Welcome to Gaining Ground.
Books change us. Writing reveals things inside us. And we mature and grow through deep thought and discussion. So let’s do this.
Once upon a time (in 2020) we started Gaining Ground — the sweet spot where great books intersect with wholeness and writing. That year we read Pride and Prejudice, A Tale of Two Cities, The Screwtape Letters, Fahrenheit 451, and A Christmas Carol. It was super fun — some of us just read along, and others of us honed our writing skills and worked through wholeness. And for my part, I finally learned how to spell important things like “prejudice” and “Fahrenheit.”
But then I fell off the radar in 2021 because I wrote a book series. That was super fun, too, but OH MY GOSH there was no time for anything else.
So then we restarted in March of 2022 with The Hobbit, because the world needs us to read great books, and know what we’re capable of, and slay dragons more than ever. We’ve been reading and sharing nerdy memes ever since over on our Telegram group, where we discuss the content and themes, hash out any parts that befuddle us, and share favorite quotes and new vocabulary. I’d love for you to join us — we’re getting great classics under our belts (and going deeper by reading some again!), developing writing skills, and gaining clarity on our identity and wholeness. This is where we gain ground.
But hey, want to grow in your writing, too?
I’ve authored ten books, coached students and friends, and written on my own site since 2008, which explains why I’ve burned through four laptops. And while I am the laziest texter ever (everrrrr), I take real writing seriously and would be honored to help you get to the next level. One of my favorite things is helping people find and refine their voice in writing, because you have powerful things to say and the world needs to hear them.
I offer writing coaching in two ways:
Premium subscribers to Gaining Ground get individualized, private coaching and feedback on short writing samples, up to 500 words per month, from yours truly, for $30 a month. You don’t have to be super committed for a long period of time; you can jump in for a month or two, jump out, make your schedule (and your subscription) work for you. If you subscribe for a whole year, you get two months free. No, you don’t have to read the current book we’re reading as a group. And yes, homeschooling parents — I work with middle schoolers and high schoolers, too. 😁 You choose your writing sample — it can be related to what we’re currently reading, or something you’ve already written, or anything else that you’d like a gentle critique and light edit on. You’ll get constructive feedback and tips to help you self-edit and improve your writing skills while also maintaining and refining your personal voice and style. And it’s completely private; no one will see your writing sample besides me and my cat. Promise.
Occasionally I offer coaching alongside the books we’re reading, and this is similar to option #1 except the papers are longer and generally revolve around the themes of the books we’re reading in Gaining Ground. Currently we have a fantastic lineup for April through October of 2024, and I offer limited coaching slots for each book. There’s also a discounted price for taking all four courses, which makes an excellent supplement for your homeschooled high schooler, including approximately 1300 pages of reading, 8 papers, and equaling almost 1/2 credit for high school English.
Wait, what is the real difference between the two options? Option #2 is slightly more expensive because the writings are longer (thus there will be more feedback). So if you’d like to write through the books we’re reading but want a lighter writing load, just go with option #1 and upgrade your subscription for 500 words per month.
Curious about all the other books we’ve done so far? Here’s the list, as of fall of 2023, if you can read my Sanskrit:
After those, we read Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens, Lilith by George MacDonald, and The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emma Orczy. And now we are onto 1984 by George Orwell, The Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and Emma by Jane Austen. We’ll vote for the next round of books in the fall.
