Classes
Fall 2019: The Writing Life
Tuesday mornings at The Concord Public Library
All levels: generative writing with a focus on developing a writing practice.
To register, visit Concord-Carlisle Community and Adult Education
October/November 2019
Writing After Dark: two evening sessions
First Parish Church in Lincoln, MA
Tuesdays 7-9 pm: November 12 and 19
All are welcome.
Retreats
March 2-7, 2020. Deepening the Writing Life. Taos, New Mexico.
To register, contact me at barbaramoneil@gmail.com
For information about the location in Taos, visit the Mabel Dodge Luhan House: http://mabeldodgeluhan.com/workshops
March 16, 2020: Waking up to Life with Yoga and Writing: a morning spring retreat.
Nadia Puttini and I will again co-lead a yoga/writing retreat at her studio in Carlisle, MA;
To register, visit BareSole Yoga online.
July 10-12, 2020: Exploring Memoir, a writing retreat- The Adelynrood Retreat Center, Byfield, MA
To register, visit Adelynrood Retreat and Conference Center online.
Day-long, weekend and week-long group retreats available. Contact me at barbaramoneil@gmail.com for more information.
Note: In June 2018, I studied with Professor Kim Stafford, founder of the Northwest Writing Institute at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. What a gift to find a kindred spirit who inspired me in new ways as a writer and as a teacher. His method of teaching "generative writing" or "writing practice" deepened and broadened what I have learned from other teachers that I have studied with- Natalie Goldberg and Pat Schneider.
What is Writing Practice?
It is my great pleasure to inspire writers to follow their passion for writing, to break through any blocks they might have and to reach the deep well of material that is available to all of us, if we just pay attention.
With practice, you actually do get better. You learn to trust your voice and attempt to let go of the inner critic. Since we are "just practicing," we welcome whatever comes onto the page. We take risks. Go deep. Timed writing creates pressure. Inspired by a prompt, you may be guided to write for three minutes, ten minutes, a half hour. It is very dynamic.
There are simple rules:
Trust first thoughts, keep your hand moving, accept your curious mind, go for the heat of the material.
This is not a critique group in which we polish finished pieces. That can come later. Rather, we use class time to generate new material. We alternate periods of writing with deep listening to ourselves and each other in small and large groups. We learn from each other, giving feedback in the form of recall.
Fall 2019: The Writing Life
Tuesday mornings at The Concord Public Library
All levels: generative writing with a focus on developing a writing practice.
To register, visit Concord-Carlisle Community and Adult Education
October/November 2019
Writing After Dark: two evening sessions
First Parish Church in Lincoln, MA
Tuesdays 7-9 pm: November 12 and 19
All are welcome.
Retreats
March 2-7, 2020. Deepening the Writing Life. Taos, New Mexico.
To register, contact me at barbaramoneil@gmail.com
For information about the location in Taos, visit the Mabel Dodge Luhan House: http://mabeldodgeluhan.com/workshops
March 16, 2020: Waking up to Life with Yoga and Writing: a morning spring retreat.
Nadia Puttini and I will again co-lead a yoga/writing retreat at her studio in Carlisle, MA;
To register, visit BareSole Yoga online.
July 10-12, 2020: Exploring Memoir, a writing retreat- The Adelynrood Retreat Center, Byfield, MA
To register, visit Adelynrood Retreat and Conference Center online.
Day-long, weekend and week-long group retreats available. Contact me at barbaramoneil@gmail.com for more information.
Note: In June 2018, I studied with Professor Kim Stafford, founder of the Northwest Writing Institute at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. What a gift to find a kindred spirit who inspired me in new ways as a writer and as a teacher. His method of teaching "generative writing" or "writing practice" deepened and broadened what I have learned from other teachers that I have studied with- Natalie Goldberg and Pat Schneider.
What is Writing Practice?
It is my great pleasure to inspire writers to follow their passion for writing, to break through any blocks they might have and to reach the deep well of material that is available to all of us, if we just pay attention.
With practice, you actually do get better. You learn to trust your voice and attempt to let go of the inner critic. Since we are "just practicing," we welcome whatever comes onto the page. We take risks. Go deep. Timed writing creates pressure. Inspired by a prompt, you may be guided to write for three minutes, ten minutes, a half hour. It is very dynamic.
There are simple rules:
Trust first thoughts, keep your hand moving, accept your curious mind, go for the heat of the material.
This is not a critique group in which we polish finished pieces. That can come later. Rather, we use class time to generate new material. We alternate periods of writing with deep listening to ourselves and each other in small and large groups. We learn from each other, giving feedback in the form of recall.