Explore the therapeutic benefits of writing with vulnerability while developing ideas for writing projects.
We will explore self-healing and cathartic storytelling through writing. We will look at our lived experiences to find meaning and wisdom through the expressive writing method, a well-researched practice that leads to creative expansion and healing narratives for adversity, trauma, grief, and loss. Participants will learn how to view creative vulnerability as an act of generosity to oneself and to others. On the first day, writers will receive instruction and start a rough draft of a personal story. On the second day, they will share their work and receive feedback. We will address questions such as: How do I write about sensitive topics without doing harm to myself? How do I know when I’m oversharing? What about the other people that are involved in the things I want to write about? How do I turn a raw journal entry into a piece for publication?
Live video conference: This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).
In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Idea generation
- Creative process
- Unraveling creative blocks
- Writing rough drafts
- Story development
- Ethical dilemmas
Time requirements
- 2+ hours outside of class
Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is designed for beginning and intermediate nonfiction writers who want to write about difficult topics while taking care of themselves and others.
If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.
