Summer Course for NH Residents: Introduction to Mindful Writing

INTRODUCTION TO MINDFUL WRITING

Description of Course:

 

This online course is geared toward individuals wanting to increase their enjoyment and satisfaction with writing in any genre (poetry, fiction, nonfiction). We discuss how to develop a calm, productive mindset and greater self-acceptance toward our writing through paying attention to the ever-changing present moment. We cover the main tenets of mindful writing, including noticing and making use of impermanence, accessing our monkey minds for new ideas, and reducing audience demons. This course is a combination of discussion and hands-on activity, and participants will be asked to prepare readings and complete activities to develop a regular mindful writing practice. This course is facilitated by New Hampshire State Poet Laureate, Alexandria Peary. Enrollment is limited to 10 participants who are New Hampshire residents.

 

Participants will:

 

-Learn strategies to more consistently focus on the present moment during writing.

-Practice methods to increase writing productivity.

-Change negative feelings about writing to positive ones of calm and self-acceptance.

-Develop a mindful writing discipline.

-Engage in a community of writers, sharing work and ideas.

- Gain basic skills to proceed, if desired, to upcoming master classes offered on mindful writing.

 

Meeting Details:

·      This online class meets for 75 minutes on Zoom, from 3-4:15 pm on Saturday, July 18; Saturday, July 25; and Saturday, August 1, 2020.

·      A Zoom link will be emailed to you the Friday before each class meeting.

·      A donation of $30 is strongly recommended to the New Hampshire Food Bank or the Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire.

 

Ground Rules:

 

Participants will be asked to prepare readings as well as come to class with completed writing exercises. Handouts of reading materials will be provided as PDF. It is important that participants commit to attending all three sessions as each class discussion will build upon prior one.

Background of Presenter:

 

Alexandria Peary, MFA, MFA, PhD, specializes in mindful writing, an approach captured in her book Prolific Moment: Theory and Practice of Mindfulness for Writing (Routledge 2018) as well as her 2019 TEDx talk, “How Mindfulness Can Transform the Way You Write,” available on YouTube. She has presented on mindful writing for the Imperial College of London, the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program, Southern New Hampshire University, the National Council of Teachers of English, the New Hampshire Poetry Festival, and the New Hampshire Humanities Council. Alex serves as New Hampshire Poet Laureate and is the recipient of a 2020-2021 Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship in support of her initiatives with mindful writing for youth survivors of the state’s opioid crisis and the development of a young writers’ festival in the North Country.

 

How to Join:

If you are interested, send an email with the below information to Alex at Balconyofwords@gmail.com by Sunday, July 12. Include the following information:

 

·      Name

·      Address

·      Email

·      Writing Background: Include a brief paragraph describing your writing background and your reasons for wanting to take this course.