply with my own writing interests, together with such clarity and depth.

I’ve been talking about how to write about the places we live (and imagine) lately, and just posted the first post in a new Substack series on the craft of writing place as a lived experience. Stay tuned if you are a writer or are interested in the intersections of mindfulness and creativity.

A lot of my college students don’t read for fun but they CAN enjoy reading, and that is fun to see.

Linda-Marie Barrett thinks that you (yes, you!) need to join a book club.

Reviews are so important to indie authors and small presses. Have you read one of ours? We'd appreciate your honest review on Amazon or Goodreads. More details: https://www.booksbyhippocampus.com/reviews

Have you ever left a writing retreat or writing event buzzing with ideas—only to watch that excitement fade once you got home? I’ve been there (am literally there right now!). Read how to keep your momentum here: open.substack.com/pub/abonner/...

"The best writing comes not when you want to say something but when you want to find something." ~ Andre Dubus III

Came home to a pub acceptance on a piece I had almost given up on. Note to self: don’t quit on yourself before you even take the chance.

"The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe." ~ Gustave Flaubert

Left with a list of awesome reads thanks to the editor panel at #Hippocamp2025 Elisa Gabbert “30 Ideas About Writing Nonfiction” Vivian Gormick “The Situation & the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative” Phillip Lopate “Reflection and Retrospection” Joseph Hurka “On the Invisible Palm of God”

So much fun getting to talk about using place to evoke emotion, reveal identity, and anchor us in our CNF writing at #Hippocamp2025

"When we tie setting to emotion, it becomes part of the story's emotional terrain." — @aurorabonner.bsky.social at @hippocampusmag.bsky.social online today! Her first tip for effective sense of place in a story? "Really anchor into the body." Not what you expected, eh? #WritingCommunity

Justin Ancheta’s session on “How to Give Sensitive and Effective Feedback” should be required for anyone going into workshop! #hippocamp2025 @hippocampusmag.bsky.social

Wow! What a way to kick-off #hippocamp2025 Some really great insight into really important craft topics. #cnf @hippocampusmag.bsky.social

Loving my morning with @hippocampusmag.bsky.social filling my house with fresh bread smell while @aurorabonner.bsky.social gives rad tips on writing place in CNF.

What a wonderful discussion of place as a reflection of emotion. Don't we all experience places differently based on mood? And how difficult to shake that connection. Thank you @aurorabonner.bsky.social for such a thoughtful presentation.

Once again floored after a week of writing, readings, and creative inspiration in Vermont, reuniting with friends and being dazzled by some of my writing heroes.

One of my favorite places to blow an hour or two on a rainy day (or a really freaking hot day). Not pictured: early edition Peanuts comics

Wild Women NEPA Festival here I come! 🌿🙌 This event’s been on my radar for a while, and I can’t wait to join the amazing line-up this August.

I was late to discover Elizabeth Strout, but am so glad I did. One of my favorite authors of small-town stories, and one of my favorites to discuss with other readers, I’ve found her work seems to elicit vehement responses. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/j...

HippoCamp: A Conference for Creative Nonfiction Writers, one of my favorite literary events, is going virtual this year and I'm so excited to be a part of it! Join us August 16th and 17th, for creative insights and inspiration.

Southern PA feels heavy right now—a slow, stickiness that’s asking us to pause. So this week’s essay is all about leaning into that slowness and trusting that sometimes doing nothing is part of the process. Whether you’re resting, road-tripping, or just watching tomatoes ripen, I hope you enjoy!

My latest essay is vulnerable— about the kind of tender grief that catches you off guard, and how writing has helped me find a pathway into those feelings. If you’ve ever felt something old resurface — a memory, a version of yourself — I hope this resonates. abonner.substack.com/p/the-storie...

So many wonderful things happening at Looking Glass Writing Conference, and I’m feeling incredibly grateful to have been a part of it. From late-night poetry readings to inspiring conversations with new friends, this conference was a new favorite. I left feeling full and inspired! 🥰

Excited to be here at Looking Glass Rock Writer’s Conference!

This week I had the chance to teach a yoga class to a group of fellow instructors on santosha, or contentment, which is also the theme for my recent Substack essay. If you’ve ever found yourself caught in wanting, doubting, people-pleasing, or spiraling through the usual inner noise, have a read!