My Writing Workshop

I've been asked to conduct at least one (maybe more) writing workshop at the Community Access Centre in Blackville this fall. This is something new for me. I gave a workshop to a bunch of kids doing a print magazine at the Fellowship Centre about a dozen years ago . . . I did an exercise once during a presentation at the Mighty Staff Meeting . . . but other than that . . . I've taken a lot of workshops.

If ever I'm going to become sustainable as a writer I'll have to give workshops. That's just the way it goes. Workshops, readings, sales go hand-in-hand. So this is as good a way to practice as any other. It will be a volunteer gig for me, a free workshop for participants. But if I could get my confidence level up in this area then this would be something I'd have that I could market and sell.

So I'm looking at a 2-3 hour gig some evening or on a Saturday (probably on a Saturday given that I'll have to go home to do it, but whatever works). Basically I gave the co-ordinator three different areas that I'm confident I can undertake and asked her to pick the one that would appeal to the most people. These are the choices I gave her:

1. Creative Writing This would suit people who are interested in writing fiction or poetry, whether it's sci-fi, romance, writing for children, rhyming poems or free verse, song lyrics, etc. Anything creative like that. The session would focus on getting started, learning the basics. We'd do some writing exercises to stimulate their creativity. These would be exercises that help generate new ideas for stories, characters, poems, etc. and they'd be able to take this knowledge home and use it too. I'd also touch on things they need to know in order to get published. Tips & tricks. And in keeping with the Access Centre theme we'd take a look at literary ezines, eBooks, and serial publishing online.

2. Non-fiction This would be good for people who want to write but they're more into essays than fiction or poetry. It would also be good for anyone who owns a business because this could be a way for them to generate their own free publicity. In this session I'd talk about how everyone can write articles, especially for online publications like Bread 'n Molasses and other online magazines. Everyone has a speciality. We'd do exercises to determine what their areas of expertise are and then narrow it down to a single topic for an article. I'd teach them how to structure an article, how to write it, and what to do once it's written.

3. Life Writing This is wide open as far as who might find it interesting because life writing is for everyone. So basically this would be good for anyone who has any interest in writing, and publishing as well I guess. Life writing can be journaling or blogging, memoir, etc. We'd look at how everyone has a story. Nobody's stories are the same and no story is ever wrong. How life writing can be therapeutic. We'd do exercises to help them get started, finding their voices, unlocking memories, etc. I could teach them how to set up their own blogs. Discuss turning a blog or journal entry into a personal essay for publication in an ezine. And take a look at when blogs become books or eBooks (and even movies!)

I'm not rooting for any one in particular, I can get equally excited about each topic. I guess I'll have to wait and see which one she thinks will fly. So readers from the Blackville area the big question is . . . would you take any of these workshops with me leading them? They are free afterall. Any of them sound interesting at all? Or are these synopses too vague? Comment people, comment.

Mood: Upbeat
Drinking: Coffee!! Give me Coffee!
Listening To: Bob Seger, Turn the Page
Hair: I'm calling the salon today . . . really I am