Writing and creativity workshops
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Writing your life stories
“We are important and our lives are important, magnificent, really, and their details are worth recording. This is how writers must think, this is how we must sit down with pen in hand. We were here; we are human beings; this is how we lived.” ~Natalie Goldberg What makes a compelling personal essay? And how do you turn your memorable experiences into marketable stories, a memoir, or an essay collection for your own book? On November 16 at 6:00 PM, I’ll be coaching “Writing Your Life: A Personal Essay Workshop” at the Royal Oak Public Library. Designed for new writers, this introductory workshop will cover the basic tools you need…
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September and transitions
“It is when we are in transition that we are most completely alive.” – William Bridges September is a month of transitions. A new school year begins; summer activities wind down. As the light changes and temperatures drop, we prepare our homes and gardens for winter. We begin to stock the pantry with everything we need for cool-weather comfort recipes. In one of my workshops, a woman remarked about the bittersweet aspects of autumn. She feels a little sad when fall comes, she said, despite the colorful beauty of the season. I knew exactly what she meant. A reminder of our own aging, late September prepares us for the changes…
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Poetry appreciation evening
“A good poem is a contribution to reality. The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it. A good poem helps to change the shape of the universe, helps to extend everyone’s knowledge of himself and the world around him.” ~ Dylan Thomas POETRY APPRECIATION FOR EVERYONE at the Blair Memorial Library in Clawson November 2, 6:30 – 7:30p.m. So you think you don’t like poetry? I’d love to change your mind. In my next one-night workshop, I’ll read favorite poems by a few contemporary poets that everyone will enjoy, including Billy Collins (former Poet Laureate of the U.S.), Mary Oliver, David Whyte, Jane Kenyon, Pablo…
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Lifelong learning
“No, this is not the beginning of a new chapter in my life; this is the beginning of a new book! That first book is already closed, ended, and tossed into the seas. This new book is newly opened, has just begun. Look, it is the first page! And it is a beautiful one!” ~ C. JoyBell C. For me, the best part of leading community workshops — in person again — is the privilege of spending time with fascinating people who want to keep growing. This fall, I’ve met many new friends who are ready to brush off the dust of the pandemic and reboot their lives. They’re ready for…
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“List Your Way to Self-Discovery” Workshop
“Listmaking is the road from unknowing to knowing. No guru necessary. No therapist. No special diet. No need to suffer. Memories deep in your consciousness will emerge to fill in the blanks.” ~Ilene Segalove and Paul Bob Velick, List Your Self: Listmaking as the Way to Self-Discovery “LIST YOUR WAY TO SELF-DISCOVERY” October 5, 2022 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM at the Royal Oak Public Library – Friends Auditorium Everyone makes grocery lists and “to-do” lists. But did you know that other types of list-making can boost your mental health and improve life satisfaction? Personal lists can serve as tools to empower and understand yourself, help solve problems, and even…