Testimonials for Melody Jones for various roles including leadership, writing, journaling, speaking, program development, and nonprofit work.

Leadership

I have known Melody Jones for several years now. Serving on the board of the Western Colorado Writers’ Forum under her leadership for nearly three years was an absolute pleasure. The Forum was nearly defunct when Melody stepped up to the position of President in November of 2021, and the fact that the Forum was thriving only a year later speaks volumes about what she is capable of as a leader. She took on the task of saving the organization with expert-level delegation skills and new, successful fundraising tactics. In her first year as president, she single-handedly compiled the monthly e-newsletter, promoted our events on social media, did radio interviews spotlighting the Forum, initiated new Forum social functions that increased WCWF’s presence in the community, hosted the monthly Writer’s Nights, and otherwise made sure we had everything we needed to function. She dreamed up an amazing fundraiser event that has become a much-anticipated annual source of funds for the organization. In subsequent years, Melody has navigated new board members, begun hosting a literary radio show, and overseen the launch of a literary journal. In addition to all that, she has been such a wonderful cheerleader for everyone on the board and our various projects, both for and outside of the Forum.

Basically, Melody Jones took an organization that was on the brink of dissolution, and with a ton of hard work, she turned it into something very much alive and vibrant, that brings value to the community of Grand Junction. I could not have hoped for a more capable leader.- Christie Matherne – Writer, Journalist, Editor, and former Board Member of the Western Colorado Writers’ Forum

I joined the Western Colorado Writers’ Forum just as Melody was elected president of the group. These past few years I have worked closely with her and watched how—through sheer force of will and tireless labor—she guided the group at a critical time: covid had closed down just about all of our community activities and a number of veteran board members retired to make way for new blood.

Melody migrated the Forum’s activities to Zoom meetings and presentations, and redesigned our newsletter to keep us connected with local writers. When the plague finally lifted a bit, she convened the board to take some time out to evaluate what the Forum had done in the past and to brainstorm us into the future. She is passionate about writing and encouraging writers, especially the young and those at the margins of our community who need our support and confidence in them.

At a time when the Writers Forum was about to go under, Melody offered us tireless energy, inclusive leadership, and a genuine concern for writing in western Colorado. She hoisted a basket of problems, challenges, and divergent opinions onto her shoulders, and because of her the Forum enters the post-covid period financially sound, with a fully-staffed board of directors and ambitious plans for new initiatives and our most successful programs. – John Lanci, writer, and professor emeritus of Stonehill College

Melody’s communication skills were instrumental in keeping the Denver Woman’s Press Club connected during pandemic times. It seemed every week we had a new crisis arise. As the 1^st Vice President/Communications Chair, she showed leadership in getting things accomplished and flexibility in working with the membership. Her knowledge and rapport brought us deeper into the 21^st century technology-wise and gave members someone they trusted to problem solve the online and social media spheres. Her attention to detail and ability to communicate made her a terrific asset during those difficult times. – Marilyn Harmacek, Former DWPC President

Creativity Retreat for Writers, Program Development

Writers should practice creativity the way concert pianists practice their scales. I participated in a 2-day writer’s retreat in Palisade, Colorado led by Melody. I was not entirely sure what to expect, but left feeling inspired, renewed, and refocused. Participants ranged from writers who were just starting their careers to those who already had agents for finished manuscripts and/or published books. Writers in our group authored science fiction, nonfiction memoirs, and poetry. Some were interested in traditional publishing, some were engaged in self-publishing, and some were not even to the point of thinking about publishing yet. Still, every one of us was able to participate in the retreat and was enriched by it. We worked well together, and Melody was an excellent facilitator. Regardless of where you are in your writing career or what type of writing you do, I recommend participating in one of Melody’s writing retreats. – Christopher Muscato, author

I recently participated in a writer’s creativity workshop hosted by Melody Jones. It was a motivational, one-and-a-half-day workshop filled with many exercises to help the participants discover the best methods to encourage their creativity. What worked best for me was simply being forced to sit down and write – no prompting and no reading aloud, just write! Those sessions were most productive for me, and I learned the importance of dedicating a time and place (with no distractions) to simply write. That lesson alone made this workshop most useful for me and I’m excited to move forward in my personal writing journey. Melody is an accomplished facilitator. Thanks to Melody’s enthusiasm and teaching skills, I unreservedly recommend her workshops to anyone who wants to be a better author. – John Rabins, author of Defined by Fire

Journaling 

• “Melody was very uplifting, stimulating, and always encouraged participant interaction. I rate her as excellent!”
• “Melody had lots of energy and was very eager to give compliments and positive feedback!”
• “I have never journaled before and the workshop has been a very uplifting, positive, and beneficial experience.”
• “Melody’s workshop has helped me be more in the moment and stop ruminating about the past.”
• “I feel more supported, have made new friends, and am more grateful.  Keep the weekly gratitude assignment!

I recently took an online journaling class with Melody Jones. I had tried to journal in the past, but hadn’t really kept up for more than a few days, as life always gets busy. In one of the first classes I had with her, she asked us to journal for a certain amount of time, and I got stuck about halfway through, not knowing what to write. She created a safe space for me to be able to share my struggle and offered some great ways to work through that. Every class, she covered different ways to journal and challenged us a bit with prompts and homework assignments. It has been a couple of months since the class now, and I am happy to say that I have been journaling most days since then. It really helps ground me in the morning before my day gets busy!  I would recommend Melody’s course to anyone who wants to learn how to journal or expand their journaling skills! – Chris Sander, Flourish Financial Coaching, Ramsey Preferred Financial Coach, Sister Circle Cedar Rapids – Chapter Leader

Even though I’ve been a fan of journaling in the past, I was beginning to feel a little stuck with it. I enrolled in Melody’s class hoping that I would find new ways of journaling and would get a kickstart on my journaling again. Her class has done exactly that! I’m journaling every day and am going deeper with my reflections and discovering new insights about myself, which has been invaluable! I highly recommend the class!  – Bobbi Kahler, Co-Founder Kahler Leadership Group, Renew & Rejuvenate Journaling Workshop Series in Grand Junction, CO

I recently completed Melody Jones’ “Renew and Rejuvenate Journaling series” and greatly recommend it for anyone wanting to go deeper into self-discovery through journaling. Melody is an astute observer with a natural ability to individualize her guidance. Through her thoughtful, soul-searching questions, she both challenged and inspired me to move forward in my own personal growth. Melody managed with her quick wit and sense of humor, as we pulled up our dregs, to inspire chuckles and laughter and keep things real! I left each class wanting to turn around and go back. Whether you are new to journaling or want to deepen your experience, Take This Class from Melody Jones! – Terri Racette, journaler and artist, Renew & Rejuvenate Journaling Workshop Series in Grand Junction, CO

I made the decision to attend the Journaling Workshop to support Melody and then, there’s always something to learn. I have journaled much of my adult life, usually during times of stress. These classes came at a time I felt more relaxed which made for a different experience. I felt this was more personal. I learned writing in the early morning creates a different dialog than when I write late in the evenings. I enjoyed learning to create a list of topics I am interested in so there is a resource to go to when I am drawing a blank. My greatest takeaway was learning to look deeper into myself to evaluate how emotional challenges make me feel, and the real lesson: how my reaction causes more discord. If you have the opportunity to attend a journaling workshop, please do so. I recommend Melody’s ability to bring each of those attending into the circle and create humor when things get a little deep. This is an enjoyable way to learn about yourself through journaling. – Sue Bellotti, writer, Renew & Rejuvenate Journaling Workshop Series in Grand Junction, CO

Writing

The writing journey is fraught with challenges and obstacles often overwhelming a new storyteller. Having worked with Melody for many years as a fellow writer, I have witnessed how her clear, decisive approach supports authors in developing their writing material, producing it, and marketing their work. Her steadfast and clever manner is like adding rocket fuel to a budding author’s writing ambitions. Plus, her humor is exceptional! – Katherine Carol-author, blogger and podcaster; The Shining Beautiful Series, Not Your Basic Bitches Podcasts

Melody Jones is amazing at helping me take all the thoughts that swirl in my head and get it out onto paper in a way that holds true to my voice. When I experience the void of lack of inspiration, she is wonderful at helping me connect with a starting point to unleash the flow. I have often been impressed with how easy writing actually can be because of her coaching. – Kim Duggan, Intuitive Coach 

Melody is an extremely talented creative writer; I want to hear everything she writes. Melody’s skill at conveying her sense of humor and her life experiences makes her a true inspiration. I have known Melody for over a decade, and I can’t wait to see what she does with her writing workshop. I have learned so much from her! – Peggy Dillon-Jackson, author

Writer Chicks Coffee Club, Program Development

Melody Jones started the Writer Chicks Coffee Club in September of 2021 when there was a dearth of opportunities for writers to gather. I started attending in October, and I never miss a weekly meetup, if I can help it. Melody has created such a warm and inviting place for women to share their love of writing with one another. She facilitates our no-holds-barred round table of topics, and we feel free to share our work, processes, successes, and encouragement. Melody draws on her considerable experience helping writers find their voices to advise and assist group participants. Writer Chicks and Melody Jones are definitely a boon to our Western Slope writing community. – Lisa Wence Connors, award-winning poet and writer

Writer Chicks Coffee Club on Wednesday mornings is the day of the week I look forward to the most. Melody Jones, now the President of the Western Colorado Writers’ Forum, created this group [in Grand Junction, CO]. Brilliant!

While it’s an informal “meet and greet” for ladies, it’s much more than that. Melody has made the group a safe place to bring your writings, your musings, and your everyday challenges. Melody has a private space reserved, and she leads the group by joining not by being in charge. That said, she keeps us on time, focused, and the task at hand moving along. There are serious moments, yet lots of laughter. There is sharing of talent that is always uplifted in comments. Terrific that she saw a need for that – a place of bonding over writing as well as forging friendships in the writing community. Melody manages to take a diverse group and let the sharing and learning flow freely. She seems to have an innate sense of when to redirect the flow of the group. Always richer when I leave, I’m grateful for Writer Chicks where Melody has given a venue to a variety of personalities to blend together in the art of writing. – Linda Lester, writer and poet

Speaking

What a sensational speaker Melody Jones was at the annual AuthorU BookCamp on Social Media for Authors. A day long event, she was a master at weaving participants through a series of activities – the goal was to create awareness of new and old tools PLUS a variety of ways to implement in the author’s tool kit to kickstart writing and soar marketing. A perfect Saturday for all. Evaluations were excellent. I would highly recommend Melody for any group (or individual) who wants to create a social media footprint. – Dr. Judith Briles, The Book Shepherd, Book Publishing and Book Marketing Expert, Founder of AuthorU and Authors Hall of Fame, podcaster

My first time watching Melody in action was at the CWSM ~ Becoming an Influencer talk during Denver Start-up Week. I was new to the Colorado Women in Social Media group (founded by Melody Jones) and didn’t know many of the ladies very well. Melody was energetic and funny and the standing-room-only audience connected with her! It was amazing to watch. She’s knowledgeable and smart, and I love her sense of humor. But most of all, Melody is a wonderful example of living life with intention. I truly admire that about Melody. You will be more than amazed with Melody if you work with her, especially if you’re an author. She knows her stuff! – Aimee Skillin