THE AUTHORS’ KNOT:
an intimate online writing program for thought leaders, memoirists, novelists, and heart-led visionaries
This year, you’re going to make your writing dreams a reality.
2026 is the year you:
Start—or return to— the book you’ve had inside you for so long
May actually finish the “big project” that you’ve yearned to get into the world
Commit to the newsletter, the podcast, or another kind of long term creative endeavor
Embrace and embody this powerful truth: you are a writer
No matter what your creative vision is, this is the year you finally prioritize your writing and take it from “someday I will” into “in 2026, I am.”
The Authors’ Knot will help you to strengthen your voice, clarify your message, and truly organize your ideas, so that you can bring the fullness of your vision to life.
Writing can be a lonely venture, but, in the Author’s Knot, we do things differently.
When you join us,
You’ll be a member of a small, devoted circle of writers
You’ll have guidance from an experienced writing coach
You’ll have the wisdom of the collective to support you on your journey
You’ll have the structure and encouragement to keep writing - even when it gets hard
What else makes this writing group different?
We’re interested in the craft of writing. You’ll learn the art and practice of moving from initial inspiration to first draft to a finished product.
And, in the Authors’ Knot, we hold space for the the heart and soul, the tenderness and the struggle that are part of the writer’s life.
This group will stoke your inherent wisdom, nurture your creative spirit, and inspire you to develop the ideas and stories that only you can tell.
Join us in the Authors’ Knot:
an intimate online writing community for thought leaders, memoirists, novelists, and heart-led visionaries
I created The Author’s Knot because, as a writing coach for over a decade, I know that we’re most successful when we write (and rewrite) in the company of others.
As a lifelong writer, I know how challenging it can be to sustain a major writing project in the midst of a full life.
Your creative vision can seem fragile and intangible when compared to the work, caregiving, and the myriad responsibilities of the everyday.
But, when you have a circle of peers, and an experienced guide…
You can learn to navigate the inevitable distractions that draw your focus
You can learn to use “the everything” of your full, rich life to create a richer experience on the page
You can rely on the group to help you remember that this project is your priority
Let’s Work, Write, Heal, and Grow Together
Devote Yourself to Your Project
This focused creative container empowers you to put your writing at the top of the to do list. You relationship with writing will transform through your commitment.
Build Skills & Get New Tools
You know a lot about writing already, but you’re still learning how to write this book or sustain this big project. Monthly workshops will teach you about structure, craft, and style.
Share & Receive Feedback
We grow through witnessing and being witnessed. Share your work for compassionate responses and strengths-focused suggestions to take your writing further.
Interested in the Authors’ Knot? Apply to join us!
The Authors’ Knot is an intimate group of creatives. To ensure that we’re a good fit for one another, you’re invited to apply for membership.
I’ll follow up with a call to talk about your project, your goals, and how the Authors’ Knot can help you achieve them in 2026.
Do you have questions? Email marisa@marisagoudy.com
Is the Authors’ Knot for you?
This is the writing community for you, if:
you know you’re a writer and you want help bringing your vision to the page
you’re excited to build new relationships even as you make powerful progress on your individual work
you want to blend the strategic with the soulful - writing a book is more than consistency and planning, it’s about bringing your fullest self to the page and bringing your creative passions to life
This group is ideal for you if any of the following describe you:
a creative entrepreneur who reaches people through your stories
working on a book, including a novel, a memoir, or another form of creative non-fiction
your work tends toward the spiritual, mythical, and imaginative - this group is fueled by grounded wisdom and a passion for “the otherworldly,” too
trying to figure out the form of the “big project” - maybe it’s a book, but it might be a podcast, a blog, or another form that requires focus, creativity, and a longterm commitment
Ashley Batistick
Writer, Therapist & Coach
Magic happens when we gather. Even more so, when you’re in the presence and care of Marisa Goudy.
I’ve had the privilege and honor to work Marisa 1:1. She’s a skilled writing coach and wordsmith, but what she forges in the Authors’ Knot is something to behold: An intimate container that not only helps the heart shape the story it wants to tell, but also shapes the heart of the writer.
I now know I am a novelist, and not just because I have the pages to prove it. The added bonus is the like-minded, soul-friends you'll meet, who are just as wonderful as the woman who’s tending the scared flame of this group.
All the Program Details
When does the program start?
Our official first session will be held the week of February 9. The ten-month program concludes at the end of November, 2026.
Bonus sessions to be held in January:
Workshop with guest instructor Jennifer Murphy of Celtic Creatives: Non-Linear Movement for Writers: date TBA
Intro session to get to know one another and go over “housekeeping” details: week of January 26
How often do we meet?
We meet four times each month, via Zoom:
Week 1 (2 hr meeting) Workshop & Work Share: hour one: a deep dive into the month’s writing craft topic; hour two: two members read and receive comments (30 minutes each)
Week 2 (1 hr meeting): co-working session with “office hours”— each participant has a10 minute 1:1 session with Marisa
Week 3 (2 hr meeting): Work Share Session: four members read and receive comments (30 minutes each)
Week 4 (1 hr meeting): co-working session with “office hours”— each participant has a10 minute 1:1 session with Marisa
What’s the time & energy commitment when you join the Authors’ Knot?
Though it’s probably unrealistic to imagine you’ll be working on your project every day, you’ll be writing several days a week. You’re self-motivated and passionate and schedule this time to write on your own.
Each month, during one of our two Work Share sessions, you will read your writing aloud or prepare a brief presentation of the ideas you’re working on. This group is for writers who are excited to do the writing and seek feedback from the circle.
This is a community program, and it’s built on the understanding that we all benefit from sharing our work and experiencing the work of others. Our two-hour Work Share sessions are “turn off notifications and give your full attention to all participants” sessions.
While the co-working sessions are optional, they’re an ideal way to build your own practice and strengthen our community. And, it’s amazing what can be accomplished in ten minutes of 1:1 laser coaching in the breakout room.
What happens between meetings?
In addition to our weekly sessions, there will be a private community platform where you can share work, request feedback, or ask questions.
Weekly accountability practices and monthly reflection exercises to keep you writing and help you track the evolution and progress of your work
All sessions are recorded and available to members throughout the duration of the program
What’s the cost of the program?
Foundational membership: 399 USD per month, charged on the 1st each month OR a single up front payment of 3990 USD.
Add a monthly 1:1 coaching session to your foundational membership: total of $599 per month, charged on the 1st of each month.
First installment is due upon registration. Monthly payments run from February through October 2026.
This is the year you own the title of writer
and devote yourself fully to your project! Join us.
Diane Sontum
Writer & Cultivator of Community, Connections
and Capital in Rural America
For me, it takes a village to write a book. Not just any village, but rather a community of like-minded writers eager to give birth to their own projects while serving as midwives for mine. The Author's Knot is this community.
Together, we encourage, celebrate, and tease out each other’s greatness, while holding sacred the space where meaning, purpose, spirituality, and words connect.
Our convener and Village Goddess, Marisa Goudy, guides us with her gentle wisdom, skill, and intuition to support us even in the most tender phases of our work. I am honored to be part of this beautiful community for my second year.
Erica O’Reilly
Irish-Canadian Storyteller & Spiritual Counsellor
Over the past year, I have had the honour and gift of being held within the magic of the Authors' Knot. As both a masterful storyweaver and graceful space facilitator, Marisa creates an atmosphere that welcomes all stories, and all aspects of the creative process, with authenticity, integrity, and generosity.
Because of this, those who gather within the Authors' Knot become a community of women and artists aligned in shared values and creative purpose.
If there is a story within you longing to be told, and a whisper within your being calling to be held by a caring community at any stage of your creative journey, I can personally attest to the incredible company you will find within the Authors' Knot.
Frequently Asked Questions
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As outlined above, we meet weekly to keep up the creative momentum and build our community. The twice monthly 120-minute sessions (which include training, Q&A sessions, and work sharing) are considered mandatory. You’ll receive a detailed calendar so you can plan ahead and block the time. The co-working sessions are optional, but members generally attend those regularly too.
Your overall commitment to writing during the program is up to you, but you should plan on setting aside a minimum of five hours each week to writing and research in order to move your project forward. -
There will be two separate cohorts of the Authors’ Knot in 2026.
One group will meet on Mondays at 7 PM ET. There are only 1 or 2 seats remaining in this section, so apply now if this is your preferred time slot!
A second cohort will meet during daytime hours on a weekday, day/time TBD. Most likely: Fridays, 12 -2 PM ET>I am in New York State in the Eastern Time zone. Calls will be held sometime between 9:00 AM ET and 9:00 PM ET.
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This is a small, application-only group. When you apply for the Authors’ Knot, you are making a ten month commitment to the group, to yourself, and to your dream of being a writer.
Participants may cancel their registration any time up to one week before the first meeting (the initial payment of $399 is non-refundable). After that point, requests to terminate membership will be considered on a case-by-case basis.Because our community is small and intimate, and because creativity can be a vulnerable area of our lives, if the facilitator feels that a participant is disrupting the safety or harmony of the group, the participant will be asked to leave. Previous payment(s) will not be refunded and cannot be transferred. Subsequent payments will be canceled.
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Members of the Authors’ Knot will have a chance to stay connected in a private online forum (not on social media) where they can share work and ask questions. This portal will also house all call recordings and additional training material.
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I founded the Writers’ Knot in 2018, and it is still going strong. Considered a “creative incubator” the focus of the Writers’ Knot is on writing-in-community with new writing prompts for each session.
In contrast, the Authors’ Knot is focused on helping you make progress on a specific writing project, with an emphasis on building skills and developing your craft thanks to sustained feedback from a small group that knows your project intimately.
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2026 topics will include: the art of strong beginnings and endings; how to create good tension and arcs of change in a scene; how to use a logline to focus your own attention and pitch your book; editing and what it really means to “kill your darlings.”
Registration is now open!
If you have questions about the program, please send me an email: marisa@marisagoudy.com.
Meet Your Guide, Marisa Goudy
Here’s what I believe…
Creativity - especially writing - can heal the disconnection from the sacred sense of self, from community, and from nature.
When we root into mythology, ancestral stories, and the imaginal realm, we can co-create a culture that honors both human diversity and biodiversity.
Each of us is being called to make a generative contribution to our world through our words and actions. We can - and must - continue to shape our world, one story at a time.
I invite you to meet me where the magical meets the practical, and where the deepest personal growth is paired with in-the-world progress.
When you join us in the Authors’ Knot, you’re working not just with a writing coach, but a story healer.
It’s important to get the writing done, of course, and I am dedicated to helping you hone your craft, but as I see it, that’s only one aspect of the work we’re setting out to do together.
I’m devoted to helping you uncover the stories and ideas that matter - to you, to the people you wish to serve, to readers who could be changed by your words.
That means that, in addition to offering you my skills as an editor, author, and creative entrepreneur with more than a decade of experience, I’m also showing up as an energy healer who begins each group session with a lit candle and a brief grounding meditation. Eager to help tap into your intuitive and embodied wisdom, I will always encourage you to consider how nature and the entire more-than-human world can support your creative becoming.
What’s my story?
Fifteen years ago, I left my career in academia and started my own business. A sudden loss taught me that I could not spend my life doing work I did not love. I also had a newborn daughter to raise and I wanted the freedom and flexibility to support my family and expand my creativity in my own way.
My best selling book, The Sovereignty Knot: A Woman’s Way to Freedom, Power, Love, and Magic was released in 2020. These days, my creative energies are devoted to the KnotWork Storytelling Podcast where we explore Celtic mythology, Irish folklore, and heroines’ tales from around the world. My Myth Is Medicine, Words Are Magic newsletter on Substack reaches thousands of readers each week.
In 2018, I founded the Writers’ Knot, a creative incubator and sanctuary for folks who want to make writing part of their lives. Now in its second year. the Authors’ Knot is an offshoot of that flourishing community. I created this new group to provide a focused space where we not only write together, but also focus on building skills and seeing major projects through to completion.
Carmen Schreffler
writer, strategist, systems-builder, and founder of The Luminous Web
Working with Marisa opens the gateway between the magical and the practical, whether we are talking about business strategy or the fears keeping me from my writing desk. Her insights and wisdom have helped me to open more fully to pathways of abundance, exploration, and courage. She's a treasured companion on my journey as a writer and an entrepreneur.
Jesse Oona Hays
Poet, Memoirist, and Waldorf Teacher
Marisa has a gift in seeing people and hearing what they want to express with their writing. Beyond that, she has a keen talent for guiding a writer to a form of work that is living in them but is not yet formed.
As part of the Author’s Knot this year, I reveled in the kinship and learned from the communion with other writers. I was also again and again struck by Marisa’s warmth, expertise, and clear vision when it came to laying out a roadmap for working on my memoir.
Patricia Rose
Writer & Educator
