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Write Yourself Free/The Editing Company
252 Post Road East
Westport, CT 06880
203-557-4614

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Dec. 7th PARTY
Writers' Read Perfect pargraph or poem
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In This Issue
Special Seminars
Intro Sections
Patrick's Sections
Writing for Children
Poetry
"I own at least fifty books espousing the secrets of writing, and I recently earned my MFA in writing. Yet, I am mesmerized by the fresh insight, wisdom, and inspiration of Patrick McCord's workshops. He has much to say and much to convey, and I want to hear it all."
 -Kristin Quisgard
Writers' Staycation Retreat AND Sleepover Retreats to be scheduled for May & June

How to use CART
Click on the Cart icon on the pencil (it will turn green) and open to a page that lists all of our workshops. Then click on the name of the workshop, use the drop down menu and then go back up to the pencil and click on "checkout." 
Special 2 Hr Seminars with Patrick McCord, PhD
FOUR Special Seminars in Dec. & January
$50 class members, $75 public
Register Here

Thursday, December 18th "New & Improved Revision"
10am-12:30pm 

Information rich -for those with first or second drafts of stories, novels and screenplays. Among writers, there are those who have a way with a sentence and those who understand building story; only rarely are they native abilities in the same person.  The rest of us have to work on one, the other or both.  That's revision. 

Monday, December 22nd, 10am-Noon "Complications"
Once your characters are up and running, you will want to get them into trouble. What motivates characters' trouble-finding impulses and choices? How can you use your storyteller perspective or your protagonistic connection to get the stakes cranked up?
Sunday, Jan. 4th 1:00-3:00pm "Endings"
 A really good ending isn't designed ahead of time. It's the product of really trusting your imagination to find the concluding energy. We'll discuss the sensation of a really good ending and how to seed your concluding energy in your writing and invention process.
Saturday, Jan. 17th 11am- 1pm "Punctuation."
Did you know that there is a logic to punctuation? That commas aren't "where you take a breath"? Punctuation is a habit. You'll help yourself thinking about putting words on the page if you have the habits of logical punctuation.  We'll also talk a bit about grammar. It's also logical. 
Introduction to Narrative Writing: A Writer's Practice
NEW: THURSDAY EVENINGS
 with Charles Stafford
8 weeks/$450
Please email us if you are interested.
Perfect if you a have a fiction project, writing memoir, or just exploring. 

Tuesdays 9:30am - 11:30am

Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17 & 24

 

Wednesdays 10:00am-12:30pm

Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25

 

Thursdays 7:15pm-9:15pm

Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26



If you, like me, have a tenacious inner critic and/or a proclivity to take your writing-self too seriously, this introduction to the WYF method is for you. In six weeks we will: 1)  Become comfortable with free writing and sharing our work, 2) Gain an understanding of the 5 essential components of a story, applicable to narratives of any length, 3)Learn tools and strategies to develop a regular writing routine.

Seminars in Narrative with Patrick McCord, PhD
Please email us to get on the wait-list


 

8 Workshops/$525

Day
Tuesdays 9:30am - 12:00pm
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17 & 24

Wednesdays 10:00am-12:30pm
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25

Thursdays 10:00-12:30pm
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26


Thursdays 1:30pm-4:00pm
Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26
 

Evening

Tuesdays 7:15-9:30pm
Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17 & 24

Wednesdays 7:15-9:30pm
Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25
 

Bring two to four pages (12pt type, double-spaced) to class each week.
 

Writing for Children  with Victoria Sherrow
NEW: THURSDAY MORNINGS

8 Workshops/$425
 

Wednesdays 7:00-9:00pm Jan. 7, 14, 21, 28, Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25

Victoria new


Thursdays 10:00-12:00pm

Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26  

Fridays 10:00am-12:00pm 

Advanced Jan. 9, 16, 23, 30, Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27.


 

"The reason my picture book Monster Change earned an honorable mention at the Tassy Walden Awards is the same reason my nonfiction picture book found a major publisher.  Victoria Sherrow! "--Karlin Gray

Victoria Sherrow is the author of 12 picture books, including two from Harper. Her Chipmunk at Hollow Tree Lane (Soundprints) won a Parent's Choice Gold Award and Vermont Reading Circle Award and was a Scholastic book club selection. Twenty-six of Victoria's books are listed in Best Books for Children, Preschool Through Grade 6 an Young Adult (2005).
WEEKLY Poetry with Annette Basalyga
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Tuesday Nights  7:15-9:15pm 
8 workshops $400

Tuesdays 7:15-9:30pm

Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17 & 24


 

Nominated AGAIN for a Pushcart Prize!

 

"She's a weird original"
Jordan Davis, poetry editor of The Nation 
Don't forget our Film Series at the Bijou Theatre.