Writing inspired by the desert in Joshua Tree National Park

"Wild weather, rare blooms, and desert writing converge in the Mojave for an inspiring workshop in the heart of nature."

In the vast expanse of the Mojave Desert's Morongo Basin, the weather can be as unpredictable and fierce as the landscape itself. This past October, the desert experienced record-breaking heat, followed by a sudden dust storm and plummeting temperatures. The weather, with its unexpected twists and turns, mirrored the tumultuous events that had taken place in the desert over the summer, including a massive wildfire, a rare desert hurricane, and a breathtaking super bloom of flora and fauna.

Against this backdrop of natural drama, a group of intrepid writers gathered at the Indian Cove campground in Joshua Tree National Park for a field writing workshop called Write Like the Desert. As the winds whipped through the ancient white boulders and rock spires, the workshop participants immersed themselves in the sensory experience of the desert, using its stark beauty and wild energy as inspiration for their writing.

The workshop began with a prompt inspired by Joan Didion's "Slouching Towards Bethlehem," urging the writers to capture the essence of the desert as the only reality. From there, they delved into discussions about the impact of tourism on the delicate ecosystem of the park, and were challenged to write from the perspective of a Joshua tree, advocating for eco-literacy and respect for nature.

As the day unfolded, the writers crafted patterned poems that wove together the diverse elements of desert life, from coyotes to monsoon rain to the Milky Way. Their words, read aloud against the backdrop of the desert's timeless landscape, created a tapestry of voices and imagery that captured the essence of the Mojave Desert.

Despite the challenges posed by the ever-changing weather, the workshop was a testament to the resilience and adaptability of both the desert and its inhabitants. As the sun set over the rugged terrain, the gathering of writers had succeeded in capturing the spirit of the desert in their words, embodying the ethos of writing like the desert itself - untamed, unyielding, and utterly captivating.