We were lucky to catch up with Jen Vincent recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jen, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Starting my business in 2019 led to writing and publishing my book, Living the Life of a Writer: 6 Practices Student Writers Have, Know, and Do.
I had been writing young adult novels for years and even had an agent when my publishing dreams came crashing down. My agent was accused of fraud, she closed down her agency, and I was at a loss for words — literally. I eventually found my way back to writing and decided to start offering writing workshops and coaching.
After leading monthly workshops and coaching writers, I realized there is no one way to be a writer. To help people find confidence in their writing lives, I developed the 6 practices writers have, know, and do. This became the foundation of my workshops and coaching and eventually became the focus of my book Living the Life of a Writer.
My heart was broken when I found out my agent was a fraud, but it led me to start my business. I’m a teacher, so starting a business meant I had a lot to learn and I wasn’t sure I could do it. But now, I see that it was a risk that was worth taking. It allowed me to recognize what I believe about teaching writing and how unique my philosophy is. And ultimately, it led to me writing and publishing a book after all.
Jen, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m Jen Vincent — a middle school language arts teacher, author, and the founder of Story Exploratory. I’ve been teaching for over twenty years, and through my work, I help educators shift from centering writing to centering writers in their classrooms.
This shift changes everything — when we focus on writers instead of writing, our instruction, assessment, and classroom culture all start to revolve around growth, voice, and identity. My mission is to empower educators to create classroom environments where student writers thrive by approaching writing as a process, not only a product. Yes, we are teaching writing, but what really matters is: we are teaching writers.
Through my monthly workshops, community writing experiences, and my upcoming book, Living the Life of a Writer: 6 Practices Student Writers Have, Know, and Do, I guide teachers in building confidence in their writing instruction and reconnecting with their own lives as writers.
If you or your student writers have ever felt self doubt or encountered an inner critic, I’m proud to help you honor your lived experiences, find what works for you, and grow your confidence.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I’ve loved to write ever since I was young, but I didn’t always believe that my stories mattered. It took me a long time to realize I had stories worth sharing and that I deserved to share them.
Writing helped me access my inner power and learn to love myself. Now, I lead writing workshops and coach writers and share my ideas in my book Living the Life of a Writer: 6 Practices Student Writers Have, Know, and Do because I want everyone to know that their stories matter and deserve to be shared.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I often hear from people that they “just journal” when I share that I’m a writer and coach writers.
The truth is ”just journaling” is purposeful and powerful. If only everyone would “just journal” because they’d learn a lot about themselves. They’d process their experiences and acknowledge their emotions. They’d notice the ups and downs of life and honor their resilience and perseverance and growth. They’d let it all all out and clear their head. They’d celebrate and show themselves some love.
Writing can be a creative journey. It can involve craft and skill. It can be a creative endeavor. But it can also be “just journaling” — simply writing down the story of your life — and that is still beautiful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.storyexploratory.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyexploratory?igsh=MW1sYThoc2Q5dDVieg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyexploratory/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@storyexploratory?si=jnCyNKomAsCUgKMP
- Other: Patreon – https://patreon.com/storyexploratory?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
Image Credits
Jen Vincent