Workshops can be designed for all ages, from pre-kindergarten through adults. They may concentrate on poetry, fiction, songs, short essays, journaling, playwriting, or a combination of more than one form. All of my workshops are designed to validate the personal experience of participants and to help them express themselves with freedom and confidence.

Workshops may range from a single, one-hour classroom visit to residencies of one to two weeks. I have also designed an eight-week course in creative writing for adults. A singing performance or reading may be added to any workshop.

Workshop fee range: $350 to $650 per day, plus expenses, according to the following schedule:

Single workshop session................................$350.00
Two sessions in a single day..........................$450.00
Three sessions in a single day........................$550.00
Four or more sessions in a single day..............$650.00

Readings and singing performances are negotiable.

Here are examples of some workshops I have conducted:

From the Inside Out: Your Own Story, Your Own Words: A one-day session that concentrates on making personal experience vivid, direct, and accessible. This workshop may be tailored to any age level.

Make Your Own Folk Song: Songwriting with History Writing a song about an event in history can bring history to life, making it memorable and personal. In this workshop designed for teachers, participants will learn to shape a collection of facts, images, and personal experiences into a song. Teachers will learn how to use and expand the workshop activities to help your students learn and preserve their local history through original songs. This workshop can also be presented as a two- to three-day workshop for children.

Elderhostel/Creative Writing for Adults: A five-day workshop to unleash creativity and hone writing and revising skills with readings, in-class exercises, and gentle critiques. See upcoming Elderhostel class listed below!

Kids in Print: A two-week workshop designed for beginning writers, culminating in a published collection - and a live performance - of young writers' poems, stories, and songs.

Murder, We Wrote: A one- to two-week playwriting and acting workshop for middle or high school students, also featuring actor/playwright Arla Ralston. Working collaboratively, students solve a murder mystery, write the final scenes, rehearse, and perform.

Sources of Song: A performance/workshop, conducted with singer/songwriter Julie Adams, that explores the many and varied sources of songs, from personal reflections to weird noises.

Download printable one-page brochure PDF file.

Upcoming Workshops:

July 27-August 2, 2009: Giving Voice: Songwriting at Ghost Ranch. You have songs inside you! Julie Adams and I will guide you as you craft your thoughts and experiences into shapely, melodic verses and choruses. We'll also spend time singing some lyrics we love -- from Holly Near to John Prine to Kate Wolf -- and learning to give voice to the songs that inspire us. There'll be songwriting exercises, lively group discussion, individual coaching, and lots of singing. If you've never written a song before, bring the first one into being. If you're already a songwriter, use this course to hone your craft. See the full class description and register by calling Ghost Ranch at 505-685-4333.

October 5-11, 2009: Read-Aloud Writing: Radio Essay Writing at Ghost Ranch. Learn to craft your own observations, opinions, and insights into succinct, memorable pieces suitable for radio broadcast. We'll spend some time discussing what makes a radio essay different from other forms of writing and performing. We’ll explore the many and varied inspirations for short essays — from childhood memories to pet peeves to passionate beliefs. We'll talk about how to approach your local radio station with essay ideas and audio samples, and how to record an essay in the studio. We'll listen to some great essays, gather ideas by using writing exercises, shape free writing into essays, read aloud — and revise, revise, revise. (Producing a polished two-minute essay may be one of the best editing exercises there is.) You'll leave Ghost Ranch with at least a few well-crafted essays and an appreciation for every precious second of airtime. See the full class description and register by calling Ghost Ranch at 505-685-4333.

October 18-23, 2009: From the Inside Out: Your Own Story, Your Own Words. A week-long Elderhostel program at Cedar Lakes Conference Center near Ripley, WV. Honor your personal story with vivid creative writing. You'll hear examples of luminous writing, respond to a writing prompts, share stories, and learn to clarify your writing. You'll gain new skills you can apply to personal writing in any form: journaling, memoir, poems, essays, even songs. View the class description and register online or call 1-800-454-5768 to register.

November 20-22, 2009: Women's Writing Weekend, Tygart Lake State Park. Spend a whole weekend nourishing your creativity in an intimate, beautiful setting at one of West Virginia's favorite state parks. We'll get acquainted on Friday night, spend lots of time writing and revising on Saturday (there may be time for hiking, too), and gather for a special evening of reading and sharing Saturday night. On Sunday, you'll go home with renewed energy for writing and some good exercises to keep you going. Package prices for the whole weekend (workshop fees, meals and comfortable lodging) start at about $175 if you share a room with another writer, about $230 for a private room.

Download a printable one-page flyer about the Women's Writing Weekend, or check Tygart Lake State Park's event schedule.