Register by 11:59p ET Sunday 10/5 to get a FREE month of Studio!
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What if your love of reading could unlock your best writing?
Maybe you're a writer who feels stuck. Or, a reader who dreams of writing a book of your own. Maybe you're a little bit of both.
Fact: All writers can read. And all readers can write.
From The New Rules Studio comes our first-ever reading and writing program...
Introducing
A Gateless Writing Program that Starts with a Great Book
What It Is
Must Read is a four-week, Gateless-powered program where we take one extraordinary book and read it not just for "what happens," but for how it's written— plot, character, structure, syntax, metaphor, and all the layers that make it sing.
And then? You'll apply that craft directly to your own work.
You'll participate in:
Craft-centered discussion (no tearing books apart— only focusing on what works and why)
Gateless-style feedback that highlights resonance and strength
Real-time writing where we apply what we learned to our own work
You'll leave not only reading differently, but writing differently.
CHECK OUT THE REPLAY!
MUST READ meets every Thurs @ 12:00p ET
Here’s the truth: reading makes you a better writer. And writing makes you a better reader. They’re not opposites. They’re a cycle. One feeds the other.
Reading and writing form a virtuous cycle that powers our most fulfilling experiences—and our best work.
REGISTER NOW!
Starts Thurs, Oct 9th @12:00p ET
(All four calls Thurs @ 12:00p ET)
$279
(reg. $500)
**Studio members save an additional $100!**
Our First Selection
The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden
This haunting, luminous debut novel has been called “sharp as a needle, unflinching, and full of longing.” It’s the perfect starting point for exploring how great writing shapes us as readers—and how it can transform our own.
Available on Amazon, or wherever books are sold.
(And no, you don't have to buy it or read it before our free session!)
Book clubs are broken.
That’s my experience, anyway. I’ve left many a book club meeting with less energy than I came in with.
Why? There’s not typically any other directive other than: Let’s talk about the book. Without any a container or goal, these free-for-all discussions tend to spiral into criticism, hot takes, side tangents, idiosyncratic rants, and general takedowns of the author or the work (or both).
Reading isn’t meant to drain you. It’s meant to fuel you—your ideas, your insights, your work.
Show me a room full of readers, and I’ll show you people who love words, who are devoted to language, and who likely have written before, are writing now, or want to write more.
Must Read isn't a book club. It's a container for sharpening craft through reading and writing.
Why it’s different
Most reading programs are either a free-for-all or a stringent teacher/student set up.
This isn’t that.
We use The Gateless Method — a powerful framework for writing that quiets the critic so you can focus on craft, and which we use in the New Rules Studio for generating new work.
This means we adhere to a set of rules that create the container: No judgment, criticism, or comparison, we stay on the page, and focus on what’s working.
By applying this method to reading, you’ll savor the literature, study craft, and apply it immediately within the safe and sturdy Gateless container.
And in so doing, we close the gap between what you read and what you write, so that both feed a virtuous cycle of creativity and skill.
This is for you if...
You want to read more, but haven’t found the time
You feel like you have to choose between reading and writing—and love the idea of doing both together
You’re working on a book, a project, or simply dreaming of writing more
You crave a positive group vibe
You love a back-to-school energy
You’ve heard about Studio and are curious to learn more
You love reading and have always wanted to write
You’ve bailed on standard book clubs and would love something more satisfying to sink your teeth into
We promise...
❌ No prerequisites (you don’t have to have written before)
❌ No judgment or criticism
❌ No attitude
Just great writing, great reading, and a community that helps you see both in a whole new way.
The Details
- Four (4) live sessions (recorded)
- When: Thursdays at 12 PM ET, starting October 9
- Led by: Daisy Florin, Gateless instructor and novelist (My Last Innocent Year)
- Price: $279 (valued at $500) (Studio members save an additional $100)
- Studio Members: $179 special rate
- Non-Members: Includes a voucher for one free month of Studio (value $197)
REGISTER NOW FOR JUST $279 ($500 VALUE)!
PLUS!
Join now and GET A FREE MONTH of our real-time writing membership program, The Studio (reg. $197/month).
Kicks off Thurs, Oct 9th @12:00p ET
(All four calls Thurs @ 12:00p ET)
Why you'll love it:
Because you’re dying for something different — a creative outlet where you’ll gain greater appreciation for writing craft.
Because you don’t just want to consume more content. You want to savor. You want to notice. You want to close the gap between what you read and what you write.
Because you love the idea of being part of a creative community with high vibes and a desire to learn from the work and each other
From The New Rules Studio comes our first-ever reading and writing program
A Gateless Writing Program that Starts with a Great Book
FAQ
Is this a virtual program?
Yes! This program will be held over Zoom, and you will have access to replays.
Does this program come included with my Studio membership?
No, it does not — however, Studio members save $100 on the regular price of the program!
Do I have to have read the book by the first day?
Definitely not. No previous reading is required for the special session on Sept 25th. When you enroll in the paid program, you will receive a syllabus that will outline what we’ll be discussing that week and what pages we’ll cover. You are welcome to read it all of course (it’s very hard to put down!)! But we will not do any spoilers and we ask you to do the same.
What if I miss a class. Are they recorded?
Yes! When you enroll you will have access to a program page where the replays will be posted.
What if I’ve never done had any professional writing or had any formal training?
Totally fine! There are no prerequisites for this program. It’s not “beginner” or “advanced” — we don’t do hierarchy like that here. Whether you’ve been writing for years or not at all, doesn’t matter. The beauty of the Gateless container is that there is no competition or better-than behavior. We all enter the same space on the same page.
Will we get individual feedback on our work?
You will be doing some real-time writing during the sessions, and you may have an opportunity to share what you’ve written, but that’s not a guarantee. The method we use does involve listening to a few people read, with the goal of further practicing the Gateless Method and absorbing craft.
What if I don’t want to write?
You certainly don’t have to! But in order to get the full experience (and what you’re paying for) we encourage you to just try the exercises with us, even if you don’t plan to do anything with it. Part of the enriching and fulfilling nature of this experience is feeding that cycle between reading and writing. And, you’re never pressured to share what you’ve written with us or anyone.
Your Instructor
Daisy Florin is the author of My Last Innocent Year (Holt, 2023), a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, an Amazon Editors’ Pick, a Washington Post Staff Pick and an Indie Next pick. Her essays have appeared online in Cup of Jo, Motherwell and Full Grown People, among other publications. Her essay “Crash” was listed as a notable essay in The Best American Essays 2016.
Founder, The New Rules Studio
Terri Trespicio is an award-winning writer, speaker, brand advisor, and author of Unfollow Your Passion: How to Create a Life that Matters to You (Atria/Simon & Schuster, December 2021). Her TEDx talk, "Stop Searching for Your Passion," has surpassed 7 million views, and she was named by Hubspot as one of the "Top 18 female speakers who are killing it" (she came in at #2—Oprah was #8), and one of the world's leading creatives by Creative Boom magazine.
A former magazine editor and radio host at Martha Stewart, she has appeared on the Today Show, Dr. Oz, The Early Show, The Martha Stewart Show and The Anderson Cooper Show. Her work has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Marie Claire, Prevention, Business Insider, Forbes.com, and Inc.com. Certified in the Gateless method for capturing creative genius, she leads workshops and retreats all over the country to help professionals of all stripes take their stories and ideas from page to stage and beyond.