Alice Osborn » creative writing http://aliceosborn.com Write From the Inside Out Sun, 13 May 2012 23:42:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 What’s So Transformative About Transformative Writing Anyway? http://aliceosborn.com/writing/whats-so-transformative-about-transformative-writing-anyway/ http://aliceosborn.com/writing/whats-so-transformative-about-transformative-writing-anyway/#comments Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:03 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=2924
Today we welcome author Pat MacEnulty who currently hails from Charlotte, NC. Enjoy this post about transformative writing–multi-layered writing that not only can change society, but the individual. Pat will also be coming to Wonderland Book Club in March 2013.
I had tea with a poet yesterday afternoon at a local coffee shop, and he wanted to know what I meant when I spoke of “transformative writing.” He assumed it meant writing that would have a transformative effect on our society. I explained that was exactly what I meant–and more.

To me the transformation is multi-layered. The first layer is transforming experience itself into art. When we write, we are not writing in a vacuum. We base our work on the material we have at hand. And we transform that material — just as coal is transformed into fuel or pieces of highly-organized carbon are transformed into shiny diamonds — into something else. We dig the material out of life, or we find it abandoned by the roadside, or someone drops it in our laps. We put the various elements we have together in our own unique way, and voila we create a work of art. 

Secondly, the writer is transformed. When we investigate the raw materials of our art through the lens of a character, we see it differently. Even when we are writing memoir or personal essays or in our journal, we take the substance of life and hold it up to the light. We learn something. We explore, we discover. We may simply have a greater understanding about ourselves or our situations, or we may change at some very deep level within ourselves. For example, when I wrote about my father’s memorial service, I was still bitter about the way he had treated me and my brothers. I wrote about the details of the service, about the conversations I had with my brothers, about the walk along the beach that I took that morning with them. By the time I got to the end of the story, I understood that I may not have had much of a father but I had something better: I had these two wonderful older brothers who knew me and loved me and who shared my life. My bitterness was transformed into gratitude.

Third, the reader or listener is transformed. Stories shape us. They help us to know the world outside of our limited perspectives. We work our empathy muscles. Here is a piece that Jennifer Huang wrote at the Winter Writers’ Retreat at Sevenoaks:

Writing is telling Tommy (my best friend) my hellish weekdays and my rides to the park, sometimes to run and sometimes just to sit and stare; and anyways, running and staring usually leads to writing. Writing is telling him how I like the feeling of velvet beneath my fingers and the pressing of pianos. Writing is him telling me that his parents don’t pay attention at all. He speaks of his car rides to school, his friends endlessly talking about nothing at all. Writing is him telling me that he wishes for something more but cannot describe it. Writing is our friendship, meshed and tidied into a bundle of letters, some turning yellow and others crisp and white. It is the box beneath my bed, exploding with laughter and tears and frustration that can somehow be heard even as I try to avoid them.

As they write to each other, Tommy and Jennifer deepen the friendship between them. They are transformed with every letter they write and every letter they read.

The fourth, but not the final, layer of transformation is societal. It is the third level writ large. I meet so many people in my workshops who are working in the trenches of our society. They are the ones who witness. They work in Washington D.C. and travel through the labyrinth of a system designed to defeat the underfunded; they do environmental work and confront the daily destructions of the greed machine; they spend their days with autistic children and explore the effects of our toxic world; they know what it’s like to be abducted, to lose children, to be widowed, to care so much they bleed. In writing, they have a tool to educate, to transform others, to open our eyes and maybe crack open a heart here and there.

What would Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath have been without the final scene? That example of compassion in the face of desperation is one of the most moving scenes in literature. And I believe that the final scene where Rose of Sharon performs her act of kindness is the one that enabled this work of art to transform a country. The rest of the book opened our eyes. The final scene opened our hearts. 

The way we can get to that fourth level of transformation is to search our own lives for the intersections between the personal and the societal (or political). My friend, the poet I mentioned at the beginning of this essay, is interested in writing a book about what it means to be masculine. This is an important question in our culture as we evolve and as gender roles bend, stretch, and sometimes bounce back. For him, it’s also a personal question — one that he grapples with in his work as a therapist and in his own interactions with other men. 

There is one more layer of transformation that I believe is important — the spiritual level, which I will write more about next time.

In the meantime, here are some things to think about:

1. Make a list of the books, poems, essays, stories, etc. that you have found transformative. How did they change you? How did they affect your world view? What were the words, the lines, the passages, or the scenes that opened your heart?

2. Try the “Writing About What Matters” exercise. Where in your life does the personal intersect with the societal? This question was the impetus for me to write about taking care of my elderly mother. My personal situation was reflected in some of the questions I had about our society: How do we treat our elderly? What happens when someone no longer “contributes” to society in a tangible way? What resources are there for caregivers? How do we juggle all the demands on our time and attention? So take a look at your own life. What are your pressing personal concerns? Are these concerns that others have to face in some way? And how do our national policies and/or our society mores affect those concerns?

3. Interview someone! I interviewed Ina May Gaskin, the mother of modern midwifery. I had no idea how the medicalization of the birth process has affected the birth experience in such a negative way — even to the point of sometimes causing maternal deaths. You can read the interview in the January 2012 issue of The Sun Magazine. I later turned that information into this essay about that intersection of personal and public.


About Pat:
Pat MacEnulty‘s most recent title Wait Until Tomorrow: A Daughter’s Memoir has been nominated for the 2012 SIBA Nonfiction Book Award. Her other books include the novels From May to December, Time to Say Goodbye, Picara, and Sweet Fire as well as the short story collection The Language of Sharks. Her essays, interviews, stories, and poetry have been published in numerous magazines and newspapers, including The Sun and Gargoyle. Pat has delivered writing workshops at Esalen, Rowe Conference Center, the New York Open Center, the TWA Conference, Sevenoaks Retreat Center, and the San Miguel Writers Conference. She also speaks about writing at colleges, high schools, and libraries. Currently an Associate Professor at Johnson & Wales University, Pat holds a Ph.D. from the Creative Writing Program at Florida State University where she received a Kingsbury Fellowship and a University Dissertation Fellowship. The recipient of an Individual Artist Grant from the State of Florida, Pat is currently completing her book on transformative writing. She also blogs here about transformative writing.
]]> http://aliceosborn.com/writing/whats-so-transformative-about-transformative-writing-anyway/feed/ 0 Goodbye 2011! Here’s My Year-End Wrap Up http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/goodbye-2011-here%e2%80%99s-my-year-end-wrap-up/ http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/goodbye-2011-here%e2%80%99s-my-year-end-wrap-up/#comments Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:03:39 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=2614 All in all, 2011 was fairly decent with a few lows and many more highs. As we say “so long” to 2011 and hello to 2012, I felt the need to be self indulgent and review my year with you!   2011 was the year my book, Unfinished Projects published by Main Street Rag, debuted. I traveled about 5,000 miles this year promoting my book throughout the Carolinas along with visiting New York’s Book Revue Bookstore and the St. Louis poetry scene. I met so many fantastic people on all of my road trips, but my favorite gigs were in Charleston and Waynesville, NC. I don’t think I laughed so hard in Charleston after the Monday Night Poetry and Music show in April—ever. (I think it involved not getting caught on Spruill Ave, Hurricane Katrina and Star Wars tattoos—thank you, Aaron, Kevin and Katrina!) Waynesville (about 20 min west of Asheville) was also a trip and a half. My hosts from the Mountain Writers Club took me and my best buddy/honorary poetry roadie Jane to the Sweet Onion where the conversation was a lively as an electric eel. Stay tuned for more road trips in 2012 when I visit Columbia, SC, Asheville, Charleston and Hickory to promote my new book, After the Steaming Stops, coming out in March or April.   2011 was the year I cut my hair. I was so bored with my long hair and tired of strangers telling me I looked like Kathy Griffin, the comic. So I got my hair cut in mid-May. It was a good cut, but so…different. I couldn’t style my hair like before and my husband kept calling me “Prince Valiant.” Oy. The good news was that folks said I looked younger than my 29 years. I’ve got my hair now to about my shoulders after 7 months and I want to go long again. Another part of the good news is that I found a curling iron that keeps up with my style even in bad humidity and my long hairs don’t clog our sinks anymore.   2011 was the year I became a Reiki Level II practitioner. Reiki has helped calm me down—but only so much since as you all know I’m a very intense person. I’ll be training to be a Reiki Master this spring! I’m using my Reiki to be more aware and intuitive, plus with my hair growing longer, my intuition will only get stronger! (there’s a theory that the longer your hair, the better your psychic abilities)   2011 was the year I called 9-1-1 after my three-year-old daughter Erin severely sliced open the bridge of her nose when she jumped from the bathroom sink onto the edge of a plastic trash can. I guess she was practicing for a role in Spiderman? I remembered my health ed classes and kept steady pressure on her wound. She was cool with everything and found it interesting that her older brother practically fainted when he saw her five stitches. 2011 was also the year my son wandered into the deadly April 16 Raleigh tornadoes—I wrote a poem about it. He ended up safe but you should have been a fly on the wall when my husband, who was at work at the time, asked me where Daniel was and I said, “IDK!” and then he said, “Well, the roof of the Lowe’s in Sanford just blew off!” Daniel followed a neighbor with Chihuahuas back to her townhouse to ride out the storm. Oy vay.   2011 was the year I got Craig-Listed by my boss. I was the editor for a fledgling magazine for three months and the publisher (I use that term loosely) put my position up on Craig’s List with me still in the job! I quit the next business day. I have to say I met SO many awesome people in that position that it was worth the time. But I realized I don’t want to take a “jobby job”—I’m having too much fun as an entrepreneur where I set my own hours and have the opportunity to increase my income. Take this job and shove it!   2011 was the year I sang in public for the first time in 10 years. I got the singing bug back, so watch out! I want to take singing lessons next. 2011 was the year I gave blood again after 10 years. And 2011 was the year I took a humor workshop AND wrote and performed five humor-themed speeches. I used one of those speeches in my emcee duties at the CHERUBS Angels Masquerade Ball for babies born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), but I cheated since I made fun of Charlie Sheen the whole time.   2011 was the year I visited the Ozarks, Fort Smith and St. Louis for the first time with my husband. In St. Louis I saw my first cousin KC after 17 years! That was cool. 2011 was the year I took up running again and published a blog post once a week—do or die!   2011 was the year every single one of my dresses, save one or two, came from the boutique consignment store, Our Friends Closet in North Raleigh off of Durant Road in Falls River Town Center. 2011 was also the year of teaching fantastic writers in my memoir workshops, fiction editing workshops and blogging workshops (both in person and online)—may the knowledge continue in 2012! I taught poetry at the Nazim Hikmet Festival in April, sponsored by the American Turkish Association and the Town of Cary, and will return to teaching at the Festival this year as well. I do it to be invited to the crazy Turkish after-party, but please don’t tell anyone that!   Well, goodbye 2011 and I know 2012 will create a wealth of good memories and fun! In 2012 I’m going to keep posting my blog once a week, memorize a classic poem every month and practice my singing and comedy routine, along with writing some more riveting poetry—so watch out!   Your Turn:   How did you survive 2011? What are your promises to yourself for 2012? ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/creativity/goodbye-2011-here%e2%80%99s-my-year-end-wrap-up/feed/ 0 My Earliest Food Memory http://aliceosborn.com/writing/my-earliest-food-memory/ http://aliceosborn.com/writing/my-earliest-food-memory/#comments Mon, 03 Oct 2011 09:30:48 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=2324 Today we welcome back guestblogger, Ashley Acornley, RD, LDN to Write from the Inside Out. Ashley blogs at Fresh From the Farm, which is packed with useful information about finding nutritious and tasty farm fresh foods in your area.  Please check it out! Enjoy as Ashley shares her first food memory. For those who have read MFK Fisher’s The Gastronomical Me, the author describes her first food memory as eating warm peach pie with thick cream poured on top. Her father served this dessert to her and sister Anne while traveling back home after a trip to Los Angeles. She states that she does not remember what she ate, except for the peach pie at the end of the meal. She describes her food experience by saying, “Perhaps that is because it was the first conscious one, for me at least; but the fact that we remember it with such queer clarity must mean that it had other reasons for being important. I suppose that happens at least once to every human. I hope so.” I can relate to MFK Fisher with my own food memories throughout my life, because most of the time it isn’t the foods that are important to you, it is the people that you shared the foods with and the experience you had at that time. My earliest food memory dates back to when I was about four years old. My younger brother and I absolutely adored Christmas morning when we were children, and we used to get up really early in the morning and wake our parents out of bed in order to open up our gifts. My parents of course did not want to wake up as early as my brother and I did, so we were told that we could not open any gifts until breakfast was made and coffee was prepared. In the meantime, my brother and I would impatiently sit at the top of the staircase, staring down at the glowing Christmas tree in excitement with all of our mysterious gifts placed underneath the tree. My mother was always the first one to get out of bed, and while still in her pajama bottoms and white shiny Isotoner slippers, would carefully hurdle over my brother and I at the top of the staircase to start the coffee in the kitchen. At the time I did not drink coffee, but I can distinctly remember the strong, bitter aroma that encompassed the entire house and the sound of the coffee percolating into the pot. Then, my mom would reach into the refrigerator and pull out a cylindrical tube of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls. I know this may sound very trivial to others, but baking Pillsbury cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning has turned into a tradition since that year. I can remember the distinct “pop” of the can and the sound of the cardboard and foil unraveling in order to get to the dough. I can smell the vivid and sweet aroma of cinnamon and bread seeping from the oven for the short ten minutes they take to bake. Once the cinnamon rolls were finished baking, that was a sign to my brother and I that it was time to race downstairs and open up our gifts. I always waited until I finished unwrapping my presents to go into the kitchen and select a cinnamon roll to eat. I enjoyed savoring the smell of the rolls cooling off in the kitchen while opening my presents, and eventually the smell made me so hungry that my stomach would start to growl. I selected the largest cinnamon roll in the batch, and remember taking a blunt butter knife and spreading a heaping portion of gooey white icing on top of the roll, making sure to melt the icing into all of the nooks and crannies of the roll. To be honest, I do not remember exactly what the cinnamon roll tasted like at that time in my life, I just remember all of the events that preceded the consumption of my cinnamon roll on Christmas Day. From that year forward, the smell of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls baking in the oven and coffee brewing reminds me of Christmas Day.  Not only do I love the taste of cinnamon rolls, but I enjoy reminiscing about what that food represents to me. It brings me back to my childhood and being together with my family. It reminds me of when my parents were still happily married, and the biggest concern my brother and I had were the gifts underneath our Christmas tree. Just like MFK Fisher says, “When I think of that food, it is the people I see.” Although my mom cannot fully replicate the memories behind baking the original Pillsbury cinnamon buns now, she still continues to bake them every Christmas morning with a steaming pot of hot coffee, and I get excited to open my Christmas gifts once again. Ashley Acornley, RD, LDN Ashley is originally from Philadelphia, PA and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutritional Sciences with a minor in Kinesiology from Penn State University in August 2008. She completed her Dietetic Internship at Meredith College in Raleigh, NC in May 2010 and is currently working on completing her Master’s Degree in Nutrition. Ashley is also an AFAA certified personal trainer and has been training clients for the past four years. She enjoys staying active by participating in 5Ks, triathlons, and other competitive events. She also practices boxing, yoga, and strength training at her local gym. Besides physical activity, Ashley has found a new interest for cooking, baking, and visiting the local farmer’s markets in Raleigh. Ashley is especially interested in wellness and sports dietetics and enjoys teaching her clients how to stay healthy, motivated, and physically active! Ashley’s blog, “Fresh From the Farm,” can be found here Your Turn What are your favorite food memories and how could you turn them into material for your poetry/fiction/nonfiction/memoir?  ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/writing/my-earliest-food-memory/feed/ 1 Guestpost: The Art of War Book Review http://aliceosborn.com/book-reviews/guestpost-the-art-of-war-book-review/ http://aliceosborn.com/book-reviews/guestpost-the-art-of-war-book-review/#comments Mon, 27 Jun 2011 10:37:27 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=1948 Today we welcome back regular contributer, Dave Baldwin who will share his thoughts with us about Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. Thanks again, Dave! I first read The Art of War in 2009, when the library didn’t have the book I was looking for. I kicked myself for having not read it sooner. I had heard a lot of people recommend it, but I didn’t understand what it was. When I started to read the material, I realized that it has nothing to do with warfare – unless, of course, you’re at war. It’s an operating manual for solving any conceivable kind of problem. One might just as well call it The Art of Productivity, The Art of Writing, The Art of Dance, or The Art of ___________. Sun Tzu’s prose is elegant and simple, and the English translation reads with a soft, steady cadence. It is a fun book to read, and it really made me think. I consult it often when dealing with difficult problems. The first line that stuck with me: “One who knows when he can fight and when he cannot fight will be victorious.” I have only recently begun to appreciate the depth of this profound statement. Weighing my options against this statement has become routine and habitual for me since reading The Art of War. I often ask myself, “Can I win the battle I’m about to fight here?” To decode the metaphor and make it relevant, I will sometimes replace words throughout the text with more specific language, and it works like a charm. Here’s one example of how I applied the text to a challenge with my writing. I was coming up against self-doubt about the material I was creating and whether it really had value. The passage that I consulted: “In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy’s country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it…” I did a little bit of substitution: “In the practical art of writing, the best thing of all is to keep one’s self-doubt whole and intact; to overcome it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture a stream of negative thoughts than to suppress it.” I realized that Sun Tzu was right on the money. Trying to overcome my self-doubt might get me over a short hump, I saw, but I would never achieve lasting and permanent victory against it. Instead, I saw, I needed to use my writing to bring my fears and doubts into the open. This insight occurred early during the writing of a new book, which is still underway at this time. I started to write about the struggles I was going through, and the book came alive. I read a passage aloud to a few people, who all gave me very positive feedback. My writing was real again, and other people could find inspiration in it. In context, Sun Tzu was referring to the idea of taking over an opposing army. I realized that I could do the same thing with my own fears. I could take them over and use them as an asset in my writing. Sun Tzu’s manual is chock full of practical applications like this. I will continue to explore the depths of this book for the rest of my life, and I’m sure that I will manage only to scratch the surface a bit more. Don’t just read this book. Apply it. About Dave: Dave Baldwin is a writer who lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. He currently works for Bottom Line Internet Business Consultants, a local online marketing firm  
Your Turn:
How do you overcome self-doubt when it comes to writing? Any practical tips you’d like to share?     ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/book-reviews/guestpost-the-art-of-war-book-review/feed/ 0 Guestpost: Stephen King’s “On Writing” http://aliceosborn.com/book-reviews/guestpost-stephen-kings-on-writing/ http://aliceosborn.com/book-reviews/guestpost-stephen-kings-on-writing/#comments Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:35:52 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=1834 Today we have regular guestblogger Dave Baldwin to talk about Stephen King’s On Writing with us! *** After countless urgings from numerous friends (some writers, some not), I finally broke down and read On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. I’m glad I did, and I expect to give the book a second reading. As any King reader might expect, this book has great entertainment value in addition to the helpful tips that the seasoned author offers to aspiring writers. I read a handful of Stephen King’s novels as a teenager and throughout my twenties, including The Dark Half, Needful Things, The Dead Zone, The Dark Tower I, The Talisman, The Eyes of the Dragon, The Stand, and The Green Mile. I also read some of his novellas: The Sun Dog, The Library Policeman, The Langoliers, The Running Man, Rage, and The Long Walk. I always admired King’s unparalleled ability to foreshadow dreadful events, leaving enough uncertainty to keep me turning the page to find out what would happen next. King also did a masterful job creating raw, authentic characters: good, evil, and all shades in between. Naturally, I was eager to hear what King had to say on the subject of writing. King shares slices of his personal story dating back to his early childhood, and King’s prowess as a master storyteller shines through once again. He holds nothing back as he recalls the rough beginnings of his own writing career in a string of colorful and amusing vignettes. For one example, he recalls having accumulated a stack of rejection slips from magazine publishers that he collected on the end of a nail. He eventually had to get a bigger nail because the stack was so thick. King also recounts an incident where his school principal harshly rebukes him after catching him selling plagiarized manuscripts in the schoolhouse, suggesting that he needn’t be wasting his time writing. King covers all of the basics in this book, including character development, plotting, grammar, style, publication, and a handful of other essentials. He intermingles his personal story with these elements using real-life examples of the challenges he encountered while writing specific books. He also illustrates how real people and events in his life inspired characters in his books (such as Annie Wilkes, the deranged nurse who holds author Paul Sheldon captive in the silver-screen novel Misery). King makes it clear that while learning to write isn’t easy, it is accessible to anyone with a real desire to do it. I’ve always believed that writing is the sort of thing that most people either love or hate to do, and that an idle romantic fancy is not sufficient to motivate true success. King seems to agree with me on this score. In fact, his story seems to suggest that rising to greatness as a writer requires obsession with the craft. I’ve always supposed that this is probably true when it comes to being great at anything. Conclusion: while anyone can theoretically be a great writer, most people lack a sufficient yearning to do so. I consider myself primarily a business writer and aspiring novelist. I say “aspiring” because I have yet to complete my first novel. As such, I found On Writing a source of encouragement on several fronts. I made the commitment to write full-time in 2007, and I’ve experienced a roller-coaster of emotions as well as a temperamental muse that seems to come and go in fits and starts. By the time I was done reading On Writing, I found myself nodding my head in slow acceptance. The road ahead of me will continue to be long and bumpy – and I can honestly say “that’s just fine.” King helped me to realize that while some aspects of writing never get any easier, they do become more rewarding over time. That alone was enough to reinforce what I already knew: my passion for writing is worth as many decades of setbacks as it’s going to take. He successfully motivated me to dust myself off and keep at it. His story will motivate me to do so again. Caveat: Stephen King’s advice pertains mostly to novel writing. While I wouldn’t dare argue with a highly-successful author whose track record leaves mine in the dust, I might suggest that the ideas presented in this book might not bear the same relevance to other areas of writing. Also, the world of self-publishing has changed considerably since 2001 when On Writing went to press. Print-on-demand was non-existent back then. Therefore, you won’t find anything on that subject. Anyone with any serious interest in developing a writing career should read this book, regardless of field or chosen specialty. It has something for everyone. While techniques and strategies vary, the basics never change. If you’re sitting on the fence as to whether a career in writing is for you, On Writing will help you make up your mind. Pick up a copy and get started; it’s a quick read. Dave Baldwin is a writer who has lived and worked in Raleigh, NC since 2007. He has self-published two books: Pied Piper Entrepreneurship (2009) and Get That Book Out of Your Head! (2009). Your Turn: Have you read On Writing and if so, what was your experience with it? How did it help you get started? What do you remember best from this book? ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/book-reviews/guestpost-stephen-kings-on-writing/feed/ 1 Why I Teach Memoir http://aliceosborn.com/workshops/why-i-teach-memoir/ http://aliceosborn.com/workshops/why-i-teach-memoir/#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 03:40:47 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=1607 I teach memoir because I want to help others remember the past.  I want others to preserve their memories so no one’s left wondering what happened? Writing down the past provides a link, like a rope between the past and the future. Some people want to capture their stories to give something real and tangible to their grandchildren; others want to feel that their life meant and means something. Writing your memoirs can also teach you to stop cycles of abuse and give logic to highly charged emotions. Writing down your memoirs may not eliminate family secrets but it can create reckoning and growth. Memoir writing helps you control something in the present you weren’t able to control in the past and that is so powerful. I think it’s a shame that we cannot be witness to so many of our grandparents’ lives because they didn’t leave a record for their descendants. For instance, I hardly know anything about my French grandmother, born in 1895, died in 1995. My namesake. I know she could sew and cook and lost three brothers (or was it an uncle in WWI in Northern France?) but I don’t even know what she looked like before the age of 50. She didn’t like to have her pictures taken and my mother told me she burned all of her photos because she didn’t want anyone making fun of the clothes she wore back in the day. At least I had a chance to know her, while my younger brother probably only remembers a very old woman yelling at him in French. They didn’t have much of a relationship as he was 10 the last time he saw her, while I was 14. If she had written a letter to both of us or exclusively to my brother (who was named after her husband, my grandfather), my brother would have felt much more connected to his grandmother and she to him. On the other hand, my father’s father kept meticulous records and I have many of his framed postcards and ship paintings hanging in our house. He was a retired naval captain who served in Bremerhaven after WWII and commanded a ship in the Pacific during WWII. On the backs of the postcards and photos he lists where/when and who. He was a nonfiction writer who wrote for Naval Proceedings and in later years for the Op-Ed section of his local paper in Annapolis, Maryland. Because of Grandpa Osborn I have my childhood photos of me at age 3 and 5 from his mantle. My parents and I are estranged from each other and I don’t have any photos of myself that I didn’t take. So my grandfather’s photos of me are the only ones I have which I acquired after he died in 1998. When you write down your memories you’re also preserving them and you help connect others to your life. If you are interested in learning more about writing your memoirs and are ready to jump in, sign up for my “Sharing Your Story: A Beginning Memoir Experience” at A Place for Women to Gather in North Raleigh starting Tues. January 11th to Tues. February 15th (six weeks) from 11:30-1:30pm. No previous experience is required and all writers at all levels are welcome to join us. And don’t let the name fool you—gentlemen: we welcome you, too! Cost is $60, which is extremely reasonable—only $10 a 90 min class. You can register online HERE Looking forward to having you share your story with us!
Alice
Sharing your Story: A New Beginning Memoir Experience Location: A Place for Women to Gather, 8380 Six Forks Rd, Suite 201, Raleigh, NC 27615 Starting Tues Jan 11th through Tues Feb 15th  Duration: 6 weeks Suggested Donation: $60 Time: 11:30-1:30, participants bring their own lunch. Drinks and dessert provided. To Register, click HERE or email Alice or call Alice at 919-971-9414 ]]> http://aliceosborn.com/workshops/why-i-teach-memoir/feed/ 0 Alice’s Upcoming Workshops http://aliceosborn.com/workshops/alices-upcoming-workshops/ http://aliceosborn.com/workshops/alices-upcoming-workshops/#comments Mon, 11 Jan 2010 03:00:21 +0000 Alice Osborn http://aliceosborn.com/?p=578 I look forward to seeing you in many of my 2010 workshops this year! I’ve tried to have offerings for everyone, whether you’re a  memoirist, budding creative writer, entreprenur who’s ready to blog or a seasoned poet. I’m offering workshops in the daytime, on weekday evenings and on a few Saturdays. And for the first time, I’m offering a poetry correspondence course. So, peruse these offerings and tell your friends. 2010 is your year to make your writing a priority! Blogging for Business with Alice Osborn and Eileen Batson Location: Calm and Sense in Glenwood Village Center 2603 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27608 Date: Wed. January 13th Time: 7-9:30pm Cost: $30, call: 919.787.1799 to register. Major credit cards accepted. In this course, students will learn about what a blog is, how to write one and how it can be used for a small business and tips and tricks for getting your blog read and remembered. Small business experts, writers and marketers, Eileen Batson and Alice Osborn will help you construct your blog, give you pointers on making it shine and will help bring visitors to your blog, which will help you grow your business.

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NEW Correspondence Course for Poets!   Look for more details coming out on this exciting opportunity to have Alice mentor your poems and get YOU published in 2010. $295 for 12 months of hand-written poetry critique (1 poem per month). Add $95 to $295 for 3 personalized phone coaching sessions Register today: Course starts Feb. 15. Class limted to 6 poets.

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Sharing Your Story, a Memoir Experience with Alice Osborn Location: A Place for Women to Gather 8380 Six Forks Rd, Suite 201, Raleigh, NC 27615 Dates: Mondays from Mon. Feb 1st – Mon. March 8th Duration: 6 weeks Suggested Donation: $60 Time: 11:30-1:30, participants bring their own lunch. Drinks and dessert provided Register by calling 919-846-3601 or register online here. We all have a life story inside of us, but we may feel that what we’ve experienced is not relevant or important. In this workshop taught by experienced workshop leader and teacher, Alice Osborn, you’ll learn how you can harness the power of your stories for future generations and that what you’ve learned over a lifetime is a treasure that must be shared. In-class writing exercises that invoke food memories and the six senses will play a strong role in this lunchtime workshop series. Feedback from Alice Osborn will help you generate memorable prose and you’ll also learn techniques to keep up your writing practice after the class concludes. We welcome all levels and all experiences.

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Business Writing Classes at Team Nimbus, 3801 Computer Dr., Suite 101 Raleigh, NC Dates: 4 Classes on Various Fridays: 2/19, 3/12, 4/9 and 4/23 Time: 9:30am-11:30am Cost: $49 per class (Team Nimbus members, $37) or buy the package at $147.

Classes will include tips and tricks on e-mail marketing and newsletters, presenting yourself in writing, etiquette, social media communication, profiles and bios and much, much more! Register at alice@aliceosborn.com.

Sharing Your Life Story, a Memoir Class with Alice Osborn Seniors Only, 55+ Location: Apex Community Center 53 Hunter St. Apex, NC 27502 Dates: Wednesdays from Wed. Feb 17th – Wed. March 24th Duration: 6 weeks Cost: $13 (Apex Resident), $18 (Apex Non-resident) Time: 2-4pm To Register, call 249-3402. Checks made payable to “Town of Apex” Click here to download the Spring 2010 Apex Program Guide and Registration Forms

We all have a life story inside of us, but many times we feel that what we’ve experienced is not relevant or important. Learn how to harness the power of your stories for future generations. Writing exercises and instructor feedback will help generate memorable prose. All levels are welcome. Alice Osborn instructs. Limited to 20 participants.

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Get serious about your writing in 2010   Writing Boot Camp with Alice Osborn and Dave Baldwin
Location: Sat. March 27th at the Holiday Inn Brownstone Hotel , Hillsborough St.
Time: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Arrive early at 8am for networking and continental breakfast
Cost: $250
Includes: full continental breakfast & gourmet pasta lunch  
 
Do your words resonate with your readers?  Learn how to make the most of every word so your message gets through quickly to your audience.  This class will equip you with the tools you need to begin building mastery of the written word.    Take charge of your writing in 2010 and learn from writers, authors and editors, Dave Baldwin and Alice Osborn to whip your writing into shape! We’ll cover style, grammar and clarity in communication. If you are ready to master your command of the English language and succeed in business, register today for the Writers’ Boot Camp.   RSVP today by emailing Alice
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Presenting Your Words Without Fear with Alice Osborn Location: Meredith College, Raleigh, NC Dates: Wed. April 14, Wed. April 21, Wed. April 28 Time: 7-9pm Cost: $60, Register here or  call 919-760-8450 Public speaking can build your self-esteem, open new professional doors, and it can help you conquer many of your fears and anxieties. Experienced speaker and presenter, Alice Osborn,will help you prepare to speak in public so that you can become the go-to expert in your field and chart your own speaking endeavors. You will also learn how to fit your talk to your audience and how to develop short and longer talks. This class is ideal for those who want to conduct more public speaking for groups or for their work. Participants will learn how to organize a talk as well as their introduction and will have their presentation videotaped and critiqued.

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Marketing and Publicity for Writers, with Alice Osborn Class ID# 12894 Location: Duke Evening and Weekend Courses: The Bishop’s House, Room 107 Date: Sat. May 15th Time: 9:30am-12:30pm Cost: $85 Regular, $75 if enroll by 5/1 and $68 for Duke Employees Materials Fee: $3 Register here.

This workshop is for both published and yet-to-be published writers who need help crafting a marketing strategy for getting the word out about their books via social media networking, websites, blogs, and other tools. If no one knows who you are, how will they buy your book? She will give tips and tricks from her own experience as a successful published writer/editor and will provide generous take-home resources.

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Intermediate Creative Writing: Focus on the Memoir Location: Sertoma Arts Center, Millbrook Rd, Raleigh, NC Dates: Wednesdays from July 14- Aug. 4 Time: 7-9pm Cost: $56 Online Registration here or call to register at (919) 420-2329

We all have a life story inside of us, but we may feel that what we’ve experienced is not relevant or important. In this workshop, you’ll learn how you can harness the power of your stories for future generations and that what you’ve learned over a lifetime is a treasure that must be shared. In-class writing exercises and feedback from the instructor will help you generate memorable prose and you’ll also learn techniques to keep up your writing practice after the class concludes. This is class is designed for students who have previous writing experience or who have been working on their memoirs. Computer access is recommended.

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