Contact: words@samcraw.com
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS:
Like Your Family Before You
Workshops on memoir writing and blogging with Sharon Crawford, writer, editor and instructor, presented by Toronto Public Library branches
http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca
Crafting a Personal Memoir
Wed., June 13, 2012
6:00 p.m. - 7.30 p.m.
If you have always wanted to write your family history or your life story, here is your chance in this memoir writing workshop with Sharon Crawford, writer, editor and instructor. If possible, bring a few family photos or memorabilia. Please call 416-393-7720 to register. No fee.
Location: Riverdale Public Library branch
370 Broadview Ave., Toronto, ON
Adult Program Room
http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca
and go to the Riverdale Branch
.
Crafting the Short Story Workshop
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
6.30 p.m.
What makes a good short story? Plot? Character? Point of View? Dialogue? Narrative? Setting? Style? Voice? Length? Join editor and Canadian Authors Association Toronto Branch Writer-in-Residence Sharon Crawford for a hands-on introductory workshop on short story writing. Learn the basic techniques to blend these ingredients to write a short story that sparkles. If possible, bring a short story you are writing.
Please call 416-393-7697 to register. No fee.
Location: Runnymede Public Library Program Room
2178 Bloor St. West at Bloor St. West
Toronto
http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca
and go to the Runnymede Branch
The East End Writers’ Group presents...
Like Your Family Before You – Crafting a Personal Memoir – the six-session course with Sharon Crawford returns March 31, 2012.
Always wanted to write your story – how you overcame an addiction, growing up in a large (or small) family, your mom and dad’s life story, a unique travel experience, sailing solo around the word? Whatever your life experience, if you want to write a memoir about it, writing instructor Sharon Crawford will show you how. This six-session course is expanded from Sharon’s introductory Crafting a Personal Memoir workshop taught at several Toronto Public Library branches and will include: getting started on your memoir; doing research and how to use it in your memoir; writing a killer beginning to hook your readers; writing your story so it reads like fiction but remains your truth (characters and dialogue, point of view, creating scenes and character); naming names and dealing with family flak. Each session will consist of instruction, discussions, and some hands-on writing including exercises connected to each session’s topic as well as in-class time to work on your memoir. Some critique of participants’ memoir excerpts will be given. E-mail contact with course-related questions is welcome between sessions.
Course Outline:
Session 1
Getting Started – difference between memoir and autobiography and biography, why write a memoir, finding your memoir muse or what the heck to write about using family photos and/or the kaleidoscope mind map of your life, figuring out your memoir’s mission statement, doing a draft outline to get from mission statement to content.
Session 2
Research – who, what, where, when, why, how; photos, family photos, family members, scenes of the crime (family homes, schools), cemeteries, libraries, archives and online. We will huddle around my computer and do online research for some resources. Also a brief look at genealogy, doing your own research peculiar to your memoir and listing where it could go in your content list; fine-tuning your memoir content list.
Writing the beginning – how to write a beginning that will hook your readers. Looking at some published memoir beginnings and what makes them work or not, writing a draft beginning for your memoir.
Session 3
It’s all about Form – humorous, serious, stand-alone or linked chapters, letters, essays, expanding on your rough outline/changing the outline as needed, mixture of story and facts, just the story, no tangents please - making sure you stick to your story, what order are you going to write your memoir, going from past to present or staying in the past, anchoring your story with the world out there. And working in the research so it doesn’t read like Professor Plum’s 555th lecture. We will also spend more time on writing your beginning.
Session 4
Fiction Tools to Non-fiction Memoir Tools – how to write your story so it reads like fiction but remains non-fiction. The narrator, point of view, using your senses, waking up the characters in your life by using dialogue, emotion and action (show not tell the reader), creating scenes and setting.
Session 5
Truth or Dare – the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Naming names or not, writing about the living and the dead or Aunt Martha will roll over in her grave. Getting around offending the “rellies” but sticking to your truth.
Session 6
Quick review including Q &A, the Nitty-gritty - time to write some of your memoir, critique.
Location: Toronto (St. Clair Ave. E. and O'Connor Drive area).
Cost: $150., $125. for pre-registration up to March 16, 2012
For more information, payment details, and exact location email words@samcraw.com
Limited space, so register early.
Crafting the Short Story - six-session course coming in April 2012. Watch for details.
Lecture and Workshop Topics Available
Crafting the Short Story - Learn how to blend plot, characters, point of view, setting, voice and style to write a short story that sparkles.
Be Your Own Personal Editor and Create a Better Story - Find out what an editor does to improve your story; then learn how you can edit and rewrite your manuscript so that it sparkles. For short stories, articles, and creative non-fiction.
Blogging Your Memories - Workshop on how to blog your memories, including a look at existing blogs and genealogy sites.
Interviewing Techniques 101 - Catching the subject and getting the goods from him or her. Covers easy interviews to difficult interviews.
Like Your Family Before You - Crafting the Personal Memoir - the research including getting family to talk, putting it all together, truth-telling versus make-believe.
Query! Query! Query! -From story idea to story assignment. Hooking the editor and landing a writing gig.
Stuck in the Middle- What to do when you novel loses steam in the middle.
Both Sides of the Fence - the bs (bizarre and serious) of the author/editor relationship
How to find the right editor for your manuscript, the different types of editing and which is best for your manuscript, pitfalls that can arise in the author/editor relationship, what the editor will and won't do, contracts and fees.
Length of presentation: Varies: One-two hour presentations to multi-day workshops
Audio/visual material: books, handouts, Laptop with PowerPoint presentation.
Fee: Negotiable
Currently Writer in Residence for the Canadian Authors Association Toronto Branch, Sharon Crawford is known for making words - yours or hers - sparkle. She blends humour, experience, common sense and out-of-the-box ideas to motivate individuals to kick-start their writing, get out of stall mode or fix their writing snafus. She's taught journalism, creative writing, rewriting and copyediting for such diverse organizations as the Canadian Authors Association, The Toronto Public Library, and George Brown College and has lectured and participated on panels for the Professional Writers Association of Canada, Editors' Association of Canada, Canadian Authors Association, Richvale Writers Club, and The East End Writers' Group, which she founded. Sharon has read her stories in pubs, bookstores and other writerly meeting places. She's also a book editor and has learned to walk both sides of the writing/editing fence.