Welcome! I'm Laura Davis.
I write books that change people’s lives and help people tell stories that matter.
For more than 25 years, I've helped people find their voices, tell their stories, and hone their craft. I love creating supportive, intimate writing communities online, in person, and internationally.
Subscribe to my mailing list to hear my instructions on how to mine the deepest material in your writing.
[gravityform id="176" title="false" description="false" ajax="true" theme="gravity"]
Featured Retreat
How to Write About What You Cannot Remember
A 5-Week Masterclass for Memoir Writers
ONLINE via Zoom
Five Tuesdays, September 30 - October 28, 2025
12:00 to 2:30 p.m. ET | 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. PT
Livestream and Recorded to Watch Until November 25
Many of us believe that writing memoir requires us to accurately remember our past and then transcribe our memories. This belief stops us before we begin because we are appalled at how much we don’t remember. Sometimes it feels as if whole years of our lives have been wiped out. And so, we believe our writing is doomed because there is so much that we don’t remember.
This interactive workshop will teach you how to transform scraps of memory into a rich written legacy. You’ll learn to capture the memories you do have, enhance recollections that are vague or unclear, and write effectively and powerfully about the parts of your history it is impossible to know for sure. You will walk away with five versatile strategies for writing vividly and evocatively about parts of your history is it impossible to know for sure.
Classes and Retreats
Experience the incredible power of finding your voice and honing your craft in a supportive circle of your peers. My fall classes are registering now. Click the "classes" button below for more information.
I also run writing retreats online, around the US, and internationally, from daylong and weekend workshops to weeklong retreats on writing through grief and uncertainty, to international travel adventures that combine writing with ecotourism in beautiful places around the world. To learn more, click on the link below.
"Writing is a way of saying
that you and the world have a chance."
—Richard Hugo
LET'S WRITE THROUGH THE CHAOS TOGETHER.
Join Me on Substack
LAURA'S AWARD-WINNING MEMOIR:
The Burning Light of Two Stars
A Mother-Daughter Story
This riveting memoir by The Courage to Heal author Laura Davis examines the endurance of mother-daughter love, how memory protects and betrays us, and the determination it takes to fulfill a promise when ghosts from the past come knocking.
Writer's Journey Roadmap - Writing Prompts
The Writer's Journey Roadmap: Receive the gift of weekly inspiration. Powerful, provocative, motivating writing prompts in your inbox every Tuesday.
Upcoming Events with Laura Davis
The Healing Heart of Bali: A Writer’s Journey of Renewal for Body, Mind, and Spirit
Sunday, August 10 - Monday, August 25, 2025
ONLY ONE SPOT LEFT!
If you’re longing for a restorative creative journey to one of the most beautiful, welcoming, deeply spiritual places on earth, join master writing teacher Laura Davis, Bali renaissance man Made Surya, scholar Judy Slattum, and a supportive community of fellow writers for a deep dive into the healing arts of Bali. It is impossible to visit this enchanting island without being aware of the devotion the Balinese show every day in the practice of their religion. Our exploration into Balinese healing arts will include the history of traditional herbal medicine, the art of making temple offerings, and the importance of purification ceremonies. This retreat also includes daily writing workshops, providing participants with the perfect opportunity to record their experiences and integrate their learning while benefiting from the transformative power of a safe, intimate writing circle.
How to Write About What You Cannot Remember
A 5-Week Masterclass for Memoir Writers
ONLINE via Zoom
Five Tuesdays, September 30 - October 28, 2025
12:00 to 2:30 p.m. ET | 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. PT
Livestream and Recorded to Watch Until November 25
Many of us believe that writing memoir requires us to accurately remember our past and then transcribe our memories. This belief stops us before we begin because we are appalled at how much we don’t remember. Sometimes it feels as if whole years of our lives have been wiped out. And so, we believe our writing is doomed because there is so much that we don’t remember.
This interactive workshop will teach you how to transform scraps of memory into a rich written legacy. You’ll learn to capture the memories you do have, enhance recollections that are vague or unclear, and write effectively and powerfully about the parts of your history it is impossible to know for sure. You will walk away with five versatile strategies for writing vividly and evocatively about parts of your history is it impossible to know for sure.
The Art of Memoir
Crafting Compelling, Vivid, True Life Stories
Villa Maria del Mar, Santa Cruz, CA
Monday, November 3 - Friday, November 7, 2025
Many of us hold a deep dream of writing the story of our lives—so we can understand ourselves better, pass down family stories, or help others benefit from the lessons we’ve learned. By giving our experiences shape, texture, and beauty, we hope to create a lasting legacy that will inspire and inform.
The Art of Memoir will teach you how to take life stories and craft them into memoir.
In this transformative five-day writing workshop, you’ll connect with your inner voice, discover the healing power of language, and birth powerful true stories onto the page. Evocative prompts will lead you deeply into the world of memoir and story. Discover how to “find the story beneath the story,” why writers need to “slow down where it hurts,” and the secret of crafting tales rooted in the immediacy and physicality of the moment.
Flourishing as We Age: A Writing Retreat for Women
Cultivating Resilience, Navigating Change, and Embracing Life
Villa Maria del Mar, Santa Cruz, CA
Monday, June 1 - Sunday, June 7, 2026
To flourish as we age, we shed our younger selves and open to new ways of living and interacting with the world. This seven-day writing workshop at a beautiful oceanfront retreat in Santa Cruz, California, will support you on this journey, while enriching your capacity to manage change, build resilience, and hold grief and gratitude simultaneously. You will be supported by four master teachers and a vibrant, courageous community of women who will join you in using story, ritual, and deep listening to discover the inner freedom and wisdom available to you now.
Write, Travel, Transform: A Creative Pilgrimage on the Camino De Santiago, Spain
September 6 - 22, 2026
This famous pilgrimage trail, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has attracted people from all over the world for more than 1,000 years. Our 16-day trip will combine eight days hiking the last 100 km of the French Camino de Santiago with six days focused on creative expression. At the beginning, middle, and end of our trip, non-hiking days will be set aside for Laura to teach writing and our lead hiking guide, Brenda, to teach quick sketching and watercolor techniques, helping you experience and reflect on your journey. Beginners in both disciplines are welcome. After 16 days in Spain, immersed in beauty and an intimate traveling community, you'll return home with a personal journal documenting your journey.