Writing The Hard Stuff, with Donna Jenson

If this were your last chance to get down in writing something that’s been weighing on you, what might that be?  The stories that are closest to our to our hearts–those we most need to write–are sometimes the hardest ones to tell. Possibly because these stories hold emotional sway over us.  Perhaps we doubt our version of the ‘truth,’ fear what we might stir up, or worry about exposing others…

Writing about the hard stuff is, well, hard. And sometimes it takes courage to share your stories.  It helps to have some tried and true techniques for accessing deep material, as well as ideas for how (and whether) to share it. Use this half-day workshop as a laboratory for uncovering or discovering what you most want (but fear) to give voice to.  Writing prompts and exercises will jumpstart the dive. Then, in a supportive group of like-minded explorers you’ll share and receive feedback on where your writing resonates with power and strength. We’ll discuss ways the inner critic can hamper or derail us when we try to dive deep, techniques for overcoming resistance and finding support, and ways to honor your stories while simultaneously honoring the characters that populate them.  Though we will discuss the creative process, this is not a therapy group: we will keep our focus on the writing and the tools and techniques for accessing it.  

Saturday, January 30, 1:00 – 4:00 pm ($75)

Donna Jenson is author of Healing My Life from Incest to Joy and playwright of “What She Knows: One Woman’s Way Through Incest to Joy.” She has been leading writing workshops since 2008 both in person and, more recently, online. Being a feminist activist since 1971, she has found writing to be a fabulous way to strengthen her voice, sharpen her thinking, and open her heart.

Donna Jenson