A SIX-MONTH GUIDED WRITING EXPERIENCE
🪶
For writers ready to give their stories the time and guidance to emerge,
within a supportive creative community.
FROM THE FIRST STIRRING OF AN IDEA TO THE PAGES TAKING SHAPEOver six months, we gather to write, learn, explore, share and deepen our understanding of story and craft,
while giving each writer the space and guidance to discover what their work is becoming.Twelve gatherings. Six months. One creative circle.October 2026 – March 2027
We all have stories longing to find their way onto the page.STORIES ...🌎from our wandering in this life, to be cherished, recorded for our loved ones or shared as tales of triumph,
discovery or caution for those who feel drawn.🕯️of wisdom, insight and lived experience that may ignite, encourage or guide someone else finding their way, personally or professionally.📖we remember from our grandparents and parents, bringing our ancestry to light, to be healed or preciously preserved.We are all storytellers.You are a storyteller with tales only you can tell, in a voice that those in your world, or the world out there, may need to hear.✨You need only trust in their value, find a way to bring them from mind, heart and soul onto the page, and discover how enriching and exhilarating the process can become when you are supported by community.This is where The Art of Storytelling | Writers Circle enters in.
SIX MONTHS TO WRITE, EXPLORE AND BRING YOUR STORY TO LIFEOver six months, we will move beyond simply finding time to write. We will explore the art and craft of storytelling, put what we discover into practice, and give each writer the time, guidance and creative community to develop their own work.Together, we will explore:🪶 Discovering the story beneath the story
🪶 Developing and trusting your authentic voice
🪶 Exploring the people, places, moments and meaning within your work
🪶 Finding the heart and deeper threads of your story
🪶 Exploring structure and how the pieces of a story come together
🪶 Strengthening what is already on the page through reflection and revision
🪶 Reading exceptional writing and discovering what makes it work
🪷STILL. LISTEN. CREATE.🪷Meditation, reflection, stillness and wandering are woven into our writing process, creating space
to attune to your innate wild wisdom, conjure the muse and listen for what longs to emerge.We will write together, share work in progress, offer thoughtful feedback and bring our questions and creative challenges into the Circle.
AND WE WILL BE CREATING.You may begin with the first stirring of an idea, several stories already written or a manuscript well underway.Over our six months together, you will have the opportunity to develop:🪶 Stories, memoir or legacy writing
🪶 Poetry, essays or personal writing
🪶 Fiction or nonfiction
🪶 A manuscript or another written creation uniquely your ownFor those who wish to take their work further, we will also explore revision, editing, preparing for print and pathways to publication.
🪷This Is For You If ...
🪶 You have always felt there may be a book within you.🪶You carry family stories, life experiences, teachings or memories you would love to preserve.🪶You are an aspiring author, parent, grandparent, entrepreneur, professional, healer, creative, speaker, coach or community member with wisdom to share.🪶You have lived through something meaningful and feel called to turn that experience into something of service.🪶You are drawn to writing but feel unsure where to begin.🪶You want to explore your story in a thoughtful, soulful and encouraging space before forcing it into a formal outline.🪶You want practical information about how a story can move from page to publishing.No previous writing experience is required.Only curiosity, openness and a willingness to listen for the stories that may be ready to emerge.
🪷The Writers Circle Framework
Discover
Discover the story that longs to be told.Develop
Shape your vision and begin mapping the form it may take.Share
Create a thoughtful path for bringing your words to the world.
🌻“This was one of the most inviting, invigorating and profound workshops I’ve ever attended! It gave me the opportunity I needed to reconnect with myself, to remember that I have a story inside of me that I’ve wanted to share for so long.”
- Valerie Dayton | Art of Storytelling workshop participant
🌻“There was magic in this. It was the joy in the room and the gathering of souls searching for their own story to be told, while Jennifer guided us to the possibility of going beyond just pen and paper to something much bigger than imagined.”
- Dana | Art of Storytelling workshop participant
🪷What to Bring
You don’t need to arrive with a finished manuscript or even a fully formed idea.• Whatever you love to write with, whether that’s a notebook, journal or laptop
• Any pages, notes, ideas, stories or works in progress you’d like to explore
• Your questions, curiosities and creative challenges
• A willingness to experiment, discover and try something new
• An openness to sharing your work and thoughtfully engaging with the work of othersMost of all, bring the story that is stirring in you.
🪷What You Will Receive
• 12 intimate 90-minute Writers Circle gatherings, meeting twice monthly from October through March. Full dates & details below.
• Guided learning in story, writing and craft
• Dedicated time to write and develop your work
• Thoughtful feedback, conversation and creative support
• Guidance to revise and strengthen your writing
• Exploration of print and publishing possibilities
• One private 33-minute writing and coaching session with Jennifer each month
SIX PRIVATE SESSIONS.
YOUR WRITING. YOUR TIME.
Dedicated space to explore your work, ask questions and determine your next steps.
🌻Meet Your Guide Jennifer Maki
✨Jennifer M. Maki is an author, publisher, executive coach, communications strategist, professional speaker and facilitator with more than 20 years of experience helping entrepreneurs, professionals, organizations and storytellers bring meaningful ideas into the world. Her career has spanned agency, nonprofit, healthcare, education and entrepreneurship, with work across Canada, the United States, Europe and the British West Indies. At the heart of it all has been communication: helping people discover what matters, find the stories and wisdom within their experiences, strengthen their voice and bring those ideas into meaningful form.Today, Jennifer brings that experience into the world in three ways: through Jennifer M. Maki Consulting, working with entrepreneurs, leaders and organizations; through The SoulFull Way, a global community devoted to living and creating in deeper alignment with our values and innate wisdom; and through Mad Hero Productions & Publishing | An Author’s Studio, guiding writers and aspiring authors to discover, develop and share the stories they are here to tell.Thunder Bay holds a special place in Jennifer’s life. Her husband, Todd, was born and raised here, much of their family still calls the area home, and together they spent seven years here raising their two boys. Returning this summer with The Art of Storytelling rekindled that connection and inspired the Writers Circle and more opportunities for this extraordinary community of storytellers to
gather, create and bring their stories to life.
🌻“Whatever I felt I lacked in any of those areas, Jennifer offered in abundance. Not only did Jennifer bring the book to life, she’s been instrumental in giving me new life. She helped me find my ‘treasure’ and see that I’m already what I need to be. In all sincerity,
I’m the better for it, my book is certainly the better for it.”
- David “Izzy” Nagy | Author, ‘Saint’ David’s Letters to (the) Roman
📖 About Mad Hero Productions & Publishing
Mad Hero Productions & Publishing is an author development and publishing studio dedicated to helping meaningful stories find their way into the world.Through workshops, Writers Circles and private author mentorship, we help writers discover the heart of their story, develop their work with care and share it with confidence, with professional publishing and creative support available when they are ready to take their words further.We don’t simply develop books. We develop authors.STORIES CHANGE PEOPLE. AUTHORS CHANGE THE WORLD.And in the process of changing the world with your words, you too, we too, are changed.
🧭Thoughts From Experience
🌻David "Izzy" Nagy
Author of 'Saint' David's Letters to (the) Roman
"Dreams. Joys. Miracles. What is yours can never be withheld from you. I consider my meeting Jennifer auspicious, and have no doubt yours will be as well. In all sincerity, I'm the better for it, my book is certainly the better for it, and I trust you will be the better for it."🌻Gary Savitsky
Author of Divine Messages: A Book of Healing and Transformation for Spirit, Mind, Emotions, and Body
"Jennifer helped me take my products and services to a wider audience. Her expertise in promotion, communication, marketing and executive coaching were an invaluable service to me and, by association, to all of my clients and supporters. Jennifer serves her clients with utmost professionalism while balancing a heart-centred approach. When you are working with Jennifer, you get the impression that you are the most important person to her."🌻Dr. Tanis Gaitens
Former Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Founder of Glow Life, and Contributing Author to The Awakened Feminine
"Jennifer's coaching style is very holistic, soulful and empowering. She helped me to see the unique background and expertise that I bring to my business, clarify my brand, focus my many ideas, and finally begin writing. I have also been part of Jennifer's SoulFull Way community and monthly workshops, where people from around the world come together to reflect, share and inspire one another. I am discovering more of the power within and am excited to bring my gifts to the world."🌻Julie McKenna
Registered Psychotherapist and Artist
"Jennifer's wisdom during our sessions, thoughtful encouragement and consistent support created a safe and steady space for me to grow. Through our work together, I have been able to step more fully into who I am. Thank you, Jennifer, for holding this space with so much love and grace. I look forward to continuing our journey together."🌻Melanie Vanhawk
Author of The Awakened Souls, The Awakened Feminine and The Awakened Masculine
"Working with Mad Hero Publishing on my third and fourth books was an incredible experience. Jennifer and Todd genuinely care about the authors they work with and bring so much experience and guidance to the table. I always felt heard, encouraged and confident in the direction we were taking. I would absolutely recommend Mad Hero Publishing to anyone looking for a professional, supportive and soul-centred publishing team."🌻Judy Howsam
Participant, The SoulFull Retreat – Guatemala
"I've attended several retreats over the course of my life's journey, however nothing compares to Jenni's SoulFull Retreat in Guatemala. She takes special care in setting the tone and ambiance for her workshops, guiding you through activities in a masterful way that allow you to connect to your soul's wisdom and listen deeply to your inner voice. This experience has had a profound impact on how I now not only view life, but how I live my life."
🪷CLICK FOR DELIGHTFUL SOUND🪷
THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFULSomething beautiful happened when The Art of Storytelling | Bringing Your Words to the World came to Thunder Bay.Writers gathered with ideas, pages, stories they had carried for years and, in some cases, simply a knowing that there was something within them asking to be written.Over our weekend together, we wrote, explored, learned, reflected, walked along the shores of Lake Superior, shared stories and discovered what can happen when we give our words the time, guidance and creative community to emerge.The response went far beyond the workshop itself. People wanted to keep writing. They wanted to keep learning. And they wanted to keep gathering.The Art of Storytelling Writers Circle grew from that beginning, along with a commitment to continue creating gatherings, workshops and opportunities for the storytellers of Thunder Bay.🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻VOICES FROM THE ART OF STORYTELLING“Jennifer shone her light and playfully guided us through the art of writing. Each part of the weekend was special in its own way. Sitting by the shores of Lake Superior, the Sleeping Giant lay like nature’s sculpture in the distance. Waves gently kissed the shore. Together we wove our stories, each word that stained the page, a part of something much greater. I am forever changed.”
Patricia““There was a discovery within me that I didn’t know existed. The walk, the tears, the laughter and the love that I felt
for people I had never met before shall never be forgotten.”
Dana“…a worthwhile, meaningful, encouraging experience for an aspiring author. With such a detailed book, The Art of Storytelling, nothing is left to chance. It gives real-time information on how to write a piece that will flow. An excellent resource.”
Lynn“I remembered so much from the workshop. The meditations were perfect, and so much more flowed with a calm mind. I loved the weekend! Jennifer has a way of sharing that keeps me captivated.”
Helen
✨Join Us
THE ART OF STORYTELLING WRITERS CIRCLE📅 October 2026 – March 202712 intimate 90-minute gatherings over six months💻 Second Wednesdays | Live on Zoom
🧘 Fourth Wednesdays | In person at the beautiful Bodymind Centre, with Jennifer joining live via Zoom
📍 8-105 Villa Street
🕡 6:30–8 p.m. Eastern
✨Joining us from beyond Thunder Bay?
A small group of writers is invited to join our circle fully online. And if there’s enough interest in White Rock + South Surrey, we may gather here in community, too.2026
October 14 & 28
November 11 & 25
December 9 & 16*2027
January 13 & 27
February 10 & 24
March 10 & 24December 16 replaces our fourth-Wednesday gathering to honour the holiday season.💰 YOUR INVESTMENT$150 CAD per month
Six-month commitment | $900 totalYour six-month Writers Circle experience includes:• 18 hours of guided writing, story development and facilitated learning through 12 intimate Writers Circle gatherings
• Writing, sharing, thoughtful feedback and creative support
• Six private 33-minute writing and coaching sessions
• A consistent creative community supporting your work from October through March💵 THE VALUE OF YOUR EXPERIENCEIndividual coaching and facilitation is valued at $200 per hour.
The 18 hours of guided learning within the Writers Circle represent $3,600 at the individual rate,
plus $600 in private coaching.Individual Value: $4,200
Your Writers Circle investment: $900The Writers Circle makes this depth of guidance more accessible by bringing writers together in an intimate group experience,
while still providing dedicated private coaching each month.A $150 non-refundable deposit reserves your place and is applied to your final month.
Your October payment is due separately at the beginning of the Circle.Monthly payments may be made by e-transfer or automatic credit card payment through Stripe.
Details provided when you Reserve.🪷 SPACE IS INTENTIONALLY LIMITEDThe Writers Circle is designed to remain intimate so there is time and space for each writer, their work and the conversations that emerge along the way.Please reserve your place by October 7, 2026.Click below to reserve your space, share a little about yourself and your writing, and receive payment information and next steps.