“The creative mind plays with the objects it loves. The spiritual mind plays with possibility.” — Carl Jung
Writing is more than putting words on a page—it’s an act of courage. In every class I teach, whether with first-year college students or someone ready to dive into writing a memoir or novel, I see how powerful it is when a person begins to speak the words they’ve kept silent. Many of us grew up hiding our truths to fit in, or believing our perspective and creativity didn’t matter in the larger world. We learned to self-censor to stay safe, avoid judgment, or simply survive.
But here’s the truth: your story matters. Lived experience matters.
Knowing and loving yourself is the beginning of peace within—and that peace ripples outward. Emotional intelligence deepens when you understand your own story and stay curious about the stories of others. Most of all, writing is an exciting and daring journey when we reach inward for truth and outward for connection.
“You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read.“–James Baldwin
In my writing workshops, we don’t just focus on structure—we focus on you. We explore how voice comes alive when we write from a place of honesty, daring, curiosity, and reflection. Vulnerability isn’t weakness—it’s the doorway to real connection and meaningful writing. Whether you’re exploring a comedic moment in your life, a family secret, a personal transformation, a shock or trauma, or a joyful revelation, your willingness to show up on the page gives those who read your work permission to do the same.
The most powerful writing doesn’t shout. It resonates because of undeniable truth. Authenticity always strikes a deeper chord than surface-level observations. And inspiration? That’s the magic ingredient—we all recognize it when it arrives. Imagination becomes the bridge between the seen and unseen, the known and what’s still waiting to emerge.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world.” — Albert Einstein
If you’re ready to write from that place—to strengthen your voice, shape your story, and grow as a writer—I’d love to support you. Whether through my writing workshop or one-on-one mentoring, we can work together to bring your words—and your wisdom—onto the page.
Feel free to reach out if you’re interested in working individually or in a small group on your writing project.
“Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do.”—Brené Brown
“If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”—Toni Morrison
I’d love to have you join my intuitive writing course and to support you on your writing journey. I can answer questions about creative writing techniques, as well as questions about accessing the power of your intuition and guidance.
If you don’t know me…I’m Tricia Barker. I work as an English and Creative Writing Professor, and I’m a near-death experiencer. I love teaching and inspiring others to follow the light of their soul. I love helping to bring out the creative voice, honesty, and passion in others. You can click here to learn more about my writing course.
If I knew now what I didn’t know when I began writing my book, Angels in the OR, I would do many things differently. For one, I would release ALL attachments about how I thought my future with my book should look like. Instead, I would focus my love and intuition into the process of writing without fear or expectation about the outcome. And, I would pay a lot more attention to my audience! One of the great joys of writing is connecting with others on similar journeys.
Once my book launched, I would make fewer posts about the book launch, and make more posts about what my audience is going through and how I might offer them wisdom, insight, or entertainment on their journey. I would have fun with people who have their own spiritual experiences or moments of wonder to share. It is truly a gift that anyone takes the time to read something lengthy in the information age, and those who take the time to read our work should be our focus. Whether you are writing fiction, or creative nonfiction, knowing your audience is crucial.
There’s a lot I would change about my journey, but I’m glad I blogged about my story ahead of time. I’m glad I interviewed others and was on several podcasts before launching my book. You want to provide meaningful social media content whether you are writing nonfiction or fiction. Simply promoting the book itself doesn’t work without connecting the book to a theme, a question, life advice or some form of learning or entertainment.
And, honestly, I don’t regret all of my self-promotion. Publishing a book is a great time to reach out to alumni groups and other meaningful communities. This gives you an opportunity to connect with like-minded people and some people might be interested in your book and your journey. I enjoyed learning what others I went to college with are creating and producing.
We grow after we publish, and that is part of the journey! So, no matter what you publish, know that you will continue to grow and change after publication.
The things I wouldn’t change about my writing journey:
* Making an outline for the book but being open to intuition along the way, especially in the revision stages.
* Asking my angels to communicate with me about the style I should use for this book. I love long poetic sentences. I love bold diction, detailed imagery, reflective language. and varied syntax. However, my angels told me to write Angels in the OR with some details but write it as a fast-paced, easy read. They wanted readers to be able to pick up my book and read it on a plane or in a couple of evenings. Ask your guides what style is best for the story you are communicating.
* Making a schedule and sticking to it. If you are a morning person, don’t try to write at night. If you are a night owl, don’t try to be creative in the morning. It takes dedication to write and write to the best of your ability. However, you have to know when you need rest. We are more creative after resting. You also have to know when to honor the process when you are in the flow.
* Paying a developmental writer to suggest revision possibilities. We all love our own creations, but we need someone who is not personally invested in our story or invested in us as a friend. We need someone with expertise and an objective idea about how to help with the structure of a novel or memoir. Pick a developmental editor who has successfully guided people to creating successful books.
* Turning off the inner critic when writing the first draft. Turn that critic back on when revising and editing. And, don’t worry if you don’t have expertise…there is a such thing as beginner’s luck and being open to learning along the way.
* .Listening to my deepest thoughts and communicating these thoughts. Writing is thinking, not speaking. You want your writing to sound like your best thoughts…not necessarily what you say in conversations.
* Finding my “voice.” However, you find it…you must find your own voice in the context of what has been written. You must feel that you are writing something new and true to yourself. Many musicians are inspired by musicians from the past, but they still have their own “sound.” Writing is similar.
* Having writing groups workshop the first five chapters. If you are sending your work out to agents or publishers, the first five chapters need to be spectacular! You need younger people, older people, and people from different countries and cultures to look at your writing and tell you what makes sense to them and what doesn’t make sense to them.
*Spending at least a year revising and editing my first draft. I know that seems like a lot of time, and some writers say THREE years. Don’t be in a hurry!
* Giving away fifty copies of the book to bloggers and anyone who offered to write an Amazon review as part of my launch. Amazon reviews help your book get noticed.
* Creating workshops that include the price of your book and offer your expertise.
* Connecting with audiences virtually and in person.
* Encouraging others to follow their dreams because if you write a book you have definitely made a dream come true for yourself. You deserve to celebrate a bit!
My intuitive writing course is a bit different from some intuitive writing courses because I know that intuition can guide us to the right developmental editors and the right advice technical advice. If the writing journey seems daunting at times, have faith that the spiritual world can and often does show up at the right time to give you the courage to continue. May you be blessed!
Tricia Barker 