Lots of fun in the writing circle this morning!

Our last one of the year with writers zooming in from all over from Kenya to France and the UK

After the hour of writing on different writing projects, we reflected on:

(1) how easy it is to fall into “research mode” instead of actually writing (and how reading about delight can distract us from writing our own delight)

(2) how overwhelming it can feel to give critique on a piece that’s trying to hold every part of someone’s life at once and how to gently help a writer choose the thread that feels most alive right now

(3) the ongoing tension between giving enough context in our essays to situate the reader… without backstory swallowing the entire piece

I shared my intention to send everyone postcards for being a part of this little experiment. This will be a tiny love letter from Amsterdam. And my hope to restart the circle again in the new year (time zone TBD).

Shoutout to Melissa Menke , Jolleen Opula , and Victoria for their presence, and willingness to go deep on a Wednesday morning.

My biggest lesson from hosting these circles the past 11 weeks?

How infectious it is to be inside a container of people who care.

Devotion grows when it’s shared. Presence appears more easily when others are also reaching for it. And writing, even the messy, uncertain kind, feels less lonely when we’re all doing it together.

Here’s to more circles, more pages, and more courage in 2026.