Workshops - Ellen Blum Barish

Private Writing Workshops & Group Gatherings

Join me for a small group writing workshop in my home near Evanston/Skokie OR I can facilitate a workshop in your home with a gathering of friends.

For info about fall workshops, email me at ellen@ellenblumbarish.com.

FALL WORKSHOPS

New Trier Extension

“Reading and Writing the Personal Essay”

Do you have a story from your life that you have been wanting to put to the page? Have you been craving those stimulating discussions about writing from your college days?
Want to expand your selection of go-to authors? Join me for a writing workshop that can provide one, two or more of these. You’ll read wonderful published essays. We’ll discuss these. You will have the chance to write from prompts. And we’ll discuss those, too. Gentle and supportive in-class workshopping will help you identify what’s working and highlight areas you can revise. Whether you want to get back into a writing practice, leave a family story for legacy, prepare an essay for publication or simply read new writers and engage in the fine art of discussion, this workshop will get your creative juices flowing and help you get words onto the page. Limit of 10.

Wednesdays. September 27, October 4, 11, 18, 25, November 1, 8, 15. 1- 3 pm

Skokie Public Library

Identifying Your Writer’s Voice

Your writerly voice is the signature mark that you leave behind in your work; a share of your soul, and perhaps what readers remember most. What makes a writer’s voice unique and how do you find yours? How is it shaped by the work you admire? Is it similar to or different than your spoken voice? We will talk about the elements that define voice and offer exercises to help you identify – and optimize – yours. This session will be meaningful for nonfiction, creative nonfiction, memoir and fiction writers.

Monday, October 16, 2017, 7-8:30 pm. Free to the public.

C.G. Jung Center

The Power of Personal Narrative

In his memoir, “Memories, Dreams and Reflections,” Jung writes that in midlife, the public persona cracks and cannot be sustained. There is the impulse to cover those cracks and prop up the false persona. To regain health, one needs to dismantle that persona and bury the corpse of our false selves and liberate our shadow selves. We tend to do this in pieces, much like those found in personal narrative. Using published selections from personal essays and memoirs, we will explore elements of personal narrative (detail, scene, language, pacing, structure, theme, voice and storyline) as they relate to the healthy self. In addition, there will be time for reflective writing and discussion of our work.

Saturday, November 4, 2017. 10 am – noon. $45

PRESENTATIONS AND WORKSHOPS

Looking for a lively speaker with engaging content on writing to present at your next event? Let’s talk about ways I can inspire your audience to write from their lives, whether it’s getting started, keeping it going or knowing when the work is done.

I have presented interactive presentations, workshops and courses at Northwestern University, North Park University, Dominican Universities, Columbia College Chicago, Elmhurst College and Oakton Community College and The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

I have also facilitated workshops presentations at Story Studio Chicago, Off Campus Writers Workshop, Ragdale, Lighthouse Writers Studio, The Women’s Exchange, Writers Workspace, New Trier Extension, Skokie Public Library and Beth Emet The Free Synagogue.

Topics have included:

“Writing for Personal Discovery: Making Art from Life”

“Identifying Your Writer’s Voice”

“Reading and Writing the Personal Essay”

“Writing What Matters Most”

“So That Your Values Live On: Writing Your Ethical Will”

“Writing the Spiritual Essay”

“Writing Family Secrets”

I am also happy to customize a presentation for your group’s unique interests. Email me at ellen@ellenblumbarish.com so that we can schedule a time to talk about it!

PRIVATE COACHING

Want to learn more about how you can benefit from one-to-one writing coaching? See the Coaching page of this site or email me at ellen@ellenblumbarish.com.

PAST PRESENTATIONS, WORKSHOPS & READINGS

Winter Writing Workshop in the Woods, Glencoe

Saturday, January 14, 2017