Hi friends,
If you’re new here (hi!) I’m Lindsay. Scroll down for info on what to expect in this wee corner of Substack.
But first, today’s words were published in Issue Two of Motherlore Magazine in response to the prompt: ROOTS. It’s a short story really, though I have also killed a lot of houseplants so make up your own mind about how close I am to the protagonist when you watch or listen…
You can buy the magazine right here which features words from some absolute belters including
writers I’m listing here and imploring you to check out:Memoir in a Month-er,
And now for all the other important stuff for newbies or those in need of a recap…
On Sundays, I share mostly free personal essays on parenting and post-therapy, perimenopausal midlife. Sometimes they’re video podcast episodes where I chat about caring and creativity with folk at the intersection of the two; sometimes I dig into goings-on in this reading and writing life.
On Wednesdays, I share a new audio episode and bonus bits of my memoir, Held in Mind. This book is on submission right now, so that’s why these episodes live behind the paywall. You can listen from the start right here:
Held in Mind: a Memoir
“This is stunning. Memoir is such a fascinating genre isn’t it? And you write it brilliantly.” Clover Stroud – author of four memoirs including the forthcoming The Giant on the Skyline on Held in Mind Held in Mind: A Memoir In the absence of a ‘well’ mother, can it ever be possible to become a ‘good enough’ one yourself? Does mothering your own mother risk…
I also run expressive writing and memoir courses. Next week, I launch another live online 4-week expressive writing short course for Members based on the Pennebaker Method of journaling, and cannot wait to co-host a live workshop on using audio to deepen connection with . You can find out more about both in this post from Friday:
Course updates for the weeks ahead
“Lindsay immediately made Substack another home for me. She's a deep well of insight and inspiration and examines the challenges and glories of writing life as a woman in midlife with verve, humour, curiosity and contemplation. Her writing is accessible, relatable and often a teaching moment in how to engage, not just other readers and writers, but everyone. Even while she asks herself, "What Now?" she helps us all navigate the path towards the myriad potential answers to that vital query.”
The next Seasonal Session will be on Wednesday 5th June 8-9pm BST to mark early summer. Find out more about these Members’ expressive writing sessions in this wee vid:
Want to know what a Seasonal Session's like?
Hi friends, Are you ‘off’ today, I wonder, carving out time to do all the prep for the coming weekend that’s so often expected? Or is the prospect of it all making you feel as fast-melting and egg-shaped as the boxed up treats you’re yet to buy? For me, a very busy period work-wise is set to crash headlong into a weekend of birthday
And while I’ve got you, a reminder that Memoir in a Month runs again in September for Founding Members (who get an annual Membership on top of MiaM’s 10 hours’ teaching time, a 1:1 and month-long support in our virtual classroom for £150 which is frankly ridiculous value) on the five Mondays in the month 1-3pm BST.
As always, replays and resources are sent out to everyone after each session, and for anyone who’d rather work at their own pace (though the live sessions are lovely) here’s a beauty of a testimonial from one such re-player,
“Memoir and CNF writers: Lindsay Johnstone‘s stellar Memoir in a Month course is an absolute revelation. I was asynchronous for most of the course, and still found it so inspiring and fun. It’s given me so many new ideas about how to approach writing from life. Lindsay’s a master community-builder, too, which is what makes all of her courses so special.”
The March run with guest reader,
sold out, and there are just a few spots left for September, where will join us as guest reader. Find out more in this post:Announcing the launch of my online course, Memoir in a Month, and...
Hi friends, Down to business first: scroll if you’re here to reserve a spot for September’s Memoir in a Month. Before that, and rather than a blow-by-blow account of my time at Moniack Mhor, I thought I’d share a diary entry, a photo essay and a voice note which together capture something of the experience of being on a writing retreat. The tussle between…
And add your name to the waitlist right here:
I’ll be back with a bumper week next week:
Episode 22 of Held in Mind on Wednesday, the first of the four live Writing for Better Mental and Physical Health sessions on Thursday and the live Expert Session with Claire on Friday.
How’s the week ahead shaping up for you?
Let’s chat in the comments, pals.
Lindsay x
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