You Don't Have to Substack Alone: Join Us For Co-Working

A week of co-writing sessions for community and progress

If you’re like most of us, you have a Substack post you’ve been thinking of writing, a draft that needs finishing, essays from writers you’ve been meaning to comment on, or a story that’s been sitting in your notes app for weeks. You have ideas. The time and focus? That’s harder to find. And even when you carve out the time, distractions creep in: email, laundry, the dog to walk, that thing you need to look up that turns into 45 minutes of scrolling.

This is where co-working with us (other midlife women) comes in.

Co-working sessions are structured blocks of focused work time spent virtually alongside others. They can be quietly transformative for writers, creators, and anyone doing deep work. It’s a simple concept: when we work together, even silently and remotely, we work better.

Here’s why co-working works, especially for midlife women

Accountability without pressure: When you show up to a co-working session, you’re making a commitment. There’s something powerful about knowing others are there, doing their work too. It’s gentle accountability that doesn’t feel like a burden.

Structured time in an unstructured life: Many of us in this time of life are juggling multiple responsibilities. Co-working sessions give you a dedicated container for your writing and other tasks related to your creative life: a beginning, middle, and end. You’re not just “finding time” to write; you are claiming it.

The power of presence: Even though we’ll be working independently, there’s energy in shared focus. You’re not alone in your struggle to get words on the page (or edit, brainstorm, or read). Everyone in that virtual room is doing their own hard thing, and somehow that makes your hard thing feel more doable.

Permission to focus: In a co-working session, you have permission (actually, an expectation) to turn off notifications and just write. The structure gives you permission to protect your attention in a way that’s harder to do on your own.

A community that understands. When you co-work with other Midstack and Midstory writers, you’re with people who understand what you’re trying to do in writing about your midlife experience and why it matters. There’s no explaining, no justifying, just a feeling of shared purpose.

Next week (May 4-8), I’m hosting 4 daily co-working sessions for our community. Whether you’re drafting your next post, editing a piece, brainstorming ideas, or finally tackling that essay you’ve been avoiding, come work alongside us.

Bring your coffee, your messy drafts, and your determination. We’ll do the rest together.

Here are the dates:

Monday, May 4th at noon, Eastern

Tuesday, May 5th at 2 p.m. Eastern

Wednesday, May 6th at 1 p.m. Eastern

Friday, May 8th at noon, Eastern

Show up for one day of the week or every day.

Here’s how it’ll work in a one-hour Zoom session:

• Greetings. Say hi. (5 minutes)

• Share your goal. Set your intention for the hour: a small goal accomplishable in one hour.

• Work silently. (45-50 minutes)

• Debrief. Celebrate your progress with a short discussion of progress. (5 minutes)

After you sign up, you’ll be emailed a Zoom link for all of the co-working sessions.

💬 Any questions? Let me know in the comments. Feel free to invite others!