Mark your calendars! Write Around Portland’s next anthology goes into production in early November and we will need your help.  Twice a year we produce an anthology of work written by participants in our community creative writing groups. These books are created through the hard work of our staff and volunteers with little outside help.  […]

Expanding to new locations and sharing creative writing opportunities is a powerful way to strengthen and enrich the entire Portland Metro area. This fall we began a new partnership with Mercy Housing to bring creative writing to their residents in Lake Oswego. Mercy Housing is a nonprofit whose mission is to provide affordable housing in

In August, we wrapped up our summer facilitator training and we are excited to send our new volunteer facilitators into the city to helm writing groups throughout Portland. These 11 volunteers spent the month of August investing 27 hours into mastering how to conduct our creative writing classes in-person and online.  The training is a

Recently, we polled our community to ask about their writing habits and what motivates them to sign up for writing workshops and events. Here are the results. What kinds of support or experiences would help you grow or feel more confident as a writer? Here were the responses, ranked from most checked to least checked:

The Write Around Portland team has a new staff member that you may have met at the recent Summer Reading & Book Release. Tia-Theo Thompson (they/she/he) is our new Program and Events Coordinator, and their dedication to creating spaces where everyone is seen, heard, and valued makes them a great fit for our team! What

While it is too soon to bring out your favorite wool sweater, it is never too early to start planning your fall writing practice. Write Around Portland will be back in-person at Powell’s, as well as hosting in-person and online Freewrite and Resonate writing circles after our summer hiatus. All of our programs are open

Resilience often blooms in unexpected places. For Crystal Calanca, writing has become much more than a creative outlet, it has been a lifeline in the face of daunting challenges. As a single parent navigating sobriety and facing financial hardship, Crystal has faced more than her share of adversity. Crystal found a sense of belonging and

One of the most thrilling aspects of writing is that fresh journal feeling. Opening up to a clean page and setting pen to paper is flush with potential. Each program season, Write Around Portland provides participants with everything they need to participate in our writing groups: snacks, pens, time, and a new journal. Our volunteer

Write Around Portland is excited to partner with Menucha Retreat and Conference Center to offer a new creative writing retreat in one of the Pacific Northwest’s most peaceful and inspiring settings. This retreat is open to everyone and no writing experience is needed. Just bring your desire to write, whether it’s to tell your story,

Each spring and fall, Write Around Portland publishes an anthology that features the powerful, personal writing of participants from our free community writing circles. For participants, submitting their work is more than just an exercise, it’s often their first experience being treated as an author, with their voice honored and their words in print. Volunteers