We've launched WritersDojo.org

Today we launched WritersDojo.org. Please browse and share your thoughts. We're also proud to have a write-up in Portland Monthly Magazine, November issue (page 42).

ready to launch

Thanks for the Qs on our radio silence. We've been behind-the-scenes, working hard to keep the core training alive by writing daily. Meanwhile, the business side of Writers' Dojo continues to develop, to provide core members with outstanding resources. In just a few days, we'll launch a new WritersDojo.org Web experience. It's a good start, including a free podcast download with bestselling author Chelsea Cain.

Off line, we've been furniture hunting, to outfit the Dojo with beautiful office gear. The redesign continues. Painting, artwork, desks... Here are a few of our finds. Special thanks to our friends at ECOpdx for the salvaged wood masterpieces.

thanks, links and tours

We don't have furniture quite yet, but we're already filling the writers dojo with creative, literary energy. Thanks to everyone for stopping by and sharing ideas. Local authors like M.K. Hobson, James Bernard Frost, and Kristina McMorris are just a few of the folks who deserve special thanks.

We're hoping these writers and many more will find a base for their artistic endeavors. M.K.'s work on the literary journal Diet Soap and James' group PEW are perfect examples of the types of projects we want to support. Please help us support them by following the links.

If you'd like the tour, please give me a call. 503-784-1449. We're at 7506 N. Chicago Ave. (writersdojo.org coming soon.) Driving directions are here.

peer-to-peer journal for literary artists

Volunteer editors and writers needed for beta peer-to-peer journal Website and online magazine. Please drop me a note if you're interested to learn more and assist. Basically we need a crew of intelligent folk to test, tear down, brainstorm, offer input and guidance... or just send some of your articles and ideas.

One of the projects underway here is a free access, peer-to-peer journal for professional literary artists in Portland, throughout Oregon, and around the Northwest. The underlying theme will be to advance the conversation of literary artistry and professionalism. We would include news, editorial, interviews, reviews, events, how-to articles on marketing, writers group info, MFA thoughts, and of course stories on craft... but the style remains local and peer-to-peer. So it is quick to the point, useful, interesting, and conversational in tone. Content certainly would be moderated and possibly edited (where necessary).

Think Poets & Writers meets Village Voice on the local lit scene with Web 2.0 flare, and that's sort of the idea.

What can interested people do to help?

Wow, the Portland literary community rocks! The emails and support have been keeping us completely inspired. One Q that's been repeated: how to help. Thanks for asking! I'll share more insight on this soon, but here's the shortlist for today:

Spreading the word. Please share this blog with folks word-of-mouth style. Once we have the doors open and an actual Web site up, we'll do our best to connect with groups in town.

Keep sharing your ideas, comments and emails. OK, this is sounding slightly referential. But this is huge for us on this side. What do writers in Portland need?

Finding a few core folks. I'll be penning fiction full time from the St. Johns location as of Sept. 15. I'm looking for a few serious writers interested in monthly or weekly desk rental. By getting in now, these writers can help shape the space. I don't have all the digits figured out yet, but something like $400/mo or so that includes all the office stuff you'd need. By sometime in October, we'll be open for writing groups, events, and workshops... really whatever the literary community seems to need.

Introducing our St. Johns Writers’ Annex

We’ve landed an amazing space for writing groups, readings, weekend workshops, garden parties, intimate literary events… and writing workstations for weekly or monthly rental.

The space is unbelievable, just over the St. Johns bridge on N. Chicago one block from Lombard. It’s a shiny new yoga studio that we’ll transform, on the same property as my brother’s martial arts school. Hence the name we’re contemplating: The Writers Dojo.

There’s plenty of work ahead to transform the location from gorgeous yoga studio to writing lab and literary workspace. Stay tuned for more details on:

• Launch party, reading, and grand opening


• Web site experience


• And the ongoing work to develop the downtown location for full a Writers’ Room

Here are a few quick pics of the main floor. Better shots of the full location and garden to come.

A NoPo Writing Annex

We're in the final stages of making a deal for our first location—the writers house annex in St. Johns. If all goes well, we will have a gorgeous, dedicated place for writing groups to meet just off of N. Lombard. No longer will groups have to do the coffeehouse, vagabond, peripatetic city trek in search of a spacious nook.

I’m reluctant to share more until the lease is signed. But things are looking superb. We’ll have a living room area to comfortably seat up to 12 or so and a beautiful, Zen office environment fully loaded for weekly, monthly, or even yearly rental. It will also be a great spot for readings and garden parties.

More soon. In the meantime, the search for the perfect writers’ room downtown continues.