Marlene Cullen hosts writing workshops where participants travel on a journey of exploration using inspirational prompts to spark writing.
Scroll down for workshop guidelines.
Online Access
Writers Forum meets July 7, 14, 21, 2022. 6 pm to 8 pm PST.
Registration is required for these free Zoom events.
Register once for all three writing workshops.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting.
July 7, 14, 21, 2022
6:00 pm PST to 8:00 pm PST
Free workshop for anyone who wants to write in a freestyle of writing. We welcome beginning and experienced writers.
July 7
Susan Bono: Ready, Set, Pivot!
Personal narratives are documents of change. They always contain a “before” and “after.” This is really useful to remember when building our stories. In our time together, we’ll explore this concept and experiment with some structures that create natural pivots or shift points.
Susan Bono brings wry humor, gentle guidance, and ever-evolving wisdom to the teaching of memoir and personal essay.
A California-born teacher, freelance editor, and short-form memoirist, Susan has facilitated writing workshops since 1993, helping hundreds of writers find and develop their voices. She often writes about domestic life set in her small town of Petaluma.
Her work has appeared online, on stage, in newspapers, on the radio, and in anthologies, includingThe Write Spot series.
Susan is the author of “What Have We Here: Essays About Keeping House and Finding Home.”
July 14 and 21
Marlene Cullen will suggest writing prompts to guide these writing workshops.
Marlene Cullen is passionate about encouraging people to write, especially those who think they can’t write. Her series of books, The Write Spot, features writing that entertains as well as inspires writing. Every story, vignette, and poem in The Write Spot books include writing prompts motivating readers to become writers. The Write Spot books are available from your local bookseller and as both print and ereaders from Amazon.
We use a variety of prompts to inspire writing. The prompt could be a word, a phrase, or a poem, to ignite your imagination.
When writing in this style you are free to write whatever you want: truth, fiction, or memoir.
We'll write for 15-20 minutes on each prompt. Examples of prompts: The Write Spot Blog
Scroll to the bottom of this page to receive a message from a sweet writing fairy.
First Part of Writers Forum: Just Write!
Relax into your chair. Escort your inner critic out the door.
There is no such thing as "perfect writing" with freewrites. It’s all good.
This is the place to feel free to write whatever is on your mind.
Your writing doesn’t have to make sense. Don’t worry about how it will sound.
Keep your pen moving.
See your story and tell it.
Second Part of Jumpstart: Reading and Responding
Reading a freewrite aloud enriches the writing experience.
How to respond to the reading: Mention what resonates, what is strong, and memorable about the writing.
There is no judging, no critiquing, no questions asked for clarification.
With this type of freewriting, we are writing for ourselves, not for an audience nor for the entertainment of others.
“Writing isn’t about the destination – writing is the journey that transforms the soul and gives meaning to all else.” —Sue Grafton
