Ordinary Magic

Writing Matters: The Business of Actually Writing

WRITING MATTERS: The Business of Actually Writing
June 13th —Aug 1st, 8 weekly sessions 7:00PM – 9:00PM

Reserve your space here.

What I learnt from my first 10 week programme with Carolyn!

We closed out our wonderful 10-week programme in May and it was incredible; the creative output, the poetry, stories told, and the performances. Solid gold.

And so we devised a NEW 8-week programme that focusses on the business of ACTUALLY WRITING. EVERY WEEK. CREATIVE HABIT. CREATIVE OUTPUT.

Dreams realised. Books manifested. Poems published.

This coming round of 8 sessions focusses on actually writing - each week we write, and get prompts, coaching, mentoring and feedback all in the group and tackle the business of actually writing. We will make things. Produce things. ALL WITH THE INSIDER KNOWLEDGE of poet Carolyn and coach Sarah.

PLEASE NOTE THE TIME CHANGE 7:00-9:00pm JST

19:00-21:00 JST

By popular demand we added 30 minutes!

Thursday June 13th - Thursday August 1st

Get in the aircon or if you’re in the Southern hemisphere, under a blanky, and give yourself the gift of 2 unbroken hours of creativity, creative community and get down to the BUSINESS OF ACTUALLY WRITING!

So join poet Carolyn Hashimoto and me,  coach Sarah Furuya on our next Ordinary Magic writing adventure!

"Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you're doomed."
Ray Bradbury

YES RAY - Let’s output SOOOOO MUCH

Read on for more details!

Sign up now!

Following their powerful Ordinary Magic writing workshops earlier in 2024, the poet and the coach have put their creative heads together to produce an eight-week writing course that will leave you with no excuses for blank notebooks and empty screens, because WRITING MATTERS!

::The Business of ACTUALLY Writing::

It will run for 8 weeks on Thursday nights 7:00pm-9:00pm JST (11:00am-1:00pm UK/8:00pm -10:00pm AEST) from June 13th - August 1st.

*Are you outside Japan? TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SUPER EXCELLENT EXCHANGE RATE right now for an absolute bargain! lucky lucky timing.

**Sorry Americas - we couldn’t make the time zones work this round - but we’ll keep you posted for the future.

Session dates 19:00-21:00 JST:

June 13th - Divulge your writing matters and indulge in our first write

June 20th - Write plus alpha

June 27th - Write plus alpha

July 4th - Write plus alpha

July 11th - Write plus alpha

July 18th - Write plus alpha

July 25th - Write plus alpha

August 1st - Celebration! Performance! Next steps!

All Alumni get special pricing

Playlists throughout - we will share them

Each session is recorded so you can return for painless, no-fuss at-home writing

Writing prompts, themes

A closed group where we can share our writing, our recommendations, our triumphs and tribulations, and our book shelves

What we don’t do is get into spelling correction, criticizing either our own or other writing, and we don’t consider inaccurate text as unworthy or a feature of a lack of skill or professional potential. We aim for expression, excellence (optional although across the board present last round) communion in creative pursuits, output, production and rejection of perfectionism. If editing is why you’re here, then that is what you’ll do. Uninvited editing - eek. Non merci.

Check your timezone here

“Nobody ever became a writer just by wanting to be one.”
- F. Scott Fitzgerald

It’s a good start though Fitzy!

Let us be your creative ignition, the catalyst for whatever it is you are writing or want to write. The course is for writers of all abilities at all levels at all stages of writing – be it a blank page or a full manuscript – let us bring your words to full fruition!

“The only way to become a writer is to sit still and write.”
- Barbara Kingsolver

Sign up now!

Over the course of the eight weeks we will have writing prompts, themes, dedicated timed writing sessions, group mentoring and coaching from poet Carolyn and coach SFC. We will have discussions on writing, and opportunities to share your work and learn effective ways to give feedback that works.

With the support of your writing peers, you will give yourself the gift of time to write and explore. We’ve already witnessed breakthroughs and light bulb moments, and we can’t wait to see more!


“This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard.”
Neil Gaiman

Don’t take our word for it – hear what some of our Ordinary Magic Alumni have to say…

“Your class was the best to get me writing creatively again.

Your energy is THE BEST.”

::Christina Lopp Schawbecher::Artist::Ordinary Magic Alumni ::

¥42,000 includes access to all 8 workshops, recordings and playlists and the secret vault where work can be shared. It includes real-time in-session mentoring and coaching from the poet and the coach, structured feedback opportunities, performance opportunities and advice on any aspect of writing or publishing that comes up. If we don’t know the answers, we can point you toward a place that does.

All participants will be invited to contribute a piece of writing to an anthology at the end of the course.

Ordinary Magic 10-week Alumni Price: ¥30,000 (You will receive a code!)

“The gratification has to come from the effort itself. I try not to look back. I approach the work as though, in truth, I’m nothing and the words are everything. Then I write to save my life. If you are a writer, that will be true. Writing has saved my life.”
- Louise Erdich

You will receive access to content and videos on the day of the session!

We will run with 10 writers so please share with budding writer or experienced writer friends and family.

We will cap at 18 members so get in quick!