Blog news

For the next few months, we’re trying something new at the Writing Mamas website. Our founder, Dawn Yun, will hand off the duties of editing and posting blogs to three salon members. I’ll serve in the position in January, Claire Hennessey in February, and Li Miao Lovett in March.

I’m pleased to be able to give back something to the group that has given so much to me. When I joined some five years ago, I knew that I had a story to tell—a behind-the-scenes account of my daughter’s adoption from Guatemala—but I lacked the discipline and skill to tell it. Where to start?

“Just write 250 words,” Dawn said at the first Sunday night meeting I attended. “One page.”

One page was possible. I could write one page. I looked around at the other mothers, women I now consider among my closest friends. They were nodding. One page at a time. We could do this.

The Writing Mamas made me accountable. They kept me on track. Every month, no matter what else was happening in my life, my goal was to show up on Sunday night with one page of work to share. And every month I did. One page became two, 250 words grew to 2,500. One chapter became an outline, until, five years later, I had written a book.

I can never repay Dawn and my fellow salon members for the support, editing advice, insights, and big laughs they have given me. But this month, in my position as guest editor, I’ll do my best to try.