Our one-day December Zoom session went so well we decided to do it again – and again. So we’re offering a Saturday retreat each month from January through April. It’s your chance to write and enjoy writerly camaraderie – instruction included – even in lockdown.
Our theme is Fun with Fundamentals. Here’s the schedule:
January 16 CHARACTER
February 13 STRUCTURE
March 13 STYLE AND VOICE
April 10 SETTING
Each workshop will include
Get acquainted: meet your fellow writers and learn about their work.
Ice-breaker exercises
Write away from the eye of zoom, then check back in and write some more.
Lunch on zoom or off, your choice,
Writing experiments for fun and felicity
Really? More writing! We’ll provide prompts.
THE DETAILS:
8-student limit; $97, or $350 if you commit to all four
Marni was one of our wonderful writers at the workshop in Collioure in September 2018. We’re delighted to offer her thoughts on the experience.
Why would I go all the way to France just to write? I have a lovely view out my window, a quiet space, and it’s already all expenses-paid. Perhaps so I could peek into other peoples’ windows just a little, let a little noise into my life, and enjoy the smell of fresh baguettes wafting up the cobblestone walkway every morning. Eighty steps (I counted) from the blue door, down to the main street by the harbor where I had to make a decision every morning: was I going to go left to the market for fruit and cheese first, or right to the bakery for bread or a croissant. Then another 100 yards if I wanted to get my toes wet in the Mediterranean Sea while tasting my “Beignet de Catalan.” Back up the street past the roses and the open windows for breakfast and to write. Life was simple. Good food to eat, beautiful village, vineyards, olive trees, cork oaks, and coastline, almost all on foot. Museums, monasteries, and “Soup de Poisson”—it was all amazing.
So, why would I spend any time indoors in France sitting at a desk writing when I could be out exploring, eating my way up and down the streets of the villages, or exploring Paris and the Louvre, walking through the French Botanical Garden, seeing what was once Notre Dame? I came home and felt like I had done something on my trip. It felt like I was myself. I lived my own life in a different place. I didn’t feel like a tourist really; I had a bit of a purpose.
The first day of the writing workshop Char and Debbie posed an intimidating opener: “Tell us about your life as a writer.” Hmm. What will I say? That I wrote a novel when I was eleven? It was terrible. That I always wrote good nurse’s notes? My annual Christmas letter is better than average? My life as a writer is a better story because of Collioure. Because I didn’t think of myself as a writer, I carefully prepared a list of topics I could write about before I left for Collioure. Looking back a few months later at that list and that exercise, I am amused. It’s a flood like the Nebraska farmlands. I have some catching up to do. Is this what they mean when they say “finding your voice?”
Some days, I think of those wonderful afternoons in France, how I would write for an hour or two, then take a break to walk to the little market and pick out a perfect juicy peach or fresh fig for an afternoon snack, stopping at the bakery for a dinner baguette from the afternoon round of baking. I hold on to the magic of that simplicity. I’ve begun to taste it.
Editor’s note: You, too, can experience the joys of writing in France! Click here for more information.
–Working on a project?
–Need a boost?
–Crave time away to devote to your writing?
Come Write With Us!
Our plan for the day:
–Get acquainted: meet your fellow writers and learn about their work.
–Take a prompt or a writing exercise! We’ll provide you with a whole bunch so you can choose one tailored to your project or your needs.
–Write write write, then check back in with us and write some more.
–Communal lunch and free-range discussion – problems, questions, triumphs?
–Have a goal for the afternoon, keep writing.
–Reconvene for a dash of instruction, precise subject TBA.
–Really? More writing!
–One-on-one consult with Debbie or Charlotte at some time during the day.
THE DETAILS:
March 23, 2019 9:30 am to 4:30 pm
Taborspace 5441 SE Belmont St. Portland, OR 97215
$87 including lunch; 8-student limit
Live like a French person! For seven nights, six full days, in the charming Catalonian town of Céret. It’s nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees and the sparkling Mer Mediterranée is a mere 34 kilometers away. We love this town with its medieval walls and giant plane trees, its modern art museum and bustling Saturday market, its bakeries and bistros. We also love the region, famous for wine, seafood, ruined castles and artists of the early 20th century.
Our theme this year is The Way of the Artists – Inspired by Art. We are inspired by art each time we return to the Pyrénées Orientales, and we want to inspire you too. But you don’t have to be an art expert – just come with a mind open to the delights of the visual and how it can influence your writing. Each class day we’ll draw on the work on one artist (most associated with the area) for inspiration.
Every morning we’ll meet from 9:30 to 12:30 for the “class” portion of the experience – a basic workshop format of mini-lectures from Debbie and Charlotte, in-class writing exercises, and discussion of the pieces each of you will submit. (Yes, we will give you writing assignments at the end of class each day. Even in paradise, there is work to be done.) We’ll also assign a book or two for you to read ahead of time. In class we’ll discuss how the assigned books relate to our chosen artists.
We’ll have a group cocktail hour (with optional writerly talk) each day at around 6:00, so from 12:30 till then you can eat, write and explore as you wish. We plan to organize an optional side trip or two to nearby points of interest. The region is rich with Romanesque and Gothic cathedrals, magnificent mountains, beaches, vineyards, and vistas painted by Matisse or Dérain or Soutine.
Day One Saturday September 7 or 21: Arrive in Céret and settle in. The train from either Paris or Barcelona stops in nearby Perpignan; we’ll assemble there and drive down to Céret together. We’ll spend Saturday getting acclimated and getting to know each other, with a festive dinner at home or at a restaurant, depending on the group’s choice.
Day Two Sunday, September 8 or 22: Go wide. In 2018, the Musée d’Art Moderne in Céret showed 50 some works by French-Moroccan artist Najia Mehadji, who finds inspiration everywhere. Dance, music, geometry, architecture, flowers and waves, for example, in pieces that are evocative rather than representative. She inspires us to do the same: take inspiration from the visual arts and use it in our writing.
Day Three Monday, September 9 or 23: Go wild. Henri Matisse spent the summer of 1905 in nearby Collioure inventing Fauvism (fauve = wild beast) with bold unrealistic use of color and simplified forms. Time to add something wild to your work? To try being bold and simple and unrealistic? We’ll play with these possibilities.
Day Four Tuesday, September 10 or 24: Look around. Chaim Soutine and Pinchus Krémègne were emigrés to Paris from what is now Belarus. Both spent time in Céret painting the town and its surroundings. Their trees and houses are not your trees and houses. Study their trees and houses, then take your own vision of the world around you and put it on the page.
Day Five Wednesday, September 11 or 25: Try something completely different. In his old age, when illness made painting too physically challenging for him, Henri Matisse tried something completely different: he made arrangements of paper cutouts that today are among his most reproduced works. Let’s be like Matisse – try something new, arrange and rearrange.
Day Six Thursday, September 12 or 26:Drunk on color. This is the way one writer described the work of Raoul Dufy, who lived and painted in Perpignan for many years. Soak up some Dufy, let it go to your head, then make your work intoxicating.
Day Seven Friday, September 13 or 27:Put it all together. What did you learn about your writing this week? How will you apply your new insights and ideas to your work when you return home? We’ll help you set goals to incorporate what you’ve learned and continue the momentum you gained this week.
Day Eight Saturday, September 14 or 28: Time to leave. Unless you’d rather stay! In past years, several students have opted to spend another (non-workshop) week in whatever little piece of paradise we’ve chosen. If you’d like to stay the week of September 14 to 21 in Céret in 2019, please let us know immediately so we can discuss housing.
Main street of Ceret
YOUR LEADERS:
Debbie Guyol (dguyol@aol.com) teaches creative writing in the Mature Learning Program at Clark College, where she has inspired scores of students since 2002 and edited an anthology of student writing called Elderberry Wine Vintage 2010. Debbie is also a lawyer who has practiced in New York City and Portland. She is the co-author of The Complete Guide to Contract Lawyering, as well as articles for legal publications. Her co-authored book Pride and Prejudice and Kitties was published by Skyhorse Publishing in April 2013.
Charlotte Rains Dixon (chardixon@comcast.net), a writer and writing coach, teaches at the Writer’s Loft in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Room to Write at the Scarritt Bennett center in Nashville. Charlotte has also ghostwritten over a dozen books on diverse topics. Among her work-for-hire projects are The Complete Guide to Writing Successful Fundraising Letters, Beautiful America’s Oregon, and Beautiful America’s Wyoming. Her long list of magazine credits includes pieces for Vogue Knitting, The Oregonian and Stepping Out Magazine. Her MFA in Creative Writing is from Spalding University. Charlotte’s novel, Emma Jean’s Bad Behavior, was published by Vagabondage Press in February 2013. http://www.wordstrumpet.com/
TESTIMONIALS – 2019 will be our seventh year presenting workshops in France. Our students have loved our sojourns – Céret in 2013, Pézenas in 2014, Collioure in 2015, back to C̀éret in 2016, Collioure again in 2017 and 2018. The writing has been good too!
Renee Soasey says: “Debbie and Charlotte have a way of nudging and nurturing writers to new horizons, and they create an atmosphere of camaraderie into the bargain. I felt each of us at the workshop in Céret made real progress in our writing goals – and we had so much fun doing it! The town of Céret and our wonderful accommodations made a charming backdrop to indulge in not only writing, but fabulous wine and food topped off with laughter and friendly conversation. I can’t wait to do it again!”
Jenni Gainsborough says: “Céret was the perfect place for a writing retreat – so different from home, fascinating in its culture and history, it sparked creativity. Yet the beauty of its setting and its tranquil pace of life made it easy to focus on writing. And when I needed a break there was so much to see and enjoy and be reinspired by. The camaraderie of the group added so much – listening to other people’s work was inspiring and their interest in and insightful comments about my writing were so helpful and encouraging. And we had fun! Leisurely dinners with wine and conversation flowing freely were our reward for days of hard work.”
Albert Bouffard has joined us in five previous years: “The Let’s Go Write experience in France, with its collegial and congenial spirit, enriched me, and I have no doubt, all the participants. The writing almost palpably improved; acquaintances became friends; and entrenched habits broke open, as we bumped up against another cultural and linguistic tradition. Not a bad thing for writers. And I can’t forget the good food, excellent cooks and the waiters and waitresses who so often entertained us with un sens de l’humour. As my young grand daughter would say: ‘How cool is that, Papa!’”
“Charlotte is warm, personable, and real. Her ideas work.” Zan Marie Steadham
“Debbie’s classes are inspirational, educational and a lot of fun.” Helen Cartales
“I attend every workshop Charlotte and Debbie offer, as my schedule allows. I come away from each of these workshops feeling inspired, energized, smarter, and highly motivated.” Dawn Montgomery
THE DETAILS:
Cost: The price is $2100 if you register by December 31, 2018; after that it goes up to $2200. We require a $400 deposit on registration and complete payment by May 31, 2019. If your spouse or partner wants to come along, there will be an additional charge. The price for a couple who will share a room and both take the workshop is $3100, or $3000 before December 31, 2018.
We offer repeat students a discount – $2000 if you register by December 31; $2100 if you register thereafter.
The price of the program covers lodging, tuition, breakfast and four dinners. Lunch and other dinners are flexible – a mix of meals at home and in restaurants– with the cost shared among participants.
The housing cost for the middle week (September 14-21) is shared equally among everyone who stays for that week, and will be determined once we’ve made our final housing payments. In past years it has hovered between $500 and $600 per bedroom.
How to apply: Send us a short statement (250 words or fewer) about where you are in your writing now and why you would like to join the workshop and what you hope to get out of it. Please also tell us whether you prefer the week of September 7-14 or 21-28. The program is limited to eight participants. Once either week is full, only the other week will be available.
What to expect: Please bring a computer with word processing capability. The houses where we stay have internet access; you will be expected to send your writing to other class members each day via email. We will discuss student writing as a group, focusing on each day’s subject matter. We encourage constructive discussion of how to improve the writing.
Physical fitness: Okay, we won’t make you do pushups or run a marathon, but you should be aware that there will be stairs, there will be hills and there will be walking. It’s not terribly strenuous, but be advised.
Transportation: We will rent cars to use as needed for grocery shopping and short excursions.
Cancellation policy: The $400 deposit is not refundable. Once you have paid the balance of the cost, we will provide a full refund (less deposit) if you cancel before June 30. If you cancel thereafter there is no refund unless you find a replacement student for us.
Travel insurance: It’s relatively inexpensive; we strongly recommend you purchase it. Allianz is one company we’ve used; MH Ross Advantage plan is recommended by our travel agent friend.
This workshop is full! Stay tuned for information on next year’s Astoria workshop–or check out our weeks in England and France.
THE PLAN:
We’ll stay seven nights, six full days, in rainy romantic Astoria, a city of 10,000 on the Columbia River where it opens up to the Pacific. It’s the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies – historic, funky and full of character.
The funky mid-century modern Atomic Motel will be our home base. Sunday is arrival day, with a welcome gathering Sunday evening. You’ll have a private room with a queen bed. We’ll have happy hours and some meals in the fabulous 50s style lobby – where Dean Martin (okay, a cardboard version of him) holds forth daily and there’s a microphone used by both Dean and Frank Sinatra!
Downtown with its shops and cafes, museums, brewpubs, bakeries and other quirky spots is nearby and walkable. The iconic Oregon Coast restaurant Pig N’ Pancake is right next door. You can see photos of the motel and read more about it here.
Monday through Friday – writing workshop. We’ll meet from 9:30 to 12:30 each day for the “class” portion of the experience – a basic workshop format of mini-lectures from Debbie and Charlotte, in-class writing exercises, and discussion of the pieces each of you will submit. (Yes, we will give you writing assignments at the end of class each day. You came to write, right?)
In keeping with our Feast of the Senses theme, each day we’ll consider one of the five senses and its use in our writing. Here’s a start:
Monday: sight. Sea and sky, hills and houses, the colors of winter
Tuesday: sound. Foghorns hooting, sea lions barking, the mighty Columbia slapping the shore
Wednesday: taste. Salt in the air, fresh seafood on the tongue
Thursday: smell. Salt in the air, fresh seafood in the broiler
Friday: touch. Wind and water, rough and smooth, soft and scratchy
We’ll use these sensory topics to enhance and expand upon the traditional techniques of creative writing, including characterization, description, dialogue, plot, and theme. Class assignments will be applicable to a work in progress or a brand-new project. All skill levels welcome.
We’ll have some optional outings (for example, to the Columbia River Maritime Museum, the Astoria Column with its unparalleled views of land and water) and our last day, Saturday, you’ll be free to explore on your own.
The cost is $895 and includes seven nights’ lodging, complimentary continental breakfasts at the Atomic Motel, and tuition. Not included: transportation to Astoria and other meals. A deposit of $250 will hold your place; full payment required by December 31.
For more information, contact Debbie at dguyol@aol.com, or Charlotte at chardixon@comcast.net. We hope to see you there!
Join us for a deep dive into the elements of your story
Novel or memoir, essay or short story collection; beginner or seasoned writer – all are welcome!
Two sessions: September 1-8, 2018, or September 15-22, 2018
THE WORKSHOP:
We’ll have six full days of writing in the colorful town of Collioure. With the foothills of the Pyrenees on one side and the Mediterranée on the other, Collioure is perfectly situated. It’s beautiful too – photographs of its waterfront and phallic bell tower adorn the cover of many a travel guide.
There are also the requisite cobbled side streets and nearby cliff-top hiking trails.
Every morning we’ll meet from 9:30 to 12:30 for the “class” portion of the experience – a basic workshop format of mini-lectures from Debbie and Charlotte, in-class writing exercises, and discussion of the pieces each of you will submit. (Yes, we will give you writing assignments at the end of class each day. Even in paradise, there is work to be done – see photo below.) We’ll also assign a couple of books for you to read ahead of time. In class we’ll discuss the elements of story in the assigned books.
Day One Saturday September 1/ September 15: Arrive in Collioure and settle in. The train from either Paris or Barcelona stops in town and our houses will be walking distance from the station. Someone will meet you at the station to guide you to your home for the week. We’ll spend Saturday getting acclimated and getting to know each other, with a festive dinner in town or at home, depending on the group’s choice.
Day Two Sunday, September 2 / September 16: Character. Who is your central character – how do you see her, how do you present her on the page? We’ll consider some of the many ways to work with character to develop and enhance your story.
Day Three Monday, September 3 / September 17: Setting. Where does your story take place? How do you make it real for the reader? How can you best integrate the setting into your story?
Day Four Tuesday, September 4 / September 18: Theme. What’s it all about, anyway? One writer has explained theme thus: “Plot is the events of story; theme is the meaning behind or revealed by story.” We’ll have a day when we explore how a theme emerges.
Day Five Wednesday, September 5 / September 19: Structure part one. How do you put your story together? We’ll spend one day looking at traditional structures: the classic three-act structure, the Hero’s Journey, etc.
Day Six Thursday, September 6 / September 20: Structure part two. Sometimes the best way to structure a story is not in a linear fashion. We’ll discuss the pleasures and pains of less conventional ways to structure your story.
Day Seven Friday, September 7 / September 21: Revision! A crucial piece of the process often overlooked in workshops. We’ll talk about both the big-picture and the fine-tuning aspects of revision, and give you a chance to rewrite of one of the pieces you’ve submitted to the workshop.
Day Eight Saturday, September 8 / September 22: Time to leave.
Middle Week September 8 to 15: In past years, several students have opted to spend another week in whatever little piece of paradise we’ve chosen. If you’d like to stay an extra week in Collioure in 2018, please let us know immediately. First to commit get a room in one of our lovely houses!
YOUR LEADERS:
Debbie Guyol (dguyol@aol.com) teaches creative writing in the Mature Learning Program at Clark College, where she has inspired scores of students since 2002 and edited an anthology of student writing called Elderberry Wine Vintage 2010. Debbie is also a lawyer who has practiced in New York City and Portland. She is the co-author of The Complete Guide to Contract Lawyering, as well as articles for legal publications. Her co-authored book Pride and Prejudice and Kitties was published by Skyhorse Publishing in April 2013.
Charlotte Rains Dixon (chardixon@comcast.net), a writer and writing coach, teaches at the Writer’s Loft in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Room to Write at the Scarritt Bennett center in Nashville. Charlotte has also ghostwritten over a dozen books on diverse topics. Among her work-for-hire projects are The Complete Guide to WritingSuccessful Fundraising Letters, Beautiful America’s Oregon, and Beautiful America’s Wyoming. Her long list of magazine credits includes pieces for Vogue Knitting, The Oregonian and Stepping Out Magazine. Her MFA in Creative Writing is from Spalding University. Charlotte’s novel, Emma Jean’s Bad Behavior, was published by Vagabondage Press in February 2013. http://www.wordstrumpet.com/
TESTIMONIALS – 2018 will be our sixth year presenting workshops in France. Our students have loved our sojourns – Céret in 2013, Pézenas in 2014, Collioure in 2015, back to Céret in 2016, Collioure again in 2017. The writing has been good too!
Renee Soasey says: “Debbie and Charlotte have a way of nudging and nurturing writers to new horizons, and they create an atmosphere of camaraderie into the bargain. I felt each of us at the workshop in Céret made real progress in our writing goals – and we had so much fun doing it! The town of Céret and our wonderful accommodations made a charming backdrop to indulge in not only writing, but fabulous wine and food topped off with laughter and friendly conversation. I can’t wait to do it again!”
Jenni Gainsborough says: “Céret was the perfect place for a writing retreat – so different from home, fascinating in its culture and history, it sparked creativity. Yet the beauty of its setting and its tranquil pace of life made it easy to focus on writing. And when I needed a break there was so much to see and enjoy and be reinspired by. The camaraderie of the group added so much – listening to other people’s work was inspiring and their interest in and insightful comments about my writing were so helpful and encouraging. And we had fun! Leisurely dinners with wine and conversation flowing freely were our reward for days of hard work.”
Albert Bouffard has joined us all five previous years: “The Let’s Go Write experience in France, with its collegial and congenial spirit, enriched me, and I have no doubt, all the participants. The writing almost palpably improved; acquaintances became friends; and entrenched habits broke open, as we bumped up against another cultural and linguistic tradition. Not a bad thing for writers. And I can’t forget the good food, excellent cooks and the waiters and waitresses who so often entertained us with un sens de l’humour. As my young grand daughter would say: ‘How cool is that, Papa!’”
AND THEY LOVE US!
“Charlotte is warm, personable, and real. Her ideas work.” Zan Marie Steadham
“Debbie’s classes are inspirational, educational and a lot of fun.” Helen Cartales
“I attend every workshop Charlotte and Debbie offer, as my schedule allows. I come away from each of these workshops feeling inspired, energized, smarter, and highly motivated.” Dawn Montgomery
Cost: The price is $1900 until December 31, 2017; after that it goes up to $1975. We require a $300 deposit on registration and complete payment by May 31, 2018. The program is limited to eight participants. If your spouse or partner wants to come along, there will be an additional charge. The price for a couple who will share a room and both take the workshop is $2850, or $2750 before December 31, 2017. The price of the program covers lodging, tuition, breakfast and four dinners. Lunch and other dinners are flexible – a mix of meals at home and in restaurants– with the cost shared among participants.
The housing cost for the middle week (September 8-15) is shared equally among everyone who stays for that week, and will be determined once we’ve made our final housing payments. In past years it has hovered around $500 per bedroom.
How to apply: Send us a short statement (250 words or fewer) about where you are in your writing now and why you would like to join the workshop and what you hope to get out of it. Please also tell us whether you prefer the week of September 1-8 or 15-22. Once either week is full, only the other week will be available.
What to expect: Please bring a computer with word processing capability. The houses where we stay have internet access; you will be expected to send your writing to other class members each day via email. We will discuss student writing as a group, focusing on each day’s subject matter. We encourage constructive discussion of how to improve the writing.
Physical fitness: Okay, we won’t make you do pushups or run a marathon, but you should be aware that there will be stairs, there will be hills and there will be walking. It’s not terribly strenuous, but be advised.
Transportation: We will rent cars to use as needed for grocery shopping and short excursions.
Cancellation policy: The $300 deposit is not refundable. Once you have paid the balance of the cost, we will provide a full refund (less deposit) if you cancel before June 30. If you cancel thereafter there is no refund unless you find a replacement student for us.
Travel Insurance: It’s relatively inexpensive; we strongly recommend you purchase it. Allianz is one company we’ve used; MH Ross Advantage plan is recommended by our travel agent friend.
Live like a French person! For seven nights, six full days, in the charming Catalonian town of Céret. It’s nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees and the sparkling Mer Mediterranée is a mere 34 kilometers away. We love this town with its medieval walls and giant plane trees, its modern art museum and bustling Saturday market, its bakeries and bistros. We also love the region, famous for wine, seafood, ruined castles and artists of the early 20th century.
