Pick Up a Pen and Defy the Dark

writer's chat starts today!

Feb 20, 2025

hello! today is the official launch of my writer’s chat. if you’re a paid subscriber you can go ahead and access that here. if you’re not a paid subscriber but want to know if this writer’s chat is a good fit for you, keep reading! either way, i’m glad you’re here.

Snow falls in silver flecks through the air. The sun slips out long enough to cause translucent stalagmites to cling to the eaves of our house and then hides behind the clouds again. The night comes quickly and it’s always an unwelcome surprise. I check the headlines and feel a twist in my gut. Jonathan and I stay up until 2:00am talking about the headlines. Eventually we fall asleep next to one another thankful to be navigating these times together.

I talk to a friend and she tells me how discouraged she is. I talk to another friend and she says quietly how weary she feels. I talk to another friend and she admits how much they’re struggling to make ends meet; to make sure the kids are ok, to keep up with laundry. Winter has a tendency to wear people down, but this one feels different. Heavier.

Jonathan gets home from another long day at work. He makes us pasta. The kids ask to drink the sparkling grape juice I found on sale after Valentine’s Day. We go around the table and say what we appreciate about one another. We clean up and let the kids pick a movie to watch. I tell Jonathan I’ll be in my office. My shoulder blades are throbbing and my neck is stiff from only getting five hours of sleep last night, but here I am writing, writing, writing.

Doing this doesn’t give me answers or solutions but it does give me a tool to slowly carve them out. And I want to give you those tools too.

Today, I sent out a chat to paid subscribers that I’m calling a tiny writer’s retreat. And yes, you’re invited even if you wouldn’t label yourself “a writer”. Do you want to write more? Do you want to have a private space to be encouraged to do that? Ok. This is for you.

What does the “writer’s chat” include?

I wrote about what my intentions are for the paid subscriber chat here. You can go read it so I don’t have to repeat myself.

But as a quick reminder, here’s what’s included when you become a paid subscriber to The Redemptive today:

Instant access to the paid subscribers private chat. Find the writer’s chat here.
Weekly chats from me (maybe more, we’ll start slow and see how it works for everyone) where I’ll “check in” with a prompt, a quote, a tiny writing challenge, etc.
Exclusive “writing playlists” to play during your writing session.
Book recommendations from me to inspire your work.
Writing prompts.
A more private place to ask questions about writing with other people doing this work alongside you.
Full access to all of my paywalled content on this substack
50% off subscriptions to my Tolkien Substack: Many Meetings where I’m taking a group through The Silmarillion this spring. 👀

To join the tiny writer retreat you will need:

A paid subscription to my substack ($5 a month, cancel anytime)
The Substack app.
A just-for-fun book to read.
A word processing application (Your favorite notes app is fine!)

Cheered on and challenged

What is writing but the humble act of paying attention? What is writing but an invitation to slow down in a world that’s screaming at you to do the exact opposite? What is writing but making the choice to honor the good and hard and messy and exhausting and holy parts of your life?

I plan to use the chat as a quiet place to give you small, actionable things you can gently implement to help you write more. That’s all. It’s not so much about hitting a goal but more about doing what it takes to do the hard and worthy work of writing. Even when you don’t feel “inspired.” Even if you wouldn’t call yourself a “good writer”. I’m of the belief that writing can be cathartic and helpful to anyone.

Think of it this way: I wouldn’t call myself an “athlete”, but I still feel better when I walk 5 miles or do a 20 minute workout that moves stress through my body and gets my muscles moving. In the same way, I think writing every day is beneficial to anyone who wants to give it a try. What you do with your words is up to you.

If you want a place to be cheered on and challenged in the practice of writing, you’re welcome to join the chat anytime. I’ll see you there.

We’re here and it matters

A few brave stars shiver their white light over the snow as another day goes to sleep. Tomorrow, we’ll wake up one day closer to spring. The sun will stay an entire hour longer in the sky than it did two months ago. The headlines aren’t stopping and the bills aren’t going anywhere and the laundry is a constant companion, and yet, I’m choosing to sit here and write, write, write. Not because I’m escaping reality, but because I need to slow down and tenderly cup it in my hands.

More than ever we need those who have the courage to pay attention and then, sit down and write about it. More than ever, writing is one way you and I can defy the dark.