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Weekly-ish stories for people seeking depth and meaning.

I'm Janelle Hardy and at some point you signed up for this newsletter on memoir-writing, somatic (body) healing and stories. If you'd like to leave, just click the unsubscribe link at the bottom.

I submitted my Modern Love essay - here’s how much it cost

Late on December 25th, I submitted my Modern Love essay: How to Bust a Beaver Dam.

Yes, I celebrate Christmas. Yes, I also stole every spare moment to revise my story, knowing the deadline was December 31st. It’ll take months to hear back, and with a 99.5% chance of rejection, I already have a plan to submit it elsewhere until it finds a home.

But what did it take to get this 1,700-word story ready?

50 hours of writing work over five months. $750 CAD.

Writing courses, revisions, hiring an editor, refining every sentence until it was submission-worthy. I am so proud of how good story is! And in that, something has shifted—I’m in creative flow.

Revisions that once felt sludgy are flying. I’m submitting to the CBC Nonfiction Prize, Brevity, and now—unexpectedly—committing to self-publishing a chapbook by summer. Deadlines, no extra time, but all the desire.

Moments like this matter.

As the world gets heavier, art isn’t just personal—it’s political, expressive, galvanizing. It strengthens our nervous systems, our connections, and our ability to hold things together.

My work has always been about this: helping you build the creative skills to be knowledge keepers and pillars in your communities—through art, through story, through somatic presence—so that as things change, we are ready and available.

I also know times are financially tough. I see it—fewer signups for my high-ticket programs, but strong interest in my affordable offers.

So, I’m making something special for you: a playful, budget-friendly way to access some of my best writing and healing courses.

Save the dates for Hibernate & Write: A Budget-Friendly Course Sale, Feb 17-21.

Catalogue preview coming soon!

xoxo,

Janelle

PS - If you don’t want my course sale emails, click here to say, “Stop all emails about Janelle's Writing Courses Sale.”

PPS - If you’re worrying about the world’s accelerating climate and social crises and want to create a care-based action plan while building a just, sustainable future with your community, the Inclusive Community Preparedness Lab program sounds amazing.

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