Writing(with)plants refers to a gathering, sharing time, stories, knowledge and writing practice expressing itself in diverse art forms ; it may also describe a workshop format of two hours that has been developed, tested and used over the past five years. It can even gesture towards the plants themselves, those who might be considered authors, yet cannot communicate in human language and therefore always require human interlocutors and writers for a translation of what cannot be translated.
The intention of each writing(with)plants session is to slow down, listen to self, plants, other humans and learn from their stories or their folkloric and scientific knowledge and allow writing and/or drawing/or other creative expression to emerge from the networks of relations that bind us in order to let the person and the place and the moment co-compose with us. Some writing(with)plants sessions for some people can be felt as therapeutic, while others are more artistic or political. Each individual will experience every session in their own way. Every way is a good way.
A typical session of two hours may include:
- An introduction to the vision behind writing (with) plants
- A sharing circle on plants as teachers
- An exploration of the guest plant
- A sharing circle on the guest plant
- An exploration of the session’s theme
- A sharing circle on the theme
- A creative writing exercise involving shapeshifting into the guest plant
- A final sharing circle reflecting on the experience.
In the free newsletter, we share announcements for next free online writing(with)plants sessions, musings, news about book projects, and other relevant news.
For more information, contact the newsletter editor: Wendy Wuyts.