Welcome
Diana Friedman is an award-winning author whose creative writing has appeared in literary journals, newspapers, blogs, and popular press magazines. She writes a newsletter, Under the Red Pen, and is co-editing an anthology of short fiction from Maryland. Read more about Diana and her work here.
Diana is co-founder and co-director of KindWrite Studio, a full-service company that provides coaching, expert editorial assistance – from developmental editing to copyediting – and personalized guidance for preparing work for submission and publication. KindWrite works one-on-one with writers to explore their voice and tap into their creativity, develop their craft and ready their pieces to publish. Diana is now, through KindWrite, hosting her annual writing retreats in the Basque Pyrenees near San Sebastian, Spain, in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, and at Zigbone Farm Retreat Center. In all of her work, Diana strives to help writers build community with other writers in inspiring, supportive environments and help all people nurture their artistic and creative selves.
KindWrite Studio Services
Editing
Are you in need of an experienced and talented editor? Does your work need organizing, polishing or wordsmithing? Whether you’re working on a technical document or creative piece, we provide a range of editorial services from developmental editing to copyediting as well as guidance for preparing work for submission and publication.
Coaching
Feeling blocked? Stuck with an idea or a project you can’t get off the ground? Do you need help with accountability to stay the course? We help you identify your goals and provide support and encouragement to enhance your writing. Together, we work to develop good habits and strengthen your skills to get you where you want to be.
Retreats
Do you need a quiet place to finish a writing project? Are you searching for a community of fellow writers and a warm and nurturing space where you’ll find solitude and receive support for your work? Join us in Maryland’s Catoctin Mountains, Pennsylvania’s Poconos, or the Pyrenees of Northern Spain and immerse yourself in your writing.
Diana is a great diagnostician. The gentlest of nudges from her has transformed my writing from multiple rejections to acceptances and being listed in Notable Essays of the Year in The Best American Essays. She has an uncanny way of getting into the mind of the writer, understanding what you are trying to do, and ushering those revisions forth.
Diana has taught me to trust my voice and encouraged me to move beyond my comfort zone. She possesses a terrific mix of sensitivity and challenge and does not shy away from talking about what is missing. She helps you develop your work in a clear and inspired way so your story will soar. My work with her is life-giving and priceless.
I’ve been to Diana’s retreats in Spain and the US and both were gifts I gave myself with enduring value. Excellent craft classes, a beautiful environment–inside and out, many hours a day to contemplate and create, great conversations about books and writing, and an experienced and caring teacher. I am extremely grateful for both experiences.
Recent Publications
From Washington Independent Review of Books: Interview with Amy Shearn. The novelist talks AI, patriarchy, and the frustration of woman-run bake sales.
Forthcoming from Brevity Blog: What my Writing Needed was Failure. In which Diana returns to school to learn how to fail.
From Gargoyle Online: Reimagining Grief, A story about losing my dad and finding him again.
Creative Writing Retreats 2025/2026
Pyrenean Creative Writing Retreats
July 31-Aug 9 and Aug 14-21, 2026
Navarra, Spain
Creative Writing Retreat Zigbone
January 9-14 and April 12-17, 2026
Catoctin Mountains, Maryland, USA
The Motherlode Retreat
April 26-30, 2026
Milanville, Pennsylvania, USA