Writer's Nest

OYOU Online 

We host "Writer's Nest" online, on Zoom. 

Six Week Session 

Songwriters, poets, and authors welcome! 

Each "Writer's Nest" lasts for six weeks. We meet once a week online. The season culiminates with an online and in person group concert.

Performance 

Each week, participating artists either perform live or submit pre-recorded original pieces inspired by that week’s creative prompt. Every prompt is accompanied by a thoughtfully curated lead sheet packed with inspiration—featuring motivational quotes, excerpts from books, music theory insights, chord charts and more, to spark ideas and support the writing process.

Writer’s Nest is a six-week online workshop designed to spark creativity and consistency by challenging participants to create one new original piece each week — whether it’s a song, poem, or short story — based on a thoughtfully curated prompt. This process encourages writers to push past perfectionism, trust their voice, and build a sustainable creative practice. To celebrate their growth, we provide both in-person and online showcase opportunities, giving every participant a chance to share their work with an encouraging audience. These performances are a powerful culmination of the workshop, highlighting each writer’s unique journey and strengthening the sense of community among creatives.

For over two decades, Terri Hendrix and Lloyd Maines have co-hosted an inspiring songwriting retreat that has nurtured hundreds of songwriters in their creative journey. That beloved tradition is now evolving into Life’s a Song: Writer’s Nest Weekend — a reimagined songwriting retreat held at Wilory Farm. This immersive weekend blends the heart and legacy of the original retreat with the energy and format of the Writer’s Nest series, offering songwriters of all levels a chance to write, collaborate, perform, and grow in a welcoming, unplugged environment. Surrounded by nature and fueled by community, this retreat honors the past while making space for new voices and fresh inspiration.