In a world that feels increasingly divided, stories have the power to build bridges across difference, create understanding between opposing viewpoints, and remind us of our shared humanity. This six-week workshop will teach you how to write with true compassion whether you're crafting fiction, exploring memoir, or writing your present-moment life.
Every day, we're bombarded with narratives that encourage us to see "others" as enemies, that oversimplify complex issues, that leave us feeling hopeless or angry. But stories can do something different. They can:
Help readers feel less alone in their struggles
Challenge assumptions without attacking people who hold them
Show how seemingly impossible conflicts might find resolution
Model empathy and understanding across profound differences
Plant seeds of hope in hearts that have known despair
Your stories have this power. This workshop will help you use it.
Course tutor
Amanda Saint is the founder of The Mindful Writer, which originally started life as a newsletter on Substack in 2023. She is an author and writing coach dedicated to helping writers find their voice and keep the love of writing alive, while using their stories to create positive human connection.
With many years experience in the publishing industry, she believes that writing is a journey of self-discovery, and she helps people to embrace their creativity through courses, workshops and 1-1 coaching. Amanda's approach combines mindfulness with creative writing, providing a supportive community where every writer can thrive.
Amanda is the author of two novels, As If I Were A River (2016) and Remember Tomorrow (2019) and a novella-in-flash, Pressure Drop (2024). Her short stories, flash and micro fictions have been widely published in journals and anthologies, and placed and listed in many international prizes, including the Mslexia Flash Fiction Prize and the Fish Flash Fiction Prize. She has been nominated for Best Small Fictions 2023 and in 2024 had four stories selected for Top in Fiction. She writes life and memoir pieces on her Substack.
Week 1: The Heart of Connection Understanding what makes stories transform hearts and build empathy across difference
Week 2: Writing Across the Divide Authentically representing people and experiences different from your own with respect
Week 3: Conflict with Heart Creating compelling opposition and writing about difficult people without demonization
Week 4: Stories That Bridge Divides Writing about contemporary social and political issues with nuance and hope
Week 5: Writing Hope Without Denial The art of offering authentic optimism while acknowledging real problems
Week 6: Your Voice as a Force for Healing Sustaining compassionate practice and creating lasting impact through your stories
✓ Fiction writers who want to create complex, fully human characters
✓ Memoir writers seeking to tell their truth while honoring the complexity of the real people in their stories
✓ Life writers documenting present-moment experiences and wanting to navigate current times with greater compassion
✓ Any writer who believes stories can heal rather than harm, connect rather than divide
✓ Writers ready to tackle difficult subjects — trauma, conflict, social issues — with both courage and care
Start Date: 10th November 2025
Format: Online with weekly lessons and community discussion
Group Size: Maximum 12 writers for intimate, supportive learning
Investment: £200 (or 2 payments of £110)
What you'll receive:
A comprehensive lesson exploring that week's theme
Practical writing exercises for fiction, memoir, and present-moment writing
Guided meditations to cultivate compassionate awareness
Optional community discussion and feedback
Ongoing support from Amanda and your fellow writers
Access to an online community space once the course is over to stay connected to your fellow writers.