Celebrating 2 Years! A Giveaway, New Stuff, & a Peek Forward
“The day turned a corner just then. But she would have to have been paying attention to see it.”
—Naomi Shihab Nye, Habibi
Attention. It’s among writers’ (humans’ really) most important tools, the curiosity that guides that attention among our most marvelous traits. And right about now (in the mother of all understatements), a whole lot is vying for our attention.
A peek forward
I’m compelled to share with you one project that’s gripped my attention of late: “Sharks’ Mouths: The US/Mexico Border through the Eyes of a Humanitarian Aid Volunteer” is a story in three parts. And it seems the right kickoff for The Rolling Desk’s third year on Substack in our current moment. Among the aims of this desk (along with taking us to wild spaces and highlighting connections between disparate bits) is showing the stories of the various people that comprise us. In the “Sharks’ Mouths” stories, you’ll meet an immigration activist and a handful of migrants who’ve sought or were attempting to seek asylum in the United States—before everything changed (their identities obscured for their protection). Part 1 will drop next Sunday.
A flash back
That’s right. I said third year on Substack. The Desk debuted on June 14, 2023, with 56 subscribers and a post called “The Column That Wasn’t: Pride 2004.”
Now
We’re rolling 1,500 strong! The Desk was recently (briefly) named sixth rising in travel and is on the brink of best seller-ship. Thank you! To celebrate this week, on Tuesday, my interview with the inestimable Eleanor Anstruther. On Thursday, a quick musical story / opportunity to join a community writing project.
And today some new offerings for the writers, writers curious, and friends of writers among us. With our attention so divided, I’ve retooled my July/August Caravan Writers Collective offerings. Introducing five one-hitter intensives: Each three hours. Each $75. Each with a collaborative component. And each a magic carpet ride guided by our curiosity and attention and leading to us getting some fantastic work done!
But first, a giveaway
For the Desk‘s birthday gift to you—three complimentary spots to a one-hitter of your choice (available to all subscribers)!
Just submit your name. Over the next week or so, I’ll jot down the names of all who respond and draw three from a hat.
Interested? Reply here with “complimentary spot please.”*
*You can use your free seat to attend the bootcamp on the final weekend of June—three days of getting unstuck and shaking things up. Join a fantastic group of creators!
And now, the one-hitters
(You can also secure your spot for any of these now for just $75).
— An Editor by Any Other Name: Why & How You Should Hire You
Sunday, 7/13, 11 am–2 pm PDT / 2–5 pm EDT / 7-10 pm BST
You have writing dreams: A byline in your fav lit mag. A Substack post people can’t stop restacking. An essay that hits a reader straight in the heart. Work that wows an agent. Whatever the aim, learning the roles of an editor and how to apply professional editing tools to your own work will get you there faster! Bring a WIP or work with the drafts we’ll develop.
REGISTER: AN EDITOR BY ANY OTHER NAME
🌱
— Deeply Question to Ensure the Bones of Your Work Are in Place
Thursday, July 24, 3–6 pm PDT / 6–9 pm EDT
What makes “good art”? Knowing how to develop our work is key. Let’s explore how to step back and see our early drafts with a developmental eye and why that leads to greater clarity and a firmer foundation. Then we’ll apply a tool I’ve used for every developmental edit I’ve done to open up and transform our work. Bring a WIP or work with drafts we’ll develop.
🌱
— Map Your Curiosity, Reach New Writing Heights
Thursday, July 31, 3–6 pm PDT / 6–9 pm EDT
Annie Dillard says structural mysteries can seize our work if we don’t shore up the structure early. One tool I’ve applied to developmental editing projects works wonders for just that. Let’s practice applying that tool to early drafts (plus explore how that may be just the way to appease the inner critic). Bring a WIP or work with drafts we’ll develop.
🌱
— Braid It! How to Weave Seemingly Unconnected Strands into Your Writing
Tuesday, August 5, 3–6 pm PDT / 6–9 pm EDT
Love a good braided essay or story? How it can weave topics that don’t seem linked? Connect memories from disparate times or places? Make a beautiful tapestry? Let’s explore how braided essays are created and what makes them work. Then we’ll get into the practice and, with some guided prompts, start some of our own.
🌱
— Be Stunningly Concise
Tuesday, August 19, 3–6 pm PDT / 6–9 pm EDT
Does killing those darlings hurt? Say you were told: Shave 200 words, cut this back to half, lose xx paragraphs; would your breath catch? You’re not alone. Cutting work you’ve labored over can be hard. Learn to not just cut what’s not needed but also love it! Bring a WIP or work with the drafts we’ll develop. Leave with less—in the best way.
Pssst. There are also spots left in my June weekend bootcamp! And it’s gonna be a blast.
*— Why Not This? When Revision Is Play
Fri 6/27, 4-6 pm PDT / 7-9 pm EDT, Sat & Sun, 6/28 & 6/29 12-2pm PDT / 3-5 pm EDT ($225)
Feeling stuck in a rut? Blank page messing with you? Would you love to create a piece that sounds or feels or looks like nothing you’ve ever written before? Try play! Let loose. Have fun. Experiment. Open doors you didn’t even know were there! Join for a weekend of cavorting with form and structure, frolicking with genre and style, and taking your work along new paths. Bring a WIP or work with the drafts we’ll develop. Discover how play can lead to seriously good work.
My Caravan colleagues are offering some amazing courses you should definitely check out as well!
Thank you! Your likes and shares and restacks keep this desk rolling!
For the comments, what’s holding your attention this season? Or, better yet, where would you love to be putting your attention?
With a nod to the collaborative component of the one-hitters, please fill in the blank with a sentence or two: I would love to turn the corner and see ____________. (Our individual responses will become a whole.)
PS. I’d love to know if you’re interested in these offerings but time zones or other issues are a barrier. Would you want a video version? What would be your ideal time for gatherings or workshops (in your time zone)?
PPS. One-week birthday flash sale! $10 for a year of paid Rolling Desk membership!
🌱
Totally late to the party but massive congrats on the two years, Holly! 🥳
Congratulations on these two great years on Substack, Holly! And all the best for the ones ahead.