OPL & HWG Writing Workshops, June 10, 2017

June 10, 2017 – Workshops with Nora Zylstra-Savage

Nora Zylstra-Savage

Nora is the owner of Storylines which is an organization that promotes personal self-worth and community appreciation of individual life stories and experiences.

These writing programs and workshops assist individuals and groups in listening, sharing and documenting their personal life stories. Nora provides memoir and creative writing courses, recording and content editing services for the past 20 years.

Nora has created and currently facilitates intergenerational memoir writing programs with well, frail and seniors with dementia working with high school and middle schools for the past 14 years. The program is called Bridging the Gap, Intergenerational Memoirs. These programs encourage seniors and youth to discuss and compare their life stories and are captured in different media.

Nora brings enthusiasm, humour and sensitivity to all art forms.

(from Storylines website www.myhousememories.com)

Beginner Group 10am - Noon

·         Group members who attended:   Patricia, Diane, Don

Agenda:

Warm Up

Show – Don’t Tell

(break)

Writer’s Block

Closing

Patricia and Diane both chatted about the Writing group before we got into the workshop.

Warm up: 

We took 2 (or more) words from a box and did a rapid write for 8 minutes. Those words are triggers that bring out ideas, memories, or thoughts. We used them to write a piece either from a memory or made up.

When we were done, we went back and underlined lines from our piece that we liked to see what has come up in our writing. Underlining makes you focus on a word or phrase that could be a jumping off point for a new piece or even in a current piece.

Something else may come up while we wrote and we don’t recognize it until we go back and read over our words.

Show – Don’t Tell:

“Nice” is a label, but is it a nice look, that you treat someone well, that someone takes you out?

What does it MEAN? PROVE IT – give an example.

Write so your reader can FEEL it. Externalize emotion so your reader can see what your character is going through. Give emotion physicality.

If you can’t express it, ROLE PLAY the emotion. How do YOU react?

For example:

Excited:  arms in the air; hands clenched and arms clutched to chest; bright eyes; eyes closed tight or scrunched; skin red; jumping up and down; sweating under arms, lips, brow; squealing; kicking feet; licking lips.

Nervous: wringing hands; wipes hands on pants; toys with fingers, hair or jewelry; biting nails; holding stomach; heart racing; shaking hands, fingers, legs; breathing shallow; short breaths; voice uneven; stuttering; tapping fingers or toes; sweating at brow; eyes downcast; eyes darting; no focus; clearing throat.

Sad: head forward, chin to chest; gaze at floor or away; no eye contact; sighing; blinking away tears; cough to keep from crying; drifts away from others to be alone; hugs arms around body; slow moving; eyes red; face red; sniffling; moaning; holding breath; can’t speak; tears; head in hands; body hunched over; food tastes like soggy cardboard; licking lips; clearing throat; don’t see color; falling to knees; downturned mouth.

More specific wording gives readers stronger emotional responses.

Should be able to reach conclusion about character’s mood by descriptions.

BE SPECIFIC – adds to your writing. Add in the pet’s name, woman’s name, place (where are they?), date, time period, age, description, items.

Writer’s Block:

How to get past it:

·         Rapid write

·         Word box “words”

·         Tv shows or books “lines”

·         Write everyday

·         Headlines

·         Storylines or Dr. Phil issues/themes

·         Visualizations

·         Conversations

·         Music

·         Sounds effects (purpleplanet.com – royalty free music and sound effects)

·         Imagining – “what ifs”

·         “phrases”

·         Memorabilia – objects. What is the story behind them?

·         Passions; what Annoys you?

·         Photos

Always as “so what?” & “why?”

Slow the moment down. Flesh out the emotion. Ask questions. Write specifics. Show.

  

Intermediate Group 1pm – 3pm

            HWG Members who attended:  Clare, Judy, Don, Sonja, Patricia, Diane, and Nancy

Agenda:

Intros

Warm Up

Clustering

(break)

Dialogue

Closing

We had a brief introduction to everyone and talked a little about the writing group.

Warm Up:

We took 5 words from the box and used them to rapid write for 8 minutes. We could use the words individually or as one overall concept or central idea.

Rapid writes – short bursts of writing (8-10 minutes in length) that help to see what’s inside you.

Can be from prompts /music/words.

Don’t get too attached to it, you can toss or keep it, or keep some of it.

Underline words or phrases as spring boards to deeper work. What came up for you?

Memoir writing – easiest to do 10 minute memories.

Read our pieces to our neighbour.

Clustering:

A great way to get out of the box. Starts with a single word. From there, draw a connecting line from it to connect to a new word. For example:

Blue—sad—tears—wet—pain—umbrella

Blue—sky—clouds—looming—foreboding

From there, you can choose the longest thread and use all the words in once piece. You can also select random words to use for rapid writing or the last words in all the lines for different effects and possibilities. Or just close your eyes and pick words at random.

Dialogue:

Purpose:

·         Move the story forward. Can set the scene by having characters comment on surroundings and time period. Provides additional information about events, characters, location, etc.

·         Characterization. Gives depth and understanding to characters through their speech and inner thoughts. Insight into relationships – what is and is not said.

Rules:

Prune away dull bits, repetitions, everyday talk. Keep only the essence.

·         Create interesting, informative exchange between characters

·         Try not to use dialogue too often – it loses effectiveness

Dialogue modifiers – “she/he said”

·         Between two people, only one takes the modifier and only every so often

·         She/he said should be used ¾ of time

Descriptive modifier – she shouted, exclaimed, moaned, etc

·         ONLY use descriptive modifier when it is needed to show how it is said.

·         What is said is usually more important than how it is said.

Gesturing and action – physical action to create a mood, look or tone of voice

·         Use to portray a character, to develop mood in the story, emphasize a dramatic moment, or a pause between dialogue

·         Gestures and dialogue should match, avoid too many, they should have a purpose

Narrative – intersperse short narrative to create a more realistic conversation versus a question and response scenario.

Exercises:

1.      Create a scene/ dialogue in a restaurant between a couple about a recent trip that one of them has taken.

a.      Use dialogue modifiers and gestures and action as needed to create a tense or angry mood.

b.      Use the columned paper – ONLY write in the centre column with “External Dialogue”

c.       SHARE

2.      NOW… use the other two columns for “Inner Dialogue”

a.       Label column on the right for your first person

b.      Label column on the left for your second person

c.       Write “inner” thoughts and feelings for each person as the “outer” dialogue takes place.