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Welcome & Introductions

Welcome! I’m Kristin Vanderlip, the founder of The Pen & Mend Collective and your host here.

I’m also a bereaved mother, veteran military spouse, oil pastel artist, mom of two tween/teen boys, rainbow-lover, and dog mom to Enzo, our Golden Retriever

I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember—for different reasons in different seasons and stages of life, but writing nonetheless.

I’m a former English teacher, a certified writing coach, a journaling advocate, and a writer who is passionate about spreading the love of writing as a tool for healing and hope.

About Pen & Mend and Why P&M Exists

The Pen & Mend Collective is a private membership experience (hosted here on Sustack for paid subscribers starting in June 2026¹) that offers online gatherings and a community for those interested in writing for healing and hope.

I created Pen & Mend because writing has been one of the most healing and life-giving practices in my own life.

It has helped me survive what felt impossible.

It has grounded me and set me free.

It has helped me discover a life worth living when I struggled to find one.

It has offered me a spiritual pathway to (re)connect with myself, with God, with hope.

And I’ve witnessed writing do the same for others.

P&M is for those who journal regularly, compose essays or poetry, write (or dream of writing) books, and long to cultivate an intentional, sustainable, nourishing writing life.

Some of us write to process grief and find hope.

Some of us write to create beauty and share hope.

Most of us are doing both.

What has emerged from our gatherings and time together is a sacred communal experience of writers showing up to their writing lives together—because writing alone is hard and a sure path to burning out or giving up (not recommended).

Here we find solidarity, support, and space to write—and you’re invited.

What You Can Expect to Find Here

Within P&M, you’ll find a rhythm of online gatherings²—writing rooms, workshops, and conversations—designed to help you create the space, write the words, and stay connected to your practice.

In this space, writing is not about performance, pressure, or perfection, but about the inner process and transformation that comes through listening, tending, and mending your life through writing.

Although writing is an individual practice (only you can write for you), it happens best in community. P&M gatherings invite you into a community experience where meaningful connections can be made.

I know that most of us are living full, complicated, and sometimes exhausting lives. This is my way of offering something steady and accessible you can turn to for support in your writing life.

Monthly Paid Member Perks:

• Monthly Writing Rooms
  Dedicated time and space to bring your journal or writing project and write while enjoying the quiet companionship of others (2x a month)

• Monthly AfterWords conversations
  A time for connection, reflection, questions, and casual group coaching (1x a month)

• Monthly events and workshops
  Such as Word by Word (focused on craft and play), Write Your Grief (focused on catharsis and expression), a guest interview, etc. (1x a month)

• Access to a growing library of replays
  New in this space! You’ll be able to (re)visit events on your own time if you can’t make our live gatherings

• A supportive community
  Engage at your level of comfort and need by participating in our live virtual gatherings, the comment sections, and chat threads with other writers

Each month, you’ll receive a post with that month’s event details, dates, and Zoom links (along with reminders). I also try to offer a seasonal/quarterly calendar of events so you can plan accordingly.³

An annual membership subscription is $200 (which gives you more than a month free, plus extras!). You’ll also receive a snail mail welcome package from me, including a welcome note, a sticker, and a prose & a pastel print by me.

Introduce Yourself in the Comments

Whether you’ve been a part of Pen & Mend for years or are just joining, come say “hi” and tell us a little about yourself in the comments. Where are you in the world? What’s your writing life like? Where do you write (link sharing welcome here)? Tell us anything you’d like us to know. And maybe share a writer whose writing has impacted you.

Say “hi” to someone else and reply to their intro if you can!

1. You can start, pause, cancel, or renew your membership at any time. You’re also welcome to join as a free subscriber to be kept in the loop about happenings here and jump in when you’re ready.

2. Live events are mainly hosted in private Zoom rooms.

3. Our Summer 2026 calendar is coming very soon.