Enrollment is open! Secure your spot before they sell out!
Sound familiar?
Do you have a project you want to finish?
The RIVER will help you stay on track.
Feeling isolated in the writing process?
The RIVER will help you stay connected to a community.
Need some discipline in your writing practice?
The RIVER will help you keep the promises you make to yourself and your creativity.
Testimonial:
"I deeply feel that the experience of being in the River released something in me that allowed me to create my novel almost exactly as it needed to be in the first draft. I am so so so grateful to you and your unique brand of magic. Since the River and witnessing the change in my work, I've completely re-evaluated how I approach my writing. Working with you was transformative in the truest sense. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me and my work."
-- Lucie Stevens
THIS RIVER IS FOR YOU:
- If you need ongoing support and accountability
- If you want to practice your craft and take risks on the page
- If you want to improve your discipline
- If you need guidance setting goals and claiming your desires
- If you want to protect time for your art and get better at setting (and keeping) boundaries
- If you want to rekindle the joy of writing
- If you want to remember we never write alone
How the WORD RIVER works:
The WORD RIVER offers a unique blend of accountability, support, inspiration, and structured guidance tailored for writers of all levels.
- The RIVER is limited to 15 participants for a four-month period
- We meet twice a month on Wednesdays (that's Thursdays in Australia) for 90-minutes by Zoom
- We set goals/intentions/promises
- We use writing prompts to invigorate our language
Looking for the Tuesday/Wednesday RIVER?
What You Get inside the RIVER:
Exceptional Facilitation: Two decades of teaching and writing have shaped Sarah’s generous facilitation. She has an incredible ability to hold space and foster transformation, both on and off the page. Sarah's approach underscores her powerful belief that art can help repair the world.
Accountability and Structure: The RIVER spans four months, providing structure that fosters consistency in writing habits and goal setting. This accountability helps writers stay on track.
Goal Setting: Writers get help setting clear and achievable goals. This process breaks down long-term aspirations into manageable milestones so you can achieve your writing ambitions.
Time and Deep Thinking: Writers often struggle to safeguard dedicated time for their craft. The RIVER helps you protect time to write. It encourages deep reflection and focus.
Community and Support: Participants draw inspiration from other writers, creating a network that encourages growth, connection, and resilience.
Creative Development: The RIVER encourages creative growth, giving you permission to explore and experiment on the page, nurturing your bravest writing self and improving your craft.
Testimonial:
"If you’re flummoxed as to how to stay on track with your writing project and you’re craving ongoing support, then THE RIVER is the place you want to land. Sarah Sentilles has created this truly magical space for those passionate about writing, where one can hone their craft and discuss process in connection with others . . . Sarah’s wisdom, sensitivity, and insight set the stage for committed writers to feel not only powerful and inspired, but also safe, nurtured, and productive . . . I cannot recommend this course enough. Through THE RIVER I’ve been able to finish the final draft of my memoir and dive deeper into my novel. Have to say, I am totally addicted!"
-- Amy Sayers
February - May 2024 Workshop Schedule
February 7 from 2-3:30 pm PST / February 8 from 9-10:30 am AEDT
February 21 from 2-3:30 pm PST/ February 22 from 9-10:30 am AEDT
March 6 from 2-3:30 pm PST/ March 7 from 9-10:30 am AEDT
March 20 from 2-3:30 pm PDT/ March 21 from 8-9:30 AEDT (note time change!)
April 3 from 2-3:30 pm PDT/ April 4 from 8-9:30 AEDT
April 17 from 2-3:30 pm PDT/ April 18 from 7-8:30 AEST (note second time change!)
May 1 from 2-3:30 pm PDT/ May 2 from 7-8:30 AEST
May 15 from 2-3:30 pm PDT/ May 16 from 7-8:30 AEST
Looking for the Tuesday/Wednesday RIVER?
Meet Sarah Sentilles
Sarah Sentilles is a writer, teacher, critical theorist, scholar of religion, and author of many books, including Stranger Care: A Memoir of Loving What Isn't Ours, a New York Times Editor's Choice and Idaho Book of the Year. Her book Draw Your Weapons won the 2018 PEN Award for Creative Nonfiction. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Orion, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among other publications. She's been awarded residencies at Yaddo and Hedgebrook. She earned a bachelor's degree at Yale and master's and doctoral degrees at Harvard. She is also the co-founder of The Alliance of Idaho, which protects the human rights of immigrants.
Testimonial:
"The Word River is community. It’s a gathering place where writers write and talk about writing. Our conversations are juicy, funny, serious, and kind. Also we set goals. But really the Word River is Sarah. She’s a genius. No, really, she is. She shows up thick with gorgeous, meaningful prompts that bring out tenderness and mad writing frenzies. The River is never dull and ALWAYS my writing goes deeper."
-- Nancy Bodily