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The Story Arc Workshop Friday 27 June – 10:00am
Hello writers,Thanks for coming to the last five writing sessions, during which we have examined different genres, form, and structure. We will meet again to write on Friday, 27 June, at 10:00 a.m. (Note the time change.) This is the last writing session of six planned workshops. After this session, the group has agreed to meet once a month. Contact me for more information and directions to Casa Alexandra, near Santo Estevão. sue@suehall.net The topic on the 27th is Story Arcs. We will look at practical examples, such as Barbara Kingsolver’s Poisonwood Bible, which has a strong and impactful story arc. You are invited to consider your writing, create a…
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Developing dialogue and character
Join me for the fourth of six writing workshops. This session focuses on developing dialogue and character. Are you passionate about storytelling or memoir and eager to learn and improve your craft? We will consider ways to create compelling dialogue to reveal inner worlds. Dialogue is valuable in character development because it helps us identify mood, inner conflict, and more. In this session, we’ll explore: How to write dialogue that feels natural. Introduce body language and setting to add depth. Uncover the subtext of what characters are expressing beyond their words. Build atmosphere and mood through dialogue and description. Explore distinctive voices and emotional intensity to deepen the layers of…
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Memoir writing
I went to Monchique yesterday to a memoir workshop. I took this workshop about 15 years ago and although writing regularly I am reluctant to share memoir pieces. I took my laptop which is how I usually write and it was powerful to get so much down and out. So here are a few memoir workshop pieces. I won’t share the workshop process as I respect the effort and experience that has gone into preparing the content. If you enjoy these three short pieces let me know. I have written a novel where many memories pop up. Still going through and adding. I think memoir is an aid to writing…
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Blogging from A – Z
Most mornings I lie in bed thinking I should be writing. I feel guilty. This morning after making a fruity breakfast, I checked Facebook, and email, read the favoured online papers and avoided editing a story. I discovered another editing avoidance opportunity when I read about Blogging from A to Z. During April, participants write a blog post every day for 26 days. Sundays are free, hence 26 days. I think I will give it a go.
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Outline and Editing – Writing workshop – Monday 29 February
The upcoming writing workshop on Monday, 29 February 2:30 pm at Tavira library will consider the joint themes of outline and editing. Over the last few weeks, we have looked at scene, dialogue, description character and more. The last workshop focused on descriptive exercises within a scene. Some timed writing exercises were attempted, completed and shared. This next session will suggest ways of critically assessing our work and how to begin the self-editing process and also how to get help from a beta-group. When a professional editor first reads an author’s work, they try to tune into what is being said and reflect back to the writer an immediate emotional response and not…
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Dialogue workshop – Tavira Library, 1st February
Dialogue, I have been thinking about dialogue. Words spoken by imaginary characters have filled my head for two weeks. My cold and cough have blocked some of the voices, but today, the dialogue between two characters is a source of amusement. Josie Whistler, old hippy, owner of a festival food van has a lot to say. She talks to her dead mother. She talks to her dead sister. Her daughter wants Josie committed. I am aware Josie’s voice started during a writing prompt in ‘week one” of the Algarve writing workshops.
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January – writing workshops in Tavira
The “Writing in the Algarve” group held its first meeting of 2016 at Tavira Library. Monday’s (4th January) meeting looked at story, plot and theme. New members mingled with familiar faces. After introductions we went straight into the first writing exercise, a set scene, involving a psychiatric hospital, a windfall and an ill-tempered character. The task was to write for 5 minutes using this framework. The ideas that came through were spontaneous, lively and bold.
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Writing Workshops, 2016, in Tavira, Algarve
Starting on Monday, 4 January 2016, writing workshops will begin again at the library in Tavira. The theme for the first session will be Narrative, story, plot and content. Six, Monday afternoon sessions have been planned. We will meet every two weeks, so there will be plenty of time to digest information and to write.
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Writing workshop 3 – What’s next?
The third writing workshop was an opportunity to share progress, (or not), to play with words and to meet other scribblers and writers during National Novel Writing Month NaNoWriMo. We used a couple of writing prompts to get us into the flow. We met at our usual venue – Tavira library.The fourth writing session will be Monday 23 November at 2:30 pm at Tavira Library.
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Writing workshop 2 – Prompts and dialogue – Álvaro de Campos
Some excellent cultural activities, music, dance, theatre, related to the 125th Anniversary of Álvaro de Campos have continued in Tavira during October 2015. As part of the festival, local school students from the Biblioteca Esjac, Tavira, have produced artwork. They were tasked with creating images of Pessoa’s heteronym, Álvaro de Campos. Their creative efforts need to be acknowledged and memorialised. I have included a few at the end of this update.
