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.
