EARLY BIRD DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 1

The EARY BIRD DEADLINE for all Fall 2010 classes and events is September 1. EARLY BIRD rates are available to Writer's Garret Members ONLY. EARLY BIRD EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE; please visit our website at www.writersgarret.org for the latest information.

 

AUGUST

YOU'RE INVITED to our Fall OPEN HOUSE & POTLUCK LUNCHEON!

Sunday, August 29, 1 PM - 3 PM

Upstairs at Paperbacks Plus, 6115 La Vista Dr., Dallas 75214

Have you always wanted to be around other intelligent people who love to read and write? Been wondering what The Writer's Garret has to offer? Had an interest in being part of a literary community but really didn't know who, why, when, or where? Then join OUR community for a special "Open House" preview party, and learn how you can be part of an experience that is truly "beyond words."

Attendees will be eligible for discounts on classes and events.

FREE, but we love donations

 

SEPTEMBER

"Vort Ting"* Poetry & Prose Discussion Group

14 weeks, 3 separate sections: Mondays, September 6 - December 6, 7 PM - 9 PM

Upstairs at Paperbacks Plus, 6115 La Vista Dr., Dallas 75214

Section 1: "The Popul Vuh." Led by PAUL SAMPSON (September: 6, 20; October: 4, 18)
The group will be reading and discussing Dennis Tedlock's translation, Popol Vuh: The Definitive Edition of the Mayan Book of the Dawn of Life and the Glories of Gods and Kings, 1996 edition. Paul notes, "It's a Touchstone Book by Simon and Schuster, nice trade paperback. Incredibly copious notes. Nice illustrations... apparently there is some new scholarship on the language and other points not available in 1985 (edition). There are lots of possible collateral readings. Linda Schele is author of more than one." It would be great if people would bring their own favorites to share, so stock up on your Mayan stuff now!

Section 2: "Foundations of Early 21st Century American Poetry: the Poetics of Modernism and Post Modernism." Led by GREG THOMPSON (September: 13, 27; October: 11, 25; November: 8, 22)
The group will examine many of the most important American poets of the 20th century. Each generation of poets wrote their poems in the context of the poets of the past and their contemporaries. Patterns emerged which are now evident. We will begin with an examination of the two great precursors of Modernism, Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson. We will follow with a very brief look at the French avant garde of the last 19th century, then move quickly to the great modernist poets. These include Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, E.E. Cummings, William Carlos Williams and Wallace Stevens. We will turn to examine the great women of poetry in the first half of the 20th century. These include Myna Loy, H.D. and others. This is a class for both writers and readers. For writers, we will look carefully at the techniques of these great poets in the context of our own writing. For readers, hopefully, by looking carefully at these poems, the stark beauty of these works will become more evident.

Section 3: "Mark Twain's Short Works." Led by DAVID BARDOFF (November: 1, 15, 29; December: 6)
Mark Twain published short stories, essays and letters starting when he was 15 till his last year of life. He also wrote other short works such as sketches, burlesques, satire, political rants, hoaxes and straight reporting. We will explore some of these and Twain's place in 19th century America. Some critics have stated that Twain's novels are merely short stories strung together; we will discuss this, also.

*"Vort Ting" is Danish for "Our Thing"

$15 per visit with advance RSVP
MEMBERS' discounts: $50 for sections 1 and 3; $70 for section 2; $155 full series

Register NOW

Section:

"The Popul Vuh" $50.00 "Survey of 20th Century American Poetry" $70.00 "Mark Twain's Short Works" $50.00 Complete Series $155.00

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The Elements of Screenwriting with Russell DeGrazier

6 weeks: Mondays, September 13 - October 18, 6:30 PM - 9 PM

Upstairs at Paperbacks Plus, 6115 La Vista Dr., Dallas 75214

This six-week class / workshop will get you committed to that idea you have and implementing it into a screenplay. The workshop environment (for both beginners and professionals) will focus on character development and classical three act structure.

RUSSELL DEGRAZIER holds an MA in film from USC's Graduate School of Film and has written screenplays on commission for HBO, 20th Century Fox, and Fox Searchlight Pictures (for director Carl Franklin). He also wrote and directed Attraction (Lions Gate/Trimark Studios) starring Gretchen Mol and Samantha Mathis. After graduating from USC, he was a semi-finalist for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short. Russell recently wrapped shooting seasons 4 and 5 of NBC's Friday Night Lights, portraying "Coach Stan Traub". He is represented for literary/directing by United Talent Agency in Los Angeles.

$175 Members / $200 Others
MEMBERS save $20 if registered by the Early Bird Deadline of September 1

Register NOW

I am a:

Member: $175.00 Non-Member / Other: $200.00

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The Elements of Creative Writing with Joe Milazzo, Edie Bakker, Gayle Bell and Jim Dolan

12 weeks: Thursdays, September 23 - December 16 (no class November 25), 7 PM - 9 PM

Upstairs at Paperbacks Plus, 6115 La Vista Dr., Dallas 75214

Via both regular reading and writing, this course offers a comprehensive overview of the distinguishing characteristics of the 3 major literary genres: poetry; fiction; and creative non-fiction. Through careful study of issues of both from and content in each genre, students will be encouraged to generate new work. Additionally, students will have ample opportunities to participate in group critique workshops, and to reflect on that experience.

PLEASE NOTE: This course is a prerequisite for many of our other offerings.

Lead instructor JOE MILAZZO, in addition to serving as the Director of Community Education and Outreach at The Writer's Garret, is also cofounder of the interdisciplinary arts organization STROPHE, co-editor of the online journal [out of nothing], Assistant Managing Editor for Black Clock, and the proprietor of Imipolex Press. Joe's writings have appeared in Electronic Book Review, The Dallas Morning News, Chronometry (an anthology), In Posse Review, Tea Party, Black Clock, Drunken Boat, Antennae and elsewhere.

$135 Members / $175 Others
MEMBERS save $10 if registered by the Early Bird Deadline of September 1

Register NOW

I am a:

Member: $135.00 Non-Member / Other: $175.00

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Special Topics in Fiction with Bridget Foley

I: Point-Of-View

3 weeks (6 weeks for both sections): Thursdays, September 30, October 14, and October 28, 7 PM - 9 PM

Upstairs at Paperbacks Plus, 6115 La Vista Dr., Dallas 75214

Multiple characters populate every story. Which one is the "right" one to narrate a particular scene or story? When is it best to use an omniscient narrator vs. a first, second or third person perspective? In this workshop we will explore the choices surrounding point of view and how to determine the strongest, most compelling voice to best serve the tale. This workshop will include in-class and at-home exercises, in-class group critique and the opportunity to edit/rewrite your work.

PLEASE NOTE: It is recommended that you have taken "Elements of Creative Writing" or its equivalent before enrolling in this course.

PRE-WORK REQUIRED: Please bring a chapter or short story from your current work to use with the exercises presented in this course.

RECOMMENDED READINGS: You may wish to read Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese, and Little Bee, Chris Cleave, as we will review excerpts of these works in class. Reading these novels in their entirety is not required, however.

BRIDGET BOLAND FOLEY's work has appeared in print and web formats. She is the author of a memoir, Necessary Utterances, and Undertow, a semi-finalist in the 2009 Amazon.com Breakout Novel Contest. Her work has won the Writers League of Texas Memoir Prize and the Surrey Writers Conference Nonfiction Contest. Ms. Boland teaches writing classes on fiction and memoir, coaches other writers, and offers seminars on yoga and writing as life process tools. She holds an MFA in creative writing as well as a JD, and is the recipient of five residencies at The Ragdale Foundation.

$90 Members / $105 Others OR take both "Point-of-View" (September / October) and "Setting" (November / December) for $165 Members / $195 Others
MEMBERS save $10 (individual sections) OR $20 (both sections) if registered by the Early Bird Deadline of September 1

Register NOW

Section:

"Point-Of-View" (Member): $90.00 "Point-Of-View" (Non-Member / Other): $105.00 "Setting" (Member): $90.00 "Setting" (Non-Member / Other): $105.00 Complete Series (Member): $165.00 Complete Series (Non-Member / Other): $195.00

 

OCTOBER

Expressing Your Spirituality: A Writing Course with Mary Blye Howe

4 weeks: Tuesdays, October 5 - October 26, 7 PM - 9 PM

University Park United Methodist Church, 4024 Caruth Blvd., Dallas, TX 75225

If you want to express your deepest spiritual longings in writing, for publication or simply for personal self-expression, author Mary Blye Howe will guide you as you share your spiritual journey with pen and paper. Mary will guide you to discover the unique aspects of your own spirituality and, depending on your individual desires, to either capture an editor's eye or to feel the fulfillment of spiritual self-expression. During class time, Mary will provide opportunity for participation, although it isn't necessary to enjoy and benefit from the class.

MARY BLYE HOWE is the award-winning author of two spiritual memoirs, A Baptist Among The Jews (2003), and Sitting with Sufis, which was named the Best Book for 2005 from Spirituality and Health under the category of Multifaith. In 2004, Mary was honored by the Baptist Center for Ethics for her writing on interfaith relations. Mary's articles have appeared in various periodicals, including The Chicago Tribune, Entrepreneur, American Heritage of Invention & Technology, AAA Going Places, The Dallas Morning News, Texas Highways, Writer's Digest, and many others. She has also appeared on radio and television programs across the country, including NPR's All Things Considered, The Glenn Mitchell Show, Common Threads, The Ian Punnett Show, and Talkline, among others.

$120 Members / $145 Others
MEMBERS save $20 if registered by the Early Bird Deadline of September 1

Register NOW

I am a:

Member: $120.00 Non-Member / Other: $145.00

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The Elements of Poetry with Rebecca Balcarcel

6 weeks: Wednesdays, October 13 - November 17, 7 PM - 9 PM

Upstairs at Paperbacks Plus, 6115 La Vista Dr., Dallas 75214

A six-week class/workshop for beginning and intermediate poets or a refresher course for poets who have been practicing for so long they want to wake up to new challenges. Learn to craft and anchor your feelings and ideas by compressing and elevating language that reaches others. This course will focus on: image, voice, sound play, form, dramatic monologues, and the "So-what Test."

PLEASE NOTE: It is recommended that you have taken "Elements of Creative Writing" or its equivalent before enrolling in this course.

REBECCA BALCARCEL is the author of Palabras in Each Fist, a book of poems just out from Pecan Grove Press. Her work has appeared in over forty journals and magazines, including North American Review, Concho River Review, Red River Review, and Oklahoma Review. Rebecca holds an MFA from Bennington Writing Seminars, regularly speaks at conferences, and serves Tarrant County College as Associate Professor of English. Trivia: Rebecca is mom to identical twins, skydived in 2008, and biked from Houston to Santa Fe in the 90's. Find her at www.rebecccabalcarcel.com.

$165 Members / $195 Others
MEMBERS save $15 if registered by the Early Bird Deadline of September 1

Register NOW

I am a:

Member: $165.00 Non-Member / Other: $195.00

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"The Book Of Ruth": Historical Fiction, Parable or Novella? with Joe Milazzo

6 weeks: Sundays, October 17 - November 21, 5 PM - 7 PM

University Park United Methodist Church, 4024 Caruth Blvd., Dallas, TX 75225

Seemingly slight, "The Book Of Ruth" nevertheless contains one of the most emotionally gripping, unusual and yet utterly human of all Biblical stories. Over the course of six weeks, members of this class will participate in a close reading of "The Book of Ruth." By focusing on principles of narrative -- including narration, point-of-view, character, setting, plot, symbolism and more -- the class will explore the full range of meanings made by the story. Moreover, the class will consider how "The Book of Ruth" can serve as a model for how inspired authors often employ form and structure in surprising and innovative ways, ways that de-emphasize particular lessons in favor of re-asserting the value and the sacredness of even the most common of human experiences.

JOE MILAZZO, in addition to serving as the Director of Community Education and Outreach at The Writer's Garret, is also cofounder of the interdisciplinary arts organization STROPHE, co-editor of the online journal [out of nothing], Assistant Managing Editor for Black Clock, and the proprietor of Imipolex Press. Joe's writings have appeared in Electronic Book Review, The Dallas Morning News, Chronometry (an anthology), In Posse Review, Tea Party, Black Clock, Drunken Boat, Antennae and elsewhere.

$165 Members / $195 Others
MEMBERS save $25 if registered by the Early Bird Deadline of September 1

Register NOW

I am a:

Member: $165.00 Non-Member / Other: $195.00

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The Art of Nonfiction Storytelling with Melissa Shultz

6 weeks: Tuesdays, October 19 - November 30 (no class on November 23), 7 PM - 9 PM

Upstairs at Paperbacks Plus, 6115 La Vista Dr., Dallas 75214

Learn how to turn your real-life experiences into essays and articles for websites and magazines. Gain a clearer understanding of the hook you need to make your work saleable, and develop your voice along the way. Both a workshop and an exercise-intensive class, the six week course will be taught by Melissa T. Shultz of Jim Donovan Literary in Dallas.

PLEASE NOTE: It is recommended that you have taken "Elements of Creative Writing" or its equivalent before enrolling in this course.

MELISSA T. SHULTZ has written for print, television, video, and radio including: The Dallas Morning News, The Washington Post, D Magazine, Better Health and Living, Ladies' Home Journal, Newsweek, Babble.com, and CNN Radio. Melissa blogs at thewomansvoice.com.

$165 Members / $195 Others
MEMBERS save $15 if registered by the Early Bird Deadline of September 1

Register NOW

I am a:

Member: $165.00 Non-Member / Other: $195.00

 

NOVEMBER

Special Topics in Fiction with Bridget Foley

II: Setting

3 weeks (6 weeks for both sections): Thursdays, November 4, November 18, and December 2, 7 PM - 9 PM

Upstairs at Paperbacks Plus, 6115 La Vista Dr., Dallas 75214

A sense of place, or setting, can be as crucial to the telling of a riveting tale as characterization and plot. This course will explore how to use setting to deepen your readers' experience of the world of your story through in-class exercises, group critique, and take-home assignments. We will particularly address the relationship between point of view and setting.

PLEASE NOTE: It is recommended that you have taken "Elements of Creative Writing" or its equivalent before enrolling in this course.

PRE-WORK REQUIRED: Please bring a chapter or short story from your current work to use with the exercises presented in this course.

RECOMMENDED READINGS: You may wish to read Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese, and Little Bee, Chris Cleave, as we will review excerpts of these works in class. Reading these novels in their entirety is not required, however.

BRIDGET BOLAND FOLEY's work has appeared in print and web formats. She is the author of a memoir, Necessary Utterances, and Undertow, a semi-finalist in the 2009 Amazon.com Breakout Novel Contest. Her work has won the Writers League of Texas Memoir Prize and the Surrey Writers Conference Nonfiction Contest. Ms. Boland teaches writing classes on fiction and memoir, coaches other writers, and offers seminars on yoga and writing as life process tools. She holds an MFA in creative writing as well as a JD, and is the recipient of five residencies at The Ragdale Foundation.

$90 Members / $105 Others OR take both "Point-of-View" (September / October) and "Setting" (November / December) for $165 Members / $195 Others
MEMBERS save $10 (individual sections) OR $20 (both sections) if registered by the Early Bird Deadline of September 1

Section:

"Point-Of-View" (Member): $90.00 "Point-Of-View" (Non-Member / Other): $105.00 "Setting" (Member): $90.00 "Setting" (Non-Member / Other): $105.00 Complete Series (Member): $165.00 Complete Series (Non-Member / Other): $195.00

 

DECEMBER

HOLIDAY PARTY

Sunday, December 12, 1 PM - 3 PM

Upstairs at Paperbacks Plus, 6115 La Vista Dr., Dallas 75214

FREE, but we love donations