THE PORTAL
A Program of Writing + Healing
Writing. Healing. Community.
The Portal is a program of writing for women and female-identifying creatives.
Welcome to the Portal! This course offers guidance in writing craft, space and tools for healing/ self-support and a powerful community with other women. The Portal combines one-on-one writing coaching, writing workshops where you get feedback on your work, epic guest teachers in both writing + healing worlds, discussion of publishing and community write-ins.
Past participants have published work in the New York Times, Vogue, started new projects, explored totally new genres and found fresh approaches to their creativity.
This is an open-genre and open-level course (come a you are—-we are enriched by our diversity).
WHAT: Change, expand or grow your relationship with your writing. The goal is to complete a significant chunk of a current writing project OR create a packet of new work by the end of our session and establish a personal writing practice. You’ll be exposed to new forms of writing/ ways to play and build through words. Write from the inside-out.
HOW: This program combines writing workshops with visits from award-winning master teachers in both creative writing and healing modalities to expand your toolbox. You’ll receive 1:1 coaching along the way and consistent community. note: this year The Portal is being hosted by WritingWorkshops.com.
WHO: You! The Portal is open to brand new writers and experienced ones. The Portal is a MAGICAL SPACE where we get to commune with our inner muse, inject poetry/prose into our lives, and get real work done.
〰 You do not have to figure it all out on your own. 〰
Sustain yourself as a creative ✹ in community.
Enter the Portal
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Enter the Portal ⋆
⚡What People Are Saying⚡
“I experienced Sarah's writing Portal during a summer when I was going deep into my writing work. The focus on community and presence was exactly what I needed. The weekly classes were inspiring and thoughtful and the always available portal provided a home base for discussions and ideas. Sarah is a fabulous guide and has a talent for nurturing and creating bonds between writers.”
— Jennifer Cloer
“Sarah has a way of curating and holding space for writers in such a unique and magical way. The Portal offered a nice balance of community, writing workshop with valuable feedback, and learning. It definitely expended my knowledge and challenged me in a good way when it came to my personal writing. Between the online Mighty Network space, writing buddies, Sarah's 1:1 meetings, I felt very supported.”
-Amy Zambrano
“The Portal was the perfect balance of writing, workshop, instruction and mindfulness. It helped me bring myself into the present and focus on my writing as a practice. It also connected me to others with a shared interest, which made me feel less alone.”
— Former Student, Portal ‘24
“The Portal is a page-producing, confidence-boosting, community-building celebration. The guest offerings sparkle and surprise, and Sarah’s warmth and expertise as a writer and teacher create a seasonal space for creatives to gather, grow, and generate. I left with feedback on my pages, precious writing friends, and a belief in my story and self that has enhanced my literary goals. Sarah is the real deal.”
— Paige Lalain
PORTAL GUIDES
(stay tuned for the summer 2025 teachers!)
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Sarah Herrington
FOUNDER + WORKSHOP LEADER
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Chelsey Pippin Mizzi
TAROT FOR WRITERS WORKSHOP
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Dynasty Electrik
SOUND HEALING + ASTROLOGY FOR WRITERS
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Amanda Montei
MEMOIR WRITING + PUBLISHING TALK
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Wendy C. Ortiz
THE BOOK JOURNEY FROM DRAFT TO PUBLICATION
ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE:
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Weekly Tuesday night Zoom meeting, 7-9:15 PM EST — 11 total classes (note: we take a break April 1st)
(contents: a writing workshop or guest teacher workshop, alternating)
Two one-on-one office hours on your work and creative process (basically coaching ❤️)
Private Mighty Networks channel for 24/7 community shares and conversation in between classes
Two Write-Ins where we log on and generate writing (these will be scheduled once our group forms)
An accountability partner, someone also in the course to partner up with and write together.
Publishing + pitching protocol advice
Award-winning authors as guest teachers and workshops led by Sarah Herrington
Room to explore new types of writing + healing modalities AND the discipline to stay ON TRACK with your personal writing goal
Why Writing in Community?
Writing can be a lonely art. While we need that solitude, so much growth happens in community, too.
In that spirit, we are bringing together favorite writing teachers, friends and guides for a journey unlike any other! This is the course we wish we’d had once-upon-a-time.
Through writing we can take what feels to be the chaos of life, and make some order, some art. Or, as Joan Didion said: “We tell ourselves stories in order to live.”
By the end of the program you will…
Have a completed portfolio as per your own goals (for example: a publishable-essay with a cover letter and plan for submission, an outline of your larger project, or two polished chapters.)
Have a deeper relationship to yourself and your own creativity
Have a new, supportive community of creatives
Know how to move a piece from spark to publication
Feel rebalanced in your self and your expression
Have new writing!
📓 SUMMER 2025 DATES JUST POSTED!📓
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Portal Opens: July 8th, 2025
Portal Closes: September 16th, 2025
🌙 Night One:
Intro Night
Set your intention. Meet the community. Get writing right away with a co-writing session. Set up your writing altar. Receive Portal materials. Define (and redefine) yourself as a creator.
🌙 Night Two:
Writing Workshop
The sacred container of writing workshop is where we’ll dig into work, giving and receiving feedback on the actual language-on-the-page. This week we’ll also explore how to deal with the infamous inner critic.
🌙 Night Three:
Writing Workshop
The sacred container of writing workshop is where we’ll dig into work, giving and receiving feedback on the actual language-on-the-page. We’ll also explore how to use obstacles on the path of writing as jumping points for further progress in our work.
🌃 Night Four:
Healing Guest Experience: Dynasty Electrik
Learn how sound healing can help open up creative channels while keeping you grounded in writing practice. Each participant will also receive a “creativity reading” from this sound healing duo.
🌃 Night Five:
Writing Workshop
Write and get feedback in our sacred container. We’ll also talk about audience—-should we think of one, or not?
🌃 Night Six:
Guest Teacher
INFO T/K
🌙Night Seven:
Writing Workshop:
Meet within the sacred container of writing workshop. Get feedback on your work and give feedback to others (we’ll guide you in this, too).
Learn best practices and practical tips for publishing.
🌙Night Eight:
Guest Teacher
Info T/K
🌙Night Nine:
Guest Teacher
Info T/K
🌙 Night Ten:
Writing Workshop
Meet within the sacred container of writing workshop. Get feedback on your work and give feedback to others.
🌙 Night Eleven:
Final Writing Workshop
+ Closing Ceremony
Close the Portal with reflection, personal goal setting and a celebration.
*1:1 meetings will be set up individually. This is a chance for us to set up goals and check in on them with personal coaching. Each meeting is 60 min. We’ll have 2 1:1s!
*stay tuned for more info on the teachers and schedule as teachers are finalized
FAQs
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Come one, come all. The Portal is open to brand new writers as well as experienced, published folks and everyone in between. Craft talks, one-on-one meetings, workshops will all meet you were you’re at. You’ll be challenged but also be in a safe space.
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The Portal offers a beautiful mix of craft talks, experiences, and writing workshop (where you get feedback on your work, in the group!) You’ll be “workshopped” three times in the Portal. You will also get two one-on-one sessions with Sarah Herrington where you can further work and get feedback.
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Not at all. Some writers attend with a project in mind, in hand, or just following interest and their creativity! You can be in exploring mode or have some work already. No matter what, come with an open mind and heart because with so many great teachers things could change/ open up. :)
ENERGY EXCHANGE
$1549 with Payment Plans available
HOSTED BY WRITINGWORKSHOPS.COM
THE FINE PRINT!
Scope of Practice: The Portal is an educational program, a course bringing together creative writing and healing modalities. It is not a substitute for mental health or physical health practices. Contact us with any questions.
Payment Plan and All $$ Questions: WritingWorkshops.com is hosting us this year! and handling all payment and policies. Visit their site (linked here) for info.