SONGWRITING WEEKEND: 

NEW YEAR // NEW SONG

JANUARY 4-5, 2025

A weekend-long songwriting gathering to greet 2025. Start the new year with new writing and fresh connections with fellow writers. Write a draft of a new song. Gain tools and community to sustain your writing practice in the new year.

Dates and Deets: 

  • Saturday, January 4 and Sunday, January 5, 3-6pm EST
  • Meetings on Zoom with additional communication via a shared Google drive folder and the postal mail! 
  • Sliding scale: $175 (at cost), $225 (a little more), $150 (discount available to subscribers to Jean's monthly subscription page, at any tier, as well as those in need); arrangements can be made to pay in installments if needed
  • Space is limited
  • Click here to sign up
  • Questions? Read on. Or write Jean here. 

SIGN UP HERE

(Jean is also available Jan-Mar 2025 for one-on-one songwriting lessons. INQUIRE HERE)

“Jean listened to my songs with the depth, thoughtfulness, and open-heartedness that I always hope to be heard with. She brings care and respect to the task of cultivating the songwriting voices of her students and I am a more confident and trusting writer because of her.” - Aaron 

“One of the biggest gifts of your series is an emergent, resounding faith in my capacity to write––faith and even wonder at the non-linear process, rather than viewing the process as an obstacle to the finished thing.” - Melanie Ida Chopko 

WHAT

This intensive songwriting workshop is meant to provide writers with focused time in their writing practice and fresh writing inspiration at the start of the new year. The aim is threefold: 

  • have fun and get curious with new writing exercises
  • connect with a community of fellow songwriters
  • walk away with a fresh draft of a new song by the end of the weekend

Whether you're someone who wants to rekindle a dormant writing practice, a steady writer looking for new inspiration, or a songwriting newcomer, there will be plenty of space for you to find what you need in this class. Class culminates with resources for the future, including the option to extend the weekend on your own, via peer accountability groups.

This writing group is different from other, ongoing series I've led online. Instead of monitoring a consistent weekly practice and facilitating intensive feedback sessions, this will be active, in-class time for making, with the intention of building new work / a foundation for your writing in the months ahead.

WHY 

All of us, even the most consistent, self-directed creators, periodically need the opportunity to stir things up, refresh, and find the spark that led us to make things in the first place. Here is an opportunity to surface in community at the start of 2025 and be witnessed in making something new.

HOW 

ACTIVE IN-SESSION PRACTICE
Our time together will be tailored to the interests of the people who sign up. Sessions will be active and participatory, and will include some combination of writing prompts and games, listening and analysis as a means of finding inspiration, group and solo work, and space for each participant to share new writing in the group. Depending on interest, we may cover “writer's block," building a consistent practice, finding community around your songwriting, strategies for rewriting, and building your own song-spark library.

ON-YOUR-OWN
Writers are encouraged to spend one hour of independent time between the two sessions to expand the writing they did in class.

POST-WORKSHOP SMALL GROUPS
At the culmination of the weekend, writers will have the option to extend the session by joining small groups to meet or communicate regularly based on their interests and needs. Groups might be “New Songwriters,” “Working on Demos/Albums," “Song-a-Week,” “Instrumental Practice Pals,” or other areas of affinity, as determined by the makeup of the group.

WHO THIS IS FOR 

  • Those with songwriting experience who want to start the year with a new song
  • Songwriters looking to (re)build a regular creative practice in community 
  • Songwriters who crave new ways into their writing, with new challenges and fresh ideas

SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY 

I am committed to holding space for a supportive, engaged community of writers helping each other to enjoy the journey of creative work alone and together. We will make and observe agreements about how we relate to one another and will work together to uphold those norms so that we can all feel free to take risks and grow together. 

ABOUT THE SLIDING SCALE 

In an effort to make this class available to more people I'm happy to offer a sliding scale rate for this class. Arrangements can also be made to pay in installments. 

$175: Pay this standard amount if doing so would be an investment, but not create hardship for your household. You might choose this rate if you are able to regularly meet your basic needs and have some expendable income, can travel every couple years without burden, and have some debt but are able to pay it regularly. This is the rate I need most people to contribute so I can run the class. 

$225: This pay-it-forward amount is for you if you are comfortably able to meet your basic needs, own the home you live in, have paid or pay for private education, travel recreationally, have access to financial savings and/or investments, have reliable work or do not have to work to meet your needs, have inherited wealth, etc. This rate makes it possible for me to work with people who need a lower rate. 

$150: This discounted rate is for folks who subscribe to my monthly subscription service at any tier. Please also choose this rate if you if you have limited expendable income, have little or no access to financial support from family, have significant debt, and little or no access to savings.