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August Workshops
Spiritual Memoir
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INSTRUCTOR: Phuc Luu
TIME: Four Thursdays, August 1, 8, 15, 22, 6:00–9:00 p.m. CDT PRICE: Early bird price: $150 for members, $180 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Friday, July 26. After Friday, July 26: $180 for members, $210 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All levels CAP: 15 How does spiritual memoir differ from other forms of memoir? How does spiritual memoir differ from other forms of memoir? After all, all people are spiritual by nature, connected by experiences both inexplicable and beautiful. Love, relationships, the meaning of life – all are spiritual phenomena that reach beyond and dive into the world as we know it. This singular literary form plumbs the depths of what it means to grapple with the divine, the other, and the basis of all human existence. However, experiences with the divine and sublime require words to match such a profound impact. Writers often have difficulty conveying the richness and depth of their encounters to readers. In this course Phuc Luu, author of Jesus of the East: Reclaiming the Gospel for the Wounded (both memoir and theological treatise), will provide a way to craft language around the ineffable and share the meaning of your spiritual and religious experiences effectively. In this workshop, you will be guided through exercises and discussions designed to:
This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash
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Substack 101
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INSTRUCTOR: Icess Fernandez Rojas
TIME: Saturday, August 3, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CDT PRICE: Early bird price: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Sunday, July 28. After Sunday, July 28: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Writespace, 1907 Sabine Street, #125, Houston, TX 77007 (map) LEVEL: All levels CAP: 15 You’ve heard of Substack and may even have subscribed to a few, but what exactly is this platform? Why do you need to know about it and how does it inform your writing practice? In this session, we’ll look at Substack, the services it offers, how it can be used, and some popular examples from other writers. We’ll also consider how it compares to other self-publishing platforms like Medium. By the end of the session, you’ll know whether or not this service is for you, and if it is, exactly how to leverage it for yourself! This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
Photo by Prometheus 🔥 on Unsplash
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Poetry and Personal Essays: Through the Darkness and into the Light
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INSTRUCTOR: Sarah Gajkowski-Hill
TIME: Saturday, August 3, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. CDT PRICE: Early bird price: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Sunday, July 28. After Sunday, July 28: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Writespace, 1907 Sabine Street, #125, Houston, TX 77007 (map) LEVEL: All levels CAP: 15 "The writer who refuses to explore the darker regions of the heart will never be able to write convincingly about the wonder, the magic and the joy of love." –Nick Cave In a sometimes bleak and tragic post-pandemic world, it is more important than ever to write in order to heal ourselves—of anxieties, of illness, of pain. Only by confronting our darkest moments can we come out the other side. Sarah Gajkowski-Hill will lead a workshop that unabashedly confronts the darkness in our own lives and moves us through suffering, resulting in beautiful, honest poetry and prose. We will look at some of history’s most unflinching dark works of literature, by authors such as Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton, as well as explore darkly humorous pieces. Together we will read, write, share, and triumph over darkness. Sarah is the author of The Job Poems, based on the Biblical Job. She is also anthologized in Connoisseurs of Suffering: Poetry on the Journey to Meaning. This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
Photo by Erlend Ekseth on Unsplash
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Become the Main Character of Your Own Life
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INSTRUCTOR: Marlena “Zen Ase” Johns
TIME: Three August 4, 11, 18, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CDT PRICE: Early bird price: $120 for members, $140 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Monday, July 29. After Monday, July 29: $140 for members, $160 for nonmembers. ecome a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Writespace, 1907 Sabine Street, #125, Houston, TX 77007 (map) LEVEL: All levels CAP: 15 One theme of The Wizard of Oz is that Dorothy had the brains, courage, and heart that she needed all along. It just took a little journey and some challenges to find it. Often we take a supporting role in our own lives rather than embodying main character energy and accepting the call to adventure. This workshop will focus on self-reflection and finding your own voice, using writing exercises and other powerful techniques to strengthen your purpose, increase your resilience, and change your perspective. Let's write your hero's journey! Session 1. Laying the Foundation/Storyboarding. We will use goal-setting, vision boards, archetypes, and other self-reflection activities to explore the hero’s journey. Session 2. Drafting a Character Arc. We will use creative nonfiction to "script" our ideal selves, detailing how this improved self could handle the phases of the hero's journey and imaginatively exploring what it might take to transform. Session 3. Reflection. We will take time to reflect, revise, and share our journeys. This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
Photo by Eric Aiden on Unsplashz
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Restore Your Writing Joy
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INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Cindy Childress
TIME: Two Saturdays, August 10, 17, 1:00–4:00 p.m. CDT PRICE: Early bird price: $85 for members, $100 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Sunday, August 4. After Sunday, August 4: $100 for members, $115 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Writespace, 1907 Sabine Street, #125, Houston, TX 77007 (map) LEVEL: All levels CAP: 15 Hustle culture is all too pervasive today. Under the pressure of that go-go-go, produce-produce-produce mentality, our creativity wilts. While the publishing industry has long praised workaholism, the cost of that pressure is often the loss of the pleasure of writing. The truth is, this write-write-write mandate runs us into the ground. Passion for a writing project turns into perfectionism, and suddenly, writing isn’t a joy anymore. Writer's block becomes a chronic condition, and our writing habit swiftly turns into a habit of not writing. If your writing life feels dried out and dried up, this workshop is for you! We know you need more than just writer's block hacks and time management tips. We know you need to reconnect with your creative self, so we filled this in-person experience with activities, games, and group activities to restore your joy in writing. We’ll explore the stories around why we are burnt out and spend time noticing what we are doing and how it’s serving us. We’ll explore ways to fill the creative well and keep it full. At the end of this workshop, we’ll leave with our writing spirit reawakened and with fresh commitments to the joy of expressing our imagination and ideas through writing. This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
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Read Your Way to Writing Well: The Only Good Indians
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INSTRUCTOR: Nick Almeida
TIME: Four Wednesdays, August 14, 21, 28, September 4, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. CDT PRICE: Early bird price: $150 for members, $180 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Thursday, August 8. After Thursday, August 8: $180 for members, $210 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All levels CAP: 15 “When the whole world hurts, you bite it, don’t you?” –The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones This four-week course is for those who feel oddly thrilled by words like these, by their peculiar logic, the hum of their heartbeat, or the resonant, chilling images they produce at the edge of familiarity. Each week, we will explore different craft aspects of Jones’ magnificent and terrifying novel, The Only Good Indians. By reading sections of the novel and examining its techniques, we will discover how we ourselves can become better storytellers of the uncanny, sublime, horrific, and powerful. This course welcomes all levels of writing and literary analysis. Homework will include reading roughly 90 pages per class (please read to page 90 prior to our first meeting), as well as a commitment to creativity, curiosity, and community for the four weeks. This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
Photo by Kimberly Farmer on Unsplash
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Creative Nonfiction: The Sweet, Savory, Salty, and Bitter Food of Life
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INSTRUCTOR: Rebecca Spears
TIME: Sunday, August 18, 3:00–6:00 p.m. CDT PRICE: Early bird price: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Monday, August 12. After Monday, August 12: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All levels CAP: 15 Of all our senses, taste and smell can easily connect us to memories and experiences of eating, family, childhood, and emotional comfort or distress. Maybe the smell or taste of freshly baked bread takes you back to your home or the people there. Or perhaps a bite of cherry pie is a comfort to you because someone you loved baked it. Sharing food can create a sense of belonging to friends, family, and your roots. Likewise, food can connect us to unpleasant experiences of fear and upset. In this three-hour workshop, we will approach the personal essay through memories and experiences with food. In these essays, you can explore your relationship with particular people or with a gathering or event in your life. We will practice several techniques for connecting with food to craft a satisfying personal essay. This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
Photo by Lucinda Hershberger on Unsplash
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Arranging Your Poem on the Page - will be live soon!
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INSTRUCTOR: Mathew Weitman
TIME: Saturday, August 24, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CDT PRICE: Early bird price: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Sunday, August 18. After Monday, August 12: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Hybrid. Writespace, 1907 Sabine Street, #125, Houston, TX 77007 (map). This workshop is also available via Zoom. LEVEL: All levels CAP: 15 This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash
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Writing the Humorous Essay
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INSTRUCTOR: Doni Wilson
TIME: Saturday, August 24, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. CDT PRICE: Early bird price: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Sunday, August 18. After Sunday, August 18: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Writespace, 1907 Sabine Street, #125, Houston, TX 77007 (map) LEVEL: All levels CAP: 15 Do people ever tell you how funny or witty you are? The challenge is getting it down on paper! An essay is the perfect form to convey narratives that show how funny real life can be, as well as the unexpected humor that pops up whenever humans are involved. Using mentor texts, we will explore the role of humor in the personal essay and apply those lessons to our own essay drafts. We will look at outlets that publish humorous essays and consider the ways such writing can be transferred to multiple genres. This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
Photo by Matt Busse on Unsplash
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Renew Your Love of Writing: End of Summer Edition
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INSTRUCTOR: Kendra Preston Leonard, PhD
TIME: Saturday, August 31, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m CDT PRICE: Early bird price: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Sunday, August 25. After Sunday, August 25: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Online via Zoom LEVEL: All levels CAP: 15 Singer-songwriter Neko Case tells us, "Don't let this fading summer pass you by," so we're gonna grab onto it and write epic end-of-summer, back-to-school, hot-days-in-the-city poems! In this gentle generative workshop, we'll use visual, musical, and written prompts to capture whatever vibes you feel come August, whether it's nostalgia or relief or something else entirely. We'll experiment with wordplay and form, consider meter and rhyme, and try out different points of view. You'll leave this workshop with some finished poems, some new ideas, and some prompts to try out on your own to keep the momentum going. All genres and levels of writers are welcome! This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
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Read Essays Like a Writer
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INSTRUCTOR: Mark Dostert
TIME: Saturday, August 31, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. CDT PRICE: Early bird price: $45 for members, $60 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Sunday, August 25. After Sunday, August 25: $55 for members, $70 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here. LOCATION: Writespace, 1907 Sabine Street, #125, Houston, TX 77007 (map) LEVEL: All levels CAP: 15 In order to write publishable essays (that is, essays that appeal to and connect with strangers), it is important to understand why exemplars of the form are so successful and effective. What is it that keeps readers connected to the narrator and the issues an essay raises, both individual and collective, concrete and abstract? What “raw materials” has the author used to construct this text? Which authorial choices allow us to “see” and “feel” the architecture of a successful essay? How can we then emulate these techniques in our own work? In this three-hour class, Mark Dostert will facilitate a focused examination and annotation of a TBA essay(s). As our initial point of discussion, we will examine how each author uses the “Big Five” literary elements, focusing on what the author is doing and why the author is writing what they are writing. We will also explore why it is necessary to write vertically as well as horizontally. Students will receive a PDF copy of both essays and are urged to read the selection closely before class meets so that we can dive right into our analysis and make valuable use of our time together. Essay(s) will be announced by June 13, 2024 and PDF copies will be sent via email from Eventbrite. This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. |
Photo by Ksenia Makagonova on Unsplash
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