writer, reader, professor, nature lover, yoga enthusiasthttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3mk3s2ynnk22tMost writing problems are actually attention problems. We know what we want to write before we even see what’s there. I wrote about a simple visualization practice for returning to attention at the start of writing. Includes a 5-minute guided audio exercise: https://open.substack.com/pub/abonner/p/you-cant-think-your-way-into-writing?r=2aj1vq&utm_medium=ios22 Apr 2026 15:15 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk3s2ynnk22thttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3mji7bumzws2hSubmitted to a dream pub’s annual contest that I’ve been watching for years. Didn’t get it, but received a generous rejection from them that praised my work and disclosed that I came close to the finals. It made my day! A reminder to take risks and put yourself out there.💫14 Apr 2026 20:19 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mji7bumzws2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3mjfhdvj6xk2sExcited to be heading to the Barrelhouse Writers’ Conference, Conversations & Connections, if you want to geek out on writing and craft this weekend in DC. Also, joining the Ithaca Spring Writes Festival offering an online workshop in May. Would love to see some familiar faces there! 🥰13 Apr 2026 18:05 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjfhdvj6xk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3mj5epm62wc2oI spent 3 years writing my first draft thinking I had a craft problem. I didn’t. I had a control problem. wrote more about this here ↓ https://substack.com/home/post/p-19349481310 Apr 2026 12:56 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj5epm62wc2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3mikl6pj5fm2vGetting ready for a move and everything is scattered—including my focus. Trying to remind myself that small steps still count!03 Apr 2026 01:32 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mikl6pj5fm2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3mhtssp36zk25“You write your first draft with your heart, and you rewrite with your head.” James Ellison25 Mar 2026 00:17 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhtssp36zk25https://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3mgn5lw27322yAmazing what an impact these little finds have on my mental health09 Mar 2026 15:16 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgn5lw27322yhttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3mfza6dwirs2vPart of what I love about teaching is getting to see the talent, drive, and passion coming from young people. This weekend I went to the showings of a high school musical, and watching a group of teenagers tell a story with their whole hearts just blew me away. ❤️01 Mar 2026 17:09 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfza6dwirs2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3mfwhosfgoc2yIf you want to feel better about the world, watch theatre, look at art, read books, dance.28 Feb 2026 14:46 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfwhosfgoc2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3mfu7frixqs2jCanva is wild. There is literally any template imaginable (including lots of really bad ones!). I’m presenting on writing place next week and thought I’d add illustrations… and damn. Want an illustration of mountains? Hundreds. Rivers? Dozens. Wild geese? Done. A specific type of grass? Got it.27 Feb 2026 17:12 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfu7frixqs2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3mfjqlzjxt227Yay! I wrote a novel. And was immediately reminded that getting to the end of the first draft is only the beginning. https://substack.com/@aurorabonner1/note/p-187130571?r=2aj1vq&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action23 Feb 2026 13:20 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfjqlzjxt227https://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3m5pmfmcvms2aStripes at the Met!16 Nov 2025 02:00 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5pmfmcvms2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3m5kbepo3nc23Community doesn’t just appear—it’s something we build, and sometimes building it means taking risks and getting out of our comfort zone. This week, I wrote about the work of building community in the creative world and how small gestures can develop into meaningful and lasting relationships.13 Nov 2025 22:59 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5kbepo3nc23https://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3m4r7eyt2ik2uLast week I lost ten days of work on my novel-in-progress. It sucked. But it reminded me that creativity is about curiosity, not control. It’s all about embracing play: how curiosity keeps the work alive, some techniques for sparking creativity, and how to find joy in the process of discovery.03 Nov 2025 23:47 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4r7eyt2ik2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3m4fstjqq7225Friendly reminder: back up your writing! Just lost ten days of progress on my work-in-progress because of a rookie move.30 Oct 2025 11:03 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4fstjqq7225https://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3m4bfm5ivdk2aIf you are a writer, artist, or maker, you know that every day is a little different—some days ideas flow and are some days not. But what if you could create a routine to get them flowing more regularly? This week on Substack I’m exploring how to structure and schedule your days and weeks.28 Oct 2025 16:56 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4bfm5ivdk2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3m3stzbiavc2eSo pleased to see Rivers, Ridges, and Valleys: Essays on Rural Pennsylvania — the anthology that includes my essay “Fractures” — has been longlisted for the Writers Conference of Northern Appalachia’s Book of the Year. Grateful to be part of this collection!22 Oct 2025 22:04 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3stzbiavc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3m3pc76gwxs24The creative life isn’t just about making art — it’s about managing everything underneath it. I’m starting a series about Living the Creative Life on Substack about how to organize a life devoted to writing and the arts. If you’re a writer, artist, or maker trying to find your rhythm, join me! https://open.substack.com/pub/abonner/p/goal-setting-for-the-creative-life?r=2aj1vq&utm_medium=ios21 Oct 2025 12:07 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3pc76gwxs24https://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3m3doug6p5k25Kicking off spooky season with this poetry collection! Loving the eerie, enchanted world Mary Simmons creates. Folklore, myth, and womanhood seem to blur into something wild and otherworldly. ✨🌒16 Oct 2025 21:21 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3doug6p5k25https://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3m36nol3lvs2oCozying up to fall14 Oct 2025 21:17 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m36nol3lvs2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3m2bzqaeo722kA moment of magic on the trail! 💛🍂03 Oct 2025 12:05 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m2bzqaeo722khttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3lznpowqxkc2tSo glad to be spending time with Level Watch by Mary Ardery, by June Road Press, a woman-owned boutique press publishing some gorgeous books. In this chapbook, she weaves recovery and nature, threads that resonate deeply with my own writing interests, together with such clarity and depth.25 Sep 2025 10:12 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lznpowqxkc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3lyvjdmzyvc2rI’ve been talking about how to write about the places we live (and imagine) lately, and just posted the first post in a new Substack series on the craft of writing place as a lived experience. Stay tuned if you are a writer or are interested in the intersections of mindfulness and creativity.15 Sep 2025 19:15 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lyvjdmzyvc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3lykk52uais2dA lot of my college students don’t read for fun but they CAN enjoy reading, and that is fun to see. [contains quote post or other embedded content]11 Sep 2025 10:30 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lykk52uais2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/aurorabonner.bsky.social/post/3lxoygfahak2qHave you ever left a writing retreat or writing event buzzing with ideas—only to watch that excitement fade once you got home? I’ve been there (am literally there right now!). Read how to keep your momentum here: https://open.substack.com/pub/abonner/p/how-to-keep-your-post-event-writing?r=2aj1vq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true31 Aug 2025 11:31 +0000at://did:plc:tucxrx2pz4qa4ty6446b6yhz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxoygfahak2q