Hi there. I’m Christine, and I’m so glad you’re here.

Writers’ Haven by Christine Wolf is for you if you’ve ever…

…felt pulled to process your emotions and experiences through writing.

…faced hardship.

…struggled internally.

…felt alone.

…grieved.

…lost love.

…lost hope.

…lost yourself.

…broken down.

…considered writing a memoir but didn’t know how to “get started” or “make sense of your story”.

…doubted your personal story was worth sharing.

…wondered if you or your writing are “good enough”.

…hoped to become a stronger, clearer, more confident writer.

…felt the urge to write about a topic listed above but wondered how on earth to take the first step.

Why Should I Subscribe for FREE?

You’ll receive semi-regular posts about the writing life, and not just mine. I’ll share interviews with and essays from colleagues, clients, mentors, and literary heroes. We’ll talk about what we write, how we write, and most of all, how writing saves us every single day.

You’ll also receive a link to my Monthly Ask Me Anything Q&A About Writing, in which we can interact directly and with a community of those passionate about the craft. When I don’t have the answer you’re looking for, I’ll try to guide you toward someone who does.

And, you’ll have access to my subscriber-only Writers’ Haven Salons, where we gather online as a burgeoning, encouraging writing community for writing sprints, writing prompts, and inspiration.

What benefits do I get from a PAID subscription?

In addition to everything above, you’ll ALSO receive:

• Exclusive access to my long-form interviews with writing professionals, passages and behind-the-scenes details from my work-in-progress memoir.

• Discounted Coaching Power Hours with me to discuss your writing projects, dreams, challenges, and questions. Paid subscribers can book a 50-minute Power Coaching Session for $175 $100.

• Your name featured on a “Supporters Page” in my memoir once it’s published.

• Videos from me with tips on memoir writing, navigating the publishing landscape, and more.

• Every single post (not just the free ones).

• Uninterrupted access to my Writers On Writing series, including exclusive interviews with writers from all genres and levels of experience (this series is currently free as I build it, but will go behind a paywall in 2024).

Who is Christine Wolf?

In 2014, after years as a blogger and newspaper opinion columnist (Patch, Pioneer Press, Chicago Sun-Times, and Tribune Media), I was at work on my first novel, longing for a community with other writers.

It was then I opened my summer home in Michigan as a space for writers of all levels to work comfortably among kindred spirits while nurturing our craft. I called it Writers’ Haven Michigan. I’d learned firsthand that, although we writers tend to be solitary creatures, we deeply benefit from human connections as well as opportunities to share stories, writing experiences, and, perhaps most importantly, goals. Writers’ Haven welcomed esteemed writers from across the Midwest, including, among others, Deborah Siegel, Debi Lewis, and New York Times bestselling author Samantha Irby.

From 2015 through 2018, my life turned completely upside down. I fell into a massive depression when life as I’d known it became unrecognizable. During that time, my 25+ year marriage came to an end, I had to sell the space in which I ran my new business, and my younger sister, Beth, died suddenly.

It took everything I had to keep holding on, and writing became my lifeline.

At first, it was easy to write about my grief, loss, fear, anger, and disbelief. And yet, with pen in hand (or laptop in lap), I eventually wrote about other things, including new perspectives, dreams, gratitude, and hope.

In 2019, while finishing my first biography, I launched Writers’ Haven Evanston, near Chicago. Things were beginning to look up. But then, almost as soon as I opened the doors, I experienced a medical emergency requiring major surgery. While recuperating at home, the pandemic hit.

It was then that I — like you, I’m sure — retreated into the emptiness of a bleak and terrifyingly uncertain future.

However, it was in that pandemic stillness and solitude that I updated my website and offered writing consults for anyone who’d like them. Frankly, I never imagined anyone would take me up on a writing consult (Hello, imposter syndrome!), but I was willing and eager to do anything to connect with others who loved to write. I figured, If someone asks me to help with something I’m not qualified for, I’ll introduce them to someone who is.

And that’s when something incredible happened.

As COVID-19 cases surged, I applied for unemployment while training to become a Contact Tracer to make ends meet. During the height of the pandemic winter surge of 20/21, I worked as a Contact Tracer by day, counseling individuals and families, many who were critically ill or whose loved ones were sick and/or had died. At the same time, my email inbox kept filling up with requests for writing consults. Not surprisingly, the pandemic had inspired many people to face their mortality and to take, long, hard looks at their lives; as a result, lots of people began seeking help writing their memoirs.

By March 2021, I had more writing clients than I could reasonably manage while holding down a full-time job, so I resigned from Contact Tracing to focus full-time as a Writing and Memoir Coach.

I’ve been asked more than once if I’ll write my own memoir, and the answer is an enthusiastic yes. I plan to complete it in 2023, and, I’ll share passages with paid subscribers of this newsletter.

For now, I’ve slowly reopened Writers’ Haven to small groups of writers of all levels of skill and experience who gather to work in its cozy, comfortable spaces.

And, I’m focused on 3 things:
1. Ongoing consulting with the amazing roster of Writers’ Haven memoir clients
2. Building this newsletter for writers and readers alike
3. Releasing my biography about two former members of the United States Congress: POLITICS, PARTNERSHIPS, & POWER: The Lives of Ralph E. and Marguerite Stitt Church, co-authored with Jay Pridmore (Master Wings Publishing, December 2023).

My goal for Writers’ Haven, The Newsletter, is to keep writers connected in ways that inspire, uplift, and provide value. This newsletter is my way of building and encouraging community, one authentic writer at a time.

How will I benefit from reading Writers’ Haven?

If you’re here, you already know that writing saves lives. I strive to offer you an array of authentic writing, shared through essays, interviews, Q&A’s, a podcast, and writing-related links. We’ll eventually expand to video and more. I hope writers of all levels will find inspiration, motivation, and encouragement. This newsletter is designed for everyone who enjoys and appreciates meaningful writing and its power to make sense of this big ole world.

You get to choose your subscription amount, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

The creators of Substack say: “Paid subscriptions support writers in doing the work they care about and give readers a direct relationship with the writers and ideas they find most meaningful. And because there are no packaging or supply chain slow-downs involved, subscriptions make an ideal last-minute gift. Find out more about how to give a gift subscription here.”

What if a subscription isn’t in my budget?

I never want price to be a barrier to entry, so I offer complimentary paid subscriptions to anyone who needs one. If this applies to you, simply let me know (by subscribing for free and hitting reply on any message, or reaching out to me at christinewolf.com/contact). Just request a free Substack subscription; no further explanation is necessary.

If you’d like to underwrite one of those subscriptions, you can donate one here.

Tell me once more: Why should I subscribe?

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