Join acclaimed author Laura Cathcart Robbins for an intimate, supportive writing experience designed to help you process, reflect, and shape the stories that matter to you.

Over five Saturday-morning sessions, Laura will combine thoughtful instruction, guided writing exercises, small-group workshops, and weekly assignments. You’ll learn practical ways to uncover your story, write about difficult experiences without becoming overwhelmed by them, and thoughtfully navigate the complexities of writing nonfiction involving family and friends.

This is a highly intimate workshop, limited to 15 participants, ensuring meaningful interaction, hands-on guidance, and direct access to Laura throughout the course. Because of the small group size and the depth of engagement, participants should also expect light weekly homework assignments designed to support reflection and continued writing between sessions.

Whether you’re an experienced writer or haven’t put pen to paper in years, you’ll be welcomed into a safe, nonjudgmental space where vulnerability is respected, sharing is always optional, and every story is treated with care.

This 5-week course is offered at a special price of $250.00, making it an exceptional opportunity to learn directly from Laura Cathcart Robbins in an accessible, supportive setting.

During the course, you’ll explore:

• How to recognize and develop meaningful story ideas
• The difference between retelling an experience and reliving it
• Grounding techniques and boundaries for writing about trauma
• Guided journaling practices that move from expression toward insight
• How to write truthfully while respecting privacy and relationships
• Traditional and hybrid publishing, including agents, editors, contracts, royalties, timelines, and marketing
• Practical next steps for continuing your writing practice

Our Five-Week Journey

Week 1: Finding Your Story (October 3rd)
Identify the experiences and ideas you feel drawn to explore while learning how to participate in a compassionate, constructive workshop.

Week 2: Writing About Trauma Without Retraumatizing Yourself (October 10th)
Practice approaching difficult stories with distance, perspective, choice, and emotional safety.

Week 3: Guided Journaling to Find Your Why (October 17th)
Use expressive writing to uncover the meaning beneath an experience and recognize the difference between catharsis and insight.

Week 4: Family and Friends—What to Leave In and What to Leave Out (October 24th)
Explore narrative ethics, consent, privacy, emotional ownership, and ways to preserve the truth while protecting others.

Week 5: The Business of Publishing (October 31st)
Learn what happens after an agent or publisher says yes, including realistic timelines, editorial processes, contracts, advances, royalties, distribution, sales, and marketing. We’ll also celebrate the writing and growth that emerged during our five weeks together.

Course Details

• Dates: Saturdays, October 3–31, 2026 (9-10:30 am PST)
• Format: Five live, 90-minute Zoom sessions
• Location: The Modern Prairie Classroom
• Instructor: Laura Cathcart Robbins
• Class size: Limited to 15 participants
• Price: $250.00 (five-week course)
• Includes: Live instruction, guided workshops, weekly homework assignments, direct access to Laura during the course, and recorded access to each session

You never have to share anything you would prefer to keep private, and you are always welcome to pause or pass. This course is a supportive writing experience and is not a substitute for therapy or professional mental-health care.

Come as you are—with a finished manuscript, a half-formed memory, or simply the feeling that there is a story inside you waiting to be heard.