A Writer’s Life Saturday Offering

We do not surrender to the insistences that our voices, our bodies, our minds, our pasts, our presents, our futures, our brilliance and light be constantly erased and extinguished. Our voices, our bodies, our minds, our pasts, our presents, our futures, our brilliance and light survives, endures, strives, and thrives as constant beacons of joyous light, our liberation. ARC

AWL Women’s Summer 2023 Writing Craft Class

 

Teacher:         Andrea R. Canaan, MSW, MFA-Nonfiction, MFA-Fiction 

Course:          Basic Writing Craft – Learning, Relearning, and Refreshing Writing Delights 

Fee:                 $400.00         

Description:  Writing Craft will explore and exploit the basic elements of craft of our past, current and future writing. The craft elements: Process and Habit, Showing and Telling, 

Characterization, Setting, Plot, Pace, Structure, Point of View and Theme , and Womanist Workshopping will be taught. Class structure will include lectures on craft elements, 

discussion of reading assignments, sharing writing assignments, and learning a modified Womanist Workshopping to share feedback on student writing. 

 Objectives:    Through reading texts, written reflections from texts, writing, sharing writing and in class discussions we will: 1.) Identify craft elements inherent to successful storytelling 

of fiction and nonfiction. 2.) Examine and reflect on the basic craft elements in assigned reading and class participants writing and reading. 3.) Explore craft elements shape, color, quantify, 

reveal, describe,  communicate, and embody the peoples and worlds of fiction and nonfiction.

Goals:           

To establish or re-establish, strengthen or re-strengthen writing habit 

1.     Increase writing stamina. 

2.     Learning and sharing original work in  in a creative writing community.  

3.     Explore and critically examine basic writing craft skills in your own writing and the writing of others.

4.      Strengthen past and current writing and writing projects

5.      Firmly establish a new writing project(s)

 Texts:             Burroway, E. Stuckey-French and  N Stuckey French: Writing Fiction, Tenth Edition, A Guide to Narrative Craft, University of Chicago Press, 201

Marks, Dara: Inside Story: The Power of the Transformational Arc, Three Mountain Press, 2007 

Dates-Times-Locations: 

Orientation: Via Zoom: June 5, 2023 – 10:30 am-11:30 pm
 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88258149179?pwd=L0VuTjlCbjF2ZGtTc2x5Vm5veHhnUT09

                                                                                      &   4:00 pm- 5:00 pm
  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84945767595?pwd=bFZQL0pubk5wZ3dzdGsrN3RqQmluQT09

Section K:     Morning Class:  Mondays 10:30 am-12:30 pm June 12

through August  14, 2023 – No Class on July 3, 2023

Kokoro Clinic-339 15th Street-Suite 333-Oakland, Ca. 94612

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83102552985?pwd=anlzcWFiRGdZZUlBVFBCY2R1NlNZdz09

Section V:     Afternoon Class: Monday  4:00-6:00 pm

                                                June 12 through August 14, 2023 

                                                Verve Wellness Studio-1231 Cortland Street-S.F., Ca.   94110

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89707564813?pwd=ZlpWa05pcmRjZ0tJQjRoVC93aVRsdz09

Class Reading:                     August 21, 2023  6 pm-8 pm           

Kokoro Clinic-339 15th Street-Suite-Oakland, Ca. 94612                                                   

Philosophy:  Supporting and celebrating  the creative learning and health of writers and artists. Concentrating on individual and collective worth, building and maintaining writing practice, 

maintaining writing community and developing creative womanist leadership. Promoting the creative worth of writers; what is noticed, memories and stories stacked up in imaginations or 

journals or neatly, or not so neatly, tucked away or bursting at the seams to be let  loose onto the paper and into the world. 

Overall Objectives:

Weekly Reading & Reflections:

I.               Write 1page reflection of weekly of Burroway or Marks readings assigned. 

This should be double spaced &12 pt. font size

II.             Share reflections on our WhatsApp messaging before class, that is, read and reflect on assigned reading before each class and post your reflection on WhatsApp

Weekly Creative Assignment: 

I.               Choose a creative work, past or current, to explore, write into, revise, or begin.

II.             Write into creative work weekly. 

III.           1-5 minute read in class

IV.          AWL Community Reading– August 21, 2023  6 pm-8 pm  

                  Kokoro Clinic-339 15th Street-Suite-Oakland, Ca. 94612Class Orientation:

Class Community Reading:

August 21, 2023  6 pm-8 pm    Kokoro Clinic-339 15th Street-Suite-Oakland, Ca. 94612

Dates 

 June 5, 2023 – Zoom Orientation  10:30-11:30 am & 4:00-5:00 pm. 

Class Sessions

I.               June 12, 2023

Lecture & Class Discussions, 45 min.,  30 minute Write, 

            Reading: Burroway             Preface & Chapter 1.

            Reading: Marks                    Introduction & Chapter 1.

*1 Page Reading Reflections of assigned reading – Burroway or Marks due          posted before each class on class WhatsApp messaging.

II.             June 19, 2023

Lecture & Class Discussions, 45 min.,  30 minute Write, Closing

            Reading: Burroway             Chapters 2. & 3.

Reading: Marks                    Chapters 2. & 3.

*1 Page Reading Reflections of assigned reading – Burroway or Marks due          posted before each class on class WhatsApp messaging. 

III.           June 26, 2023

Lecture & Class Discussions, 45 min.,  30 minute Write, Closing

Reading: Burroway             Chapters 3. & 4.

Reading: Marks                    Chapters 3. & 4

*1 Page Reading Reflections of assigned reading – Burroway or Marks due           posted before each class on class WhatsApp messaging. 

IV.          July 10, 2023

Lecture & Class Discussions, 45 min.,  30 minute Write, Closing

      Reading: Burroway       Chapters 5. & 6.        

Reading: Marks              Chapters 5. & 6.

*1 Page Reading Reflections of assigned reading – Burroway or Marks due          posted before each class on class WhatsApp messaging.

V.            July 17, 2023

Lecture & Class Discussions, 45 min.,  30 minute Write, Closing

Reading: Burroway       Chapters 6. & 7.

Reading: Marks              Chapters 6. & 7.

*1 Page Reading Reflections of assigned reading – Burroway or Marks due          posted before each class on class WhatsApp messaging. 

VI.          July 24, 2023

Lecture & Class Discussions, 45 min.,  30 minute Write, Closing

Reading: Burroway       Chapters 8. & 9.

Reading: Marks              Chapters 8. & 9.

*1 Page Reading Reflections of assigned reading – Burroway or Marks due          posted before each class on class WhatsApp messaging. 

VII.        July 31, 2023

Abridged Womanist Workshopping: 5-7 to seven minute read, 15 minute reflection and productive feedback per student. 

VIII.      August 7, 2023

Abridged Womanist Workshopping: 5-7 to seven minute read, 15 minute reflection and productive feedback per student.

IX.           August 14, 2027 

Community Rehearsal, Self, Class and Teacher Appreciations and Evaluations, & Closing 

Community Reading:

August 21, 2023  6 pm-8 pm    Kokoro Clinic-339 15th Street-Suite-Oakland, Ca. 94612

Andrea R. Canaan, MSW, MFA

1004 Diamante – Rio, Vista, Ca. 94571

andreacanaan@gmail.com

andreacanaan.blog

Pay Here with PayPal    or          Venmo  @Andrea-Canaan-1 –

Fee $400.00    

Make Some Time to Greet the AWL Writing–Creative New Year Together!

Get out your calendars to welcome and mark the 

day and time Suma Nagaraj who has traveled here 

from Bangalore, India and can finally join us without 

time zone restrictions. 

Squeeze us in to welcome new members:

Annie Kunjappy, Patsy Creedy & Jess 

Yes for many of us the times and days are hard to 

make work. Please try to make this week’s groups work.

Some of us have taken a pause or a break from AWL Groups. 

Or we are a home you have not visited in a while. Please 

come to one of your writing and creative homes this week to 

let us celebrate together beginning  our writing and creative 

new year.

For some of us  AWL is no longer a writing home, 

yet we have good memories, writing friends and 

writing partners among us. Come and say hello 

and celebrate the new creative year with us.  

AWL Group Links:

Tuesday Women of Color Writer’s Group                                 10-11:30 am PST            1:00 2:30 EST

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85897975982?pwd=QzRQNnFxMFlwS0k2SmtUMVJyYmluZz09

Wednesday AWL Women’s Writers Group                                1-2:30 pm PST               4-5:30 pm PST

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88086719141?pwd=UTQ2ZWRGbDlKM1poSTIyRGNNaDNZZz09

Wednesday AWL Women’s Writer’s Group Extended

Wednesday Group will end at 2:30 pm PST. Beginning January 11, 2023, those who chose to do so will take a fifteen minute break and reconvene for an additional 1.5 hours dedicated to writing & or reading from works in progress. 

In Joy,

A

Andrea R. Canaan, MSW, MFA

1004 Diamante – Rio, Vista, Ca. 94571

415-515-5943

andreacanaan@gmail.com

andreacanaan.blog

Radical Creative Womanist Workshopping in Community 2023 Dates

Must have at least four participants for workshop to convene

Morning Session 9:00 am – 12:30 pm session 

Afternoon Session 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm session in Rio Vista

Saturday, January 14th & 28th  2023

Saturday, February 11th & 25th 2023

March 11th and 25th 2923

April 8th & 22nd  2023

May 13th & 27th 2023

Members: $30.00 per session         Non Members: $60.00 per session

Individual Face to Face & Zoom or Facetime Sessions are available

In Joy, 

A

Andrea R. Canaan, MSW, MFA

1004 Diamante – Rio, Vista, Ca. 94571

415-515-5943

andreacanaan@gmail.com

andreacanaan.blog

Pay Here with PayPal         or         Venmo  @Andrea-Canaan-1

Winter Beginnings

A Writer’s Life – Winter Beginnings

Twenty Minute Daily Practices 

For Creative Rejuvenation and Sustenance

5 Minute Stretch or More

5 Minute Meditation or More

5 Minute Affirmations

  • Self I thank you for
  • Self I forgive you for
  • Self I commit to you that
  • Five Minute Write into Prompt or Other Creative Writing
  • Share Twenty Minute Daily Practices with a writing partner(s) for 
  • Support and Accountability
  • Text or email or call and say out loud your
  •  “I thank yous to support & accountability partner
  • Partner texts back: “Received”

A source for meditation follows:

The Great Bell Chant Thich Naht Hanh

Use your own music or meditation or affirmations or 

personal prayers or songs to support meditation as you wish

I will gladly be your Twenty Minute Daily Practices Writing Partner.

andreacanaan@gmail.com

415-515-5943

“Remember that sometimes 

not getting what you want is 

a wonderful stroke of luck.”  

–  Dalai Lama

January 1, 2023

Self

I thank you for the  wind, 

Rain and cold as well as

Sun heat

Whatever the turnings of 

day and night bring for 

all of our living

I forgive you for not being

Present constantly, consistently, 

Conscientiously to receive the 

Gifts and teachings of our natural 

Worlds 

I commit to be 

More curious

More constant

More consistent

More  conscientious 

More respectful and in

More wonder in our natural worlds