All The Details

In this two hour zoom workshop Ann and Jade will lead you through the practice that underpins every one of their writing projects – every essay, every book, every issue of the newsletter. It all begins with composting. You will leave with a clear understanding of how to develop and maintain your own composting practice, and how to use it to enrich all of your writing. You will also know how to answer that perpetual question: How do I know when an idea is ready?

Who’s it for?

• Do you feel certain you want to write something, but get intimidated by the blank page?

• Do you keep losing track of your best ideas and most trenchant observations?

• Do you have a lot of little half-formed ideas, but struggle to connect the dots?

SCRAPS will give you tools to surmount all of these writing roadblocks. Our workshops have an encouraging and propulsive dynamic that will get you excited to dig in and do the hard work. We are pro-ambition and pro-experimentation, and cultivate an inclusive environment. We welcome writers of all experience levels.

(If you’ve attended one of our past workshops, either in person or online, please be aware that this workshop will cover familiar material. If you’d like a refresher course, you’re still welcome to join us!)

Give the gift of SCRAPS

• Can I buy this as a gift?: Yes! When you check out we will ask if you’re buying this as a gift—please be sure to say YES. We’ll email you to follow up and make sure your recipient has a great experience. You can bundle this workshop with our first Midwives of Invention publication, SCRAPS: 18 Ways to Compost, for the excellent price of $15 + shipping/handling.

  • What if I only want the workshop?: You’re in luck! Go to the purchase page and register for the SCRAPS workshop for $70.

  • What if I only want the zine?: At the moment, SCRAPS: 18 Ways to Compost is only available if you purchase a Midwives of Invention workshop. The purchase link is provided in your workshop receipt email. Click here if you want us to remind you when the zine is available, unbundled from our workshops.

• Will you send the zine before Christmas?: If you’re in the U.S. and you order before Dec 10, you should receive it by Dec 24. However, shipping is handled by the printer and depends on your particular location. The Midwives cannot guarantee delivery dates.

Who are the Midwives of Invention?

You are the mother of invention. We are your midwives!

Jade and Ann are writers and friends who have been leading workshops as the Midwives of Invention since 2018. Between us we have written best-selling fiction and non-fiction books, published pioneering newsletters, edited magazines, written for beloved television shows, and created podcasts and audio essays. We are not tortured writers toiling alone. We are in constant dialogue with each other about our projects and processes, and we started the Midwives of Invention because we wanted to share that dialogue with the wider world. For us, coming up with ideas, crafting sentences, and revising drafts is actually fun, and doing it in community is the best part. We don’t think writing is easy, but we know how to make the hard work worthwhile.

Click here to read more about us.

What have past participants said?

• “You loosened my grip and allowed me to fall in love with being an artist again.”

• “The best professional workshop I've ever attended.”

• “The practical and very well laid out simple steps were super helpful for a novice like me.”

• “I like the how tightly pragmatic and how deeply personal this process is. I can see a LOT of fruitful writing coming out of it!”

• “I can't believe how engaging a three hour zoom was, the time flew by. “

• “Honestly a transformative experience for me.”

Workshop fee: $70 (Zine not included)

Add the zine for just $15 + shipping!