Blog
Everyone’s life is a story: A Q and A with Rita Pomade
"What I learned in writing the book was that my life was a story. And by extension, everyone’s life is a story. It’s how you perceive it and the extent to which you’re reactive or proactive that can make it a more or less interesting story. And even if you...
read moreWriter, are you ready to meet your Genius?
"In Ancient Greece and Rome people did not happen to believe that creativity came from human beings. People believed that creativity was this divine attendant spirit that came to human beings from some distant and unknowable source. The Greeks famously called these...
read moreLet’s *Spark* Your Story: A New Writing Program
Working with more than 100 writers over the last two years (and witnessing nearly 400 genre-blending stories make their way into the world) has given me a much greater understanding of the creative process, the most common blocks for life writers, and an even deeper...
read moreCase Study: Rachel Laverdiere
"I feel much freer as a writer now." Writer: Rachel Laverdiere of Saskatoon, SaskatchewanCourse: Spark Your *Outlier* Story & Spark Your *Visual* Story Writing ChallengeI’d learned the basics of creative nonfiction through an introductory course and...
read moreMy Arrhythmia Still Interferes: A Poem*
He wanted to speak telepathically but our arrhythmias muddled the signals. The sky at an impasse. Dark clouds heavy as an anvil but dazzling where they broke, backlit by the sun. I glanced at him sideways. Dark hair curling around his ears, a peppering of stubble...
read more*Spark* Your Story with $30 off January courses (today only)!
As we head into the busy-cozy season, it can be a real challenge to maintain momentum with our writing. So before things take a turn for the hectic and spirited, I have three potent little invitations for you. First, take a moment to reflect on three gifts related to...
read moreLater I’ll Set Aside Sorrow: A Poem *
We want to believe in the great paradox – that Schrödinger was right about the cat, dead and alive at the same time. And I can stay in bed with a grief hangover; also on time for class. This morning foiled again, strong-armed to my bed by the same anemic dream. I...
read moreCase Study: Danny O’Brien
"I now have a creative choice — and confidence." Writer: Danny O’Brien of Troy, Michigan Course: Spark Your *Outlier* Story Writing Challenge I was struggling to learn flash essays; I wasn’t sure if there was a particular format and became lost in the...
read moreThe 10 best things that happened because I said yes to my writing
Once I started treating my writing as a non-negotiable—a spiritual gift, a calling—surprising and wonderful things began to happen. Amazing, beautiful things that have nothing to do with the usual measures of success, like selling a book proposal or making...
read moreSpark Your *Visual* Story!
My new ecourse on visual art inspired creative nonfiction begins Monday! We'll be learning about the panel essay--inspired by medieval diptych and triptych paintings--as well as the visual essay (i.e. the photo essay, pictorial essay, and concrete essay), and the...
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I 'm Nicole Breit
- Award winning poet and essayist residing on Canada’s gorgeous Sunshine Coast, the traditional territory of the Skwx̱wú7mesh people.
- Creative writing teacher whose passion is to help writers discover new ways to shape their memories into well-crafted narratives.
Free mini e-book
Loss is a universal story theme—grief, a common block to writing our raw, vulnerable stories about loss. In this free e-book I share 9 tips for writing about grief and loss with care and intention.
Everyone’s life is a story: A Q and A with Rita Pomade
"What I learned in writing the book was that my life was a story. And by extension, everyone’s life is a story. It’s how you perceive it and the extent to which you’re reactive or proactive that can make it a more or less interesting story. And even if you...