Compendium began 40 years ago with a simple belief: that a few inspiring words can make a real impact—on a person, on a moment, on the world around us.
That idea first took shape through our pop-open cards—small keepsakes with hidden quotes tucked inside. As those curated quotes began to make their way into hands and hearts around the globe, they stirred something special, illuminating just how meaningful a bit of encouragement could be. So the vision grew, and we wanted to share even more words, for more occasions, in more formats. That meant we had to find a voice that was distinctly ours—and few have had as pivotal a role in shaping that voice as author M.H. Clark.
Clark’s journey with Compendium began in 2010 with a chance encounter with Compendium president Kobi Yamada—one of those unexpected moments that turns into something lasting. Since then, she’s penned dozens of beloved favorites, from You Belong Here to Love Who You Are to I Wrote a Book About You.
We asked Clark to reflect on her time with Compendium. Here’s what she shared:
June 27, 2025
Kimberly
M.H. Clark on Serendipity, Storytelling, and 15 Years with Compendium
So, I understand your introduction to Compendium was through a public poetry project. Can you tell us how that came about?
Yes! I used to have a project where I wrote poems for people in a variety of outdoor locations. People would tell me a little or a lot about their lives, or a special person, or a pet, or a place, or something that had been on their mind, and I would write a poem for them right there on the spot. It was a wonderful (and exhausting!) project, and it forever changed my writing and my view of what words can offer to people in terms of feeling heard, understood, mirrored, and witnessed.
One day, Kobi came up to me wanting a poem for his wife for their anniversary and shared some beautiful images that I wove into the piece. When I gave it to him, he said, “This is good!” in a way that made me laugh—sort of like he hadn’t been quite sure what to expect. He mentioned that he was the president of a publishing company and encouraged me to be in touch. A few days later, I went to the Compendium offices for an interview, and the rest is history! It was a chance meeting that altered the course of my life in ways that still amaze me.
What an incredible way to begin. After that unexpected meeting and your visit to Compendium, what was the first project you worked on
It was an editing project—collaborating with Dan Zadra on the 2 book, which was a very big project to dive in on!
Since then, you’ve created such a moving and expansive body of work—stories and sentiments that resonate with so many readers. What guiding truths ground you as you write?
One of the biggest truths I keep in mind as I write is that there are so many fundamental similarities that are common to all of us… I am always trying to write toward those things—to say something meaningful about our desire for connection, our need to love and be loved, our hope for personal growth, our longing to feel part of something, to be appreciated, to feel valued, to belong. When a particular title becomes especially beloved, that’s always a profound joy to me because it means the words are doing this work: making readers feel known and seen.
That sense of being known and seen really comes through in your work—and it’s part of why your words have found their way into many tender moments, from everyday rituals to major milestones. What does it mean to you to know your writing is part of those deeply personal experiences?
The messages, notes, emails, and videos I receive from people who have read my books are my favorite part of the work that I do. When someone reaches out to tell me that a book I wrote became part of a wedding ceremony, a memorial service, a birthday celebration, a bedtime ritual, or helped them to move through a difficult chapter of their life, I always have the same feeling: that it is a profound honor to be able to write books that become so woven into the lives of the people that read them. The comments I get from readers sustain me, inspire me, and quite often end up sparking new ideas that eventually become books of their own!
We are grateful for the ways M.H. Clark’s poetry and prose have shaped the heart of Compendium. Explore M.H. Clark’s expansive collection of gift books, journals, activity card decks, and children’s books today.
Share