Writing for Inner Calm: A Mindset, Methods, and Daily Exercises for All

“This isn’t just a class that you take, it’s a way of life that you’re embarking on.”

Best-selling author and memoirist Dani Shapiro (Inheritance, Still Writing) invites you into her home (and her writing room) to discover what it truly means to cultivate the life of a writer. Whether you’ve set a goal to get published or are simply looking for a creative outlet, writing can be a healing ritual for all of us. With a calming mindset and easy methods that Dani uses herself, you’ll learn how to care for your gift, honor your need for self-expression, and create a lifelong, sustainable relationship with writing. 

Explore the three elements of the writing life with Dani:

• The Mindset: Unlock the confidence to call yourself a writer and overcome any writer’s block, whether you’re published (yet!) or not. 

• The Craft: Discover tools and ways of thinking to hone your skills as a writer, and get more words down on the page.

• The Practice: Create a ritual around writing that works for you, and learn to prioritize your writing as a sacred space in your life.

Plus, each element is paired with a daily writing exercise that you are welcome to adopt in your own practice. Dani even guides you through a brief meditation in real time to help center your mind and jumpstart your writing day.

Whether you’re sitting down with pen and paper for the very first time or have been writing steadily for years, this peaceful class will act as a respite for your creativity—a place to reset and recharge, find inspiration, and set your intentions—before you turn to a fresh sheet of paper and begin.

Welcome to the writer’s life.

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This class is open to students of all levels. No writing (or meditation) experience needed—just a pen and paper.

• Introduction
• Interlude: I Remember Exercise
• The Mindset
• Interlude: Four Quadrants Exercise
• The Craft
• Interlude: Real-Time Meditation
• The Practice
• Final Thoughts