You shall know the truth and the truth will make you odd.

—Flannery O’Connor

Below is a photo of me with my muse Elijah. I was seventeen and had recently read, A Good Man Is Hard to Find.

O’Connor’s stories taught me that excruciating oddness could be a resource as useful as tubes of paint, brushes, a canvas. Too shy and afraid to use this potential, I kept it hidden for years. Fortunately, creativity remains alive in us and never stops sending its signal.

In 2004, I attended my first Amherst Writers and Artists group and left ringing like a bell. I had written two short pieces and shocked myself by reading them aloud. I’d received positive feedback and had a wonderful time with other writers. I knew immediately that I would become an AWA group leader.

I received my AWA training with Pat Schneider in 2009 and began leading writing groups in the Sierra Foothills of California.

During the height of the pandemic, I moved to the panhandle of Texas to assist my mother in her passing. I stayed and my groups continued writing on Zoom.

My AWA groups are generative groups. This means we don’t care if you’re published or whether you can spell. If you are published, we will celebrate wildly with you, but when writing together, we send the inner critic out to pull weeds. We release the need for an outcome and hold our writing goals lightly.

AWA groups allow professional and avocational writers alike to access fresh, original language, metaphor, imagery and musical flow. Strong writing is discovered through the mystery of the heart, engagement with the senses and acceptance of strangeness. 

This doesn’t happen in the rational brain. It happens in flurries and flows of letting go and telling the truth that wants to come through, regardless of genre. Hence, we have Wildass Writing. You can do the fine carpentry later.

Each class is two hours long. I provide prompts and facilitate using the AWA method which creates a safe, fun atmosphere. You’ll catch on in no time and fit right in. Write to my prompts or bring your own percolating ideas with you.

For more info about Pat Schneider and the AWA method: www.Amherstwriters.org

We meet on-line in four-week sessions. A four-week session is $100.00.

Contact me for more info, class times and dates. jjwriter7@gmail.com