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Alumni Spotlight: Jenny Phillips Publishes Powerful Essay After Writing Through Grief Workshop
by Writing Workshops Staff
A month ago
We're thrilled to celebrate one of our 2025 alumni, Jenny Phillips, whose deeply moving personal essay "jealous of my friend's dad's funeral" was recently published in Sneaker Wave Magazine.
This marks Jenny's first published piece—a significant milestone.
Jenny participated in our Writing Through Grief 3-Week Zoom Workshop led by Katie Reilly, a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and Elle Magazine, among other prestigious publications. Katie's intensive workshop guides writers through the complex process of transforming grief into compelling narrative, providing both craft instruction and emotional support.
From Workshop to Publication
In her published essay, Jenny explores the concept of "ambiguous grief"—the messy, ongoing mourning that comes with watching a loved one slowly decline from Parkinson's disease. Through vivid, honest storytelling, she contrasts her father's gradual deterioration with the "tidy" grief of a friend whose father had a more traditional end-of-life experience. The piece is deeply personal and universally resonant, examining how we navigate love, loss, and the milestones that illness steals from us.
The essay demonstrates exactly what makes Katie Reilly's Writing Through Grief workshop so powerful. The course helps writers analyze grief essays by established authors, learn different approaches to writing about loss, and develop their own authentic voice. Students receive personalized feedback, learn pitching strategies, and connect with editors from publications like HuffPost Personal and Brevity Magazine.
About Jenny Phillips
Jenny Phillips writes press releases by day and essays by night. A communications professional in the food world, she lives in Alexandria, VA, with her partner and two cats. When she's not writing, she's escaping to her family cottage in Upstate New York or reading cookbooks like novels. Her essay in Sneaker Wave Magazine represents her first published piece—a powerful debut that promises more compelling work to come.
The Power of Writing Through Grief
Jenny's success exemplifies what participants can achieve through our Writing Through Grief workshop. The course creates a supportive environment where writers can explore difficult emotions, develop their craft, and learn the practical skills needed to get published. Katie Reilly's approach combines personal storytelling with professional development, helping writers transform their most challenging experiences into meaningful art.
The workshop covers all types of grief—from death of loved ones to symbolic losses like relationship endings. Through weekly readings, discussions, and individualized feedback, participants develop essays up to 2,000 words and learn how to pitch their work to publications.
We couldn't be prouder of Jenny's achievement and look forward to following her continued writing journey. Her essay serves as both an inspiration to current students and a testament to the healing power of putting our most difficult truths on paper.
Ready to transform your own grief into powerful writing? Learn more about our upcoming nonfiction classes and join our community of writers who support each other through the creative process.
