Hi. Hi. Hi.

I’ll get right to it: I’m teaching my very first 3-hour Writing Intensive on November 7th. It’s happening. You don’t even need to leave your house. You don’t even need to be a writer! This class is for anyone just trying find their voice who could benefit from 3-hours of solid teaching on the following:

• The elements of compelling storytelling
• Breaking the fear
• Developing voice
• Connecting with readers
• The art of Taylor Swifting
• Consistency & control in writing
• Vulnerability hangovers
• Finding direction within a crowded writing world

I can promise you this: it is gon’ get real. And the coolest part? It’s online. Again, you don’t even need to leave your house. You can join the class while wearing slippers and hot chocolate on a Saturday. You can buy a new notebook and fill the whole thing up. You can slug wine at 3 in the afternoon and play Macklemore in the background as I am teaching if that’s your deal (though I recommend taking the class sober). You can do whatever you want, the world is truly yours. I will not stop you. The whole class will not stop you.

BUT, BUT, BUT… there are only a few spots left before we close the doors FOR-EV-ER (Sandlot reference) so we must move quickly. 

I’ve been working hard on the content for this class (you can see more details on the 3-hour breakdown here) but I’ll just come out and say it now: I’m not an expert. No, not really. However, I’ve managed to get a few things done in the last couple of years:

• At the age of 24, I signed to New Leaf Media Literary Agency. My first memoir “If You Find This Letter” (Howard Books of Simon & Schuster) came out in March 2015. It will release in paperback form in Spring 2016 and will also hit the shelves in Russia & Germany. My stationery kit (Potter Style, an imprint of Random House) came out in December 2014.
• I took the TED stage at the age of 24 for their Global Talent Search and have since continued to travel around the world to colleges and conferences across the country sharing my story. I’ve hit over 100 stages in the last few years.
• I’m the Founder of The World Needs More Love Letters. In the last four years, More Love Letters has grown into a community of over 20,000 individuals across all 50 states, 53 countries, and over 60 college campuses.
• I launched my own creative copywriting & consulting services for personal brands and individuals back in 2014.
• My work has been featured in (but not limited to) the following publications: The Wall Street Journal, Oprah, Glamour, Cosmo UK, USATODAY.com, Chicago Tribune, BBC News, the White House, and Reader’s Digest.
• I’ve worked with brands such as the United States Postal Service, Tiny Prints, Kleenex, KIND, Holstee, and Catalyst.
• In 2015, I launched If You Find This Email with one of my best friends, Jenna Bednarsky.
• I have managed to keep 1 fish alive for approximately 6 months– which shows dedication and commitment.

More than any kind of street cred, I am simply someone who has sat down nearly every single day for the last 5 years to write something– whether it be pages for a book, an article, a blog post, or a project. I am obsessed with the guts and grit it takes to be a writer in this world. Some would say that you can’t become a better writer– you are either a solid writer or you are not. I don’t believe that. For me, the writing process has been a hell of a lot more about discipline and hurdling over fear than whether my resonates with someone off the page. The more you write, the more your voice develops. When people told me I should teach writing classes I threw my hands up so quickly saying, “No way, not happening. No way.”

Yet here I am offering my first Writing Intensive to the internet. I still can’t believe it is happening. It’s nothing I planned for but, after teaching a class through the Influence Network (which I highly recommend), I realized I have a love for teaching individuals who want to write, blog, and create more. I feel for this pocket of people like no other. I mean, I’ve been in this little corner of the internet for almost 5 years now! Five. Stinking. Years. And me and this blog are still married and really in love! Along the way, I’ve learned a great deal about the struggle, the hustle, the book writing process, and the nitty, gritty & skinny on branding. I’m ready to put it all out there, lay it all out there for you.

There’s only a few more spots left to my first Writing Intensive. When the gates close, they close forever… or at least until January when I offer another. I hope to see you online on November 7th! It will be a beautiful way to treat yourself before the holiday season rolls through.

tying you closer than most,

hb.