SUMMER’S END, FALL’S PROMISE
Try Before You Buy Opportunities with Writing Classes
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This newsletter is a long time coming. I haven’t really been inspired, though, since the beginning of August, I’ve been ruminating on the shift in the energy of summer. The intense activity, even if we’re on vacation, as well as the ripening and flowering and fruiting around us, all speaks to the power that brings things to fulfillment and brighten our lives – whether it’s gardening, sports, recreation, visiting with family and friends. Of course, work doesn’t stop, and for many of us, the rhythm of summer’s end makes many of us think of going back to school and starting new projects.
The promise of fall is the chance of new beginnings, with the autumn equinox, finding balance to redirect our energies and perhaps recommit to projects. I’ve recommitted to revising my novel. During the summer, I still continued my personal challenge, writing daily 2 hours a day – something I’ve done for over two years now. As I’ve discussed in my newsletters and in my 21 Day Challenges, writing regularly increases the quality and quantity of the writing.
But this summer, I took on a different challenge – responding to a call for stories for a mystery anthology and a call for a flash fiction piece (about 500 words). It was great to have a change and to work in different genres with topic and word count constraints. In addition to the experience of writing and editing the pieces forced me to develop strategies which I’ve brought back to my novel revision.
Writing generates more writing. And having goals and challenges, whether internal or external, can help your craft. Working on smaller projects, particularly with a chance to be published, is a great way to establish yourself as an author.
If this is interests you, start looking for calls and contests. Caveat emptor – buyer beware: be careful to vet the organizations, and preferably participate in free and low cost competitions. (There have been scams where money is collected and no awards given or stories published.)
Here are two: free FracturedLit for flash fiction and Reedsy Weekly Writing Prompts with $5 entry fee, potential win $250. (I’ve talked about Reedsy as a source of free and fee resources for writers.)
What writing challenges will you take on this fall?
Ellen
P.S. Try before you buy: For those in the Albany, NY, area, you have a chance to try before you buy with two of my fall in-person BCSD Writing Workshops, Intensive Writing Workshop and Advanced Writing Workshop. I’m offering sample classes through the Honest Weight Education Program. Get a taste of the topics and activities the full-length workshops will cover.
Monday, 9/8: Writing 101: Intensive Writing Session 6:30 – 8:00pm
Thursday, 9/11: Writing 2.0 Advanced Workshops: Word Choice 6:30 – 8:00pm
Monday, 9/22: Writing 101: Memoirs, Personal and Family Stories 6:30 – 8:00pm
Thursday, 10/2: Writing 2.0 Advanced Workshops: Style & Rhythm 6:30-8:00pm
an Adriatic vista
FALL WRITING WORKSHOPS WITH ELLEN – Full descriptions
All workshops are in-person in the Albany, NY area.
Writing 101: Intensive Writing Session
Monday, Sept 8 6:30-8:00pm, Community Room, HWFC
Writing generates more writing. Take your writing to the next level with this session using techniques to deal with issues writers confront, including facing the blank page, building writing skills, and finding their voice. Whether you work in fiction or nonfiction, this class can inspire and improve your work.
Writing 2.0 Advanced Workshops: Word Choice
Thursday, Sept 11 6:30-8:00pm, Community Room, HWFC
What’s in a word? Everything! Word choice matters, whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction.
Using the wrong word has been identified as the prime error most likely to attract a readers’ negative attention. For word choice, a writer needs ask: is this the word I really want to use, or is this the best word I can use to express my ideas? The detonation of a word, its explicit or direct meaning, is important, as well its connotation, or the idea or feeling the word invokes. The task of choosing the right word rather than the wrong word is part of the revision process. In early drafts, we’re working with “approximations,” “near synonyms,” and “almost-right words,” while “converting inexact words to precise ones remains a critical part of revising our drafts” (Norquist).
Using the right word not only effectively communicates your ideas to the reader, but has the power to evoke emotions, memory, and senses to convey a scene or passage.
Writing 101: Memoirs, Personal and Family Stories
Monday, Sept 22 6:30-8:00pm, Community Room, HWFC
“What could be simpler to understand than the act of people writing about what they know best, their own lives? But this apparently simple act is anything but simple, for the writer becomes, in the act of writing, both the observing subject and the object of investigation, remembrance, and contemplation.”
~ Sidonie Smith and Julia Watson, Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives
Some say humans are “wired” for story, we create and tell and pass on stories that are familiar and that serve as a way to make sense of the world, as well as to entertain. Many writers want to relate personal anecdotes, record autobiographical sketches, or preserve family histories for their children and grandchildren. These stories are important to you and to your family, and can also be helpful to others, whether as a family history, a personal essay, or a memoir. Recording them is the first step. This workshop is focused on helping participants learn skills to craft compelling personal narratives and to transform personal experiences into engaging stories that resonate with readers.
Writing 2.0 Advanced Workshops: Style & Rhythm
Thursday, Oct 2 6:30-8:00pm, Community Room, HWFC
What is your style? Style is a personal or an individual way of writing. It can also convey the overall impression of a piece of writing – from plain, grand, pompous, or official. Speaking is intuitive, but writing is a learned behavior. You can discover your own style by writing regularly. You can also employ variations in sentence structure and punctuation for rhetorical effects. This class will take a close look at word order, grammar, and mechanics—stylistic options consciously chosen by writers. Participants will also experiment with devices and constructions that combine sentences for rhythm and effect. Learn how you can use style to your advantage in communicating your ideas and conveying your vision.
ADVANCED WRITING WORKSHOP, starts Thursday, October 9, 6:30-8:30pm
Designed for writers with a foundational understanding of writing to deepen their skills and explore more complex techniques. Analysis of published works for advanced methods, such as narrative voice, tone, and pacing, and exercises and short assignments will aid in refining work and developing a unique and polished writing voice and style. Open to people with previous writing workshop experience. (8 weeks)
Registration is through the BSCD Continuing Ed Program. Late registrations accepted, but space may fill up if participant limit is met.
INTENSIVE WRITING WORKSHOP, starts Monday, October 20, 6:30-8:30pm
Writing generates more writing. Take your writing to the next level with this session using techniques to deal with issues writers confront, including facing the blank page, building writing skills, and finding their voice. Whether you work in fiction or nonfiction, this class can inspire and improve your work. You’ll be able to focus your own project, using techniques to increase the quality and quantity of your writing. (8 weeks)
Registration is through the BSCD Continuing Ed Program. Late registrations accepted, but space may fill up if participant limit is met.