a writing community for

all genres • all levels • all voices

grounded in curiosity and radiant warmth

You have permission to write. In fact, you already have everything you need to write. 

This community offers transformation.  We focus on what works and something always, always works.

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blond woman in motorcycle jacket smiles in CO

Let writers from the FBC retreat, On Energy & Writing, in April 2026

give you a glimpse into what makes our community so special.

NEWS & EVENTS

NEWS & EVENTS
Fifth Brain Creative Studio - 2026 Virtual Writing Workshops!
Fifth Brain Creative Studio - 2026 Virtual Writing Workshops!

Join expert guest presenters with a variety of specialties and backgrounds for a series of interactive writing workshops!

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Fruit Cup Free Writing Sprint Thursday Nights with Sandra Shattuck & Mark Pettis!
Fruit Cup Free Writing Sprint Thursday Nights with Sandra Shattuck & Mark Pettis!

Join Fruit Cup Writing Sprint with Mark Pettis for a free virtual hour-long writing session on Thursday nights! Plus time to chat about writing and writing life afterwards.

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THE COLLECTIVE SPEAKS: BREAKING SILENCE
THE COLLECTIVE SPEAKS: BREAKING SILENCE

SUNDAY, MARCH 15th @ 5:30-7:30 PM (VIRTUAL)

Come listen to writers share on this quarter’s theme: Breaking Silence - giving voice to something that can no longer be contained. Presented by the Fifth Brain Collective.

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LISTEN: Trusting Your Fifth Brain on Doing Business Like a Woman Podcast!
LISTEN: Trusting Your Fifth Brain on Doing Business Like a Woman Podcast!

Frankie was recently interviewed on an episode of Doing Business Like a Woman Podcast with Melissa Kellogg Lueck!

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"His aunty walked fast, her slippers making slap-slap sounds that echoed in the silent street. Ugwu wondered if she, too, could feel the tar getting hotter underneath, through her thin soles." - From HALF A YELLOW SUN by Chiamanda Ngozi Adi
"His aunty walked fast, her slippers making slap-slap sounds that echoed in the silent street. Ugwu wondered if she, too, could feel the tar getting hotter underneath, through her thin soles." - From HALF A YELLOW SUN by Chiamanda Ngozi Adiche Can you feel it? Time and space travel, courtesy of SENSORY IMAGERY. Come join us for this focused workshop that gets you writing LITTLE BITS of your project! Wed, Dec 4, on Zoom.
The writing resumes! (It always waits for us.) Come join one of these juicy little workshops where we laugh, write, talk, and get LITTLE BITS of a project written. Starting up again this week with SENSORY IMAGERY. (The heat just kicked on. I hear a
The writing resumes! (It always waits for us.) Come join one of these juicy little workshops where we laugh, write, talk, and get LITTLE BITS of a project written. Starting up again this week with SENSORY IMAGERY. (The heat just kicked on. I hear a construction worker scraping a shovel on the street. I am sitting on a pile of soft, cozy blankets. Bright yellow sun pours across the hard wood floor.)
Vashon Island reveals its mysteries and ponies up some fave critters ❤️
Vashon Island reveals its mysteries and ponies up some fave critters ❤️
Thursday nights, the Fifth Brain collective has a free writing sprint on Zoom. People write or make art for an hour and then we chat about writing or art. We are from all over the place. On this particular night, I was telling the people that I had g
Thursday nights, the Fifth Brain collective has a free writing sprint on Zoom. People write or make art for an hour and then we chat about writing or art. We are from all over the place. On this particular night, I was telling the people that I had gone to a cat café. And Marcy drew this, adding Mark’s horror plus with his imagined cat allergy death (had he not been 2500 miles away). Just saying. This foolishness and camaraderie is free. It’s on my link tree in the bio if you ever wanna come. Sketch by Marcy Morris! Artist and writer! #writersofinstagram #writerscommunity
A magical being passed on into her waiting constellation this week—since Mom befriended her and brought her into our lives in Jackson, WY- we’ve all been in love with, and taught by, the wonderful healer and bright star, Todd Berkenfield.
A magical being passed on into her waiting constellation this week—since Mom befriended her and brought her into our lives in Jackson, WY- we’ve all been in love with, and taught by, the wonderful healer and bright star, Todd Berkenfield. Travel lightly, beautiful friend! 🌌✨❤️ -photo from May 2021-
A squirrel shadow flickers on my wall. The smell of fresh coffee fills the room. There is the silence of a neighborhood morning. A tool for psychological calm, a powerful way to center your reader inside your imagination, a way to sift symbolism in
A squirrel shadow flickers on my wall. The smell of fresh coffee fills the room. There is the silence of a neighborhood morning. A tool for psychological calm, a powerful way to center your reader inside your imagination, a way to sift symbolism into the layers of your test. Sensory Imagery is a magic wand. Fall Classes begin again Dec 4! Join us for writing and talking and examples and the casual joy of being with writers on a Wed night, talkin' and writing!
You say "potato." She says, "pomme de terre." I say, "french fries." We have ways of speaking aloud our ideas, and this can offer hints of our personalities. There is no one who speaks just the way we do - what we say a
You say "potato." She says, "pomme de terre." I say, "french fries." We have ways of speaking aloud our ideas, and this can offer hints of our personalities. There is no one who speaks just the way we do - what we say and how we say it - so learning the idiosyncrasies of dialogue is an evocative, thoughtful task for writers! Join us tomorrow night on Zoom Wed, November 20 from 6:30 pm-8:30 pm MT. Bring nothing other than your curiosity and willingness to play (and something to write with)!
Fall Adventure Series: Construction made our street a cul-de-sac, so we made a Halloween fire pit and gave out candy. Honestly, I ate so much candy. More than my share.
Fall Adventure Series: Construction made our street a cul-de-sac, so we made a Halloween fire pit and gave out candy. Honestly, I ate so much candy. More than my share.
You say "potato." She says, "pomme de terre." I say, "french fries." We have ways of speaking aloud our ideas that hints at our personalities. There is no one who speaks just the way we do - so learning the idiosyncrasi
You say "potato." She says, "pomme de terre." I say, "french fries." We have ways of speaking aloud our ideas that hints at our personalities. There is no one who speaks just the way we do - so learning the idiosyncrasies of dialogue is an evocative, thoughtful task for writers! Join us on Zoom Wed, November 20 from 6:30 pm-8:30 pm MT. Bring nothing other than your curiosity and willingness to play!
Fall Adventure Series: This lil' crackpot turned 57. When I first saw that number, I cracked up because, seriously, that is SO many years to have been wreaking my particular havoc upon the land. SORRY, EVERYBODY & YOU'RE WELCOME!!! 📝🪩😄
Fall Adventure Series: This lil' crackpot turned 57. When I first saw that number, I cracked up because, seriously, that is SO many years to have been wreaking my particular havoc upon the land. SORRY, EVERYBODY & YOU'RE WELCOME!!! 📝🪩😄
"His aunty walked fast, her slippers making slap-slap sounds that echoed in the silent street. Ugwu wondered if she, too, could feel the tar getting hotter underneath, through her thin soles." - From HALF A YELLOW SUN by Chiamanda Ngozi Adi The writing resumes! (It always waits for us.) Come join one of these juicy little workshops where we laugh, write, talk, and get LITTLE BITS of a project written. Starting up again this week with SENSORY IMAGERY. (The heat just kicked on. I hear a Vashon Island reveals its mysteries and ponies up some fave critters ❤️ Thursday nights, the Fifth Brain collective has a free writing sprint on Zoom. People write or make art for an hour and then we chat about writing or art. We are from all over the place. On this particular night, I was telling the people that I had g A magical being passed on into her waiting constellation this week—since Mom befriended her and brought her into our lives in Jackson, WY- we’ve all been in love with, and taught by, the wonderful healer and bright star, Todd Berkenfield. A squirrel shadow flickers on my wall. The smell of fresh coffee fills the room. There is the silence of a neighborhood morning. A tool for psychological calm, a powerful way to center your reader inside your imagination, a way to sift symbolism in You say "potato." She says, "pomme de terre." I say, "french fries." We have ways of speaking aloud our ideas, and this can offer hints of our personalities. There is no one who speaks just the way we do - what we say a Fall Adventure Series: Construction made our street a cul-de-sac, so we made a Halloween fire pit and gave out candy. Honestly, I ate so much candy. More than my share. You say "potato." She says, "pomme de terre." I say, "french fries." We have ways of speaking aloud our ideas that hints at our personalities. There is no one who speaks just the way we do - so learning the idiosyncrasi Fall Adventure Series: This lil' crackpot turned 57. When I first saw that number, I cracked up because, seriously, that is SO many years to have been wreaking my particular havoc upon the land. SORRY, EVERYBODY & YOU'RE WELCOME!!! 📝🪩😄

Make sure to sign up for the Fifth Brain Collective Newsletter and follow us on social media to stay updated on new classes and other offerings!

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