Soft starts, small joys
On easing into the new year and some ways to write with me in January
Hello there...
I hope these past couple of weeks have treated you gently and you have been able to get a moment of rest? It’s been a whirlwind of visitors, festive hosting and wildlings whose energy seems to know no bounds. So much joy and a house full to the brim.... I am both hugely grateful and maybe just a little bit tired now!
In amongst it all, I have been leaning into the in-between bits, snatching moments to appreciate the sky (check out the pearlescent sky magic above!), fill up on all the small, simple joys and spend time in the company of dear old friends and my wild ones.
Before term begins again, I’m taking a minute to appreciate and pause, recognising that we’re actually still in the depths of winter and that it is ok to slow right down and just be… Whilst new year traditions and resolutions often encourage us to launch head first with ambition and energy into the coming year, I find myself craving a much slower, softer start. I'm looking forward to easing oh-so-gently into this new year, spending more time in the company of others and making more space for others to tend to their own words and stories.
I’ve missed co-writing and it was such a joy to gather together before Christmas, thank you so much to eveyone who joined me. I’m delighted to say co-writing will be back on Friday mornings from 9th January for a few weeks. While I’m here, I also wanted to share news of some upcoming workshops (both in person and online) and an online Speakeasy event taking place towards the end of the month…
Thank you so much for reading.
Ease into the New Year
Thursday 15th January | 19:00 – 20:30 UK time | Online
As an alternative start to the year, join me for an evening of intention and attention setting to help you ease your way into the year. This gentle and encouraging session will provide a space to reflect on what has passed, let go of that which no longer serves you and will give you the space to explore how you want to be in the present and moving forward into the new year.
All are welcome!
Bring a notebook and your drink of choice.
A recording and resources will be sent to all participants after the workshop.
Pay what you can (suggested price of £14 but you can adjust according to your means)
CKA Mixer: The Power of a Pause
Wed 21 Jan 2026 18:30 – 20:30 | ALMA Art Space, Newquay
Pebbles, pockets and patchwork poems | A Creative Writing Workshop
Sometimes, in order to switch on, we have to switch off. In a world that is caught up in productivity and ticking things off our to-do list, this creative writing workshop will offer you a cloud gap of time and space where you can turn your attention to what it means to slow down.
Using a variety of creative writing exercises and prompts from pockets to poetry, from pebbles to patchworks, we’ll spend some time exploring what a pause means, what it can look like and how we can bring more pauses into our everyday life. We will also write some poetry together.
Free for CKA members, £5 for non-members.
What[areyour]3words Online Speakeasy through The Writers’ Block
Thursday 22nd January | 18:30 – 20:30 | Online on zoom
Join us for this special What[areyour]3words-themed online Speakeasy to start the new year! What[areyour]3Words is our brand new community project taking the concept of What3Words as a unique location device and turning it into a method of story generation and collection.
Can you think of three words to describe yourself? Or three words to sum up how you feel today? How about three words of hope or three words of friendship? Perhaps you want to find out the three words for a special location?
The theme for our next Speakeasy is open to interpretation and we welcome and encourage you to get playful!
Come share your work, discover new voices and meet like-minded creatives in a welcoming, supportive space. If you’ve got a story, a poem or a piece of spoken word to share, The Writers’ Block Cornwall love to hear it.
Or if you’re just keen to listen, join us online and discover fresh perspectives and get your ears tickled with some amazing new work.
If you would like to share your work, please make sure you book a ticket and email Lucy at lucy@thewritersblock.org.uk to secure a speaker spot.
Sessions are free and this event will take place online, but please do book a ticket
New co-writing dates
Join me in the new year for some online co-writing sessions!
What to expect
The sessions will last approximately one hour and fifteen minutes with a moment to pause and ground ourselves at the beginning and time at the end to have a little catch up (should you wish).
You don’t have to talk, you don’t have to bring anything specific to work on (I’ll share a prompt in the chat), you don’t have to have your camera on, the whole idea is just showing up and spending some time with your words in the company of others.
These sessions will take place at the following times and dates on zoom using the links below:
Fridays from 9th January - 13th Feburary 9:15 - 10:30 UK Time
Please email me if you want a little nudge to remember on the day and I can send you a reminder. These sessions are free to join but should you wish to make a donation, you are so welcome to. Any donations are so gratefully received and will go towards supporting my work and helping me make these sessions sustainable and accessible to all. Thank you so much!