Most
people come to Cape Cod for the beaches. But many of them want
something more, as well. Those who come here seeking their muse can now
get some guidance at a cozy new writers workshop in Eastham.
Elaine Cory offers four-day writing workshops in her cottage
overlooking Salt Pond, a short drive from both bay and ocean beaches. A
retired librarian, she has taken more than her share of workshops
herself over the years, and knows what works.
Her first workshop of the summer, July 14 through 17, filled fast,
mostly with local folks. “I’m also catering to people who come down for
vacation and rent a house and they want to get some writing done while
they’re here,” she said.
While some of the people who have signed up are already published
writers, most have been writing on their own and want to take their
work to the next level. “I’ve got one public relations person, two
people who are big journal writers and want to get into something else,
and one person who has written a nonfiction book and wants to find some
serious writers to bounce things off. One person coming in August has
written parts of two novels,” she said.
Some come seeking direction, and others want affirmation. “One man
said, ‘I want to find out if I have any talent,’ and I said ‘no one can
really tell you that – it’s kind of a process,’” Cory said.
She uses a very specific process in her workshops, one designed to
bring out the inner writer she feels most people have, but have
forgotten or denied. “I think there are lots of people who think they
can’t write,” she said, but once they get into a workshop structured
the right way, find they can.
The way Cory structures her workshops is based on writing prompts.
“I’ll start with a brief meditation, and then I’ll offer a writing
prompt, and we’ll do timed writing for 10 minutes. Then we’ll get
together and read, and we’ll only comment on what we like,” she
stresses. “It really is not about critiquing work, because they are
first drafts. You want to create some new writing.”
The next writing prompt launches a longer timed writing session, and
the exchange between participants deepens with each writing experience.
“By the end of the day we’ll be getting to know each other,” Cory said,
and the group will take on a life of its own. “I’ve seen it happen
again and again – I really believe if you get a group of writers
together the energy is amazing – you feed off each other.”
Cory herself writes some fiction, but mostly poetry, and said the
workshop can generate all kinds of writing. “Writing prompts can
trigger either poetry or prose… these are really geared to all genres.”
Even nonfiction writers will find such a workshop effective, she
said.
Cory, who lives in Cambridge most of the year and bought her Eastham
cottage last spring, has trained with well-known writing guru Natalie
Goldberg, author of “Writing Down the Bones” and “Wild Mind,” and
practices Goldberg’s free writing method.
“Goldberg says ‘keep your hand moving, don’t think, don’t cross out –
just write,’” she said. “She’s just like she is in her books. She talks
to you like a friend.”
She has also studied at the Sarah Lawrence MFA program and is certified as an Amherst Writers and Artists workshop leader.
She was inspired to get the workshop training after going on a writers’
retreat in Guatemala two years ago with Patricia Lee Lewis, using the
Amherst Writers and Artists method.
Taking the training gave her confidence to lead groups, which she first
did at Cambridge Library, where she worked as a librarian before
retiring.
Cory, who has two grown children, only recently retired, and confessed
she does miss her old professional life in some regards.
“I was in Cambridge, I ran a small branch. You get to know everybody’s
life story,” she said. “One of my favorite things was recommending
books to people – I loved that part of my job.”
Now, she is turning that nurturing toward budding writers. “It’s always
been my dream to do things for writers, and I love writing with a
group.”
She is part of a writers’ group that has been meeting for 15 years, and
looks forward to connecting with more writers through her workshops.
She is also hoping to lead workshops for specialized groups, such as
women with breast cancer, who may find therapeutic benefits to
writing.
One reason she’s good at encouraging people to write even when they
don’t think they can is that she was once in the same boat. “I was a
Spanish major,” she said, laughing. “I always read a lot, but I was
just terrified to write.”
Thanks to writing workshops, she’s left that fear behind. Now, through her own workshops, she is helping others do the same.
If you go…
What: Four-day writing workshops
When: Next workshop is Aug. 11-14; e-mail Elaine@easthamwritersworkshop.com for availability and registration details