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This is a free virtual presentation, via Zoom.

Presenter: Alexandria Peary

Writing can become much more fulfilling if we think of it as happening right Now. Much is lost when we overlook the present moment because we forfeit rewarding writing experiences in exchange for stress, frustration, boredom, fear, and shortchanged invention and creativity (it’s a poor bargain). Through mindfulness, we can reduce our writing apprehension and the writing blocks that come from future- or past-oriented thinking. Every moment can become a prolific moment: we can write more quickly and with greater ease of mind. In this presentation, we discuss writing tools that emerge when present time is highlighted: impermanence, audience demons, monkey mind self-talk, and preconceptions about writing ability and writing task. Participants will learn basic strategies to incorporate mindfulness into their writing lives.

Register in advance for this meeting by clicking here.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Photo of Alexandria Peary, Jane Button Photography

Credit: Jane Button Photography

Alexandria Peary serves as New Hampshire Poet Laureate. She is the author of nine books, including The Water Draft, Control Bird Alt Delete, Prolific Moment: Theory and Practice of Mindfulness for Writing, and the COVID Spring anthologies. Her work has received a 2020 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship, Best of NH, the Iowa Poetry Prize, and several Pushcart and Best of the Net nominations. Her creative nonfiction piece, “Hello to All That,” was selected as Notable Essay for the 2021 Best American Nonfiction. She specializes in mindful writing and gives frequent talks on the topic, including a recent webcast for National Novel Writing Month, a TEDx talk, presentations for New Hampshire Humanities, and a popular webinar for the National Council of Teachers of English. Her activities as poet laureate include directing the 2020 North Country Young Writers’ Festival, helping NH writers publish, and facilitating mindful writing workshops for people affected by the opioid crisis. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Under the Madness, a new literary magazine edited by NH teens. Alex is a professor in the English Department at Salem State University. More info can be found at the Poetry Foundation www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/alexandria-peary  and at her blog: https://newhampshirepoetlaureate.blogspot.com/  Follow Alex on Twitter @NHPoetLaureate or @Writemindfully.v

This is a Humanities to Go VIRTUAL presentation.  To learn more about Humanities to Go, visit here.

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