Tanya Shaffer
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tanyashaffer.bsky.social
Tanya Shaffer
@tanyashaffer.bsky.social
I write and teach writing workshops. tanyashaffer.com
"I learn by going where I have to go," wrote poet Theodore Roethke. My latest Substack post explores the way we make choices or choices make us.

tanyashaffer.substack.com/p/where-i-ha...
Where I Have to Go
"You're Gonna Be a Star Someday," Part 2
tanyashaffer.substack.com
May 22, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Do you dream of islands? I do. I dream of sand and sea and sky and gentle breezes. And for years, I've dreamed of Greece. That's why I'm co-leading a Transformational Women's Writing Retreat on the island of Amorgos.

Join us May 18 for a FREE informational Zoom session. tanyashaffer.com/retreats
Retreats — Tanya Shaffer
tanyashaffer.com
May 12, 2025 at 9:14 PM
"Because my sons don't always want to be hugged, but my dogs always want to be petted, scratched, and loved..."

Where do you find comfort amidst the madness? I find it with them. My newest (short & sweet!) Substack essay pays tribute to my furry friends.

tanyashaffer.substack.com/p/why-i-pet-...
Why I Pet My Dogs
They make sense to me when nothing else does.
tanyashaffer.substack.com
May 8, 2025 at 2:29 AM
Want to get away from the madness? Just three spots left in Rejuvenate & Create, the Transformational Women's Writing Retreat Kelly Dwyer and I are leading in October. tanyashaffer.com/retreats
April 14, 2025 at 8:41 PM
My latest offering on Substack, called "Silence Says," is very short. (As it should be! It's about silence.) It's a mini meditation on the nourishing power of silence. As always, I'd be honored if you'd give it a read and eager to hear your thoughts.
tanyashaffer.substack.com/p/silence-says
April 10, 2025 at 9:13 PM
See this blue door? It opens onto a magical realm. We’ll explore that realm in October at Rejuvenate & Create: A Transformational Women’s Writing Retreat on the Island of Amorgos, Greece. Learn more and sign up for a FREE informational Zoom this Sunday. tanyashaffer.com/retreats
March 27, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Here’s a sweet and funny Valentine tale. If you’ve ever slow-danced to “How Deep is Your Love,” this story is for you. tanyashaffer.substack.com/p/heart-shap...
Heart-Shaped Doughnut
A Valentine's Tale
tanyashaffer.substack.com
February 15, 2025 at 3:15 AM
The Brutalist = too damn long.
February 2, 2025 at 5:31 AM
Were my dad and I overly enmeshed? I explore this question in my new memoir essay, "The Night I Made My Father Cry," which takes place on a single night in Florence, Italy, when I was 15. tanyashaffer.substack.com/p/the-night-...
The Night I Made My Father Cry
Were my dad and I overly enmeshed?
tanyashaffer.substack.com
January 30, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Because we all need comfort...
January 22, 2025 at 5:59 PM
I really loved the novel Intermezzo, by Sally Rooney. For me it was much richer and deeper and more moving than her previous novel, Normal People, which I also enjoyed. This one though, this one blew me away.
January 8, 2025 at 10:51 PM
December writing workshops start next week. Come write with me and an intimate circle of creative peers. These short three week sessions are a great way to get your feet wet. offleashwriting.com
November 27, 2024 at 5:02 AM
Awoke to wonder.
First snow crept in overnight.
Sweet, tenacious earth.
November 21, 2024 at 5:49 PM
For my latest Substack, I decided to write a haiku review for each of my 20 favorite books that I read this year. These are all novels except for 2 memoirs. What books did you enjoy this year? open.substack.com/pub/tanyasha...
20 Books I Liked This Year: Reviews as Haikus
PLUS... DECEMBER WRITING MINI-SESSION Starts in two weeks!
open.substack.com
November 20, 2024 at 8:18 PM
How would you use this tool differently from Facebook? Would you share a different kind of post? Is it more discussion oriented? Inquiring minds want to know.
November 19, 2024 at 3:22 PM
I never did get the hang of Twitter. But I'm gonna give this thing a shot and see if I can figure it out! So...Hi! Any tips on how to do this? As you can see from the pic, I tend towards low tech.
November 16, 2024 at 4:43 PM