Sense of Place Writing
Classes, Retreats, and Mentoring with Erica Wheeler
Now Open for Registration
June 27th, 2026 | 12 pm ET | Webinar | Online
The Craft of Story: A Sense of Place Perspective: A free 60-minute live session. Come hear how sense of place transforms the way we find and tell our stories.
Register here →
September 24–27, 2026 | Retreat | Western MA
The September Farmhouse Retreat — Women's Writing + Wellness Retreat, Colrain, MA
A weekend of writing, creativity, restoration, and meaningful connection in the hills of western Massachusetts.
Learn more and register here →
October 5–8, 2026 | Retreat | Western MA
The October Farmhouse Retreat — Writer's Deep Dive Retreat, Colrain, MA
An immersive writing retreat for writers with a project ready to move forward. Protected time, thoughtful guidance, and the company of others who care seriously about the work.
Learn more and register here →
What is Sense of Place Writing?
Every story happens in a time and place. And that place — if you know how to work with it — is one of the richest sources of imagery, detail, and meaning a writer has.
In most writing classes, place is the backdrop — the setting where the action occurs. In Sense of Place Writing, place is something else entirely. It is a main character. A door into stories and ideas. A well of inspiration.
Place holds memory. Memory holds meaning. And meaning — rendered with specific sensory detail — is what makes writing feel alive on the page. It’s what makes a reader say I felt like I was there.
Sense of Place Writing is a craft approach. It refers to structure and technique, but is grounded in uncovering the relationship between a writer and the places, moments, and memories that hold meaning for them. From that relationship, stories surface. Voice deepens. The details that matter most become visible.
Through this writing process, you also become more connected to places from your past and present, and yourself as well.
Who This Is For
Sense of Place Writing is powerful for writers interested in exploring their connections to nature, culture, history, and place, and the impact places have on our lives. This approach is also useful for any writer who wants their work to carry more depth, more specificity, and more of themselves.
Some arrive with a project underway. Others arrive not yet knowing what they want to write — only that something is calling. What they share is a willingness to slow down, pay attention, and follow what emerges.
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
Hello, I’m Erica Wheeler.
I’m a writing mentor, songwriter, published author, and interpretive trainer.
I've spent decades working with writers, creatives, and professionals at the intersection of story, place, and craft. My background in songwriting, the creative process, and interpretive training gives me a particular ability to hear what a piece of writing is reaching for — and to help a writer get there.
My teaching is grounded in a clear framework and attentive to what each writer needs. I guide people through a process of discovery and refinement — helping them recognize what's already present and shape it with intention and craft.
Whether you arrive with years of material that needs direction, a project that keeps stalling, or simply a sense that there are stories in you worth telling, you can find a place here to begin.
Ways We Can Work Together
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.
Private Mentoring: Work 1:1
The Writer’s Roadmap is for writers seeking personalized, in-depth clarity and sustained development.
Explore Writing Mentoring →
Creative Foundations is for anyone seeking to access the foundational stories and ideas they can use in their work ahead.
Explore Creative Foundations →
Writing Classes
Group writing programs are offered throughout the year for writers seeking inspiration, structure, continuity, and creative community.
Generative and skill-building, these have ranged from an ongoing series to a masterclass, including: The Writer’s Circle, The Writer's Craft, Story Lab, and
Sense of Place Writing Masterclass
Retreats
Immersive experiences ranging from a single day to a long weekend, including seasonal farmhouse retreats, writer's deep dives, and nourishment-focused writing and wellness gatherings.
Webinars and Short Offerings
Accessible entry points to experience the work, explore the framework, and find out if this approach resonates.
The best way to hear about upcoming offerings is to get on the list. Join the mailing list →
View the Calendar for current offerings.
How the Work Unfolds
All of my programs follow a shared arc of discovery that comes from the connections between our inner and outer landscapes. The arc of discovery includes:
Awareness → Connection → Integration → Meaning → Story
This work begins with an awareness of a connection — to a place, a memory, an experience that carries weight. Through reflection, meaning begins to emerge. And from meaning, stories take shape.
Each program offers guided practices, writing time, and a process of discovery and refinement — helping you recognize what's already present and shape it with intention and craft. The framework provides the structure. Your stories provide the material.
The prompts are soulful. The writing can flow easily, and the structure can fall into place. Through tools, techniques, and practices, working together, your writing becomes something that is resonant, precise, and alive on the page.
"If you don't know where you are, you don't know who you are." — Wendell Berry
Interested in Writing Together?
If you think Sense of Place Writing might be something you'd like to explore, the best next step can be to simply start a conversation.
We can chat about where you are in your writing, what feels alive, and what might be the right fit — for now or later down the road.
Have a question or wondering where to start?
Email Erica Start the conversation →
Ready to begin now?
Explore private mentoring →
Get updates on upcoming programs
Join the mailing list →
Kind Word From Participants
“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