3rd Annual Writing in the Garden
Click here for the flier – Writing in the Garden I am excited to announce our 3rd annual Writing in the Garden retreat. The class will take place on Tuesday, August 28, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the home of Bev A’bear in Brainerd, MN. My sister, author Candace Simar, will co-teach this year! The morning sessions will cover “Writing Beyond the Cliche” in scene, description and dialogue. After a break for lunch (bring a bag lunch) Candace will tell us about her publication journey (she has authored four historical fiction books). Later in the day, we will share our best writing tips! It will be a packed day and a great value at only $45. Click on the link above to get all the details and see our schedule for the day. Space...
Read MoreThe Most Important Component of a Memoir
While attending my MFA program in Boston, I loved listening to one of my fellow students talk. Kerry had attitude, spunk, and a distinct voice which I could easily identify. The first week of school we workshopped one of her memoir pieces. She had written a story about growing up in her large family. Her setting was perfect. The story was interesting. While the class discussed her work-in-progress, I wanted to speak up but was intimidated by the intelligence in the room. I kept waiting for someone else to say what I was thinking. After the class had ended, with no one having spoken my thoughts, I walked up to Kerry in the crowded hallway and said, “I love listening to you talk. Your personality really shines through.” She thanked me for the...
Read MoreReading and Writing Memoir
I’m surprised when a student admits to not having read many memoirs. Can you imagine a mystery writer who doesn’t read mysteries? I think anyone attempting to write a memoir should read memoirs — lots of memoirs. If you can’t read the entire book, at least delve into the first pages and analyze the style of the author. Present tense? Past tense? Does the author jump directly into the inciting incident? What is the story about? What is the structure? What does the voice sound like? I just completed reading the memoir, The Rules of Inheritance, by Claire Bidwell Smith. If you are struggling with structure in your own memoir, Smith has a very concise way of placing the reader in time. She uses a simple note under the chapter number (i.e. Chapter One, 1996, I’m...
Read MoreTake a Summer Writing Class!
I love to take a summer writing class to recharge my batteries. If I have time to do some traveling, I always enjoy the Iowa Writers’ Workshop (www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/iswfest) with classes taking place in June and July. Iowa City is about a six hour drive from Minneapolis and there are many nice hotels near campus to stay in and a great selection of classes. I’ve heard some great things about the writing classes offered at Madeline Island. Here’s the link for their catalog: http://www.madelineartschool.com/Classes_detail.cfm?recordno=15&Product_CatalogID=226&ProductNumber=WCWJO081213&ProductCode=49&NewProduct=0 If you don’t have time to travel a long distance, check out the summer classes at the Loft Literary...
Read MoreSummer Loft Classes
I love to take a summer writing class to recharge my batteries. If I have time to do some traveling, I always enjoy the Iowa Writers’ Workshop (www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/iswfest) with classes taking place in June and July. Iowa City is about a six hour drive from Minneapolis and there are many nice hotels near campus to stay in and a great selection of classes. If you don’t have time to travel a long distance, check out the summer classes at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis (loft.org). I’ll be teaching my favorite class, Beginning Memoir: Finding the Story, on Saturday, July 14th from 1:00-4:00 p.m. You will find the Loft’s one-sessions classes are a great way to learn in a short period of time. If taking a class at The Loft...
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