Writing Workshop Thursday 4 September 10:00am – Join us
Portuguese Somersault, published in 1934, is a travel story in the vagabond style by two eccentric Brits, Jan and Cora Gordon. I have been thinking about the September workshop and the stories we write, and this book came to mind. The book sits in the Portugal section of a bookshelf in my home. It is old with a fading red cover and bound. I must have picked it up at a car boot sale about 20 years ago. The married couple wrote an intriguing preface that conveys their voice. They were both artists and musicians. The preface illustrates several considerations we may choose to incorporate into our stories. In this case, the authors claim they avoided being drawn into mentioning politics, which, in itself, is a political act. What we choose to leave out of our stories is as important as what is included.
We, as writers, may leave out information that doesn’t directly contribute to the narrative’s or story’s core elements, such as plot progression, character development, or thematic exploration. This selective omission allows readers to fill in the gaps with their own imagination, making the story more personal and engaging, even satisfying.
All of this is a preface to: “Telling Our Stories” Writing Workshop which starts Thursday, September 4th. The monthly writing workshops, at my home on Monte Agudo, will begin at 10:00am.
This next series follows the successful six Spring workshops.
DM if you want more information, directions or want to join us.
Our focus for this workshop series is on understanding and expressing our stories, whether through memoir, fiction, or specific genres. The idea is to work with prompts designed to inspire creativity and help us uncover new angles in our writing. Together, we will explore different aspects of storytelling, sharing insights WIP progress. The first session will explore what we leave out and how and why we do that.
Summer Homework and Prompts
To prepare for our first session, I invite you to reflect on the summer homework.
The Accidental Activist: Imagine your protagonist as an ordinary person leading an apolitical, comfortable life. One day, they witness or experience an injustice that profoundly impacts them. Develop a story where they start naive, face challenges, build a community of support, and make a meaningful impact, even at personal cost.
How do their motivations and perspectives shift?
What lessons do they learn?
OR
The Lost Dream: Envision your protagonist with a burning passion for an art form, perhaps music, painting, dance and they abandoned this due to practical concerns. An unexpected encounter rekindles this passion. Create a story arc involving self-doubt, rediscovery, and integration of their art into life.
Consider key turning points, internal conflicts, and how their outlook evolves. Begin to write part of the story.
Feel free to expand on these ideas. There are notes from the first six sessions on Discord that may be useful.
Sharing and Future Topics
Please share your thoughts about future topics, ongoing WIP, or anything filling your creative spirit this summer. This is a supportive space for exploration, and connection.
Looking forward to seeing you all on Thursday September 4th at 10:00am. Get ready to share stories and inspire each other. Let’s make this a vibrant, creative journey.
Happy writing, Sue
Also check out other Workshops in Tavira, Arts events in Tavira, Literary Art events in Tavira.
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