If you're not ready to take the challenge, here's some free prompts to get you started!
No strings, just prompts. Drop your name and email in below!
First Name
Email Adress
I promise I'll look after your email address, and will not share it with anyone else!
The 8-week Shadow Work course for writers who are tired of just touching the surface
Your writing will only be as deep and authentic as you are willing to go inside yourself. This is your invitation.
FREE TRIAL:
When you order, you will not be charged for 7 days.
Try the first module completely risk free!
The 8-week Shadow Work course for writers who are tired of just touching the surface
If your writing feels “fine”…
…but not alive…
If you keep circling the same safe scenes and characters…
the same “acceptable” truths…
the same polite little revelations…
There’s a reason.
It’s not lack of discipline.
It’s not “writer’s block.”
It’s not that you need a better morning routine.
It’s the thing you keep not writing.
The fear.
The craving.
The obsession.
The shame-flavoured memory you always “leave out.”
The beautiful part of you you won’t release onto the page because it feels… embarrassing, or heavy, or "wrong".
This part is your Shadow.
And it’s holding your work back to keep you safe.
It believes you can't handle facing yourself.
The truth? You can.
This course is for writers who want the real writing.
Not the safe words.
Not the clever words.
Not the “people will like this” words.
The words with a pulse.
Because when you're ready to shine a light into yourself, beyond the threshold, beyond the comfort…
... you'll find where your best writing has been hiding.
The uncomfortable truth:
Most writers don’t have a writing problem.
They have an honesty problem.
They get close to something hot…
and suddenly they’re checking email, cleaning the kitchen, rewriting the first paragraph for the 18th time…
They call it “writer’s block.”
Nice story (but a bit of a cliché now).
It’s usually self-protection.
Shadow Writing trains you to notice that moment…
and go toward it instead of away from it.
Not to be dramatic.
Not to trauma-dump.
Not to over-share.
To write with control and truth.
So your shadow stops hijacking your voice… and starts feeding it.
What Shadow Writing is (and isn’t)
It is:
A method for accessing the deep and honest material that lives inside you.
Longings, fears, masks, guilt, shame, death, desire...
So your work starts sounding like it's telling the truth, not just a story.
It’s also:
A way to build characters who feel real and three-dimensional, because finally you can bring out their innocence and their guilt… in the same body.
It is NOT:
A “how to write a novel” course.
A course in "how to write better".
A productivity bootcamp.
A workshop where you get 27 formulas and you pretend the real problem is structure.
This is about the hidden side of you, the authentic writer inside you, and helping you bring this onto the page... and into your reader.
Who this is for
- Writers who want characters with depth, not cardboard cutouts
- Memoir/personal essay writers who are holding back from telling the real story
- Writers who keep “almost” going there… then back off
- Writers who are tired of their work feeling safe, tidy, or performative
Who this is NOT for
- If you are looking for a writing techniques course to help you polish your style of prose
- If you want “hot tips and hacks” without touching anything personal
- If you’re not feeling ready to face yourself and letting that depth slip onto the pages you share
How the Course Unfolds (module by module)
1: Meeting the Shadow
You learn how the shadow actually shows up in writing. Not as darkness, but as avoidance, over-control, and false clarity.
You’ll start recognising the exact moments you soften, tidy, or back away from what matters.
This module changes how you notice yourself while writing.
2: Longings & Needs
Every piece of writing is driven by a want.
When that want stays unconscious, writing stalls and get's stagnant.
This module brings hidden longings and unmet needs into view, so your work regains momentum, tension, and direction.
3: The “Good” and the “Bad”
We’re often as afraid of our strength as we are of our flaws.
This module explores how denying either side flattens voice and character, and how allowing both creates depth, paradox, and credibility on the page.
4: Fears & Obsessions
Your strongest themes live inside what you keep circling.
This module helps you recognise fear and obsession as they arise in the writing moment.
And to stay present instead of escaping into distraction or polish.
5: Guilt & Shame
There are stories we won’t write because we don’t yet know how to face them in private.
This module shows how guilt and shame distort perspective, and how writing can give you both internal and external release, without self-betrayal.
6: The Masks You Wear
Everyone has personas or masks: the smart one, the funny one, the one who “knows.”
This module helps you spot when a mask has taken over your writing, and how taking it off can give you a way into both yourself, and into your reader.
7: Life and death
Most writers avoid this territory without realising it.
This module looks at how life and death shape meaning, stakes, and endings. And what happens when you stop touching the surface and allow yourself into the work directly.
8: Staying Awake
By now, you’ll recognise when your Shadow appears.
This final week is about integration:
How to keep working at this depth without burning out, overexposing, or slipping back into old habits.
Not as just another course.
As a way of writing.
Here's how the course works:
The course is text-based with an in-depth essay, followed by a written assignment.
All assignments can be completed in your own time, with no rush.
You can share your work in the community if you wish, and I highly recommend doing so! Share your feedback to others, and get feedback on your own work.
For those who want private feedback from me, there's an option for that too, although there are limited places available.
If you want to go deeper, I have 3 one-on-one spots available.
A quick word about safety (because this can feel scary)
Shadow Writing does not require you to publish your darkest material.
It requires you to stop lying to yourself while you write.
You can write privately.
You can fictionalise.
You can choose what stays in the notebook.
But the goal is the same:
Your most honest, most authentic writing. Because finally you’re willing to go there.
Here's what you need to know:
The course is available in three levels, depending on how much commitment and accountability you want
EARLY BIRD OFFER:
Use the code SW25 for 25%, on all orders before 21 February!
FREE TRIAL:
When you order, you will not be charged for 7 days, so you can try the first module without any risk.
If you're not happy after 14 days, you can request a full refund.
BASIC:
Full course with 8 modules, self-study mode:
Seven days free trial, then two payments of $99
PREMIUM:
Full course and feedback on all 8 assignments:
Seven days free trial, then two payments of $199 (limited to 10 spots only)
VIP:
Full course, feedback and 4 live 1-1 calls:
Seven days free trial, then two payments of $599 (limited to 3 spots only)
Guarantee?
If you're not happy after 14 days, full refund. No stress.
Upsells?
None.
Everything you need is in the course.
Any insane promises?
Just that you will get as much out as you put in.
If you're not ready to face your Shadow and develop your writing, this probably isn't for you.
(But then I'm also wondering why you're even reading this?)
What's the catch?
The catch is you have to do the work.
If you're tired of feeling your writing is shying away from the depth you know you carry, this program is for you:
Join the first cohort of the Shadow Journaling for Writers program!
FREE TRIAL:
When you order, you will not be charged for 7 days, so you can try the first module without any risk.
Order
Items
Summary
Final note
(read this twice)
If you’ve been writing “around” something for years…
If you know there’s a truer voice in you…
If you’re tired of being technically competent but emotionally withheld…
This is your invitation.
Not to be fearless.
To be brave.
Meet your guide: Oliver Mann
Through studying Carl Jung, Robert Johnson, Debbie Ford, Nathaniel Branden, Kay Adams and his mentor, Gloria Kempton, creator of Shadow Writing, Oliver found a golden thread.
This helped him move from being a consumer of self-help, to actually helping himself. Now he teaches his students to gently go into the shadow, with a light, with support and the confidence that the darkness will help us grow.
- Certified Instructor of Kay Adams' Journal to the Self Program
- Council Member of the International Association of Journal Writers Council
- Co-founder of the Barcelona Journaling Festival and New York Journaling Festival
Oliver's prompts and gentle encouragement to explore deeper meanings and alternative perspectives helped me see that even my anger, frustration and shame were emotions that highlighted a lesson to be learnt, fresh thinking or something to be avoided or embraced.
Thank you, Oliver, for designing such an insightful journaling course. I've learned quite a bit about myself!
Anna Woolliscroft
This program helped me start doing the deeper journaling work I’ve wanted to do, but admittedly have been avoiding. As someone who leans fairly optimistic delving into shadow work felt counterintuitive.
I feel much more willing to explore my shadow now. The prompts are both a challenge and a cushion, guiding you as you explore what might be uncharted territory.
I have so much more insight into my shadow self after 2 weeks working on how to integrate it.
Genesis Garcia
If you're not 100% satisfied with your order, let me know before 14 days are up and I'll give you a refund!
Shadow Journaling isn't for everyone, so if you find it's too deep for you at this moment, just let me know!
What Other Are Saying About Working With Oliver Mann
Oliver Mann's Shadow Journaling program had me getting in touch with powerful emotions I had not recognized before. Meeting my Shadow allowed me to find within myself a powerful coach and mentor I can return to when I need.
Steve Van Vugt
Over time, I realised the parts of ourselves we try to hide—the ones we think are unworthy—often hold our greatest gifts. By embracing them, we not only heal but also enrich the lives of those around us.
Tom Czaban
The program of discovering my shadow self made me more aware of the hidden traits and patterns I have. It gave me tools how to notice my shadow better, how to listen and see what it's trying to show me.
The overall experience made me have more compassion and acceptance towards myself and others.
Kate Paker
Copyright 2026 | Oliver Mann | Terms & Conditions
