Did you see it last night? In Santa Monica it was coming in and out of clouds. I was emailing to friends who were also watching it, and it seemed like this wonderfu community event. And it was! Another community event this weekend was all the amazing people who showed up Saturday for my writing…
Literally (UCLA Writers Studio instructors above in an elevator) and the process: up and down. I wish writing could be all ups – but there are more bottom floors, if not basements, in writing than soaring to the heights of inspiration. However teaching in the Writers Studio last week was all ups. The biggest thrill…
(writers retreat 2011- ) The 2012 Writers Retreat is this weekend in Lake Arrowhead and I'm excited about working with the writers who are attending. Three days of gorgeous fall weather in the mountains and nothing for them to do but write or read or hike. Also the meals are fabulous at the UCLA Conference…
I just got back from a terrific weekend teaching at the Central Coast Writers Conference in San Luis Obispo. Hundreds of enthusiastic participants and a whole bunch of writer friends who were conducting workshops. Old friends, including Victoria Zackheim and new friends including Mara Purl (above). Jack Grapes was the inspiring key note speaker and…
If you live near the central coast of California please come to the Central Coast Writers Conference September 21-22 at Cuesta College. I'll be there talking about writing the stories of your life (the genres, the fears etc.), and also about writing the personal essay. My friend and fellow instructor at UCLA Extension Victoria Zackheim…
I got Kicking In the Wall off to my editor in time for my deadline. (I love deadlines – they organize the mess of writing.) When I pushed the Send button I felt very optimistic about the whole thing. I'd done my best, it could be a useful book for writers, etc. and I…
On Saturday June 9th, 9:00 to 3:00, I'll be conducting a writing workshop for women through the YWCA in Santa Monica entitled "Defining Your Future". (Barbara Clark teaches the second part of the workshop the following day.) Writing is a way to understand yourself and to define your own life, your goals,needs and wants. Whether you…
Here's my current Writers' Program class: Advanced Non-Fiction – and oh, what a talented bunch of writers they are. Some are getting published (more about that later) and all have memoirs or essays in progress. In the fall I'll be teaching Writing the Healing Story, and in February at the four day intensive Writer's Studio:…
Vivian Gornick believes that you cannot teach people how to express themselves in a dramatic way or how to find structure for a memoir, but that you can teach them how to read and how to judge a piece of writing. Which of course translates into judging their own writing as well, and with…
The fear of going back into your past – reliving trauma or grief – sometimes can block writing about the most important part of your story. Carl Jung made the comparison of James Joyce and his daughter, who was schizophrenic, as two people in a river – the daughter was falling and could drown and…
