The Powerful Narrative Workshop
This coming fall (September 16 – 20, 2013), my husband, novelist and fiction writing coach Bill Henderson will join me once again in presenting The Powerful Narrative, our innovative 4-day residency workshop. We’ll look at the common principles of good story telling that power the best narrative writing, regardless of genre. It’s a hands-on experience for fiction writers and nonfiction writers, at all levels of skill.
The Powerful Narrative Workshop
will take place at beautiful Wildacres Retreat Center in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.
We’ll be taking a fresh look at the elements of story, from both fiction and nonfiction perspectives, and showing how basic story elements power both types of narrative. Using lively writing exercises, we’ll explore character, setting, point of view, tone, and conflict.
We’ll also touch on the practical side of today’s writing life: your “platform” as a writer, and how to use low-cost or free web tools to build it.
We’ll learn by writing–lots of writing–and you’ll leave with plenty of fresh ideas, both for your current projects and the new projects you’ll discover in our intensive, deep-diving workshop freewrites. And at the end of the day, here’s what you’ll see…
The Powerful Narrative
Work on craft in the morning workshops–enjoy free time for writing and hiking after lunch, and meet before dinner for discussion and readings by group members–you.
This workshop fills quickly. To register and hold your place, click here.
Here’s what a few former participants had to say:
“It can’t be easy handling a group of easily bruised writers from early morning until late evening for the better part of a week, but you made it look a lot easier than it was. I was impressed, as I’m sure the other writers were too, by your ability to maintain concentration, recall important details, and offer non-threatening criticism . . . feedback that helped all of us sharpen our understanding of what separates powerful narrative from snooze material.”
Bill McCulloch,
Journalist and Editor“I’ve been delightfully surprised by how the workshop is already–and keeps on–triggering so many new ideas about ways to play with my memoir. I came away delightfully energized to work on a manuscript I hope is almost done–equipped with a wide array of new ideas I am eager to try.”
Carol Eckerman
Prof. Child Psychology, Duke University“This workshop has been both productive and enjoyable. I’ve come for two years in a row. I felt confirmed in my fledgling efforts as a writer.”
Jane Phillips
Therapist, Birmingham, Alabama“I have been in many focus/therapy/reading/ groups in my lifetime. Carol shows the best group leadership skills I’ve encountered.”
Carolyn Cooper
Prof. Nursing, U. of North Carolina
I'm happy to be part of this collection of personal stories, a collaboration involving over 60 teachers of memoir from around the world. The book is published independently by the Birren Center for Autobiographical Writing, through which the authors are certified to teach.
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An award winning collection of powerful stories about serving the many needs of elderly and indigent patients, as one of America's first gerontological nurse practitioners.
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William Buffett's short essays on nearly everything, arranged as an alphabet book.
Essays about one man's dimensional life including some of his favorite recipes.
