Hello and welcome to For Dear Life!
“For Dear Life” means two things to me. One, it’s the way I’m holding on these days. I’m holding on—to the good, the real, the true—for dear life. Maybe you are, too. It’s been…a time. But the other side of this phrase for me is the genuine affection and genuine wonder I feel for this life. This beautiful, surprising, complicated, bewildering-in-ways-large-and-small life. This dear life.
So why a newsletter and why now? As I see it, For Dear Life is a way for me to have a closer, more direct relationship with readers, writers, and teachers. Yes, you. Hello! (*waves awkwardly from my writing desk*) No more being at the mercy of the algorithm! I hope this will be a more personal, more durable space for us to create the kind of community we can’t create on social media. A place to talk about writing, share ideas, and be inspired. A place to experiment and try new things. I’ll share behind-the-scenes looks at poems and essays, craft tips and writing prompts, teacher resources, writing advice via pick-my-brain Q&As, sneak peeks at new drafts and book projects, and curated lists of things that are bringing me joy.
Whether you sign up for free or upgrade to a paid subscription, I hope you’ll join me. Let’s do this.