Imagine being able to write without interruption from the telephone, your job, and other distractions. Then visualize being surrounded by music, nature, beautiful buildings and artists from many other disciplines. Sound like writer's heaven?
I am excited to be teaching a week-long class in creative writing this summer for the Augusta Heritage Series at Davis & Elkins College in Elkins, WV. This is an opportunity to focus on your writing in a scenic, relaxed mountain setting. Join me July 20-25th during Irish/Celtic Week. After class you will enjoy evening concerts with world-class musicians, singing circles and jam sessions. Come write, relax, and be renewed!
Here is the class description:
Creative Writing:
Find creative inspiration in the peaceful surroundings of Augusta. Writing from prompts, field trips and discussion will highlight this week-long course. The work of Appalachian writers will be a springboard for daily activities that include class discussions, reading work for coaching, and opportunities to explore a variety of writing forms and techniques. Open to writers of all skill levels.
And here is the class letter for those who plan to attend:
Creative Writing with Susanna Holstein
Class Level: Novice to Advanced: Novice - interested in
experimenting with creative
writing, possesses average writing skills. Advanced - has
been published but wants to
jumpstart their creativity with new prompts and styles.
Greetings! Welcome to Creative Writing.
We will be exploring a variety of ways to jumpstart your
writing this week. We will explore
poetry, essays, memoirs and fiction writing with a variety of
readings, exercises and
prompts designed to inspire and intrigue. This class is for
the Novice who might never have
written a creative piece but has interest in the topic to
the Advanced writers who may
already have been published but is looking for new
inspiration in a relaxed setting that
encourages reflection and engagement.
Teaching style and what I plan to cover: This class will be
informal in structure, with
daily readings and discussion of excerpts from the work of
contemporary Appalachian
region writers in addition to active writing, sharing and
revision of our work throughout
the week. Active participation in class discussions,
coaching and feedback will be expected
and anticipated. Time in the classroom will be interspersed
with short walks for
observation and close inspection; there will also be daily
and quiet time for writing.
Folklore, history, family, relationships, nature, prompts
and brainstorming will provide the
fuel for our writing challenges.
Supplies each student should bring to class: Come prepared
with writing tools (paper
and writing implement, or your preferred electronic device)
and an active imagination and
willingness to explore the works of writers from the
Appalachian region.
Preparation work that should be done, if any: Familiarity
with the work of writers and
poets such as Maggie Anderson, Silas House, Laura Treacy
Bentley, Kirk Judd and others
from the Appalachian region is helpful but not mandatory.
Students are encouraged to
bring work by favorite writers with them for sharing during
class as time permits.
This
class is intended to spark creativity and to produce at least one new piece or writing
per day by each participant, with the hope that further revision and refinement will take
place after the week is over.
Coaching by group members will provide supportive feedback
without criticism for work that will naturally be “new-born.” The coaching method we
will use allows the writer to control the amount of level of feedback so that the process
is non-threatening and encourages the writer to dig deeper into his/her work for
further development.
Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.
Sounds wonderful. Enjoy!
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