Time to prioritise your writing practice with a mid-year intake for The Zone open now.
Introducing a beautiful new version of The Zone to bring that about...
Introducing a beautiful new version of The Zone to bring that about...
The Zone | Intensive
Mind Management Skills, Guidance, Accountability and Support for a Sustainable, Engaged Writing Practice
Mind Management Skills, Guidance, Accountability and Support for a Sustainable, Engaged Writing Practice
If you are:
* Wanting accountability, support and a quiet writing community
* Craving the type of writing practice you never quite manage to achieve
* Needing the skills and confidence to recover quickly from setbacks
* Prone to distraction, procrastination, overwhelm, angst, self-criticism, “not-good-enough” beliefs, “what-if” paralysis,
people pleasing or inertia
* Wanting the perspective that allows you to stay focused and engaged, even when you’re experiencing difficulties
* Finding it difficult to get or stay focused on your writing
* Experiencing dread or anxiety when you have a writing day ahead
* Hoping that writing will help you to feel better about yourself
* Needing effective skills and support to manage emotional aspects of the writing life
* Low in confidence
* Awash with self-doubt
* Fearful 2025 will be another year you don’t write as much or as often as you desire
* Feeling isolated as a writer
* Ready to prioritise your writing practice
Then you are invited to become part of The Zone Intensive writers’ group. This is an opportunity for you to prioritise your writing practice, rather than squeezing writing in around the everything and everyone else.
in
* Wanting accountability, support and a quiet writing community
* Craving the type of writing practice you never quite manage to achieve
* Needing the skills and confidence to recover quickly from setbacks
* Prone to distraction, procrastination, overwhelm, angst, self-criticism, “not-good-enough” beliefs, “what-if” paralysis,
people pleasing or inertia
* Wanting the perspective that allows you to stay focused and engaged, even when you’re experiencing difficulties
* Finding it difficult to get or stay focused on your writing
* Experiencing dread or anxiety when you have a writing day ahead
* Hoping that writing will help you to feel better about yourself
* Needing effective skills and support to manage emotional aspects of the writing life
* Low in confidence
* Awash with self-doubt
* Fearful 2025 will be another year you don’t write as much or as often as you desire
* Feeling isolated as a writer
* Ready to prioritise your writing practice
Then you are invited to become part of The Zone Intensive writers’ group. This is an opportunity for you to prioritise your writing practice, rather than squeezing writing in around the everything and everyone else.
in
The Zone has four elements:
- * Live group sessions each week (including fortnightly mind-management skills clinics)
- * Private forum
- * Light touch optional resources linked to Writermind skills and characteristics
- * Weekly reflective practice exercises (optional) to help you integrate the Writermind skills into your life and practice
The Zone programs are designed to help you reset your writing practice so you can do more writing, with less angst.
Topics at a glance:
* The steady writermind | What is it and how do I get one?
*Then my mind went walking | Psychological factors that make it hard to focus
my mind went walking | Factors that make it hard to focus
* Stories of me | How self-narratives shape writing engagement
* Writermind essentials | Mind management basics for every writer’s toolkit
* Beyond stimulus-response | Managing, reactivity, overwhelm and inertia
* Don’t go there! | When fear, shame, guilt and other unpleasant emotions lead to avoidance
* Eyes on the prize | When focus on publication, prizes or praise gets in the way of writing engagement
* Metaphor, mood and motivation | From mind prison to mind palace
* I had a dream | Managing disappointment in the writing, productivity or publication
* Bringing it all together | Writing practice equilibrium for the future
What's Included?
* Weekly live Focus sessions online (23 July to 24 September 2025). Each session we’ll start with a mind management skills clinic focused on the topic of the week. Then, we’ll spend time identifying how you can practise and implement writermind skills. These sessions include Q & A to problem-solve issues that get in the way of your writing, coaching and reflective practice activities, and, connection with other writers in the group.
The clinics will help you to understand what leads to the difficulties you experience in your writing practice. Learn and hone practical skills that help foster a steadier, more focused mind.
*Weekly personal reflective practice activities (optional, to do in your own time if you wish). These activities will help you shift old patterns, implement changes, and identify specific activities to keep you aligned with your writing plan
* Low-key mental health & emotional wellbeing resources – for those who would value writer-related mindfulness practices, meditations and the like I will provide optional, on-demand resources as part of your group membership. Plus I will share others’ resources that I think you may find helpful and interesting – podcasts, books, programs.
All this will take place in a private, secure area within The Writermind Project online portal.
Note: Whilst material from the clinics will be recorded, the live interactions in the group will not be recorded.
As soon as you enrol you'll have access to The Zone online portal, a private space for our group. Once there, you can put your live sessions in your calendar, let people in your life know you have commitments for ten Wednesdays (and will not be available!!), then arrange a quiet time between now and July 23rd to download your 2025 Writing Practice Planner and spend some quiet time thinking deeply about the writing practice you are going to build for yourself as you join The Zone. The Planner is a tool to help guide this process.
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The clinics will help you to understand what leads to the difficulties you experience in your writing practice. Learn and hone practical skills that help foster a steadier, more focused mind.
*Weekly personal reflective practice activities (optional, to do in your own time if you wish). These activities will help you shift old patterns, implement changes, and identify specific activities to keep you aligned with your writing plan
* Low-key mental health & emotional wellbeing resources – for those who would value writer-related mindfulness practices, meditations and the like I will provide optional, on-demand resources as part of your group membership. Plus I will share others’ resources that I think you may find helpful and interesting – podcasts, books, programs.
All this will take place in a private, secure area within The Writermind Project online portal.
Note: Whilst material from the clinics will be recorded, the live interactions in the group will not be recorded.
As soon as you enrol you'll have access to The Zone online portal, a private space for our group. Once there, you can put your live sessions in your calendar, let people in your life know you have commitments for ten Wednesdays (and will not be available!!), then arrange a quiet time between now and July 23rd to download your 2025 Writing Practice Planner and spend some quiet time thinking deeply about the writing practice you are going to build for yourself as you join The Zone. The Planner is a tool to help guide this process.
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Enrolments are open now for the 12 places available.
The Zone is for you if you:
* Say that writing is one of the most important aspects of your life, yet you can’t seem to make it a priority
* Experience self-doubt, low confidence, self-criticism
* Seem to go straight to worst-case scenario and get caught there
* Experience anxiety or dread at the thought of getting negative feedback about your writing
* Engage in avoidance (procrastination, substances, excessive social media use, food, zoning out) to help you handle your
fears and doubts
* Tend to say “yes” when you’d rather say “no”
* Believe that “I’ll write when things settle down”, but know realistically that things won’t settle down
The Zone may not be for you if you:
* Are looking for support related to the craft and technical aspects of writing.
* Are experiencing acute mental health difficulties and are looking for therapy – this group will involve coaching and
guidance, and may feel therapeutic for participants, however it is not a therapy group
* Realistically, don’t think you could likely make at least about 80 percent of the live sessionse writing life!
* Experience self-doubt, low confidence, self-criticism
* Seem to go straight to worst-case scenario and get caught there
* Experience anxiety or dread at the thought of getting negative feedback about your writing
* Engage in avoidance (procrastination, substances, excessive social media use, food, zoning out) to help you handle your
fears and doubts
* Tend to say “yes” when you’d rather say “no”
* Believe that “I’ll write when things settle down”, but know realistically that things won’t settle down
The Zone may not be for you if you:
* Are looking for support related to the craft and technical aspects of writing.
* Are experiencing acute mental health difficulties and are looking for therapy – this group will involve coaching and
guidance, and may feel therapeutic for participants, however it is not a therapy group
* Realistically, don’t think you could likely make at least about 80 percent of the live sessionse writing life!
What, when, how?
Dates: Wednesday 23rd July - 24 September with weekly group sessions online, live, through the year until September 2025.
Times: 12.00pm - 1.45pm AEST (Sydney time) via zoom
Each week this is what will happen:
* Live Focus sessions = mind management skills clinic + Q&A and reflective practice + support + accountability
* Reflective Practice activities
* Forum connection with other group members if you wish
Bonus: Fortnightly accountability writing days, with zoom check in at the beginning and end of the day that works best for the group
Dates: Wednesday 23rd July - 24 September with weekly group sessions online, live, through the year until September 2025.
Times: 12.00pm - 1.45pm AEST (Sydney time) via zoom
Each week this is what will happen:
* Live Focus sessions = mind management skills clinic + Q&A and reflective practice + support + accountability
* Reflective Practice activities
* Forum connection with other group members if you wish
Bonus: Fortnightly accountability writing days, with zoom check in at the beginning and end of the day that works best for the group
Ready to spend more time in The Zone?
More writing. Less Angst.
More writing. Less Angst.
Payment plan: 3 x monthly instalments of $230 (AUD Inc GST). First payment now, then monthly payments of $230 in August and September
One-off, upfront payment: Register and pay in full now at a discounted rate of $660 (Inc GST)
A steady writing plan for 2025 and beyond.
Fresh Perspectives | New Capacities | Renewed Enthusiasm
The skills, structure and support for a sustainable, engaged writing practice.
Fresh Perspectives | New Capacities | Renewed Enthusiasm
The skills, structure and support for a sustainable, engaged writing practice.
Meet the host of The Zone, Alison Manning
Alison Manning, The Writer's Psychologist, specialises in writers'mental health and psychological wellbeing. Alison has worked with writers since 2013. She holds a Masters of Clinical Psychology, and has conducted research about links between writers' emotion regulation and their writing engagement. Alongside her Writer Psych practice, Alison has a regular psychology practice, Alison Manning Psychology, where she helps people build good lives after trauma, as well as helping people to understand and manage depression, anxiety and other mental health difficulties.
Alison founded The Writermind Project with the aim of supporting writers to be as well and happy and focused as possible given the significant stresses and uncertainty involved in being a writer. The Zone Intensive is a Writermind Project event.
Alison was formerly a broadcast journalist and mediator, both of which set the scene for what Alison loves most as a psychologist, getting to the heart of the matter.
Alison Manning, The Writer's Psychologist, specialises in writers'mental health and psychological wellbeing. Alison has worked with writers since 2013. She holds a Masters of Clinical Psychology, and has conducted research about links between writers' emotion regulation and their writing engagement. Alongside her Writer Psych practice, Alison has a regular psychology practice, Alison Manning Psychology, where she helps people build good lives after trauma, as well as helping people to understand and manage depression, anxiety and other mental health difficulties.
Alison founded The Writermind Project with the aim of supporting writers to be as well and happy and focused as possible given the significant stresses and uncertainty involved in being a writer. The Zone Intensive is a Writermind Project event.
Alison was formerly a broadcast journalist and mediator, both of which set the scene for what Alison loves most as a psychologist, getting to the heart of the matter.
Terms and conditions
The purchase of The Zone provides the purchaser with access to 10 Live, 90 min focus sessions with Alison Manning, the Writer’s Psych.
In the event that Alison Manning is for whatever reason unable to meet this commitment, a refund will be provided for the portion of the program that is not able to be delivered.
The purchaser recognises that program fee is non-refundable.
Minimum and maxiumum (14) group numbers apply. Refunds will be issued if the course does not proceed.
If the purchaser is unable to attend live events the purchaser recognises that there will not be a refund for missed live events. If live events are missed the purchaser will still receive the weekly Mind Management clinic recordings, and the weekly reflective practice activities materials.
The purchaser recognises that whilst the facilitator of The Zone Intensive is a psychologist, The Zone Intensive is an educational, coaching and support program, not a group therapy program. The Zone Intensive is not designed to take the place of individual or group therapy.
Current and former clients of Alison Manning, whether as individuals or parts of a group are welcome to join The Zone, Alison Manning will honour your privacy by not mentioning any prior relationship, and by not disclosing any private information of former clients to members of The Zone.
Recordings of the Skills Clinics within the live sessions will be available for review later. The Q&A parts of the live sessions will not be made available as these recordings may include group members' personal information.
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The purchaser recognises that The Zone material may at times, for some people prove unsettling. Purchasers who feel that they may be susceptible to emotional distress are advised to identify sources of external support in the event that they need extra support. Group members can also contact the facilitator, Alison Manning, recognising that Alison may have limited scope to respond promptly. The Writer's Psych individual and group programs are not designed to address acute mental health crises.
In committing to join The Zone Intensive Writers’ Group, the purchaser recognises and accepts the above conditions.
rmation of the other participants.
In the event that Alison Manning is for whatever reason unable to meet this commitment, a refund will be provided for the portion of the program that is not able to be delivered.
The purchaser recognises that program fee is non-refundable.
Minimum and maxiumum (14) group numbers apply. Refunds will be issued if the course does not proceed.
If the purchaser is unable to attend live events the purchaser recognises that there will not be a refund for missed live events. If live events are missed the purchaser will still receive the weekly Mind Management clinic recordings, and the weekly reflective practice activities materials.
The purchaser recognises that whilst the facilitator of The Zone Intensive is a psychologist, The Zone Intensive is an educational, coaching and support program, not a group therapy program. The Zone Intensive is not designed to take the place of individual or group therapy.
Current and former clients of Alison Manning, whether as individuals or parts of a group are welcome to join The Zone, Alison Manning will honour your privacy by not mentioning any prior relationship, and by not disclosing any private information of former clients to members of The Zone.
Recordings of the Skills Clinics within the live sessions will be available for review later. The Q&A parts of the live sessions will not be made available as these recordings may include group members' personal information.
o
The purchaser recognises that The Zone material may at times, for some people prove unsettling. Purchasers who feel that they may be susceptible to emotional distress are advised to identify sources of external support in the event that they need extra support. Group members can also contact the facilitator, Alison Manning, recognising that Alison may have limited scope to respond promptly. The Writer's Psych individual and group programs are not designed to address acute mental health crises.
In committing to join The Zone Intensive Writers’ Group, the purchaser recognises and accepts the above conditions.
rmation of the other participants.