 
 | Workshops Workshop descriptions | Upcoming workshops Creative self-expression is a basic human need, like the need to be nourished
with food. Encouraged, it can flourish to enrich individuals and societies; thwarted, it diminishes
both. In workshops, I try to share the joy, fun, depth, and solace I have found in poems, stories,
and songs. I also love folding origami boxes and envelopes, and have recently been teaching this meditative craft. 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 workshop that concentrates on making personal
experience vivid, direct, and accessible. This workshop may be tailored to any age level, and can be
as short as one day or as long as a week.
KISS: Keep It Short & Shapely: A workshop that concentrates on the art of writing the short essay, including personal essays intended for broadcast on radio. 
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. Road Scholar/Creative Writing for Adults: Choose from two different five-day
workshops designed to unleash creativity and hone writing and revising skills with readings,
in-class exercises, and gentle critiques. See upcoming Road Scholar classes listed below!
Sizzle and Sing: Writing with the Senses: A workshop designed for beginning writers,
concentrating on personal writing that uses the senses of seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and
smelling to make writing more vivid and lively.
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
April 22-27, 2012: Origami Containers. A week-long Road Scholar
program at Cedar Lakes Conference Center near Ripley, WV. Discover the gentle art of paper folding to create beautiful handmade envelopes and boxes. We'll progress from simple projects to more complex modular boxes, exploring traditional designs as well as some invented by a contemporary origami master. Visit the
Road Scholar website or call 1-800-454-5768 to register.
May 5-11, 2012: Origami Containers. A week-long Road Scholar
program at Cedar Lakes Conference Center near Ripley, WV. Writing with all five senses makes for vivid, memorable language in poems, essays, and memoirs. Take the plunge into the "five rivers," as poet Mary Oliver calls the senses. Examples, discussion, exercises, and some laugh-out-loud wordplay for beginners and seasoned writers. Visit the
Road Scholar website or call 1-800-454-5768 to register.
October 7-13, 2012: KISS: Keep It Short & Shapely. A week-long class in the art of the
short essay at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico. Have you ever sat in your parked car to hear the
end of a commentary by Bailey White or Donald McCaig? Then you know that an artful short essay can
make you laugh out loud, bring you to tears, and stay with you for a long time. This workshop will
help you gather new ideas for personal essays, express them vividly, and hone your editing skills.
Visit the Ghost Ranch website to learn more. Register
online or call 1-505-685-4333.
October 2012: From the Inside Out: Your Own Story, Your Own Words. A week-long Road Scholar
program at Cedar Lakes Conference Center near Ripley, WV, concentrating on memoir. 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. Visit the
Road Scholar website or call 1-800-454-5768 to register.
November 2012: 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. Download a printable one-page
flyer about the Women's Writing Weekend. For price information or to register, call 304-265-6144.
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