Finding Your Voice
A six-week workshop for aspiring writers who struggle with depression or other mental illness and anyone else with a story to tell. The current workshop has started. Stay tuned for future workshops!
A six-week workshop for aspiring writers who struggle with depression or other mental illness and anyone else with a story to tell. The current workshop has started. Stay tuned for future workshops!
Finding Your Voice is a six-week workshop for aspiring writers who struggle with depression or other mental illness and anyone else with a story to tell. There are two tracks to choose from once you sign up. You will receive affirmation and encouragement, as well as an overview of four genres of writing: Poetry, fiction, essay, and creative nonfiction.
Through six guided writing assignments you will have the opportunity to try out different ways of writing, to receive feedback on your work, from me and the other participants, and to offer feedback to others.
By the end of the workshop, you will have six pieces of writing to build on, and a community of other writers to support and encourage you in your work.
Finding the Value of Your Voice
Finding Your Voice through Poetry
Finding Your Voice through Fiction
Finding Your Voice through Essay
Finding Your Voice through Creative Nonfiction
Finding Your Voice Your Way
October 30th: Introduction and Encouragement Videos
November 6th: Poetry Video
November 7th: Optional one-time check in Zoom session for all participants. A recording will be posted afterwards for those who can’t attend.
November 13th: Fiction Video
November 20th: Essay Video
********Week off for Thanksgiving********
December 4th: Creative Nonfiction Video
December 11th: LIVE Zoom session for all participants. A recording will be posted afterwards for those who can’t attend.
- Two tracks:
- Track 1: Aspiring writers with depression or other mental illness
- Track 2: Anyone with a story to tell
- Each participant will be in a small group of 5-10 people. Your small group will remain the same all six weeks.
Jessica Kantrowitz is the author of three books, The Long Night: Readings and Stories to Help You through Depression, 365 Days of Peace, and Blessings for the Long Night: Poems and Meditations to Help You through Depression. She writes about her own struggles in a way that creates space for others to feel seen, and safe to tell their own story. She has a BA from Tufts University and an MDiv from Gordon-Cornwell Seminary, and many years of experience as an editor helping people convey their thoughts clearly and concisely.
Her writing has appeared in Sojourners Magazine, The Good Men Project, and the Madeleine L’Engle blog, and she has worked as a storyteller for Together Rising. She has also worked as a campus minister, youth minister, ESL teacher, and small-group facilitator.
You can read more on jessicakantrowitz.com
"The Long Night will bring hope to the hurting and comfort to the weary. It's a book I'll keep by my bedside forever."
Glennon Doyle
#1 New York Times best-selling author of Untamed and Love Warrior; founder of Together Rising
"Please read this book. It will help you heal wounds and remind you that you aren't alone. Jessica Kantrowitz has given us a very precious gift--may we accept the invitation to receive it."
Kaitlin Curtice
Author of Glory Happening: Finding the Divine in Everyday Places and Native: Identity, Belonging, and Rediscovering God
"Highly recommended for readers seeking spiritual, mindful approaches to depression, with clear, simple coping strategies."
Library Journal
"To me, the only thing more ridiculous than tragedy is when someone offers a suffering soul a book to pacify their pain. But now I will be that someone. Because Kantrowitz isn't offering a book here. She is offering herself."
Matt Bays
Author of Finding God in the Ruins
"Jessica is a poet who writes little benedictions for the end of the day and now they are published, so you can buy them for a whole year! I'm someone who doesn't currently like prayer and never liked platitudes, and who most of the time is just really f**king enraged at the unfairness in the world - and yet I like these. Jessica doesn't piss about. Nor does she wallow. Recommended, particularly if you're perpetually pissed off and would like to burn things down. They remind me what hope is like."
Alex Booer
Co-Author of Ineffable Love: Exploring Christian Themes in Good Omens
"No part of life - no experience, no pang, no sensation, no rhythm - escapes Jessica's gaze. Through her lens, the hard and the heavy narratives of life soften and bend. Her words are sutures, gently pulling my frayed and throbbing edges together at the end of day; the benedictions my child-soul ever asked for and never received. Let her gently stitch you up too."
River Paasch
Author of Millenneagram: The Enneagram Guide for Discovering Your Truest, Baddest Self
"In a world that's just this side of madness most days, this book serves as a respite. 365 Days of Peace: Benedictions to End Your Day in Gentleness and Hope is such a gift, as is its author. Jessica's voice is a balm. Unerringly kind and unflinchingly honest, her nightly musings on Twitter became such a source of comfort for so many of us. Give yourself the gift of this soft place to fall at the end of the day."
Laura Parrott Perry
Co-founder of Say it Survivor and author of She Wrote it Down: How a Secret-Keeper Became a Storyteller