Welcome! I’m Lauren… 

A writer and writing teacher

My mission is to create deeply and help others deeply create. Sign up for my mailing list to hear thoughts on writing process and news about my books and how to work with me.  Bonus: get my infographic How To Write to pin up in your writing space.

“Lauren Carter is exacting and perceptive. She tells demanding and rewarding stories.”

BuriedInPrint

Discover my work

Read

“Beautiful and emotional” (Publishers Weekly). “Somberly melodic” (Booklist). “Stunning” (the Canadian Book Review Annual). Discover my books.

Write

Want to finally finish that novel? Craving a writing retreat in the woods with supportive community?

Write with me online or on retreat, and I’ll help you improve your craft, set goals, tackle revisions, and build faith in your writer self.

“Let me live, love, and say it well in good sentences.”

– Sylvia Plath

My Blog

Exposure

Exposure

Less than a month away from the release of my new book, PLACES LIKE THESE, and I’m feelin’ it... those pre-publication jitters. I’ve been sticking pieces of advance praise and promotion up on my single remaining social media feed, and I read one of the stories for the...

On Staring Out Windows

On Staring Out Windows

When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time daydreaming. During long drives from/to the nearest big city - where we'd go for movies, mall shopping, book stores, and sometimes doctor's appointments - I would stare out at passing fields, forests, the big lake. At night, I...

Finding Focus

Finding Focus

This summer, I spent a lot of time in silence. The deep thrumming quiet of Cole Lake (which took seven short portages and two beaver dam pullovers to get to, ugh) and the stillness of Echo Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park, reached via the flooded Winnipeg River and...

TESTIMONIALS

Praise from clients and readers

Thoughtful, Supportive, Insightful

Lauren is a wonderful coach! She was always thoughtful, supportive, insightful and ready with just the right readings and resources. These days, the fact that I’ve committed to keeping my writing time [when faced with childcare challenges], rather than just throwing up my hands and losing steam (as has happened in the past) says a lot about how far I’ve come in the two months I’ve been with her! I really *feel* like a writer who is actively engaged in her practice! I am so excited about what is to come, and I’m so grateful for all she’s done to help me along the way!

Tara Borin

Eternally Grateful!

I’m writing regularly on my own stuff now. This is something I’ve been wanting to do for 20+ years, but I’ve always had reasons why I couldn’t keep it up: the year-end is due, I have freelance writing deadlines, I have a 10+ item list of admin tasks; I’m a Mom; I’m busy! Lauren, very patiently, supportively, and non-judgmentally, gave me resources that spoke to my situation, put up a mirror to my “crazies”, and encouraged me to kick them down one by one. It was quite a journey and I’m eternally grateful!

Angie Gallop

Exactly What I Needed

I was stuck, and just could not make myself get to my desk and start working again even though I had projects waiting. Lauren’s course really kick-started me. I found the connection with the other participants and the conversations triggered by the course material to be enormously helpful and inspiring. I am back at my desk, committed to a regular writing practice again. Thanks, Lauren, this course was exactly what I needed to get working again.

Nancy Hall

A Clear Plan!

Before I did my blue pencil critique session with Lauren I wasn’t sure if I’d ever finish my novel. My revisions weren’t going well and I had encountered several structural problems I didn’t know how to resolve. After meeting with Lauren I feel excited about it again. She was incredibly insightful and helped me build confidence in my creative process. She provided me with the tools, knowledge and resources I need to restructure my novel. Lauren also helped me create a clear plan I can follow to accomplish my goals without feeling so overwhelmed.

E. B. Page

Ongoing Encouragement

I am so very grateful to you for your editing suggestions and your ongoing encouragement. I didn’t have the confidence to send writing off for publication last year, but your help this year built my confidence, strengthened my writing, and gave me courage to begin submitting my pieces – and now one is being published in an anthology! Thank you for these gifts!

Tabitha Nordby

Keen Eye, Light Touch

I came to Lauren faltering, even with the finish line in sight. Her keen eye, light touch, and deeply compassionate nature allowed me just the right support to move through the stuck place and finish my draft.  Lauren was undaunted by the challenging material in my story. She helped me see what I did well, and hand-selected lessons so I could improve the weaker parts of my text. My manuscript and I are both better now, thanks to Lauren’s skillful coaching.

Jessica Waite

Insight and Skill!

Thank you for a focused workshop that gave me new insight into how I can move forward with a plot that has been bothering me. Your suggestions and writing exercises helped to “jump start” my novel writing process. I feel re-committed to the work I want to do with my story, so I appreciate your insight and skill!

Kim Fahner

Highly Encouraging and Knowledgable

Lauren is a highly encouraging and knowledgeable teacher. Every time I take one of her classes, I come away with motivation that keeps me going.

Micheline Maylor

Excellent

An excellent workshop with lots of writing opportunity. Great value for money. Thanks, Lauren!

Diane Ferguson

woman standing alone overlooking a forest landscape

Phenomenal!

This workshop has been invaluable to me. I came out with so much more knowledge than I had going in, and I am feeling really inspired to jump into my characters. I thought Lauren was phenomenal! Thank you so much for the wonderful workshop!

Teresa Witkowskyj

A Keen Eye for Detail

Lauren’s blue pencil sessions have helped me to feel more confident and to progress as a writer. Her keen eye for detail and helpful insights have enabled me to bring more nuance and expression to my poetry. I have appreciated having both written notes and a ZOOM call for discussion. Lauren has a supportive, encouraging approach, and it is a joy to work with her.

Kerry Galenzoski

Concrete Direction

I had a couple of hard-drive’s worth of unfinished novels before I started Lauren’s mentorship program. I was about to give up on story-telling when Lauren analyzed what I was doing on a scene-by-scene basis. She found patterns in my work, and provided concrete direction. She also helped me to find a sense of calm in my practice. Now it’s like my brain is re-wired, and I am well on my way to a satisfying finished product. This mentorship program is like hopping on the bullet train after years meandering on a rusty tricycle!

Joanne Loney

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