Trust, Humor and Warmth Are Key to Virtual Writing Workshops
Jan 31, 2022 09:31AM ● By Sheila Julson![](http://cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/895868/fit/800x600/CS_Depositphotos_433005604_DS.jpg?timestamp=1714143883)
For more than two decades, writer/teacher
Melissa Greene, of Write From the Heart, has mentored people of all ages
through group workshops and private classes. Calling on playfulness and
compassion, she has inspired writers of all skill levels to transform blank
pages into thoughtful creations that reflect their true selves.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly two
years ago ground most in-person interaction to a halt. Greene had to act fast
to keep her students feeling connected to the page and to each other. She
quickly pivoted to virtual workshops for all general Write From the Heart
sessions, as well as her cancer support writing classes at the Penn
Medicine/Lancaster General Health Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute; the
McGlinn Cancer Institute at Reading Hospital; the Milton S. Hershey Medical
Penn State Cancer Institute; and Breast Cancer Support Services of Berks
County.
“I had to make the shift within a week,”
Greene says. “I had never intended to teach online—I was flying by the seat of
my pants—but within a week, I had tech support and we were on our way. I was
amazed to find that the energy and humanity that’s so important in setting the
tone for my in-person classes transferred beautifully to a virtual format.”
Keeping control of an online meeting when
participants are in a home environment and easily distracted by kids, pets or
other gadgets can be challenging for even the most experienced leader. To
create a sense of calm, Greene’s students are encouraged not to Zoom chat, surf
the internet or text while in class in order to stay in the present moment.
Humor continues to be the bedrock of her
leadership model. Keeping playfulness and humanity front and center brings her
students out of themselves, reducing self-doubt. “A little fun relaxes us and
set the tone for opening ourselves up to the creative process,” she says. “It
softens the voice that tells us we have to be perfect. It also guides us beyond
the awkward mechanics of Zoom, which can easily disrupt our deeper thinking. A
little fun keeps us lighthearted and aware that we’re still a living, breathing
community of writers, here to explore writing without stress or interruption.”
Virtual Learning Opens New Doors While
Keeping Others Open
Going virtual has allowed Greene to offer her
programs to people outside of the Lancaster area. She now has people joining
from the West Coast to Washington, D.C. Her virtual format continues to be a
safe haven where students learn to quiet the mind, write without fear
and find deeper self-understanding.
Greene thinks that it’s still too risky during the ongoing pandemic
to meet in person, especially for cancer patients with compromised immune
systems. Her virtual format now allows even the most physically challenged
patients to attend class.
![](https://cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/895871/fill/300x0/I_CS_Melissa.jpeg?timestamp=1643388008)
She also notes that the process of writing together—and
Greene writes along with her students—builds a deep sense of camaraderie. She
feels the trust she has built is her biggest accomplishment. “Art bypasses the
physical and speaks to the core. People sometimes share their writing and are
moved to tears. Inevitably, they look up and smile; they are just relieved and
happy to express. Or they arrive feeling angry, but after writing, they are
filled with pride and joy. A deeper intuitive understanding has taken over. The
creative process is magic.”
Moving into a second year of pandemic uncertainty, Greene observes
that people seem more accepting of online workshops as a way of life. She is
convinced that the creative spirit can still find a home in the virtual sphere.
“Conducted thoughtfully and wisely, an online writing workshop
still provides a refuge, a place of originality and replenishment. The pandemic
has deepened us, taught our souls that art is more important than ever to a
whole and happy life. It’s a sacred thing, a saving grace, and we are thankful,”
she explains. “We are seeing that wherever we can gather to express ourselves
openly and freely is, despite the obstacles, a precious place. Writing from the
heart is the ongoing process of finding our way.”
Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and regular
contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine.