Let Me Help You Tell Your Story

We had a terrific course of writing at Tri-County Community College, Murphy, NC back in the spring. We will begin another series of four classes on Tuesday, September 1, 6:00 p.m.  This is a two hour class in the Community Enrichment Program once each week and everyone can be home before it is dark.

These are some of the dedicated writers from my spring class, 2015 at Tri-County Community College

I can tell we will be writing interesting and informative true life stories as we always do in these classes. My students get excited about sharing their work and hearing answers to their questions. 

We write to learn about ourselves as well as tell about our loved ones.  We find the writing of others will trigger a memory we had long forgotten, and I see students grabbing pens to jot down those memories before they slip away like a wisp of smoke. That is what can happen to memories if you don't write them down.

I hope, if you have thought about taking a class on writing true life stories (non-fiction) about yourself, your family, your experiences, your war stories, your college stories, your stories that you want to tell someone, maybe your family and friends, or just to write because it is fun,  this is the class to take.

Email: glendabeall@msn.com with any questions 

or call Tri-County Community College in Murphy, NC (828) 835-4241 and ask for Lisa in the Community Enrichment Program.
Email her at: lthompson@tricountycc.edu 
She will explain registration procedure.

Guest Post on the subject of Poetry by Mary Mike Keller

Today we have a guest post from Mary Michelle Brodine Keller, poet, writer, painter and instructor. Thank you Mary Mike for posting today.

Mary Michelle Brodine Keller

Poetry classes by skilled Poets 

This past week I found myself with seven others at the knee of Gene Hirsch learning “the relationship of a poem’s art and the aim of the poem to the information from which it is written.”  

Those of us gathered, poems in hand, worked hard, if not struggled to put our minds around something that was not a tool or technique but craftsmanship.  We dug deep into ourselves and the poems, separating the poem from the poet, finding the focus, naming the vehicle, the thread that runs through, the essences and the art with which the poem elicits a reaction from the reader. 

   

Not long ago I took a workshop at The Writers Circle taught by Scott Owens.  The focus of that day was meter, not the “ta da ta da” counting of accented syllables as written, but counting the accents as they are actually read. They are different and can be tricky to count as you read aloud. This was about a tool or technique that could improve a poem from awkward to flowing. 

Thinking on the two classes, I realize how important it is to marry the non-technical with the technical, by doing so, we as poets can write poems that grab the reader and will not let go.

There are many places available to writers who want to learn how to write the best they can. We are fortunate to have The Writers Circle.  Skilled writers come from near and far to teach for one day or several days.  A full range of classes is available, including poetry, memoirs, writing your ancestor’s stories, publishing, essay, fiction and others. Take advantage of this resource.  It is the best in this area.

Mary Michelle Brodine Keller is a published poet and writer, and a seasoned genealogist.  She is a member of NCWN West and is on faculty at Writers Circle where she will teach a course in August, From Bones To Flesh. - Genealogy and writing class.