Nature Writing and Journaling Workshops
I love to bring my two passions--writing and the natural world--together, and I love even more
to share with other people the joy of writing and journaling in and about nature.
Upcoming Workshops
Journaling Backyard Birds, Viles Arboretum, Augusta, ME, April 1, 8, 15, and 22
Amy Tan’s delightful book The Backyard Bird Chronicles demonstrates how careful observation and recording of the activities of the feathered visitors to our yards and feeders can turn these mysterious wild creatures into familiar friends, each with its own story to tell. Join us for a creative and inspiring workshop that combines birdwatching, writing, and art to deepen your connection to nature. In this four-session workshop, we’ll read and discuss select passages from The Backyard Bird Chronicles and use these as inspiration to create illustrated journals of our own bird observations. Through in-class lessons and take-home exercises, participants will:
Poetry is for the Birds, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, ME, April 5, 2025
Birds have long been a source of inspiration to poets around the world. With April marking the beginning of bird migration season in Maine, what better time to explore our feathered friends through poetry of our own? In this workshop, we'll walk into HVNC, looking and listening for birds. We'll talk about birds as symbols, metaphors, and poetic subjects in their own right; look at examples of bird poetry; and use the ideas and images we've gathered to create poems about the birds we encounter--or imagine--while in the nature center. Be sure to dress for the weather, including periods of sitting still outdoors, and consider bringing an insulated pad to sit on.
Amy Tan’s delightful book The Backyard Bird Chronicles demonstrates how careful observation and recording of the activities of the feathered visitors to our yards and feeders can turn these mysterious wild creatures into familiar friends, each with its own story to tell. Join us for a creative and inspiring workshop that combines birdwatching, writing, and art to deepen your connection to nature. In this four-session workshop, we’ll read and discuss select passages from The Backyard Bird Chronicles and use these as inspiration to create illustrated journals of our own bird observations. Through in-class lessons and take-home exercises, participants will:
- Learn the basics of nature drawing and writing.
- Develop skills in observing and recording bird behavior.
- Cultivate a creative practice that fosters a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
Poetry is for the Birds, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, ME, April 5, 2025
Birds have long been a source of inspiration to poets around the world. With April marking the beginning of bird migration season in Maine, what better time to explore our feathered friends through poetry of our own? In this workshop, we'll walk into HVNC, looking and listening for birds. We'll talk about birds as symbols, metaphors, and poetic subjects in their own right; look at examples of bird poetry; and use the ideas and images we've gathered to create poems about the birds we encounter--or imagine--while in the nature center. Be sure to dress for the weather, including periods of sitting still outdoors, and consider bringing an insulated pad to sit on.
Schedule a Workshop at Your Organization
A note on pricing: Prices listed are my fee for the entire workshop. Organizations may set per-participant pricing as they see fit.
Free Workshops: As a Maine Master Naturalist, I provide a limited number of workshops per year on a volunteer basis to nonprofit organizations or schools around Maine. These slots fill up fast, so contact me early if you're interested in a free workshop.
Free Workshops: As a Maine Master Naturalist, I provide a limited number of workshops per year on a volunteer basis to nonprofit organizations or schools around Maine. These slots fill up fast, so contact me early if you're interested in a free workshop.
Introduction to Nature Journaling
In this workshop I teach what a nature journal is, share examples, and guide participants through a range of drawing and writing exercises to sharpen their observation skills, pique their curiosity, and enhance their relationship with the natural world. Participants will learn to overcome fears of drawing and writing and come away with a strong foundation for beginning a regular nature journaling practice.
In this workshop I teach what a nature journal is, share examples, and guide participants through a range of drawing and writing exercises to sharpen their observation skills, pique their curiosity, and enhance their relationship with the natural world. Participants will learn to overcome fears of drawing and writing and come away with a strong foundation for beginning a regular nature journaling practice.
- Indoors, in the field, or a combination
- 6-12 participants
- 1.5 hours
- $200
Nature Journaling Field Trip
In these workshops we cover some basic journaling skills, then head out to focus on a specific aspect of the natural world, depending on organizers' interest and the season. Topic options include, but are not limited to: trees, birds, wildflowers, and story mapping. Participants will learn observation and drawing skills specific to the topic, learn to go deeper into observation and inquiry, and come away with the curiosity and skills for a sustained journaling practice.
In these workshops we cover some basic journaling skills, then head out to focus on a specific aspect of the natural world, depending on organizers' interest and the season. Topic options include, but are not limited to: trees, birds, wildflowers, and story mapping. Participants will learn observation and drawing skills specific to the topic, learn to go deeper into observation and inquiry, and come away with the curiosity and skills for a sustained journaling practice.
- 6-12 participants
- In the field
- 3 hours
- $400
Nature Journaling Retreat
This is an all-day nature journaling immersion experience that incorporates an introduction to nature journaling with a range of exercises designed to cultivate participants' curiosity and build their skills in observation, drawing, and writing. Participants will learn a range of journaling skills and practices, engage deeply with place, and come away with journal pages they will treasure as they move forward in their journaling practice.
This is an all-day nature journaling immersion experience that incorporates an introduction to nature journaling with a range of exercises designed to cultivate participants' curiosity and build their skills in observation, drawing, and writing. Participants will learn a range of journaling skills and practices, engage deeply with place, and come away with journal pages they will treasure as they move forward in their journaling practice.
- 6-12 participants
- In the field
- 6 hours
- $800 + $20/participant supply fee
Nature Writing in the Field
In this workshop, participants hone their observation and inquiry skills, cultivate their curiosity, and engage in word play as they develop a deeper relationship with the natural world and translate that relationship into poetry or prose. Participants will come away with the first draft of a short work of prose or poetry and a series of observation exercises and questions they can use again and again to write about nature and place.
In this workshop, participants hone their observation and inquiry skills, cultivate their curiosity, and engage in word play as they develop a deeper relationship with the natural world and translate that relationship into poetry or prose. Participants will come away with the first draft of a short work of prose or poetry and a series of observation exercises and questions they can use again and again to write about nature and place.
- 6-12 participants
- In the field
- 3 hours
- $400
Testimonials
"Thanks for such a great workshop. I feel inspired and much less intimidated about bird journaling and I also think the tips you taught will help my bird observations in general."
~ Nicole G.
"Thanks so much for giving of your time and generous spirit to lead us through a very fun and helpful romp in nature writing."
~ Kit P.
"Thank you so much for Sunday's workshop. You were so well organized and made it fun and informative for us. Jim and I took a long walk and saw deer scurrying through the woods, an eagle and hawk circling each other and a flock of little sandpipers along the shore. I found myself thinking how I might record all this in a sensory grid. See what you've done. Thank you so much."
~ Karen S.
"You gave us all a new perspective on observation and the real purpose of journaling. I loved the whole notion of using drawing to develop and enhance my relationship with what I observe...not to create a work of art."
~ Kathie M.
"Thanks so much for an informative and well organized seminar today. I learned a lot and enjoyed practicing. The part I liked best was breaking it down into basic shapes; it help me to think of the Bufflehead as an oval with a little box head!"
~ Cheryl R.
"I think your curriculum hits the spot. Multi-layered, progressive. Do it again the same way!"
~ Nature Writing Workshop Participant
"I really loved this course. It pushed me a bit more than the typical adult ed-type courses, and I liked that. I liked that each class was organized and focused on specific topics."
~ Nature Writing Workshop Participant
~ Nicole G.
"Thanks so much for giving of your time and generous spirit to lead us through a very fun and helpful romp in nature writing."
~ Kit P.
"Thank you so much for Sunday's workshop. You were so well organized and made it fun and informative for us. Jim and I took a long walk and saw deer scurrying through the woods, an eagle and hawk circling each other and a flock of little sandpipers along the shore. I found myself thinking how I might record all this in a sensory grid. See what you've done. Thank you so much."
~ Karen S.
"You gave us all a new perspective on observation and the real purpose of journaling. I loved the whole notion of using drawing to develop and enhance my relationship with what I observe...not to create a work of art."
~ Kathie M.
"Thanks so much for an informative and well organized seminar today. I learned a lot and enjoyed practicing. The part I liked best was breaking it down into basic shapes; it help me to think of the Bufflehead as an oval with a little box head!"
~ Cheryl R.
"I think your curriculum hits the spot. Multi-layered, progressive. Do it again the same way!"
~ Nature Writing Workshop Participant
"I really loved this course. It pushed me a bit more than the typical adult ed-type courses, and I liked that. I liked that each class was organized and focused on specific topics."
~ Nature Writing Workshop Participant
Credentials
Andrea Lani is the author and illustrator of Uphill Both Ways: Hiking toward Happiness on the Colorado Trail (Bison Books, 2022). An avid nature journaler for more than 25 years, she has degrees in Human Ecology and Creative Writing and is a Maine Master Naturalist. Her essays about the natural world have appeared in dozens of publications, and she wrote and illustrated the book Deer Tracks and Dragonflies: A Year at Viles Arboretum based on years of journaling her explorations of the arboretum.
Copyright © 2017 Andrea E. Lani. All rights reserved.