This is "Write Like a Mother"

A writing and social forum for the Scribente Maternum community

Welcome to Write Like a Mother. This newsletter is a project of Scribente Maternum, where we cultivate community for writers who identify as mothers. This community is where our identities as mothers and writers intersect.

The Write Like a Mother newsletter is a biweekly newsletter about writing and mothering. It also includes featured stories by writer-moms just like you.

Scribente Maternum was founded in 2020, deep in the pandemic, by Carla Du Pree, Elizabeth Doerr, and Rachel Berg Scherer. We craved deeper connections with other writer-moms who also felt profound isolation while trying to find our creativity. What we have found through creating space for mothers who write is the deep need so many others have for this same connection.

The Write Like a Mother newsletter serves to broaden the reach of this community. It is a place not only to read about the intersection of writing and motherhood, but also to connect with others in the same position. We are so glad you are here.

What to Expect from “Write Like a Mother”

Every other week in your inbox, you will receive stories about motherhood, writing, and essays and short stories by writer-moms in the Scribente Maternum network.

On the first Friday of the month, you will receive a “Community Discussion” prompt. This is your opportunity to engage with other writer-moms in the comments. We encourage you to engage freely and openly in these discussions, because the greatest asset of the Scribente Maternum community is you.

All subscribers will receive access to all Write Like a Mother newsletter posts and monthly community discussions.

Paid subscribers receive additional benefits including:

• Virtual writing sessions

• Writing feedback group matchmaking

• Access to all our past event videos

• Exclusive discounts on all our events

• The satisfaction of lifting up and supporting other moms who write. Subscriptions directly support the You Deserve to Be Here fund, which makes our retreats accessible for more moms who write.

Once we have a critical mass of paid subscribers, we will send out details about the virtual writing sessions and matchmaking, but the access to our video library begins immediately. By upgrading to a paid subscription, you also support the work that goes into this newsletter, as well as the Scribente Maternum retreats. Thank you for helping to keep this work and our mission going.

Submit a Story

We publish biweekly stories with regular content from our Scribente team about the intersection of writing and motherhood. We also include stories from our community, including stories from our “Born From the Retreat” series, featuring work that came from a Scribente retreat.

We welcome submissions from all writer-moms. Stories do not have to be focused on writing or motherhood, as we would love to publish any poem, short story, or essay that you are eager to get out into the world. We are looking for work that is creative and lyrical and that evokes emotions or ideas. We are interested in motherhood stories that explore nuanced perspectives of motherhood, particularly those that deal with race, class, gender, and perspectives beyond the traditional definition of motherhood. Stories should be no longer than 1,500 words, but if it feels right for the newsletter, we won’t dismiss a story just because of word length.

Please submit stories to hello@scribentematernum.com with the subject “Substack Submission.”

Our Definition of “Mother”

Our definitions of “mom” and “maternal” are inclusive and not necessarily linked to gender. The maternal role involves nurturing, the link to Mother Earth, and our everyday role as the parent doing the emotional labor. Our definition of the person in this role includes, among others, trans folks, femme/feminine-identifying genderqueer, non-binary folks, and cisgender women. It also includes those who yearn to be a mother, those who mourn the loss of a child, or those who fill a parental role in nontraditional ways. If you see yourself as a parent in a maternal role, this space is for you.

Thank you for being on this ride with us!