Hi friends,
When I first started The Westrn in the spring of 2024, I had no idea where it would lead. Two years brought a wild flux of change, momentum, ambition, and teamwork that built so much that I’m still really proud of.
But over the past six months—through teaching high school, through writing less and thinking more, through spending a lot of quiet time in outdoor places instead of chasing deadlines — I realized something. The stories were never really the point. They were always pointing toward a bigger question.
How do we build a deeper relationship with the outdoors?
Not just by reading about it. Not just by buying the right gear. But by paying attention and asking better questions. By becoming more curious, more capable, and more connected to the places we spend time.
That’s the work I want to dedicate myself to. So today, The Westrn becomes Nicole Qualtieri.
Not because I’m leaving outdoor journalism behind. I’m not. In fact, I was recently accepted into the incredible Master of Fine Arts program for Creative Nonfiction at the University of Montana, and I begin my graduate studies next month. (Eek!) Hopefully, I’ll be able to share much of that journey with you as well.
Over the coming months, you’ll start seeing new essays, field notes, books, journals, and practical tools, all built around one simple idea:
Helping people build a richer relationship with the outdoors.
If you’ve been here since the beginning, thank you. You helped shape The Westrn into something I loved and something I’m still really proud of. You supported more than a dozen writers in telling amazing and even award-winning stories. Honestly, it was a dream come true in many ways, and the devastation I felt as it began to shift on the sand dunes of change ushered in this period of personal and creative evolution.
Really, I’m grateful to have had the time to figure it out.
I hope you’ll come with me as it grows into something even more meaningful.
And if you’re new here, welcome.
I have a feeling we’re going to ask a lot of good questions together.
See you outside,
Nicole
Looking forward to it! Congratulations on the MFA!
Like most folks, my relationship with the outdoors changed significantly (at least to me) around the pandemic when I picked up hunting and fishing - it continues to evolve but I'd say at least right now, it's primarily for mental health and just a break from my desk job / digital work. I imagine you're exploring something deeper than that and would certainly love to keep reading about it. Cheers.
Congrats on the MFA! I'll see you around Missoula I'm sure. Feel free to reach out with any questions about the program.