Unearthed Pages · stories only you can dig up with some human help

The story you keep putting off deserves to be written down.

We're not here to give you more writing advice, there's plenty of that already. We're here to help you build a writing habit, get thoughtful feedback, and find joy in the process of self-discovery.

Join cohort 2 Register for the info session

Does this sound like you?

You've been meaning to write for a while now.

You want a routine, a real one, not another burst that fades by week three.

The whole thing feels lonely, and you'd rather not do it alone.

You want your work read, but you're not ready to publish it to the world.

You want honest, thoughtful feedback that you look forward to and will encourage you to keep writing.

There's a story burning in you, but you can't find the structure to get it out.

You've done writing courses before but lost momentum within a few weeks.

You'd like to meet other thinkers who are searching for a way to make sense of their life.

What we noticed

The story was never the hard part. Starting and building momentum was.

The problem

We have dabbled in writing courses over the years. During the course, we would find energy for writing but a few months after the course ended, the writing would fizzle out. With little feedback and accountability, writing alone was just hard work.

Linh started a novel in 2020 with an online course but after it finished, she received little ongoing feedback. She parked the project for a while. A while ended up being six years.

Mark released a personal finance website, but with little interaction from others, he lost motivation to keep publishing, and then stopped writing altogether.

A stick figure struggling to write alone while another walks away saying 'not for me' — Writing can be lonely and hard

The solution

We created our own tiny writing circle with the goal of submitting a story (in any form) each week and responding with thoughtful feedback. The structure gave us cadence and accountability. But it was the supportive feedback and perceptive questions from our writing buddies that made us feel heard and excited to explore further.

Our little group still shares stories every week. What started as an experiment became a real joy, and it was this joy that made the act of writing a whole lot easier. We've built this course to share that experience with you. Discover for yourself how a little community can make all the difference to your creative journey.

Stick figures encouraging each other's writing and reading pages of writing together — But with a little help, we unearth nuggets of gold

About us

The people behind the pages.

Linh, Mark and Rachna decided to create their own writing buddy group after meeting at an online writing course called Thinking In Stories. What evolved in their lives from this little writing group was better than anything they could have expected. This is what they want to share with you.

Linh

Linh loved reading and writing short stories as a child and wants to make her 10 year old self proud by pursuing this love. She prefers small groups for conversations and storytelling. She believes that no matter who you are, where you are right now, whatever you are dealing with, you are enough. And you probably have a few stories to tell. She started Unearthed Pages to share with others the wonderful things that can come out of writing in a warm, supportive and curiosity driven environment.

Read Linh's writing →

Mark

Mark wrote short stories as a child and published YouTube videos, but when he began working in tech, his creative outlets fell away. When providing feedback on stories for students in Thinking In Stories, he felt a deep sense of fulfillment in helping others discover their voice and tell their story, and his regular writing practice is helping him see the world with a level of attention that he's never given it before.

Read Mark's writing →

What you'll make

We created more than we could ever imagine.

When we started writing consistently and sharing with each other, we created an evolving loop of energy that changed us.

Linh found sense-making in her writing. She discovered that poems, picture story books and personal essays flowed naturally and finally found the courage to publish. Even better was the community that evolved.

Mark found his place in the analog world, creating physical travel journals with photos with handwritten stories, and handwritten poems that got framed by admiring readers.

You'll be amazed at what can happen once you create consistently. This is your invitation to join us.

Join cohort 2

Linh's visual story collage: Grief can be a monster or a friend

Mark's handwritten travel journals and notebooks

Here's what you might create

the inner child

The story your eight-year-old self would be proud you finally wrote.

the legacy

Your family's stories, captured before it's lost to time.

the love letter

A parent, sibling, or friend's life, told with love from your point of view.

the private poem

The poem that lets you inspect your unresolved emotions

A week of digging

Write, reflect, and connect.

You write

You write your pages throughout the week, in whatever pockets of time you find, and share them in a Google Doc by noon on Saturdays.

You read, on your time

You read your buddies’ pages over coffee one morning, and leave comments in their Google Doc that evening, whenever it fits your schedule. Feedback is due by noon on Wednesdays.

You get feedback

You'll receive thoughtful written feedback from Mark, Linh, and your writing buddies as comments in your doc, and you'll do the same for them, to help each other dig and unearth stories.

What you might write about

A project in any format: memoir, family story, travel piece, poems, a picture book with words
Any creative idea that you want to finally bring to life
A problem you're facing right now
A story that can only be told by you

The course calendar

A flexible schedule that builds connection.

Cohort 2 runs for four weeks from Sunday 4 October. Enrolment closes on Friday 2 October, and we are capping the cohort at twelve writers.

Each week begins with a live one-hour session where Linh and Mark will share some guidance, you'll get to ask any questions about writing, and you'll get to build community with likeminded individuals. Pages are due each Saturday at noon, and you'll receive feedback and submit feedback for others by the following Wednesday.

Week	Live call	Pages due	Get feedback
Week 1	Live callSunday 4 October	Pages dueSaturday 10 October	Get feedbackWednesday 14 October
Week 2	Live callSunday 11 October	Pages dueSaturday 17 October	Get feedbackWednesday 21 October
Week 3	Live callSunday 18 October	Pages dueSaturday 24 October	Get feedbackWednesday 28 October
Week 4	Live callSunday 25 October	Pages dueSaturday 31 October	Get feedbackWednesday 4 November

Write on your own schedule · Pages and feedback due noon local

Pages and feedback are both due at noon in your own local time. There are two options for the live discussion session. Option 1 is best for Australia and the US, Option 2 is best for Europe and the US.

Testimonials

Don't just take our word for it.

The beauty of this group isn't just accountability. It's having a small, intimate space where I can be myself, where unfinished thoughts are welcome, and where writing becomes less about producing something for the world and more about paying attention to my own life. That small commitment pushed us to notice our lives differently. Ordinary moments slowly became stories worth telling.

Rachna Ghiya

Author of Take a Little Pause | Creator of Books to Visuals

Read Rachna's story here

Mark Johnson has a gift for providing feedback in a way that encourages you to look deeper into your work. Instead of being prescriptive, he helps you find your way to your own answers, which is done through asking the right questions and providing thoughtful responses. Giving feedback is a skill, and Mark is the rare example of a person who not only has it, but inspires you to learn that skill as well.

Lawrence Yeo

Author of The Inner Compass | Creator of Thinking in Stories

If you like writing, here is a duo to make you fall in love with it. They’ve come up with a #WritingProgram designed to give you an honest experience with yourself as a writer. Mark my words and enrol!

Anamika (Batto Ki Bakwaas)

Poet and Storyteller | The Bakwaas Newsletter

Who we are, and who we're not

We are trained therapists, published writers^*, just humans who believe people deserve to understand their journey through writing.

^*Ahem. Well. We have been published on Substack, in Google reviews, Airbnb reviews, TripAdvisor, LinkedIn, and the occasional local newspaper. 😆

We believe your stories deserve an audience and safe space to write them. No skimming, no outsourcing. We read, we'll ponder and we will reply with intent and curiosity.

You'll also get feedback from likeminded people in your group, and build connections that may last far beyond the course.

— Mark and Linh, Unearthed Pages

What it costs

Short enough to start. Long enough to stick.

Pioneers · cohort 1

$100 USD

Closed

The pilot rate. Pioneers keep it for every future cohort they join.

SOLD OUT

Open now Cohort 2 · 4 weeks

$200 USD

Four weeks to build a writing routine, with feedback on every piece you submit from Mark, Linh and your writing buddies.

Locked at $200 for every cohort you join after this one.

Join cohort 2 →

October not the right time? Join the mailing list and we'll let you know when cohort 3 opens.

Join the mailing list →

Twelve places · enrolment closes Friday 2 October

If you are keen to join us but see the prices presented as a barrier, drop us a note at hello@unearthedpages.com and we'll be in touch. We would love to see you join and will work something out.

Before you decide

Come and ask us anything.

One live session before enrolment closes. We'll walk through how the four weeks actually work, show you the kinds of things people wrote in the pilot, and answer whatever you want to ask. It's free, there's no pitch at the end, and coming along doesn't commit you to anything.

Saturday 19 / Sunday 20 September

Live session · One hour

Seattle / Los Angeles (PDT)Sat 19, 6:00pm

New York (EDT)Sat 19, 9:00pm

Sydney / Melbourne (AEDT)Sun 20, 11:00am

Delhi (IST)Sun 20, 6:30am

London (BST)Sun 20, 2:00am

We're only running one live session this time, and we know that time isn't Europe friendly. If you're in the UK or Europe, sign up anyway: we'll send you the recording, and you can send us your questions by email and we'll answer them properly.

Save your spot

Can't make it live? Sign up anyway and we'll send you the recording.

Questions before you sign up

A few things worth knowing.

Who gives feedback, and how often?

Mark and Linh personally read and give feedback on every piece you submit, every week. You'll also get notes from your writing buddies. We'd encourage you to write back on your buddies' feedback too — a short reply on what landed, what you'd add, or where you see it differently. It's not required, but it's often where the extra learning and perspective comes from.

How much time do I need to commit each week?

The basic commitment is about 3 hours a week — enough for focused writing time on your own project. To get the full value, we'd suggest closer to 7 hours: joining the weekly discussion session, plus spending some extra time writing thoughtful feedback for others. The more you put into reading and responding to your buddies, the more you tend to get back.

The live session time doesn't really work for me, should I still join?

Yes, honestly. Most of the real value here happens async — sharing your pages, getting written feedback from us and your writing buddies, and reading and responding to theirs. The weekly session is the cherry on top, not the cake. It's also a weekend session, so it sits outside the working week for most people, and we record it if you can't make it.

What if the pricing is a barrier for me?

Please reach out — drop us a note at hello@unearthedpages.com and we'll chat. We'd love to have you join and are happy to work something out.

What currency are the prices in?

Prices are in USD. We accept payment in USD, GBP, or AUD via bank transfer, details will be provided once you register your interest by emailing us.

What's your refund policy?

If you attend all the sessions, submit your pages, and still don't find it valuable, get in touch within 7 calendar days of the course start date and we'll issue a full refund. Other than asking for feedback to help us improve, that's it.

Not this time?

Stay informed about cohort 3.

If October doesn't work, or you'd rather wait and see, leave your email. We'll tell you when cohort 3 opens, and people on this list hear first. Prices rise for each new cohort, so the earlier you join us, the lower your rate stays.