The blank page can be scary, because we often don’t know how or where to start. Even the most seasoned writers panic at the dreaded blinking cursor—you’re not alone! Writing can feel like fumbling through a dark, unfamiliar room, but, good news, that’s part of the magic of great storytelling.

In this workshop, we’ll embrace the chaos and uncertainty. Through tips, prompts, and the wisdom and struggle of fellow writers (Kafka once wrote in his diary: “Again tried to write, virtually useless.”), you’ll learn how to fumble confidently, even joyfully, toward the light. We’ll also discuss practical steps for creating and sustaining a writing practice. Whether you’re embarking on a novel, memoir, short story, or journaling, you’ll walk away knowing EXACTLY what to do—no, just kidding! You’ll walk away accepting that no one, not even [insert your favorite genius author], knows exactly what to do, which, in turn, will free you of fear and free you to write.

Margaret Meehan is the 2023 Writing by Writers Writer-In-Residence at the Hemingway House. Meehan’s short stories have been published in Fence, Joyland, and Electric Literature’s Recommended Reading. She received her MFA in fiction from Columbia University, where she was awarded the Felipe P. De Alba Fellowship and taught in the undergraduate creative writing department. She won fifth prize in the 2020 Zoetrope: All Story Short Fiction Competition. In 2018, she was a Tin House Scholar.