What Is Spiritual Direction for Writers®?
Find our current offerings here.
Learn more about the Spiritual Direction for Writers® Membership here.
Please email Charlotte at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com if you have any questions or if you’d like to be added to the waitlist for One-on-One Spiritual Direction with Charlotte Donlon or Lauren Winner.
Our Spiritual Direction for Writers® clients tell us our one-on-one sessions help them notice God in their creative work, relationships, and more. They tell us they are able to move closer toward the writing life they desire. They tell us Spiritual Direction for Writers® gatherings feel welcoming and safe.
We believe them. We don’t think they’d lie to us.
If you believe in God, we want to help you notice God’s presence.
Regardless of what you believe or don’t believe, we want you to discover how writing and other good things help you belong.
What Is Spiritual Direction for Writers®?
Many definitions and forms of spiritual direction exist. Here’s what we do when we meet with clients: We help our Spiritual Direction for Writers® clients make space to notice God’s presence and give their attention to how God is at work in their lives, their creative work, and the world around them.
I am a progressive Chrisitan, but I meet with clients from every faith tradition/zero faith tradition. Some of my clients are more conservative Christians. Some of my clients don’t know what they believe. When I meet with clients who aren’t Christians, we focus more on noticing how writing and other creative work helps the client belong to herself, others, and the world around them. I help all of my clients give attention to sources of loneliness and isolation, belonging and connection. I help all of my clients move towards freedom and away from oppression. I help all of my clients have more rest and nourishment in their writing life.
All are welcome to participate in SDW offerings, retreats, workshops, seminars, and gatherings.
The Writing Life
The writing life is a full life. Sometimes we can be overwhelmed by everything we need and want to do so we can be the writers we want to be:
Establish a writing practice.
Read good books.
Build an audience.
Serve our readers.
Continue developing our craft.
Gather with others.
Celebrate.
Play.
Rest.
And more.
If we are writers of faith, we can also be overwhelmed by everything we need and want to do so we can have meaningful connections with ourselves, others, God, and the world:
Pray.
Journal.
Worship.
Practice silence and solitude.
And more.
Spiritual Direction for Writers® Offerings
Spiritual Direction for Writers® clients deepen their awareness of the presence of God in their creative work and explore how writing helps them belong to themselves, others, God, and the world. They notice patterns and habits. They give attention to what brings a greater sense of integration of their faith and vocation while gaining new insights into the creative process and various aspects of the writing life.
Spiritual Direction for Writers One-on-One Sessions
People from all along the faith/doubt spectrum and at all writing stages are welcome to meet with me for one-on-one spiritual direction. All Spiritual Direction for Writers sessions are tailored to each individual client. We meet with clients online or in person. Each session lasts 50 minutes and costs $115. Lauren Winner and Charlotte Donlon usually meet with writers, but they are happy to meet with anyone who appreciates their approach to spiritual direction.
Learn more about what happens in these sessions below. Please email Charlotte at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com to be added to the waitlists for one-on-one spiritual direction with Charlotte Donlon or Lauren Winner.
What’s Included in the Spiritual Direction for Writers Membership?
The Spiritual Direction for Writers Membership is $35/month and includes:
—Exclusive SDW Solo Writing Retreat Guides
—Half off all SDW Co-Writing Sessions Using Discount Code in SDW Resources Library
—Discounts on additional retreats and gatherings from spiritualdirectionforwriters.com and charlottedonlon.com.
—SDW Online Course & Other Members-Only Resources and Perks (New SDW Member Resource or Perk drops every month!)
—A Weekly(ish) Members Only Behind-the-Scenes Update from Charlotte Donlon, Founder of Spiritual Direction for Writers®
—Early or Exclusive Access to New SDW Offerings
Spiritual Direction for Writers Course: How to Develop a Writing Practice that Nourishes Your Mind, Body, and Soul (Stand Alone Course & Included in the SDW Membership)
Are you feeling blocked in your writing? It’s not surprising given the expectations of what a writer’s life should look like. So many unnecessary rules and messages affect your relationship with yourself and your writing. You may feel stuck and disconnected from your writing. You may believe you’re not a “real writer.”
Writing practices should not be one-size-fits-all. Every writer is different. Every writing practice should be too. This course will help you have greater integration between your writing life and the rest of your life. Because writing shouldn’t deplete you. It should energize you. You could be writing more often, improving your writing skills, and feeling nourished by your writing practice, rather than depleted. You can’t make art if your soul is empty and dry. It’s time to try a different approach.
You need a writing practice that is tailored to your life and your needs.
Purchase the course here for $25.
Or join Spiritual Direction for Writers® here.
Spiritual Direction for Writers® Co-Writing Sessions
Most writers we know wish they had more time to write. Well, one way to have more time to write is to join us for the Spiritual Direction for Writers Co-Writing Sessions. Think of the Spiritual Direction for Writers™ Co-Writing Session Method as a liturgy for writing. Or a collection of rituals that help you do the writing you want to do. If you like, add your own ritual(s) or practice(s) before the co-writing session begins or after it ends.
Learn about our Co-Writing Sessions here.
Spiritual Direction for Writers Solo Writing Retreat Guides (Included in the SDW Membership)
SDW Solo Writing Retreat Guides give you everything you need to help you establish a regular retreat rhythm. Each Set of Solo Writing Retreat Guides Includes:
40-Minute Re-Centering Micro Retreat Template and Resources
Four-Hour Solo Writing Retreat Template and Resources
Day Solo Writing Retreat Template and Resources
Learn more about some of our SDW Solo Writing Retreat Guides here.
Group Spiritual Direction for Writers
The writing life can be a lonely life. If you’re longing for more time, conversation, and connection with other writers, join us for Group Spiritual Direction for Writers.
Group Spiritual Direction for Writers is an opportunity to notice how writing helps you belong to yourself, others, the divine, and the world while developing meaningful relationships with other writers who care about the intersection of art, faith, and mystery. The price covers all five sessions.
Please email Charlotte at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com if you’d like to be on the waitlist for the next round of Group Spiritual Direction for Writers Cohorts.
If you have never been a SDW Member and are interested in SDW Group Spiritual Direction, please email me at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com. We can set up a 15-minute call and see if it’s a good fit.
Learn more about Group Spiritual Direction for Writers here.
Four Hour Group Retreats for Writers (All Four-Hour Retreats are currently paused.)
People from all along the faith spectrum and at all writing stages are welcome to purchase Four-Hour Retreats. Spiritual Direction for Writers™ Four Hour Retreats take place online or in person and are led by Charlotte Donlon and Lauren Winner.
The Four-Hour Retreats help participants sustain their writing practice, deepen their contemplative rhythms, and explore connections between faith and creativity.
Spiritual Direction for Writers Conversation Series (The SDW Conversation Series is currently paused.)
The writing life can be a lonely life. Join Charlotte and her guests for an online Zoom conversation about the intersection of writing, art, and faith.
Learn more about the Spiritual Direction for Writers Conversation Series here.
What Happens During One-on-One Spiritual Direction for Writers Sessions?
Every spiritual director has their own preferences for how to conduct their spiritual direction sessions. We try to use the same format for each meeting with our Spiritual Direction for Writers™ clients. Most one-on-one spiritual direction meetings last one hour. Sessions take place online via Zoom or in person.
Before every spiritual direction session and retreat, we create an atmosphere that helps our clients know we are setting apart time and making space to notice and give our attention to how God is at work in their lives and creative work.
Next, for our Christian clients, we read a prayer by Saint Ignatius of Loyola and ask the client to take as much silence as they like after the prayer to settle and prepare for our conversation. We instruct them to say “Amen” when they’re ready to end the silence and begin. For clients who aren’t Christians, we read a poem before the time of silence.
During our conversations, we listen, pray, and ask questions. Sometimes we pause for a minute or two of silence. Sometimes we pause to pray or express gratitude. Sometimes we take a few minutes to do a guided contemplative practice or a writing exercise.
At the end of each session, we pray or read a poem.
Spiritual Formation and Contemplative Practices
Some clients like to do contemplative practices during a portion of their session. We may engage with some of the following:
Lectio Divina for Writers
During Lectio Divina for Writers, you will share how you are noticing God in your life, in your writing, and in the world around you, then we will guide you through a close prayerful reading of Scripture and allow plenty of time and space to respond.Contemplative Prayer Practices for Writers
During Contemplative Prayer Practices for Writers you will share how you are noticing God in your life, in your writing, and in the world around you, then we will guide you through a few different contemplative prayer practices.A Rule of Life for Writers
During A Rule of Life for Writers, you will share how you are noticing God in your life, in your writing, and in the world around you, then we will discuss how to create and implement a rule of life that’s compatible with your spiritual rhythms, your writing practice, and your other roles and responsibilities.
Writing Advice and Guidance
Some Spiritual Direction for Writers® clients want practical writing and publishing advice and guidance during a portion of their one-on-one session. Charlotte and Lauren have helped writers at all stages of the writing journey move closer to their writing and publishing goals. These writing advice and guidance conversations take place before or after the spiritual direction portion of the meeting.
For New Clients
Please email Charlotte at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com if you’d like to be added to the waitlist for one-on-one spiritual direction with Lauren Winner or Charlotte Donlon.
For Existing Clients
If you’re an existing client and would like to schedule your next spiritual direction session, please email Charlotte at charlotte@charlottedonlon.com to set up your next session.
We can’t make you write. We can’t make you notice God. But we can enhance your chances for both.
Thanks so much to everyone who gives us the opportunity to do this work we love. And peace to all who are still trying to figure out how to do the writing and work you love to do in healthy ways.
Charlotte Donlon’s writing and work are always rooted in helping her readers, audience, and clients notice how art and other good things help them belong to themselves, others, the divine, and the world. Charlotte is the founder of Thoughtful Books Etc.™, One O’Clock Central, Spiritual Direction for Writers® , Spiritual Direction for Belonging™, and Parenting with Art™. Her first book is The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other. Her next book on Spiritual Direction for Writers will be published by Eerdmans in 2025. Charlotte’s essays have appeared in The Washington Post, The Curator, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and a certificate in spiritual direction. To receive Charlotte’s latest updates, news, announcements, and all kinds of good things, subscribe to Thoughtful Readers Etc. + Five Good Things.