About
Mission Statement
The Motherhood Muse is a literary magazine, created to encourage mother writers to rediscover and reconnect with nature through their bodies, minds, and souls. It is a creative writing source that inspires mother writers to share nature's gifts with children through our actions and messages. Upon the birth of my second daughter I created The Motherhood Muse to bridge the gap between mothers and nature, so our children will not be detached from nature. This site will help mother writers find freedom, creativity, and privacy in nature, which will encourage our children to play where the wild things are. Through literature we seek connection with nature for ourselves and for our children. Why is this reunion between nature and people crucial? The answer is here!
The Motherhood Muse literary magazine and blog features original, brilliant creative writing that explores motherhood through the lens of nature, the female body, mind & spirit, and our children's relationship with nature. We publish creative nonfiction essays, articles, fiction, poetry, columns and photos. The Motherhood Muse goes beyond a walk in the woods to rejuvenate our creative writing minds. We seek writing that explores the nature of motherhood on a deeper level to open our minds to the wonders of mother nature and our place in it.
Here at The Motherhood Muse mother writers find a comfortable, supportive nook for writing and discussing our journey in discovering ourselves as mothers and women in nature. The Writer's Workshop provides literary information to help mother writers develop their craft in new, original ways.
The Motherhood Muse blog is a second resource for mother writers who wish to share more ideas and learn more about creative writing.
The concept of The Motherhood Muse is unique as it connects mother writers with nature through our bodies, minds, and souls. We strive to support mothers in their journey through the wild beauty of motherhood by sharing these works of literature.
- Kimberly Zook, Founding Editor & Publisher
Despite living alone in a hut in a Costa Rican rainforest for a few years and journeying through the backcountry in many places on Earth, I began to feel my connection with nature pulling away from me like a wave heading for the horizon. Surprisingly, this sense of loss began after the birth of my first daughter. As a mom to a colicky newborn, I found it easier staying inside the walls of our home. Upon the birth of my second daughter, I realized that I wasn't alone. Mothers, fathers, children - we're all spending less time in nature, and nature is receeding way beyond our grasp. The foundation of The Motherhood Muse stems from my passion to see every generation, not just the 'next' one, reconnect with nature. After earning a M.S. in Biology and a M.A. in Education, I turned towards writing to pursue the true spirit of humanity and nature. It wasn't until I gave birth that everything came full circle, and I realized how I could use my experience as a naturalist, scientist, and writer to bridge the gap between mothers and nature.
The Motherhood Muse is much more than an online literary magazine. It is a community for writers and mothers to share their experiences in discovering their connection with nature through their bodies, minds, and spirits as well as through their children's relationship with nature. By sharing literature written by mothers for mothers on the nature of motherhood, we grow in our connection with nature. In turn, our children will learn from our actions and messages how to live fully with all their senses in the wildness of wilderness.
In addition to creating The Motherhood Muse, I write literary essays and short stories about motherhood, nature, and childhood. Two stories have recently placed 1st and 3rd in literary contests with Mom Writer's Literary Magazine and WOW! Women on Writing, respectively. I balance being an editor of The Motherhood Muse and a writer with being a stay-at-home mom to two wonderful little girls who are discovering their love of playing in nature even if they don't like getting their hands dirty!