Writers' Haven by Christine Wolf

Maybe you’ve said it too. And I believe you — the desire is real. But somewhere between the intention and the blank page, life gets in the way: the inbox, the to-do list, the inner critic who shows up uninvited and tells you you’re not ready yet. That’s exactly why I created the Summer Journaling Series — and if you’re in the Chicago area this summer, I’d love to see you there. Starting July 7, we’ll meet every Tuesday over lunch at Northwestern University’s Norris Center in Evanston for six weeks.

Hi, everyone. This summer’s shaping up to be one for the record books — and I want you to know what’s coming, in case any of it calls to you. I just finished submitting two proposals for AWP 2027 in Chicago, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for BOTH! The conference is March 17-20 and NOT TO BE MISSED. Writers’ Haven will host an exhibitors’ booth with tons of literary offerings, and I’d love to see you there. More info about the annual AWP Conference here. Please join me for dedicated writing time.

My Summer '26 Silent, Virtual, Drop-In-Anytime Write-Ins for paid subscribers begin next week on June 1st. Save BIG by upgrading to a paid subscription by 5/31! A new season of Write-Ins is upon us — and if you’ve been on the fence about upgrading to a paid subscription, now is the perfect time to jump in. Already a FREE subscriber? Upgrade to a paid subscription by 5/31 and SAVE! Upgrade to a paid subscription and save Join us for my Silent, Virtual, Drop-In-Anytime Write-In sessions.

Hi, everyone. It’s my honor to introduce you to my sister, Elizabeth. With my new sister in New York City, May 2025 In 2022, she appeared on my 23andMe family tree as a “likely half-sister.” I was 54. She was 55. We share the same biological father. All my life, I’d believed I was the eldest daughter. It turns out she’s older than me by 18 months. We’re two daughters of the same man, but born to different mothers. Four years before I discovered Elizabeth, I lost my younger sister suddenly.

Hi, everyone, and happy Friday to you all. I have a confession: I checked my subscriber count before I made coffee this morning, and I was blown away. Writers’ Haven by Christine Wolf is now just three paid subscribers away from becoming a Substack bestseller, and I’m floating around with gratitude, excitement, and disbelief. I started Writers’ Haven (back in 2014) as a physical space in Michigan where writers could gather in community. I created it because I personally needed it to exist.

Life Without Reservations: Growing up at the famed Ambassador Hotel 1921 to 1938 is a mother-daughter memoir by Carlyn Frank Benjamin and Lisa Benjamin Gilmour Some projects arrive as a question. When Lisa Benjamin Gilmour first came to me, she wasn't sure what she had. She only knew that it mattered.

Thanks to ALL who joined us for our Writers On Writing live video on Wednesday, May 6, 2026. • Don’t Give Up Your Day Job: Practical ways to lead a fulfilling life and still pay the mortgage • Tales of the Countess Click here to learn more about Cali’s coaching work • Pre-Order Relative Strangers: Inheritance, Identity, and the Meaning of Kinship • Politics, Partnerships, & Power: The lives of Ralph E.

Hello, friends. Did you know that Substack has a bestseller designation? Or that Writers’ Haven by Christine Wolf is this close to earning it? Only fifteen paid subscribers stand between this publication and that milestone. [I tried to insert a cool graphic that illustrates a “this close” vibe, but all I could find was this adorable pic of someone’s dog.

Photo by Andrii Leonov on Unsplash It only occurred to me this week (and I’m newly 58) that my life has been a series of submersions and emergences. I don’t know why it took this long to see it. Maybe that’s just how it works: you have to live enough cycles before the pattern becomes visible. But now that I see it, I can’t unsee it. Here’s what I mean. When I’m submerged — like, really underwater — a recognizable set of feelings shows up.

Hi, I’m Christine Wolf. I’m a trauma-informed memoir coach certified in Mental Health First Aid response. In my work, I sit with people who are writing about the hardest chapters of their lives. And today, on National Fentanyl Awareness Day, I want to talk about a topic that comes up more than you might think. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than morphine. Two milligrams — a few grains of salt — can kill you.