wild writing
ARE YOU READY TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH, RELAX YOUR BELLY AND FIND YOUR HOME VOICE?
For over 30 years, Laurie Wagner has practiced and taught Wild Writing, a deeply therapeutic and transformative writing practice. It’s a simple and intuitive method to help writers to break through writer’s block and access their true voice—without judgment or critique.
Using poetry as writing prompts, each 90-minute class is made up of three writing exercises, followed by each person reading aloud. There is no critique or feedback. It is a class where we write as freely as we can, we read, we listen and witness.
why wild writing
WILD WRITING IS NOT ABOUT CREATING PERFECT ESSAYS OR GRAMMATICALLY FLAWLESS WORK. ITS’ ABOUT:
Writing quickly and intuitively, pen never leaving the page.
Tumbling past the inner critic and reconnecting with your instincts, your intuition and the creative unconscious.
Finding stories and memories that have been waiting to be shared
Creating community and sharing our writing in a non-judgmental, supportive environment
No matter where you are in your writing journey, Wild Writing helps you tap into your authentic voice, your home voice, the voice that sounds the most like you.
This fall we’re offering a selection of classes with an incredible group of certified teachers who bring their expertise, heart, and guidance to the classroom.
THOSE STORIES AND MOMENTS ARE RIGHT THERE, BUT IT HELPS TO RELAX, TO BRAVELY SAY YES TO WHAT’S MOVING THROUGH US AND TO TRUST IT.
what you can expect from our wild writing classes:
Weekly Wild Writing sessions where you’ll write and share in a supportive, non-judgmental space
Guided practice to help you find your voice and overcome the inner critic
Gentle and loving facilitation to create a safe space for you to express yourself
Accountability and community with a small group of like-minded writers
Tools and techniques for tapping into your most authentic voice on and off the page
small group classes led by our certified teachers
We keep the groups small (no more than 8 writers), intimate, and powerful. Each of our Wild Writing teachers has completed Laurie Wagner’s Wild Writing Teacher Training and has years of experience facilitating this transformative process.
Please read their bios below. Their classes are offered on different days + times.
susan vespoli
I AM A DEVOUT BELIEVER IN THE POWER OF WRITING TO HEAL/TRANSFORM/ILLUMINATE.
After many years running a Montessori school, I earned my MFA in poetry and nonfiction. In 2018, I discovered Laurie and the Wild Writing method and though, eureka! This is what I’ve been looking for. I so believe in the power of this practice. After finishing the Wild Writing Teacher Training in 2019, I began to lead virtual writing circle workshops based on Wild Writing for writers.com. I love watching people bloom as they let their words flow unedited into their journals.
I continue to write my own essays and poems, most of which emerge in rough form via the Wild Writing technique. My work has been published in Rattle, ONE ART, Nailed Magazine, Anti-Heroin Chic, Nasty Women Poets: An Unapologetic Anthology of Subversive Verse, and others. I have four poetry books, Blame It on the Serpent (Finishing Line Press, Jan. 2022), Cactus as Bad Boy (Kelsay Books, Aug. 2022), One of Them Was Mine (Kelsay Books, July 2023, and Therefore, Illuminated (Kelsay Books, March 2025).
I live in Phoenix, Arizona with three mostly mellow rescue dogs: Frida, Sasha, and LuLu.
mollie mcneil
THE DAY I WANDERED INTO LAURIE WAGNER’S WILD WRITING CLASS TEN YEARS AGO IN BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, A NEW CAREER FOR ME AS A WRITER, TEACHER AND WORKSHOP LEADER WAS JUMP-STARTED.
Initially, I found riffing off lines of poetry and sharing my fresh words with others daunting and uncomfortable. I was a self-conscious perfectionist and my doctoral program in English left me bruised from nonstop critique. But once I relaxed and trusted the nonjudgmental format of the class, beautiful things began to happen. Writing quickly forced me to let my hair down, explore new ideas, joke around, ask questions and take risks. Soon, writing became easy, fun and freeing. By the end of the class, sharing intimate stories in community became as energizing and creative as dancing or singing.
Through Wild Writing, I found my authentic voice, zeroed in on key personal themes, and eventually turned my emotional truths into fictional characters. I have now published seven short stories, a personal essay and am just finishing up a novel. None of this would have happened without the confidence I gained in my Wild Writing classes. And as a side bonus, I made good friends who have shared their flourishing writing journeys with me.
janet mckeehan-medina
JANET IS A POET AND TRAINED PSYCHOTHERAPIST WHO PROVIDES MINDFULNESS-BASED COACHING. A DEDICATED MEDITATOR SINCE THE AGE OF FOURTEEN, SHE FIRST TURNED TO MEDITATION TO HELP MANAGE ANXIETY ATTACKS — A PRACTICE THAT OPENED THE DOOR TO A LIFELONG JOURNEY OF SELF-DISCOVERY.
In 2020, she discovered Laurie Wagner’s Wild Writing and immediately recognized it as a natural extension of her work: helping others connect with their authentic selves beneath the layers they carry. Sharing this writing in a small, judgment-free group has been deeply therapeutic for Janet and for those she guides.
After completing Laurie’s Wild Writing Teacher Training in 2022, Janet began weaving mindfulness and Wild Writing together in her classes. Each session begins with a centering meditation to quiet the mind, then moves into free writing — pen to page, words flowing without censorship. Some pieces evolve into polished poems or prose, while others remain raw and honest, exactly as they emerged. There is no single “right” way; each writer’s path is part of their self-discovery.
Janet is honored to support others on this journey and welcomes all who wish to explore their inner voice through Wild Writing.
wild writing small group classes
READY TO JOIN US? REGISTRATION IS OPEN BELOW.
Spaces are limited. If you’re ready to find your home voice and take your writing practice to the next level, sign up now for one of our Wild Writing Small Group Classes.
WILD WRITING (WOMEN-ONLY) ONLINE
Mondays: 10:00 – 11:30am PT
10-weeks with Janet McKeehan-Medina
September 8 – November 12
Cost :: $600 or 2 payments of $300 each
WILD WRITING (WOMEN-ONLY) ONLINE
Tuesdays, 9-10:30am PT
10-weeks with Susan Vespoli
September 9 – November 13
Cost :: $600 or 2 payments $300 each
WILD WRITING (WOMEN-ONLY) ONLINE
Thursdays, 10-11:30am PT
10-weeks with Mollie McNeil
September 10 – November 14
Cost :: $600 or 2 payments $300 each
WILD WRITING (WOMEN-ONLY) ONLINE
Fridays, 9-10:30am PT
10-weeks with Susan Vespoli
September 12 – November 16
Cost :: $600 or 2 payments $300 each
Cancellation Policy: There is a $200 non-refundable admin fee with registration. Partial refunds are available with written requests up to and including 2nd week of classes. (Refund prorated based on how many weeks into class schedule minus $200 admin fee.)
what past participants are saying:
“Wild Writing has been a powerful practice for me.
The ability to just write without judgment, and to share that writing with others in such a safe and supportive environment, was life-changing. It helped me reconnect with my voice and gave me the confidence to write freely. The community was warm and welcoming, and I felt truly supported every step of the way.” – Allison
“The Wild Writing class gave me the space to let go of perfectionism and write authentically.
I was able to bypass the inner critic and truly connect with my emotions and experiences. It was liberating, and I walked away from each session feeling lighter and more in tune with my creative self.” – JoAnn
“Being part of Wild Writing was an incredible journey of self-discovery.
I didn’t know what to expect, but the experience completely exceeded my expectations. It was such a healing practice, and I’m amazed at how much my writing has transformed. There’s something magical about writing together in community that brings out the best in all of us.” – Jill
“I’ve done a lot of writing classes, but nothing compares to the Wild Writing process.
It helped me unlock emotions and ideas I didn’t even know I had. The supportive group environment allowed me to push past my fears and be truly vulnerable with my writing. It was exactly the kind of creative freedom I needed.” – Danna
“I came into Wild Writing looking for a way to reconnect with my creative side, and I found so much more.
The practice not only freed me from my inner critic but gave me a space to express myself in ways I hadn’t done in years. Every class felt like a new discovery about myself and my voice. I’m so grateful for the experience.” – Kim
try wild writing-free!
SIGN UP HERE FOR 5 DAYS OF WILD WRITING
