Sense of Place Writing Programs

Find your stories and bring them to life.

Uncover stories that live at the intersections of self, nature, history, meaning, and place.

These writing programs invite you to slow down, notice more, and listen closely—to places, to memory, and to your own inner landscape. From that attention, stories begin to take shape.

Sense of place writing draws on our relationships with landscapes, communities, and moments in time and memory. These connections offer a rich source of imagery, insight, and meaning—often revealing stories we didn’t know we were carrying.

This work is grounded, reflective, and craft-focused. It honors both inner inquiry and outer expression, supporting writers who want their work to be resonant, precise, and alive on the page.

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Who These Programs Are For

These programs bring together a wide range of creatives and professionals, including:

✓ Essayists, memoirists, nonfiction writers, poets, and songwriters
✓ Naturalists, historians, educators, park rangers, and interpreters
✓ Writers seeking to elevate craft through place-based inquiry
✓ Professionals who work with meaning, narrative, and lived experience
✓ Anyone drawn to writing rooted in relationship—with place, history, and self

Some participants come to deepen craft. Others come to uncover voice and direction.

What they share is a commitment to writing that feels grounded, authentic, and meaningful.

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Ways We Can Work Together

Private Mentoring

One-on-one guidance for writers seeking depth, clarity, and sustained development. Start anytime.

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Writing Classes and Retreats

Group programs are offered throughout the year for writers who want structure, continuity, and creative community. Learn more below.

Get notified when enrollment opens →

Programs for Organizations

Workshops and retreats for organizations and groups interested in place-based writing and storytelling.

Reach out to discuss options →

Classes and Retreats
Offered Seasonally

Writers need different kinds of support at different moments in their work.

Some are seeking orientation and discovery.

Others are ready for deeper development and refinement.

Many move between the two over time.

Wherever you feel called to begin, these offerings form a coherent writing and creative growth ecosystem, rooted in my Sense of Place Story Framework.

Learn When a Class is Offered—Join email list

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Sense of Place Writing Masterclass

A four-week course exploring the tools and practice of place-based writing.
An accessible entry point open to writers at any level.

The Writer’s Craft

Sustained support to deepen craft and elevate your work, with a focus on voice, structure, and long-term writing practice.

Creative Foundations Bundle

A three-month exploration designed to help you uncover the stories you feel called to tell now, and build a more grounded relationship with your creative work.

Seasonal Retreats

Immersive time for nourishment, focus, and renewal—place-centered retreats that anchor you.

An open spiral notebook placed on a wooden surface with fall leaves, a small lit candle, and a promotional flyer for a foundational masterclass titled 'Sense of Place Writing' by Sense of Place Consulting.
A person wearing an orange jacket writing in a notebook outdoors, with the text 'The Writer's Craft - Develop your Stories' and a website URL below.
A woman with brown hair tied back, wearing a blue knitted sweater and a green backpack, walking along a gravel path in a lush green park with trees showing fall colors in the background.
A lush park scene with yellow daffodils in bloom, surrounded by green grass and trees with early spring foliage, under a bright blue sky.

A Guided Creative Process

I’ve spent decades working with writers, creatives, and professionals whose work lives at the intersection of story, place, and purpose. My background in the creative arts and interpretation allows me to support both exploratory writing and more research-grounded work.

My teaching blends a clear, place-centered framework with careful listening and discernment. I guide people through a process of discovery and refinement—helping them recognize what’s already present and shape it with intention and craft.

Let’s Stay in Touch

If you think sense of place writing might be something you’d like to try, the next best step is simply to start a conversation.

Together we can explore your writing process, where you are with your practice or process, and then what next step might be— for now or later down the road.

Get updates on upcoming programs
 Join the mailing list →

Have a question or wondering where to start?
 Start the conversation →

Ready to begin now?
Explore private mentoring →

Kind Words

“A great place to expand your skills.”

“I heartily recommend this class as a place to find your voice and expand your skills. It works for writers with vague ideas as well as those with works in progress. The practice of blending history, personal experience, theme, and description led to strong, well-shaped pieces. Through Erica’s focused guidance, we were treated like writers—not students.”
— Beth Arrowsmith, Educator & Photographer, Colorado

“Never fails to make my imagination leap.”

“Erica weaves stories, writers, and inspiration together around sense of place in a way that never fails to make my imagination leap. Her classes deepen my connection to past and present places and invite me to explore attachments I never thought to write about.”
— James McMenamin, Heritage Photographer, Switzerland

“Helped me find my writing voice.”

“Working with Erica moved my writing in directions I never expected. It helped me find my voice and shape my ideas into a connected set of essays. Erica teaches more like a guide than an instructor—she knows how to sense what each writer needs. She offers a journey shared with others, and they are the best travel companions!”
— Julia Clebsch, Naturalist & Retired Park Ranger, New Hampshire

I have not written this much or as easily in 30+ years.”

“I have extensive experience writing academic articles and chapters, but very little opportunity for creative writing. I have not written this much—or this easily—in over 30 years. The classes are supportive while keeping us actively writing, and they allow each participant to engage at a pace that fits their life.”
— Jeanne Stanley, Ph.D., Psychologist & Graduate School Consultant, Pennsylvania

“I learned to write much more expressively.”

“I took Erica’s class to return to a regular writing practice and revisit a long-sidelined project. She creates a warm, inviting space that allows writers to work without fear of judgment. I learned to lean into vivid detail and write much more expressively.”
— Shae McWilliams, Sales & Development, Rhode Island

Kind words from participants

A woman with short gray hair smiling while sitting on a dark-colored chair, wearing a patterned red shirt, in front of a plain light-colored wall.
Black and white portrait of a middle-aged man with short hair, smiling slightly, with visible wrinkles, looking directly at the camera.
A woman with glasses and curly blonde hair sitting at a desk in a room with a large window. The desk has papers, a glass of water, headphones, and a computer mouse. A dog is sleeping on a bed on the floor next to the desk.
A woman with short brown hair, wearing a blue collared shirt and a dark blazer, smiling against a plain light background.
A middle-aged woman with short light brown hair, glasses, and small hoop earrings, smiling in front of a beige wall.

“A great place to expand your skills.”

“I heartily recommend this class as a place to find your voice and expand your skills. It works for writers with vague ideas as well as those with works in progress. The practice of blending history, personal experience, theme, and description led to strong, well-shaped pieces. Through Erica’s focused guidance, we were treated like writers—not students.”
— Beth Arrowsmith, Educator & Photographer, Colorado

“Never fails to make my imagination leap.”

“Erica weaves stories, writers, and inspiration together around sense of place in a way that never fails to make my imagination leap. Her classes deepen my connection to past and present places and invite me to explore attachments I never thought to write about.”
— James McMenamin, Heritage Photographer, Switzerland

“Helped me find my writing voice.”

“Working with Erica moved my writing in directions I never expected. It helped me find my voice and shape my ideas into a connected set of essays. Erica teaches more like a guide than an instructor—she knows how to sense what each writer needs. She offers a journey shared with others, and they are the best travel companions!”
— Julia Clebsch, Naturalist & Retired Park Ranger, New Hampshire

I have not written this much or as easily in 30+ years.”

“I have extensive experience writing academic articles and chapters, but very little opportunity for creative writing. I have not written this much—or this easily—in over 30 years. The classes are supportive while keeping us actively writing, and they allow each participant to engage at a pace that fits their life.”
— Jeanne Stanley, Ph.D., Psychologist & Graduate School Consultant, Pennsylvania

“I learned to write much more expressively.”

“I took Erica’s class to return to a regular writing practice and revisit a long-sidelined project. She creates a warm, inviting space that allows writers to work without fear of judgment. I learned to lean into vivid detail and write much more expressively.”
— Shae McWilliams, Sales & Development, Rhode Island