|
 |
Every story is made from a basic recipe, and
while cake is cake and bread is bread, your secret spices and little
tricks are what really snap at the taste buds and tempt your reader for
a second helping. "Wow!" Can I get the recipe?" They
ask. Well, you know as well as they should: you can give them the
recipe but no one will ever make it as good as Mom's, so to
speak. So Mama, what's the difference? Everybody's following the
same basic ingredients: plot, character, setting development,
beginning, middle and end. At an Amicus Books Wordshop, you will
learn to refine your meta-cooking— your skills and intuition to create
that something special that will keep them coming back for more
|
There are a wide variety of wordshops available throughout the
year. Below are a list of current projects for all age
groups and needs. All Wordshops are held at Amicus Books in the
Literary Lounge. For dates, times and registration, click on the "more
information" link below the wordshop description.
ALL wordshops require pre-registration to attend.
Creating the Life You Want Through Journaling (achieving your goals) ---
Unlocking Your Literary Genius (creative writing) ---
The Art of Transforming a Life into Stories (family history) ---
Memior Writing with Publisher Susan Luccini ---
Origami Zone (introducing young people to creative ideas) ---
Grant Writng: An Introduction ---
The Secret Wordshop (setting and achieving your goals) ---
The Nuts and Bolts of Writing (to get published) ---
Online Wordshops (various classes) ---
Creating the Life You Want Through Journaling---
 The
blank page of a journal is a canvas for your personal creative
expression. The rich palette of your everyday common thoughts are
a creative source of healing which can open the realm of your own
unlimited personal potential. Journaling is a way of moving past the
known into the quiet, yet very active realm of the yet to be.
Research has shown that writing your feelings ideas and goals on paper
can reduce stress by allowing for a positive outlet on which to build
new possibilities.
In this course we will introduce
you to ways in which you can examine your active unfocused inner self -
ways in which you can liberate creative energy and make room for
creative expression while learning to explore emotions and issues that
are holding you back.
Whatever you focus on, whether it is
positive or negative, it will show up for you. This wordshop acts
from the premise that “thoughts are things” and as such, they will
eventually materialize in your experience. What you think and
feel, you create into a physical and emotional reality. By
recognizing this process and choosing purposefully that which you think
about, and focus on, you will gain access to the quickest path to
discovering and attaining your true goals.
More Information >>>
Back to the top
Unlocking Your Literary Genius---
 The
force of two or three, or twelve; many minds sipping from the stars
like milk from the moon; the power of a group to extract the minutest
shred of art from the recesses of the human imagination; the
possibility that a run on sentence can be used to capture the
imagination and pull the most observant into a frame of joyful
expectation; we call that Unlocking Your Literary Genius.
Each week for 2 hours we will manipulate, tweak, slide into and
otherwise expand our creativity through a series of exercises including
visual games, automatic drawing and writing, story-telling and a
plethora of other awesome group activities.
Throughout the wordshops,
our goal is to focus on ways to:
>Utilize your curiosity
>Stimulate your perceptions
>Find inspiration in the smallest things
>Move past creativity blocks
>Recognize and use your creative potential
>Create as a group
>Unlock your creative literary genius
More Information >>>
Back to the top
The Art of Transforming a Life into Stories: Leaving a Trace ---
Patricia Hampl wrote,”To write about one’s life is to live it
twice, and the second living is both spiritual and historical, for a
memoir reaches deep within the personality as it seeks its narrative
form.” Transformation through the process of writing and the act of
reading is as powerful and accessible a tool as one could hope for. To
offer the benefit of experience to future generations is the greatest
gift one can offer.
Based on many intensive years of
journal writing experience and development, James & Kara Davis will
be leading “Leaving a trace,” an inspirational and practical process to
starting and keeping a journal/diary and transforming it into something
permanent. This promises to be a fabulous experience that will
culminate in producing a precious memoir that will be cherished for
generations to come.
More Information >>>
Back to the top
Personal Memoir and Family Histroy ---
Learn the skills you need to write your own personal memoir or family
history: interviewing, researching, writing, editing and private
publishing. Join Susan Luccini of SML Publishing, a professional
consultant
specializing in autobiographical and genealogical writing.
More Information >>>
Back to the top
Origami Zone ---
It’s a hot California day. Your 8, 9, 10 year old is
tired of playing video games (we know it’s a stretch but just hang with
us for a minute, this is going somewhere…) All you have heard all
morning is the high pitched whine of, “I’m bored. There’s nothing
to do.” Of course, you are screaming, “Calgon, take me away!” But
that is for another era. You are in the new day. What is
the “new day” you ask? It is the Downtown Marysville
Renaissance. This is a new time when all your needs are taken
care of before you even ask.
How can this be? Well, let us take the example of the whining
children—we have an answer— The Origami Zone. An hour and a half
of Calgon like bliss for you; while your young ones explore the ancient
art of origami also known as Japanese paper folding.
Not only will they have the opportunity to learn about the high value
of recycling, they will also have a moment of creative writing followed
by a unique way to preserve their art like the ancients. All of
this takes place in a safe and secure environment of people with
patience, kindness and a sincere desire to make the experience a joyful
memory for your precious offspring. On the other hand, maybe
you’ll want to hang out and play too.
More Information >>>
Back to the top
Grant Writing: An Introduction
Successful
grant writing involves the coordination of several
activities, including planning, searching for data and resources,
writing and packaging a proposal, submitting a proposal to a funder,
and follow-up. An Introduction to Grant Writing is an experience
in hands on learning about the process of grant writing intended to
offer you help in attaining and appling the skills you need to write
successful grants.
More Information >>>
Back to the top
The Secret Wordshop
Everything
you have ever imagined about how you want your life to be is available
to you. Whatever you focus on, whether it is positive or
negative, will show up for you. This wordshop acts from the
premise that “thoughts are things” and as such, they will eventually
materialize in your experience. What you think and feel, you
create into a physical and emotional reality. By recognizing this
process and choosing purposefully that which you think about, and focus
on, you will gain access to the quickest path to discovering and
attaining your true goals. Based on The Secret DVD, each wordshop
will guide you to a
fuller inner knowledge and help you discover what you really want out of
life, how to pursue and achieve your goals.
More Information >>>
Back to the top
The Nuts & Bolts of Writing
Learn
how to get your work in front of a publisher. This is a basic,
submission-oriented class for writers who have either finished their
manuscript or are in the process of writing a book and would like some
honest, kind, helpful feedback from fellow writers.
More Information >>>
Back to the top
Online Wordshops ---
We are in the process of offering many of our
wordshops on-line. Please check back for more information and
wordshop availability. Or call the store to inquire.
Back to the top
|
