Autistic Writers Empowerment Seminar
Discover what you have to offer as a neurodivergent writer – and find freedom and ease in your creative process.
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Of all the wonderful things I've been able to do as a new business owner – from ghostwriting a novel to coaching and learning from a variety of disabled and marginalized writers – perhaps my favorite has been the Autistic Writers Empowerment Seminar (formerly the Breakthrough Writers Workshop).
The Seminar isn't just about writing. It's about showing up as a full human. We confront the norms and the myths about writing that are holding us back, and we learn to accept the gift of our own strange, knotted, and sometimes inefficient creative brilliance. And it's not just about what I have to offer. My role is to foster an atmosphere where participants can learn just as much from their fellow writers as they do from me.
Many neurodivergent writers have been forced to camouflage their unique creative intelligence. Those who have been silenced often leave feeling as though they've been set free – and a majority express interest in one-on-one coaching afterward. Participant Kevin Williams had this to say:
“Chris Norton's writing seminar is a must for anyone who wants to unleash their writing skills and unleash their creativity. Chris is a master of storytelling who… gives you practical tips on how to overcome writer's block, productively revise your work, and publish your manuscript. As an autistic writer I also found his his style very approachable and his easy-going approach helped me get productive right away. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned writer, you will benefit from Chris's expertise and feedback. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best!”
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The Seminar developed in conversation with my friend Matthew Lawrence – the #ActuallyAutistic Coach – and through my own work with autistic and neurodivergent writers. It's a great way to overcome neuronormativity and embrace who you really are.
The next workshop starts this Saturday, November 16. Each session will be 90 minutes long.
The cost is $300. Let me know if that's not doable for you, and we'll work something out.
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As with all of my groups, it's okay to turn your camera off, communicate via the chat, stim, or ask for accommodations of any kind.
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Let's break down the individual sessions. And feel free to schedule a free 30-minute call, by the way, to find out more.
November 23: You Are Not Alone
Conventional wisdom has it that if writers struggle, it's because their craft is deficient. But what if the answer sometimes lies elsewhere? Writing is a bewildering and anxiety-inducing activity, but from an early age, most of us have internalized various expectations about how it's "supposed" to work. Most of us diverge from these expectations to various degrees – often leading us to think there's something wrong with us.
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I want you to become supremely comfortable with your own writing mind. Our first session will help you celebrate your own process – and those of the other participants. We'll also learn about some past writers who can serve as neurodivergent role models.
November 30: Your Brain, Your Process
How do you establish a practice that lets you go deeper into your voice, your process, and your creative projects?
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This session is a deep dive into autistic writing process: different kinds of autistic writers, executive functions, overcoming internalized ableism and rejection-sensitive dysphoria, and avoiding isolation.
Week of December 7: One-on-One Coaching
Comparing autistic writers to other autistic writers is like comparing apples to spacesuits – they just do completely different things. Knowing some of the ways autism can affect the writing process gets us somewhere, but really the only way forward is to understand YOUR autistic writing process.
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So after learning what we've learned in the first two sessions, we'll set up a 60-minute sessions for personalized coaching rather than meeting with the group at the usual time. I'll help you figure out what all of this means for you as a writer, and we'll talk about what you can share with the group next week.
December 14: Sharing What You Have
Revision – seeing again – can be a particularly difficult part of the writing process. Toward that end, we're going to take a look at one another's writing.
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This critique workshop is inspired by the guidelines of Pixar's Brain Trust. "A good note," writes Ed Catmull in Creativity, Inc., "says what is wrong, what is missing, what isn't clear, what makes no sense. It is offered in a timely manner – not too late to solve the problem. It doesn't make demands – it doesn't even have to include a proposed fix. But if it does, that fix is offered only to illustrate a potential solution – not to prescribe an answer."
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Excellent feedback is an art that looks deeply at the strengths of the work at hand and preserves the autonomy of the writer as they seek to strengthen what's already there. Let's practice that together.
December 21: Writing as a Way of Life
Our final gathering is a celebration. We will discuss what we've learned about how we write, what we write, and what we've learned about ourselves as writers.
Writers will have the opportunity to read excerpts from pieces they're proud of writing, and we will offer encouragement and discuss ways to support each other going forward.
Are you ready?
Get ready to own the strengths of your unique creative process.