Romancing the Muse II (Jan-Mar '23)

A stand-alone second edition to Romancing the Muse, supporting creative practice

I'm curious about what it means to write like yourself, in a voice distinct from anyone else which resonates deeply as you write it and later when you re-read it.

Perhaps this is why craft is required. Time spent sharpening the knife to make cuts precise enough to follow the boundaries of feelings as delicate and thin as the hairs which stand up when they're present. Yet it is more than practicing particular forms which makes room for this, more than the exercises spent exploring different genres to see what suits you. There is a relationship with oneself, and with one's work which grows in response to how it is pursued.

This workshop is about that pursuit. About the chronicle of a writing practice, observed and charted. We are all going further into the unexplored wilds inside ourselves, each tasked with the unique challenge of figuring out how to get around in territory no one else can call their own.

We will be venturing together, sharing our stories, and learning from one another. If you'd like to join us, I would love to hear from you.

Logistics:

• Each group is capped at 6 participants
• Eight weeks, one 90-minute Zoom session per week along with individual chats to support your work
• One group meets on Sunday mornings, 10-11:30am, the other on Monday evenings, 6-7:30pm PST.
• Start dates: 1/14/2024 for the Sunday group, 1/15/2024 for the Monday group. Meetings are weekly, with the final meetings on 3/3/2024 and 3/4/2024 respectively. It's okay to miss live meetings if you are unable to attend that week.
• Cost is $200 total. If you would like to contribute more you are welcome to donate what you feel like giving at the end of the eight weeks. It is appreciated, and also unnecessary.
• To sign up email george ạt splitbound ɗοt com – I'll update this page as the spots fill up.

A bit about me:

In case you would like more information before spending a couple months working together, here are some more details about me.

My name is George. I've been running the San Diego Experimental Writing Group off and on the for the past year and a half, following a daily writing practice going on five years now.

Exploring written language has led me into working at a book store, binding my own books, and creating my own binding. At the end of each month I collect writings from my practice and produce a booklet which I mail out to a small group of friends which has led to 25 booklets to date and over 150 short pieces of writing (the vast majority of which can be accessed via the search page on this website). I also shared some of that work at the San Francisco Zine Fest last year. If you'd like to read some of my most recent work, take a look here.

My relationship with publishing is an intimate affair, perhaps even more so than my relationship with writing at this point, which I love to share with others and learn about their process in kind. I'll admit I don't know how to get you published. But I do think I can help you work towards something that feels worth putting out there while uncovering avenues for sharing which contribute to your process.

Some time ago I used to study math, design games, and write software. I'm glad to have a relationship with formalism which simultaneously supports my expression and also knows when to get out of my way and make space for my heart. Most of all, I like to play.