Events

An Intensive Workshop guiding writers from inspiration to publication. Hosted by Lynne Kaufman and featuring:

Frank Deluca Understanding Character: Introduction to the Enneagram
Josh Kornbluth Speaking ‘Bluth' to Power: The Comic Monologue
Linda Trichter Metcalf Proprioceptive Writing: Finding your Authentic Voice
Carolyn Cooke The Wisdom of Imagination: Writing into the Unknown
Kathi Goldmark & Sam Barry The Tough Love You Need to Get Published Now
Ted Weinstein Book Proposal Bootcamp

"Wisdom is the ability to discern what is
true, right, and lasting"

Human beings are story telling animals. It is how we share our experiences and make sense of our lives. The act of recording and reflecting upon the meaningful events and insights of our lives is a vital step towards bringing light to ourselves and to the world. In this unique weekend workshop you explore the wisdom writing process and develop the skills needed to create timely and enduring works of nonfiction and fiction. In depth sessions guide you in creating powerful manuscripts from initial inspiration through development, revision, and getting your work out into the world.

Speaking 'Bluth' to Power: The Comic Monologue
Josh Kornbluth
Comic monologuist Josh Kornbluth will present excerpts from several of his shows, talk about his creative process, and take questions from the audience.

Josh Kornbluth writes and performs comic monologues based on his own life. He has toured internationally, written and starred in several feature films including "Haiku Tunnel" and "Red Diaper Baby" and also starred in an eponymous television show. His most recent solo performance was "Andy Warhol: Good for the Jews?"

Proprioceptive Writing: A Proven Method
for Expanding Consciousness
Linda Trichter Metcalf, Ph.D.
How do I know what I think until I see what I write, as E.M. Forster famously asked. How indeed! Proprioceptive Writing® (PW) is a method to capture consciousness as it unfolds. Unlike stream-of-consciousness or journaling, this method mines your deepest thoughts in a self-generated text (called a "Write") that can be studied and understood. PW is not about writing, though it helps writers and yields the pleasures of writing. PW is a simple thinking method that expands consciousness. As details appear in the Write that bring your life into focus, your ordinary consciousness becomes revealed to you. As you explore your own thoughts and understandings, they grow in meaning and you grow in wisdom.

Linda Trichter Metcalf, PhD, author and educator, created the practice of Proprioceptive Writing (PW) in the mid-1970s and is coauthor of Writing the Mind Alive. Director of the PW Center, currently located in the Bay Area of California, she teaches PW, conducts PW therapy, and leads the PW Teacher Certification Program. www.pwriting.org

The Wisdom of Imagination: Writing into the Unknown
Carolyn Cooke
Writers often begin projects by recording what they already know. To engage intensely with an important piece of writing, though - to make a work of art - it helps to experience composition as an act of creation, with attendant thrills and dangers. Along with the work, what's created is the artist - a human container for insight, sensibility, imagination, and consciousness. In this session we'll briefly study a diverse range of voices and structures that stray usefully from the conventional, and do exercises designed to generate live and surprising material. Participants will also make an interactive map of ideas, obsessions, images, dreams, and stories - a virtual desk with a lifetime of work that no one else could do.

Carolyn Cooke teaches in the Department of Writing, Consciousness and Creative Inquiry at CIIS. She is the author of the O. Henry Award-winning short story collection, The Bostons. Her novel "Daughters of the Revolution" is forthcoming from Knopf this summer.

Book Proposal Bootcamp
Ted Weinstein
Learn how to write a compelling, effective proposal for your book.  Literary agent Ted Weinstein will give an overview of the rapidly changing state of the book business and the entire publishing process, followed by a detailed discussion of all the elements - style AND substance - that go into writing a great book proposal.  By the end of the session attendees will have a clear picture of how to successfully navigate the challenging path from book idea to author tour. 

Ted Weinstein is founder of Ted Weinstein Literary Management representing a wide range of authors of adult non-fiction. He has broad experience both in the business and editing sides of publishing. His areas of particular interest include biography, memoir, popular science, health and fitness and pop culture.

The Tough Love You Need to Get Published Now
Sam Barry and Kathi Kamen Goldmark

This workshop will guide participants through the publishing process from idea to bookshelf and beyond. Attendees will gain insight into the roles of various publishing professionals including the publisher, editor, publicist and agent and gain insider advice about getting published. Participants will learn:

     • Techniques for finding the right literary agent
     • The ins and outs of the editorial, marketing, and publicity process
     • The pros and cons of self-publishing
     • How to keep your writing career going
     • Effective but gracious ways to pitch your book idea-and ultimately promote your book
Participants should come prepared to work on their pitches and participate in group discussion.

Kathi Kamen Goldmark is the author of And My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You and a contributor to several collections of essays, including the forthcoming He Said What? Kathi is the founder and a member of the all-author rock band the Rock Bottom Remainders, producer of the coast-to-coast radio show West Coast Live, and winner of the 2008 Women's National Book Association Award.

Sam Barry is the author of the humor-inspiration book How to Play the Harmonica: and Other Life Lessons. Sam works for HarperOne, a division of HarperCollins. He is also a musician and music teacher who plays in and around San Francisco in the band Los Train Wreck and tours with the all-author rock band the Rock Bottom Remainders.

Lynne Kaufman is a playwright and novelist. She has premiered 15 full length plays at The Magic Theatre, Theatreworks, Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Fountain Theatre, The Abingdon Theatre etc. She has published three novels and dozens of short stories. She teaches writing at OLLI UC Berkeley.

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Pre-Weekend Workshop!
Understanding Character: Introduction to the Enneagram with Frank DeLuca
One of the most profound and elegant systems for understanding human nature is the Enneagram, a personality system of nine character types that integrates ancient teachings with modern psychology. This class is an exploration of the nine character types through a creative lens.  Using music, imagery, meditations and spontaneous writing exercises, you will come away with a rich understanding of how character is formed, developed and expressed. 
This is a pre-weekend workshop - click HERE to see full description and to register

 Frank DeLuca is a psychologist, life coach, and organizational development consultant.

SCHEDULE
Friday, June 10: 10:00am-4:00pm.......Pre-weekend workshop with Frank DeLuca, PhD
Understanding Character: Introduction to the Enneagram.

Friday, June 10: 7:00pm-9:00pm...........Josh Kornbluth
Saturday, June 11: 10:00am-12:30pm...Linda Trichter Metcalf
Lunch Break
Saturday, June 11: 1:30pm- 4:00pm......Carolyn Cooke
Sunday, June 12:   9:30am-12:00pm.....Kathi Goldmark & Sam Barry
Lunch break
Sunday, June 12: 1:30pm-4:00pm.........Ted Weinstein

DETAILS
Friday June 10 - Sunday June 12
CIIS Main Building
1453 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Full workshop:$275/$225 Members and CIIS Community
Friday evening only: $15/$10 Members and CIIS Community
Saturday or Sunday only: $150/$125 Members and CIIS Community
Pre-weekend workshop with Frank DeLuca is $75 for attendees, $110 for general public

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