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Course Descriptions
FALL 2010
Writing Motherhood
Writing Womanhood
WINTER — SPRING 2010
Writing Motherhood
Writing Motherhood II: Coming Out of the Notebook
FALL 2009
Writing Motherhood
SPRING — SUMMER 2009
The Path of the Pen: Writing Our Lives
Writing Motherhood — Spring Awakening
WINTER — SPRING 2009
Looking through the Writer's "I"
Writing Motherhood
The Path of the Pen: Writing Our Lives
FALL 2008The Path of the Pen: Writing Our Lives Writing Motherhood Mini Series
WINTER 2008
The Path of the Pen: Writing Our Lives
Words in Motion—Winter Retreat
Writing Motherhood
The Writers' Circle FALL 2007
Writing Motherhood
The Writers' Circle
Words in Motion—Fall Retreat
SPRING 2007Words in Motion—Spring RetreatFriday, May 4 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM Art of Motion, Ridgewood, NJ
WINTER 2007
Writing Womanhood
Words in Motion-Winter Retreat
FALL 2006
Writing Womanhood
Words in Motion-Fall Retreat Course DescriptionsWRITING MOTHERHOODHave you always wanted to chronicle your experience of motherhood, but never knew how to begin? Are you looking for an outlet for self-expression, or a way to connect with other mothers? Whether you are a new mother or a grandmother, someone who has long aspired to write or someone who has never written before, discover how to write from the text of your own life in this supportive writing workshop that is sure to renew your spirit, awaken your memories, and ignite your pen. Our focus is not so much on documenting the lives of our children as it is on exploring our experiences as mothers—at every age and stage. By the end of eight weeks, you will have in hand your first Mother's Notebook, filled with stories to preserve, publish, or pass on. WRITING MOTHERHOOD II: Coming Out of the NotebookSo you have been writing for months, maybe years, and are ready to take the next step? Discover how to move from first to final draft in this supportive, hands-on workshop for writers ready to "come out of the notebook." Each week, we will explore a technique of revision that lets us resee our writing, then workshop exploratory drafts in small groups. By the end of the course, you will have in hand two or three finished pieces, ready to preserve, publish, or pass on. Bring your notebooks, with favorite entries tagged.
LOOKING THROUGH THE WRITER'S "I"Henry James once said that writers see things other people walk by. But writers of memoir look both outward and inward as they examine their place in the world. In this gathering of the Writers' Circle, we will explore the possibilities—and the perils—of personal narrative with an eye toward understanding the "I" in memoir. We will play with perspective as we consider what it means to be both the narrator and the main character of our stories. We will hone our powers of observation so we can accurately mirror our experiences on the page. And we will develop our capacity for introspection, through what is known as our third eye. By the end of the course, you can expect to have sharpened your vision and deepened your insight as you learn to look at your life through a writer's eye. There will be ample time for reading and writing, conversation and contemplation, in a safe and supportive circle of writers. Please bring a notebook and pen.
The Path of the Pen: Writing Our LivesPeople write for many different reasons—for insight and direction, healing and forgiveness, communication and comic relief. Whether you are looking for a path to self-discovery or the road to publication, learn to write from the text of your own life in this inspirational and experiential workshop in memoir. As part of a collaborative exploration of our personal journeys, we will use scents, photos, and other props to awaken our memories. We will tell stories to warm up for writing. And we will jumpstart our pens with impromptu writing starts—words and phrases that will give you a clear set of footprints to follow onto the blank page. As you begin to mine your memory—and the moment—for material to write about, you will discover how to silence the critical inner voices that stifle creativity, throw away the rules that bind the imagination, and carve out the time and space for writing. By the end of the workshop, you will have in hand your first writer's notebook—created in just 15 minutes a day and filled with stories to preserve, publish, or pass on.
WRITING WOMANHOODWomen live their lives in chapters—from girlhood to grandparenting. Learn how to write from the text of your own life in this safe, supportive writing workshop for women. Discover the wisdom that comes from exchanging stories with women at different chapters in their lives. In the pages of your Woman's Notebook, you will write about the homes you have lived in, the people you have loved, the places you have visited, the lessons you have learned. By the end of the semester, you will have in hand the beginnings of several chapters from your own story of womanhood. WRITING FROM THE MIDDLE: MICROMEMOIRSEveryone these days is writing a memoir—not just people toward the end of life but also people in the middle. What is memoir? How is it different from autobiography? How do I begin turning the experiences of my life into stories on a page? Whether or not you have tried your hand at writing, come to this fun, supportive workshop and learn how to write your own micromemoirs—two pages or less—on such macro themes as beginnings, endings, first loves, reunions, obsessions, confessions, heroes, and journeys. MAKING SENSE OF OUR LIVESHave you noticed how a song on the radio, an old photograph, the smell of apples baking, or the prickle of pine needles underfoot can bring back another time in your life? Have you always wanted to capture these unexpected moments on paper? In this experiential writing workshop, we will enlist the senses to awaken long-forgotten memories, and we will use these memories as inspiration for vivid, sensory writing. We will devote each week to writing from one of the five senses as we seek to make sense of our lives on paper. THE WRITING ROOMHave you always wanted to write but rarely find the time? Are you unsure how to get started, or are you struggling to keep going? Come to the Writing Room, a supportive writing practice workshop, and watch your memories awaken, stories unfold, characters emerge, ideas take root, and notebooks fill. Each week we will write to prompts that inspire spontaneous, raw material, and we will be invited to read aloud our writing without comment or critique. You can count on getting the writing done in the Writing Room. Workshop IntensivesWORDS IN MOTION—A One-Day Creativity Workshop Writing is a physical act that connects the movement of our hand to the beat of our heart. Indulge your body and spirit—and ignite your imagination—in a one-day creativity workshop that combines writing with movement, composition with choreography. The workshop begins with a warm-up that is guaranteed to get you—and your pen—moving. We will go on to complete a series of short, spontaneous writings inspired by guided prompts. Then we will move into creativity clusters to put our words in motion, incorporating simple stretches, yoga poses, modern dance postures, pantomime, improvisation—whatever moves us in the moment. No experience is expected in dance or writing. THE WRITERS' CIRCLE—A Weekend Writing Retreat |
