Care for Writers: Summer Camp

Writers need care, too.

Care for Writers began as one-on-one work with writers who are also mothers, parents, caregivers, workers, and activists; writers who are moving through or sitting close to the aftermath of significant life changes like burnout, grief, divorce, new parenthood, leaving a career, or midlife awakenings, or those simply living through this time of ongoing crisis; writers who are hungry for inspiration, prompts, feedback, community, and support.

Care for Writers: End-of-Summer Camp brings together writers who are looking for dedicated time and guidance, but also community— either to round out a summer of writing, or to recoup a lost or deferred writing practice.

Because it’s summer camp, we’ll emphasize creative experimentation and connection. That means we’ll start each of our four sessions in August with a short inspiring reading, a craft discussion, and a writing prompt based on the reading. We’ll write together, then come back together to debrief. We’ll also have two special guests visit for a short Q&A.

There is no workshop component to this course and no homework. Simply show up, make friends, learn, and play.

This class meets every Monday in August from 4pm-6pm PT/ 7pm-10pm ET. If you need to miss part of a class, or a whole class, that’s fine with us. You’ll get the readings and prompts sent your email inbox.

The class is open to writers at all stages, in all genres, and is perfect for both new and returning students. Prompts will be flexible enough for writers to use to continue a work in progress and/or to develop new work.

Need more care?

I am also offering an additional 1-1 hour with me for those who may want extra feedback or guidance on a project or on their general process or writing life at a discounted hourly rate (half off my normal hourly rate).

Please be sure to sign up for this option separately if interested— either when you enroll, or before the class has ended. This hour can be split into two half-hour sessions spread throughout the course. Just email me after enrolling in the class to set this up.

Please note that this 1-1 offering is only available to writers enrolled in the Care for Writer summer camp. For those who want to work 1-1 with me without enrolling in the camp, scroll down.

For class and 1-1 testimonials, scroll down a little further.

Want to work with me 1-1?

I have a limited number of spots available to work 1-1 with writers. I am currently scheduling 1-1 work for August 2025 and beyond. You can check out my rates by clicking the “rates & packages” button below, then scroll down to schedule a 15-minute consultation to see if we are a fit. You can also view some testimonials below. Writers I have worked with 1-1 and in classes have gone on to publish at The New York Times, The Cut, Slate, Romper, HuffPost, Write or Die, and literary magazines.

Testimonials

  • “Without Amanda's expert knowledge of the publishing landscape and fresh insights, I wouldn't have gotten my article published HuffPost. In addition to one-to-one writing mentorship, I've taken her well-attended writing workshops. Even though it wasn't expected of her, Amanda offered personalized feedback to all of the workshop attendees. Though it's rare to find a writing instructor this generous, this is the level of dedication to her students' success that I've come to expect from Amanda. She really shows up for her students. I feel incredibly lucky to have found her early in my writing career. Ten out of ten–she's an absolute standout..”

    Rachael Quisel, BSW, MPA, 2022 Pushcart Prize Nominee

  • “Participating in Amanda's Care for Writers class was just the balm I needed to reset my writing goals and intentions. Knowing that every Friday I would get to learn from Amanda, be in the presence of other great writers and refocus on the craft of writing kept me going all week.”

    Oona Metz, author of Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women

  • "As a teacher, Amanda is one of those rare gems who is deeply intellectual yet warm and approachable, while also being incredibly meticulous in the personal interest she takes in each of her students and their work. I took a four-week online course on essay writing with her, and it was the first writing workshop I'd taken in over a decade. I was nervous going in, but left feeling that I'd gained an entire semester's worth of inspiration, concrete techniques, comprehensive feedback, and real-world advice about publishing. Thanks to the nurturing community that Amanda was so brilliant at cultivating, I even met an amazing writing buddy, who has become a long-distance friend. This class didn't just help improve my writing, but also reignited my love of the craft. I truly cannot recommend Amanda highly enough!"

    Ariana Hendrix, writer of the newsletter American Mom in Norway

  • “Amanda's teachings have empowered me to make the most progress on both my book and my freelance work. Her courses — I've taken multiple — have kept me intellectually engaged and held me accountable while graciously leaving space for life's inevitable interruptions. The confidence, encouragement, and community I've gained from her courses have been invaluable, generative, and inspiring. Like a good book, I can't recommend working with her enough.”

    Ashley Rubbell, writer

  • “Amanda’s classes are the perfect mix of writing, feedback, exploring, and sharing. Amanda knows how to lead a group through discussion and writing prompts. She is always generous with her resources and helpful information. I feel like I hit the jackpot by taking Amanda class!”

    Amy Garrison, writer

  • "This course buoyed me and made me feel connected to other writers at a time when I was feeling very disconnected from the writing world. I was blown away by the diversity and depth of readings, the spirit of support and camaraderie, and the quality of both submissions and feedback from fellow participants. Amanda led the course with such insight, compassion, and intelligence—I also thoroughly enjoyed the prompts, as well as the discussions and ways in which we were all inspired to engage with the reading material, and each other's work, on a weekly basis. I will miss it!"

    Kaitlin Solimine, author of Empire of Glass and host of the Postpartum Production podcast

  • "Amanda is a great teacher who gives fantastic feedback and knows how to steer writers in productive directions."

    Heather Hewett, PhD, co-editor of #MeToo and Literary Studies

  • “Amanda's workshop was a wonderful experience. I left each class feeling motivated. Amanda gave thoughtful prompts that helped me learn new tools and ways to approach writing. I thought her style of teaching was very welcoming and open. Each person in the course had time to share their work and their thoughts with each other creating a creative and supportive environment. One of my favorite takeaways from Amanda was to approach writing as a practice in creativity and play!"

    Amanda Stojanov, Asst. Prof. of Digital Media, West Long Branch, NJ

  • "Amanda's course was nurturing, generative, inspiring, and just such a powerful 4 weeks. No one wanted the session to end which speaks to her ability to not only create a compelling course but also encourage healthy discussion and vulnerability."

    Cindy DiTiberio, writer

  • "Amanda's course was the course on motherhood and rage and vulnerability and strength that I didn't know I needed. Her course materials and writing prompts were impeccably curated and thoughtful, and she created an honest and supportive "classroom" space on Zoom. I am grateful for the community I found through this course!"

    Ariella Ruth, writer

  • “Amanda is intellectually rigorous but also approachable. She has a profound knowledge of the materials covered in the course. She gives space to every student in the course and provides excellent feedback. She also encourages students to be out of their intellectual comfort zone but so with grace and understanding.”

    Giusi Russo, Assistant Professor of History, Montgomery County College

  • "Amanda provided thoughtful and creative writing prompts that were truly inspired by the readings, in a surprising but inevitable way. They unlocked my thinking and brought new energy to my own creative work. Amanda's welcoming, gentle, and listening energy created a nice sense of community even over Zoom. I learned a lot, had fun, and felt a sense of connection not just to the subject material but to the group."

    Stella

  • "This course was fascinating and encouraged me to reflect deeply on a wide range of creative and intellectual topics. It shifted my thinking on certain issues, allowed me to connect with other writers, and helped me carve out space for magic and creativity. Amanda did a great job of making space for each student to contribute. She structured the class while still allowing for spontaneity."

    Victoria Livingstone, PhD, writer and translator