15 Feb (Friday)

Introduction to Mindful Writing: How to get started on your book, memoir or screenplay? Writing after meditating helps you to find your authentic creative voice by quietening the inner critic.

• Ice breaker activity for pp to get to know each other

• Introductory Mindful Writing Exercise

• Writing (individual)

• Sharing of writing (optional)

• Questions and queries (group)

• Individual consultations

16 Feb (Sat)

Talk on Mindful Listening…responding to the call to adventure…to find your inner wisdom and your story. Tools for writing a story; structure, plot and character.

“There’s no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you” Maya Angelou

• Mindful Writing Hero’s Journey Meditation – how to begin, handle doubt, not knowing, trusting one’s instinct

• Writing after Meditation

• Sharing of writing (Optional)

• Questions and queries

• Break

• Various mindfulness practices as creative writing tools

• Writing after Meditation

• Sharing of writing (optional)

Lunch

• How to develop characters and character arcs? 

• Using specific mindfulness practices to get to know your characters at a deeper level

• Writing

• Sharing of experience (optional)

• Sharing of writing

• Questions and queries

• Tea Break

• How to keep the reader reading, the audience watching…how to build dramatic character and story tension

• Specific Mindfulness exercises helpful in creating character emotional arcs and dramatic tension.  

• Sharing of writing

• Questions and queries

• Individual Consultation (optional)

17 Feb (Sun)

• Individual Consultations

• Talk on exploring endings: resolutions…how to resolve story and conflict in writing

• Specific mindfulness practice for ending and beginning again - a new chapter, a new day of writing, a new project.

• Writing after meditation

• Optional sharing/discussion 

• Forming writing interest groups

• Addressing craft questions