I just got home from the Pikes Peak Writers Conference and what a wonderful experience it was. Overwhelming, yes. Exhausting, definitely. But wonderful, through and through.
I met a lot of great people--both newbies to the writing field and grizzled veterans. And I was re-inspired but some incredible speakers, from the hard-driving TV reporter and novelist Hank Phillippi Ryan to the hilariously foul-mouthed screenwriter/novelist Chuck Wendig. Chuck's mantra: "Care less. Write more."
On Saturday afternoon, I led a workshop on improvisation titled, ""Whose Story Is It Anyway?" My premise was this: in both novels and plays, it's the characters who drive the story, not the author. But when novelists are stuck in their writing, they're often recommended to use tools that require more writing. Instead, I suggested they do what actors do: get up off your feet and do some improv. It 'll force you to use a different part of your brain and might even kickstart a whole new slew of ideas.
I led a mini-version of this class at a conference preview this February and it phenomenally well. The room was packed with writers, and the five victimess-er, volunteers--I was assigned threw themselves wholeheartedly into the exercises. It didn't hurt that most of them had had some theatre experience.
So I was little disappointed when Saturday arrived and only seven people showed up. What made matters worse, nearly all of them had planned on sitting out the activities and just watching.
Writers--what are you going to do?
But with a little arm-twisting, I was able to get all of them on their feet, and they had a ball. In fact, they had so much fun that when class time came to an end, they hogtied and forced me to come up with additional imrpov games they could play.
Okay, the hogtying was an exaggeration, but the games were not. The participants stuck around another half hour to play improv games until it was time for dinner. They especially enjoyed a game of Quick Change set in a meat freezer and a free-form activity set on a deserted island in which the writers potrayed characters from their own writing.
Last year, I led a class titled Intro to Playwriting and only seven people showed up (including the moderator). I blamed the low turnout on the irredeemably boring title of my class and decided to jazz things up this year by changing the title to Writing Plays for the (Surprisingly Lucrative) School Market.
Again, only seven people showed up (including the moderator). But it all worked out. The attendees were very enthusiastic and they peppered me with a wide range of questions. I may have even inspired a couple to try their hands at this little-known field.
I may not return next year. But my experience this year was extremely rewarding, and I hope to continue teaching classes elsewhere.
Showing posts with label Pikes Peak Writers Conference. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pikes Peak Writers Conference. Show all posts
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Whose class is it anyway?
Yesterday, the Pikes Peak Writers Conference gave a free preview of their April conference at the Marriott Hotel in Colorado Springs, and I was honored to be one of the instructors selected to teach a class.
My class was titled, "Whose Story Is It Anyway?", a take-off on the popular TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway? with writers take the place of the experienced improv stars. In leading the class, I may have sounded more like Harvey Fierstein than my usual self (I was still fighting a cold I picked up in Chicago), but I thought it went well. The writers who volunteered to help me performed at the top of their game, and the sellout crowd ate it all up.
The most popular activity? A version of The Dating Game in which each of the guys played a character from one of their books.
It was a big experiment on my part, and I think it worked. There may not have been any breakthroughs. The participants may not have gained any new insights about their characters. But if it challenged the audience members to think less and write more, if it inspired even one writer to get off their butt and act out their character the next time they have writer's block, then it was worth it.
Here's hoping the full class in April goes even better.
My class was titled, "Whose Story Is It Anyway?", a take-off on the popular TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway? with writers take the place of the experienced improv stars. In leading the class, I may have sounded more like Harvey Fierstein than my usual self (I was still fighting a cold I picked up in Chicago), but I thought it went well. The writers who volunteered to help me performed at the top of their game, and the sellout crowd ate it all up.
The most popular activity? A version of The Dating Game in which each of the guys played a character from one of their books.
It was a big experiment on my part, and I think it worked. There may not have been any breakthroughs. The participants may not have gained any new insights about their characters. But if it challenged the audience members to think less and write more, if it inspired even one writer to get off their butt and act out their character the next time they have writer's block, then it was worth it.
Here's hoping the full class in April goes even better.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Two new playwriting workshops
The Pikes Peak Writers Conference just gave me their decision on my workshop proposal for next year's conference. Not only do they like it, but they want me to do a second workshop on playwriting.
Last year, I taught a basic class on breaking into playwriting. It was your standard marketing class covering what kinds of plays publishers are looking for and how to submit to them.
As mentioned earlier, I was disappointed in the turnout. Only six people showed up, although I have to admit they were a great group, enthusiastic and attentive.
Still, the low turnout bothered me. It may have been because my workshop was scheduled for Sunday morning--the tail end of the conference--when many people had already taken off and everyone else had their braisn fried from listening to a weekend's worth of talk talk talk. Or it may just have been because most of the attendees weren't interested in playwriting.
I decided to find out. I came up with a workshop that would play on my strengths in theatre while appealing to the novelists who make up the bulk of the attendees. The title? Theatre Games for Writers.
My thought was this: Writers expend huge number of grey cells to craft their characters. But there's a group of people who spend just as much as writers: Actors.
Their techniques differs, of course. While writers are usually told to fill out long, boring forms detailing their characters' strengths, weaknesses, secrets and favorite ice cream flavor, actors are taught to think on their feet, to do improv, to act out of impulse and emotion.
So what if a bunch of cerebral, introverted writers used the same techniques as more impulsive, extroverted actors?
The results could be disastrous. Or they may be exactly what some writers need to break out of their creative straitjackets.
Either way, we'll find out next April, when the 22nd annual Pikes Peak Writers Conference is held at the Marriott Hotel in Colorado Springs.
My second workshop? I'm going to focus my marketing class a little more tightly while adding an enticing parenthetical to the title: Writing Plays for the (Surprisingly Lucrative) School Market.
Last year, I taught a basic class on breaking into playwriting. It was your standard marketing class covering what kinds of plays publishers are looking for and how to submit to them.
As mentioned earlier, I was disappointed in the turnout. Only six people showed up, although I have to admit they were a great group, enthusiastic and attentive.
Still, the low turnout bothered me. It may have been because my workshop was scheduled for Sunday morning--the tail end of the conference--when many people had already taken off and everyone else had their braisn fried from listening to a weekend's worth of talk talk talk. Or it may just have been because most of the attendees weren't interested in playwriting.
I decided to find out. I came up with a workshop that would play on my strengths in theatre while appealing to the novelists who make up the bulk of the attendees. The title? Theatre Games for Writers.
My thought was this: Writers expend huge number of grey cells to craft their characters. But there's a group of people who spend just as much as writers: Actors.
Their techniques differs, of course. While writers are usually told to fill out long, boring forms detailing their characters' strengths, weaknesses, secrets and favorite ice cream flavor, actors are taught to think on their feet, to do improv, to act out of impulse and emotion.
So what if a bunch of cerebral, introverted writers used the same techniques as more impulsive, extroverted actors?
The results could be disastrous. Or they may be exactly what some writers need to break out of their creative straitjackets.
Either way, we'll find out next April, when the 22nd annual Pikes Peak Writers Conference is held at the Marriott Hotel in Colorado Springs.
My second workshop? I'm going to focus my marketing class a little more tightly while adding an enticing parenthetical to the title: Writing Plays for the (Surprisingly Lucrative) School Market.
Monday, April 22, 2013
What I learned in class
I had a blast yesterday teaching a playwriting class at the Pikes Peak Writing Conference.
Although I was disappointed by the turnout--only eight people showed up, and that number is inflated by the fact that the moderator and the sound person had to be there--the students were very enthusiastic and asked a lot of great questions.
The class was titled "Breaking into Playwriting". My hunch was that beginning playwrights would rather learn how to market their plays than how to write one.
My hunch was correct. When I asked for a show of hands, nearly everyone had already completed a play but had no clue what to do with it.
The gist of my talk was that it's easier to break into playwriting than novel writing. It's cheaper to print scripts than hardcover books, and play publishers aren't hung up on finding the next big "hit". They just want stuff that their customers will want to produce. Especially in the school market, if the play is fun and easy to stage, it will find a home.
Of course, getting that first production can be tricky. That's why I recommended that the students follow the path that had worked for me: submit your works to contests until you get a production, then submit it to small but respected publishers like Pioneer, Eldridge or Heuer.
Nothing really ground-breaking. But it was practical. One student was especially excited to learn that her informal shows at a local elementary school counted as productions.
And then it hit me. These budding writers weren't looking for advice. They were looking for permission. They needed to hear that it was okay to submit to publishers.
After class, as I was cleaning up, I came across one of the feedback forms that all attendees are supposed to fill out. I know, I know. I shouldn't have peeked at it, but I did.
Her comments were brief and to the point. One item stood out from the rest. To describe the instructor, she wrote a single word: "motivational".
I couldn't help but smile. That's exactly what I was aiming for.
Although I was disappointed by the turnout--only eight people showed up, and that number is inflated by the fact that the moderator and the sound person had to be there--the students were very enthusiastic and asked a lot of great questions.
The class was titled "Breaking into Playwriting". My hunch was that beginning playwrights would rather learn how to market their plays than how to write one.
My hunch was correct. When I asked for a show of hands, nearly everyone had already completed a play but had no clue what to do with it.
The gist of my talk was that it's easier to break into playwriting than novel writing. It's cheaper to print scripts than hardcover books, and play publishers aren't hung up on finding the next big "hit". They just want stuff that their customers will want to produce. Especially in the school market, if the play is fun and easy to stage, it will find a home.
Of course, getting that first production can be tricky. That's why I recommended that the students follow the path that had worked for me: submit your works to contests until you get a production, then submit it to small but respected publishers like Pioneer, Eldridge or Heuer.
Nothing really ground-breaking. But it was practical. One student was especially excited to learn that her informal shows at a local elementary school counted as productions.
And then it hit me. These budding writers weren't looking for advice. They were looking for permission. They needed to hear that it was okay to submit to publishers.
After class, as I was cleaning up, I came across one of the feedback forms that all attendees are supposed to fill out. I know, I know. I shouldn't have peeked at it, but I did.
Her comments were brief and to the point. One item stood out from the rest. To describe the instructor, she wrote a single word: "motivational".
I couldn't help but smile. That's exactly what I was aiming for.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
The best way to learn
They say the best way to learn something is to teach it. If that's the case, then I'm about to learn a whole lot about playwriting because I'll be leading a workshop on it at the Pikes Peak Writers Conference.
I also appreciate the fact that they're in inviting me to speak about playwriting, they're willing to step outside their traditional focus on novels.
The conference runs from Thursday, April 18 to Sunday, April 21, with my hour-long workshop being held on Sunday morning. If you're going to be there, please stop by and say hi.
Better yet, sit in on the workshop. I guarantee we'll have a great ime.
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