ANDREA R CANAAN

Writing Coach + Author

Founder, ‘A Writer's Life’
Published in three anthologies

RADICAL

WRITER

WOMANIST

BLACK

ACTIVIST

LESBIAN

MOTHER

FEMINIST

First Book Coming Soon!

"AWL (A Writer’s Life) serves emerging and established writers who are published, working towards being published, and who are not thinking about publishing yet."

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About Andrea

Dedicated Excellence in Writing.

Born 1950, Andrea R Canaan is a Black feminist writer, speaker, community organizer, poet and activist. She founded “A Writer’s Life” to encourage, support, and celebrate the creative work, health and success of women writers, while cultivating their individual and collective worth and leadership, and their craft development.

Writing Coach

Author

Activist

Who is Andrea?

Making Something Inspirational Everyday.

Committed to the elimination of patriarchal, economic, race, and class supremacy. Radical in my notions of women’s autonomy, integrity, self-understanding and self-awareness.

Radical

It is the center of and proudest part of my life to be a mother of a biological daughter and chosen mother of two. My life has also been a constant commitment to the interruption of the cross-generational transmission of trauma, while preserving the genius of the survival and thriving of our mothers foremothers.

Mother

Committed to

a.) the accurate representations of American slavery and

b.) the complete repair of civil rights, voting rights, equal protection and treatment under law for black people, people of color, ethnic and religious minorities.

Black

I am most profoundly woman-loving. I have been lovers with my beloved partner and wife whom I have known for 40 years. We have been lovers for 22 years. We have been married for four years.

Lesbian

I am committed to the eradication of the harms of gender and age-based discriminations and barriers against Black women and girls. I am committed to the equality, empowerment and protections of Black women and girls.

Womanist

Committed to organizing, writing, speaking, voting, non-violent civil disobedience, and collaborating with women, ethnic and religious minorities, LGBTQ+ peoples, and those marginalized, exploited and discriminated against because of class, gender, size, or ability, and to be their ally.

Activist

I am committed to the eradications of the harms of gender and age-based discriminations, and barriers against all women and girls. I am committed to the equality, empowerment and protections of all women and girls.

Feminist

Committed to the full expression of my creative genius. I am committed to lifelong learning, teaching and collaborative support of women and girl writers.

Writer

Testimonials

  • “Andrea’s unique approach to reflection and feedback in A Writer's Life, along with her signature brand of exquisite care, goes beyond cheerleading and allows each writer to experience the fullness of their own talent. I couldn’t ask for more!”

    -Charlene Allen, Author of Play the Game-

  • “Andrea has built a supportive, encouraging, inspiring community that has allowed me to really lean into my writing practice. Andrea also reminds us that writing also happens on the page, and it’s her overall approach with daily prompts, workshops, and general support that has helped me truly step into my own writer’s life.”

    -Tshego Letsoalo, Music Editor-

  • “When I first met Andrea, it was at a summer bootcamp for our MFA at University of San Francisco. I gravitated towards her energy then, and I have been doing so for the last ten years, every time I need to find my way, creatively and spiritually. How lucky am I that my life took a turn towards her. She is joy personified. ”

    -Suma Nagaraj, writer, editor, and web design consultant-

  • “Andrea is a beloved mentor and a true artist. She has created a rare kind of creative community in AWL. With her leadership, writing together brings joy, a sense of belonging, increased productivity, and powerful expression. Many of us have found a home in AWL, not just for our writer selves but for our whole selves. ”

    -Nada Vivian Stevens-

  • “Every once in a while, a very special person comes into your life, and brings magic with them. That’s what happened to me when I first met Andrea Canaan and attended one of her amazing A Writer’s Life (AWL) Women Writers’ retreats. Through Andrea’s weekly AWL workshops, I have grown as a writer, an editor, an attentive listener and a supporter of other writers. Andrea IS magic!”

    -Ellen Barry-

  • “Andrea Canaan changed my life. She makes space for everyone in her orbit and inspires me and a whole community of writers to own their rightness, especially as women. She helped me find the discipline and the delight to learn how to be a woman, a human, a poet in all phases of my life, and I have only known her for just over two years.”

    -Lisa Clapper-