Elaine Cory, librarian, writer, and workshop leader, has been writing for the past 25 years. Elaine has run writing workshops in Cambridge, MA, at the public libraries, in the Harvard Square shelter for the homeless, and in a women's leadership training group in Concord, Ma. Additionally, Elaine has studied at the MFA program at Sarah Lawrence. The Amherst Writers and Artists (AWA) have certified her as a workshop leader.
Elaine started writing as part of her personal recovery journey, which has included working with exceptional writers and teachers. She began writing using Proprioceptive Writing (PW) founded by Linda Metcalf and practices this in her daily life. Proprioceptive writing allows the writer freedom to express oneself in a deeply personal way. Over the years she wrote with a PW group regularly which helped Elaine gain the unique experience of writing within a community.
She studied with Natalie Goldberg in Taos, New Mexico and fell in love with writing as a practice utilizing free writing and timed writing as discussed in Goldberg's books Wild Mind and Writing Down the Bones.
Elaine started writing poetry in the early 80's while she meandered down rivers on canoeing adventures in the Southwest with Hawk I ‘m Your Sister and poet/teacher, Sharon Olds. This experience contributed to her desire to teach in a gentle, caring and non-judgmental manner.
Two years ago she went on a writing retreat in Guatemala with Patricia Lee Lewis where she wrote poems and stories using the Amherst Writers and Artists' writing method. This weeklong retreat inspired her to become certified as an AWA workshop leader.
Elaine has been a member of a longstanding writing group which has met regularly for the last 15 years. This group has provided her with the structure, community and inspiration that is so valuable to her own creative process.
Here are some of my favorite links:
www.jacquelinesheehan.com an author, workshop, and yoga teacher...
www.writingretreats.org patricia lee lewis workshops
www.amherstwriters.com pat schneider's organization
www.celiajeffries.com wonderful writer and editor
chicorybluepress.com small feminist press featuring poetry, memoir and fiction focus on strong writing by women writers over 60
pwriting.com the site of proprioceptive writing