Offering Creative Writing Workshops and Retreats in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts Do you have a story to tell?
If you’ve written all your life and would like to experiment with new approaches, come and visit. If you’re new to writing and would like to discover skills you already have, come and visit. See what it’s like to explore stories and writing in a supportive and creative community.
05/31/2015
Summer Writing, Summer Landscapes
Summer Writing, Summer Landscapes Below you'll find further temptations and information about the Quabbin Reservation retreat, including a few lesser-known tidbits in its history. Below you'll also find a sampling of words and definitions from Robert MacFarlane's new book, Landmarks - words like:
05/03/2015
A posting by my daughter... Yes, I am bragging.
"Friends! Shameless plug for my Mom as she works to promote literacy and creative play in children in Holyoke, MA. She's just begun fundraising for this work, and any donation large or small is much appreciated and will be put to great use! (plus you can get some free swag smile emoticon ) Kathy Dunn Main Street Writers"
Main Street Writers » Community Outreach Last Spring, Kelly Full Service Community School – a neighborhood public school in Holyoke – invited me to lead a writing workshop for fourth graders. Twice weekly, five students came to school early to write, share, and respond to each others’ stories. We made a lot of noise, and they gained a lot…
04/25/2015
Changing the World, One Writer at a Time Last Spring, Kelly Full Service Community School – a neighborhood public school in Holyoke – invited me to lead a writing workshop for fourth graders. Twice weekly, five students came to school early to write, share, and respond to each others’ stories. We made a lot of noise, and they gained a lot…
~ Wislawa Szymborska ~
MIRACLE FAIR
The commonplace miracle:
that so many common miracles take place.
The usual miracles:
invisible dogs barking
in the dead of night.
One of many miracles:
a small and airy cloud
is able to upstage the massive moon.
Several miracles in one:
an alder is reflected in the water
and is reversed from left to right
and grows from crown to root
and never hits bottom
though the water isn't deep.
A run-of-the-mill miracle:
winds mild to moderate
turning gusty in storms.
A miracle in the first place:
cows will be cows.
Next but not least:
just this cherry orchard
from just this cherry pit.
A miracle minus top hat and tails:
fluttering white doves.
A miracle (what else can you call it):
the sun rose today at three fourteen a.m.
and will set tonight at one past eight.
A miracle that's lost on us:
the hand actually has fewer than six fingers
but still it's got more than four.
A miracle, just take a look around:
the inescapable earth.
An extra miracle, extra and ordinary:
the unthinkable
can be thought.
~ Wislawa Szymborska ~
03/16/2015
OK - Go to "The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows" - here:
http://www.dictionaryofobscuresorrows.com/
It's an amazing series of videos exploring subtle aspects of life for which we don't have everyday words. Like "Nodus Tollens: when your life doesn't fit into a story." To give language to something is to begin to understand it in new ways.
03/07/2015
Coming upon the longer view...
10/16/2014
Main Street Writers READ!
Thursday October 23, 6:30-8
Join us and other writers from all over the map -
GAWF - Greenfield Annual Word Festival This year's dates for 2014 are Tuesday October 21st through Sunday October 26th, 6 days of WORDs in downtown Greenfield, MA.
Outdoor Voice - Day long writing retreat on Mount Holyoke with Main Street Writers http://conta.cc/Ua3bqs