I recently made a big investment in my business. The kind that had me second-guessing myself for days and still feeling unsure about whether I was making the right decision or not.

I’ve taken a few business related workshops over the years, but haven’t yet invested in a full program or course where someone actually looks at my business and is able to tell me what I’m doing right, where the gaps are, and how I can grow.

The thing that made me actually put in my credit card and finally sign up for the course, was remembering that I had once done this for my writing.

Back up to 2013. I had enrolled in a self-study creative writing course. It was expensive, but still manageable. I worked through almost all the lessons and exercises; I was enjoying writing, and I felt like I was learning a lot.

Eventually, I hit a ceiling. I felt like my writing was becoming stronger. But I had no way to be sure. And I didn’t know what was missing, where the gaps in my stories were, or whether they were good enough to get published.

I knew that I needed to join the live version of that course, where I would have a dedicated teacher who would read my work every week and give me feedback. Trouble was, it was triple the cost of the self-study course, upwards of $1,000 USD. It felt like a huge and scary investment. But I also knew that I was stuck. I needed support in my writing if I wanted to go further.

I’ve been feeling the same way with my business for more than a year now. And I was once again at the precipice of a big decision: take the business course or keep feeling stuck.

I signed up for the live writing course in 2015, two years after I did the self-study version. And alhamdulillah, it turned out to be the best decision I ever made for my writing. The stories I wrote in that course went on to get published and even got me nominated for awards. In 2020, I returned to that course, not as a student, but as a teacher. And that’s where I discovered my love for teaching creative writing, which is how I started creating my own courses and working with Muslim writers. It's how I ended up with a business in the first place, without setting out to start one.

I had to remind myself of all of this when I was feeling hesitant about signing up for that business course, despite having done my research and knowing that it could help me grow. I had to remind myself that nothing comes from staying stuck other than more stuckness. And that if it was something that Allah had guided me to, then there was good in it for me.

What does this have to do with you? My Grounded Writers membership for Muslim women writers has been open for enrolment for the last year without any deadlines, which meant that writers could join at anytime, whenever they felt ready. But it has also meant that I’m in constant marketing-mode. And in order to have capacity to work on my business and to better show up for the writers who are working with me, I think I need to mentally close some doors in my brain.

That means that I will be closing doors to Grounded Writers at the end of this month. I don’t have a reopen date yet, but inshaAllah once I’ve finished the business course and have had time to implement what I’ve learnt, I will reopen enrolment.

If you’ve been eyeing Grounded Writers for a while, if you’ve been reading my emails and following me on instagram, if you’ve read my writing and read books I’ve edited and you’ve felt like working with me is what will help you grow as a writer, I’d love to have you in the group.

You might not feel ready now. And maybe you aren't. Only you can know your situation and whether joining now is the right time for you or not.

But what I know from my own growth, both a writer and as a business owner, is that I've never felt ready. It never stops being scary to put in your payment info and hit the 'Pay Now' button. But on the other side of it, is clarity and contentment at finally taking the step that you had wanted to all along, at finally making a commitment to yourself, and in this case, your writing.

If you have any questions about Grounded Writers or how it can help you grow as a writer, please don’t hesitate to reply and share your thoughts or concerns. It’s what I did before I joined the business course. If I don’t think the program will be a good fit for you, I’ll be honest about it. And If I feel like you’re exactly the kind of person I’d love to work with, I’ll let you know too.

With best wishes & duas for your writing,

Hajera

Here's how I can support you in your writing:

✍🏽 Transform your writing by learning craft and getting my feedback on your stories: Join me inside Grounded Writers, a creative writing membership for Muslim women.

📖 Find fiction intimidating and not sure how to go from writing about your life to writing fictional stories? It's easier than you think. Take my Ease Into Fiction course - now at 70% off.

📞 Struggling with writing and need guidance from someone who has been where you are now? Book a call with me and get advice that works for you and gets you feeling excited about your writing again.​