Your story is important.
When we forget our histories, we
forget who we are.
These
were the themes that threaded through my writing workshop at The Clearing in
Door County last Friday. The maples were
in their full fall colorful glory. The
waters of Green Bay were slate colored and a bit angry as a stiff northwest
wind sent waves crashing on the rocks.
I call
these workshops “Writing From Your Life” as we searched our memories, recalling
the good and bad of our lives, and then writing about them—and sharing our
writing with each other. There is
laughter and tears. And surprises, too,
as participants recall memories thought lost and now remembered.
Young
and old, recently retired and those still working, all remembering, writing,
discussing—getting down their stories of growing up, important people in their
lives, turning points, joys, sorrows.
They came from Green Bay and Clinton, from Seymour and Tomah, from
Baraboo and Milwaukee, from Fish Creek and Bailey’s Harbor. All getting to know each other, all listening
to each other’s stories, all getting ideas for their own stories.
We
talked about keeping a journal, and how that can contribute to our stories.
We
discussed the elements of a story and the importance of a strong beginning—even
first lines that made a difference.
We
practiced writing six-word stories using Ernest Hemingway’s example: “For
sale: Baby shoes. Never Worn.”
We used my
new book TELLING YOUR STORY: PRESERVE YOUR HISTORY THROUGH STORY TELLING as a
reference. (For those interested you can order it by going to my website, www.jerryapps.com,)
THE OLD
TIMER SAYS: Never forget the power of a good story.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
November 3, 6:30. Rock
Springs Public Library, 6:30. Whispers and Shadows and Roshara Journal.
November 5, 10:00 a.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose,
Roshara Journal. With both Jerry and Steve Apps
November 10, 7:00 p.m. Menomonie Falls Public Library. One-Room
Schools
November 12: 9:30-11:30 a.m. Second Saturdays Plymouth Art
Center, 520 East Mill Street, Plymouth. Farm
Memories From Yesterday. Sponsored by Sheboygan County Historical Research
Center.
November 29.7:00 p.m. Sequoia Public Library, Madison. Roshara Journal with both Jerry and Steve
Apps
Purchase Jerry’s DVDS and
his Books from the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a
fundraiser for them):
The library now has available signed
copies of Jerry’s DVDs:
Emmy Winner, A Farm
Winter with Jerry Apps (based on The Quiet Season
book.)
Jerry Apps a Farm
Story (based on Rural Wit and
Wisdom and Old Farm books.)
The Land with Jerry Apps, (based on the book Whispers and Shadows.)
Also available are several of Jerry’s signed books including:
Jerry’s newest novel, The Great Sand Fracas of Ames County.
and Wisconsin
Agriculture: A History.
Jerry’s newest books, Roshara Journal (with
photos by Steve Apps) and Telling Your Story—a guide book for those who
want to write their stories—are also available.
Contact
the library for prices and special package deals.
Patterson
Memorial Library
500 Division Street
No comments:
Post a Comment