Your Personal Stories Matter: A Writing Workshop - Newark Public Library

Your Personal Stories Matter: A Writing Workshop

Thursday, November 5th | 7:00 PM
Tune in on Zoom | Click here to register

When was the last time you wrote a letter? Maybe a year ago? Maybe never. More than ever, the personal letter has become our mainstay in conversing about race, immigration, identity, and a myriad of intersectionalities. Your Personal Stories Matter because you can use your voice to harness social, political, and culture change, not only for a just society but an equitable society where we all have a seat at the table. This workshop will teach emerging writers how to use their personal stories via writing letters to create sustainable community change, write to their elected officials, and remind society that the personal is political.

Workshop Structure: This short class will focus on setting, scene, plot structure, and narrative voice. You will begin the class by reading short excerpts of published letters, and then you will learn how to apply the techniques of storytelling to nonfiction letter writing. During the session,you will be given various writing prompts. The writing prompts are not your ordinary writing prompts, they are structured as a nonfiction essay arc, and this method helps you get “unstuck.” At the end of our writing session, you will have an outline of your first nonfiction essay or letter that you can turn into a publishable article.

Workshop Takeaways:

  1. You will learn the basics of the drafting process
  2. You will learn the importance of journaling to enhance your writing practice
  3. You will learn straightforward, practical craft lessons and writing prompts
  4. You will feel empowered to tell your own life’s story and gain the confidence to write your own stories.

Click here to view the flyer.