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Course Descriptions
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
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. 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.
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 a way to
preserve, publish or pass on your stories, Lisa Garrigues will show you how to write from the text
of your own life in the pages of a writer's notebook. Her time-tested method of daily "writing
starts"—words and phrases designed to jumpstart your writing—will give you a set of footprints to
follow onto the blank page.
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 |
