Sonoma LifeStories Memoir Writing Workshops at the Healdsburg Senior Center will be expanding in January 2011 to twice monthly meetings scheduled for the first and third Tuesdays each month from 10:00 a.m. - 12 noon beginning on January 4.

Space is limited to ten participants and the Center is asking a regular monthly commitment with a fee of $10/month to reserve your space.

These Memoir Writing Workshops offer class exercises which are geared towards the individual's developing tools for writing their own personal/family history or memoir. Participants are working on both narrative style and vignette style memoirs. Class time is spent writing and sharing. Exercises on using the five senses to write from your personal experience are included. We will also be adding creative writing exercises and prompts to get the creative juices flowing!

For more information please e-mail me at shonnie@sonic.net or call the Healdsburg Senior Center at 431-3324.

December 7, 2010, Tuesday 10:00 a.m.-noon
Healdsburg Senior Center
A FREE 2-hour workshop for people at any level of writing skill.

We all have favorite Christmas or Hanukkah stories, especially from childhood. Here is an opportunity in a safe, encouraging environment to put that favorite story or those vignettes into writing for yourself and your family--leaving time to give your story as a holiday gift this year.

Please bring memorable photos, your favorite Christmas or holiday ornament or nostalgic memento and other items that evoke your favorite stories. Plan to spend much of the time writing your story.

Age range: adults and seniors Bring writing utensils and pad or notebook. No materials fee.

This workshop will encourage and guide participants in beginning a memoir or family history right now! You don't need to be a writer to write about your own experiences! In fact, there is no easier way to improve your writing skills and feel good about your writing than to just write what you remember. Through writing exercises we will use our senses to fully recreate memories and write vividly and descriptively. Participants will receive immediate, non-judgmental encouragement and guidance on beginning their memoirs. We will review other ingredients of a family history book or memoir such as research, photos, poetry and historic documents. We will discuss preparing your written narrative, photos and documents for layout and/or the creation of a published book.

Age range: mature teen to 65+
Bring writing utensils and pad or notebook. No materials fee.

Through a series of writing exercises we will tap into our own creativity and let it spring forth through the written word. And you may be surprised to see how creative each of us really is! We will do a full range of creative writing exercises such as journaling, freewriting, fiction, poetry, clustering, writing from photographs and memoir. We will also use creative writing prompts to do a variety of short, fun exercises. The instructor welcomes people at all levels of writing skill and we will share our work in a safe, non-judgmental context. All you need is a desire to express yourself creatively!