Are You Looking for a Smaller Writing Workshop? (In Portland.)
A workshop with room to focus on your work...
Hey there!
Two people have recently let me know that they would prefer a smaller workshop size. I understand.
Here it is! Now is your chance to jump in.
The beauty of a writing workshop being kept on the smaller side (4-5, instead of 8-9 or more) is that there’s more time to look at the work of each participant, more nights. It’s often possible to bring in work weekly, rather than every other week, for those who would like extra time, and to take a more leisurely approach to discussion. Let’s try it, see how it goes!
I have room for two more.
Where: In Portland, in person. Exact address to be given upon registration.
When: Monday nights, 6:00-8:30, approx.
Starting: 4/17
What to expect: Bring in pages of your writing, share them with a few others, receive valuable feedback, support the revision process and more deeply engage in writing, the process, to improve both the work and one’s engagement in putting words on the page.
Open to: Fiction, nonfiction, memoir, novels, short stories, essays, hybrid work.
Also: I’ll build in an opportunity for a reading, at the end. We had a great time at the last reading, and I can’t wait to showcase the work of those who are interested in sharing. Not everyone needs to take the mic, but I’d love to give you a chance if you’re up for it. We can sort that out over time.
I’m a workshop writer, from the start. As many know, I was Tom Spanbauer’s first workshop student back in the early 1990’s. There were a few others, but I was the first to stick with it. Later, in that workshop I met Chuck Palahniuk, Suzy Vitello and eventually (beyond Tom’s group) Cheryl Strayed, Chelsea Cain and Lidia Yuknavitch, along with so many others. We each have developed our separate voices while working together, considering the craft.
If I hadn’t found Tom Spanbauer’s workshop when I did, I may not have gone on to write three books, and so many essays and stories, or to have a full ride and a teaching position at one of the top MFA programs in the country.
What if there’s a night without pages?
I don’t expect this will happen—very likely, we’ll inspire each other to write and keep writing! But, if there is a lull in work brought to the table, I have stories we can look at together, which serve as examples and inspiration. I have ideas for craft discussions, and exercises if that feels like the right direction. I have twenty-five years of teaching experience, and tremendous enthusiasm, honestly. I love this stuff! I love writing, reading and considering how to make work better. I’d love to see you all find publication, if that is your goal. If your aims are more along the line of writing solely for yourself, for the process, that’s also admirable and enriches one’s life, one’s humanity. I’m all for it. Wherever we are in this moment, as writers and as creative people, we can work together and move forward.
A small workshop is a really cost-effective way to engage in very personal consultations.
I believe in workshop as beneficial in the moment of engagement—as a lovely, challenging and social way to grow, as writers in community—and in the big picture, as a way to enrich the process, develop a strong sense of audience, try out various forms and perhaps build a career. In other words, working together serves to expand our shared humanity in the moment, in a day, in an hour, and for a lifetime.
I hope to see two of you join!
Additional information here: Writing Workshop | monicadrake
xo
Hi Monica ~ is there still a space open? I’m definitely interested 🤗
P.erhaps after our chat on Monday this group will be just the ticket if there's still room by then.