My week at Table Rock Writers Workshop held at Wildacres retreat, one of my favorite places, turned out to be an excellent experience.
This was the first time I had been to a week-long event for writers, and I had trepidation about going. As most of you know, I am a night person, so being at breakfast at 8:00 a.m. upset my internal clock. This did affect my mood all week. Not feeling social, as I am normally, I missed some good fun and networking. But I got downstairs to the class with Darnell Arnoult by 9:00 a.m. every day.
We had the largest number of students of any class held that week, so I met interesting writers from various places in North Carolina but also from as far away as Oregon. Many thanks to Georgann Eubanks, creator of Table Rock Writers, and the Candy Meir Scholarship fund, for making it possible for me to attend the workshop.
Darnell gave us good writing exercises. With one of them, I found the beginning of a story I had planned to tell, but just never knew how to start. Darnell is one of my favorite instructors. Although I have taken her classes in the past, she continues to open my eyes to new and better ways to tell a story. She taught a memoir class, but she admits she reads fiction. I own her novel, Sufficient Grace, and I highly recommend it.
Darnell gave us good writing exercises. With one of them, I found the beginning of a story I had planned to tell, but just never knew how to start. Darnell is one of my favorite instructors. Although I have taken her classes in the past, she continues to open my eyes to new and better ways to tell a story. She taught a memoir class, but she admits she reads fiction. I own her novel, Sufficient Grace, and I highly recommend it.
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| Darnell Arnoult |
Darnell's advice to anyone who wants to write well is to read, read, read. Read good writers, and see what they do that you would like to do. As I tell my students, read like a writer.
I came home with new ideas for my memoir, for teaching and for reading. Three authors Darnell recommends and I plan to read soon are Harry Crews who writes about my native area, more of Rick Bragg whose work I love, and Larry Brown.
What writers do you recommend? Do you have favorites?
It was great to see you on the mountain, Glenda and I'm glad you found the workshop useful. Next year's workshop will also be around the same time in September. We will know for sure which week.
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