RETREAT AFTERNOON SESSIONS
“C.S. Lewis 101: His Life, Books, & Themes” with Terry Glaspey & Andrew Lazo
Interested in knowing more about C. S. Lewis? Like what you’ve read of Lewis and want to know more? Perhaps you feel a little intimidated surrounded by scholars, yet Lewis has made a profound difference in your life? Then come to the Breakout Session with you in mind: C. S. Lewis 101: Life, Work, and Themes, a workshop perfect for those beginning to explore Lewis’ books and thought as those looking to refresh their interest in this most compelling Christian author. Part biography, part booklist, part thematic exploration, Terry and Andrew will use story, humor, and handouts to guide you through the essentials of Lewis’ life and writing, touching on major biographical events and books as well as they key themes such as joy, reason, imagination, faith, and story that guided Lewis’ life. This session will also include time for Q&A and promises to inform and delight folks with any interest in Lewis at all.
“Peril and Possibility: Filming Narnia and Middle-earth” with Louis Markos
“C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien might never have imagined it. With six movies made between the two series, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings movies have grossed literally billions of dollars in ticket and home video sales. Apparently, these two mythmakers have struck quite a chord as their stories have been transitioned to the silver screen. Many purists, however, have expressed varying degrees of disappointment with the often mixed results of modern directors.
Drawing from C. S. Lewis’ ideas about medieval storytelling and thoughts about the possibilities of film, Professor Louis Markos brings his well-informed and enthusiastic take on film, story, and the potentiality of transforming these books into blockbuster movies. Part discussion of methods of telling story that span the centuries, part lively and considered film criticism, Professor Markos’ session promises to intrigue and inform about how these old stories both succeed and falter in their cinematic retellings.”
“C.S. Lewis & the Art of Wordsmithing” with Holly Ordway
Writers take ideas from imagination to incarnation – a joyful journey!
We will look at the wordsmithing stage of that journey: attending to the nuances of meaning when making word choices, and listening to the music of sentences to get a sense of how a well-constructed sentence really sings. We will examine the prose of C.S. Lewis, a master wordsmith, and apply our insights to samples of participants’ own writing, whether prose or poetry. Participants will learn strategies for choosing exactly the right word; for trimming unnecessary verbiage to allow the beauty of the idea to shine through clearly; and for shaping sentences to create “flow” to draw the reader into a sustained reading experience. Participants will come away from the session with a set of practical suggestions, from Dr Ordway’s experience as a writer and a teacher of writing, to apply to their writing, as well as hands-on practice.
“C.S. Lewis & Image as Story Source” with Lancia E. Smith
For some writers images – not words – are the sparking source for their most compelling material. Looking at Lewis’ statements about images as story source we will learn how to recognize, explore and develop creative images (internal and external) that lead to extraordinary storytelling. In this session we will practice taking an image from visual state into a written one, offer practical suggestions and hand-outs, and help develop confidence for tapping into the powerful Source for Storytelling in both fiction and non-fiction writing.
WRITERS WORKSHOP SESSIONS
NOVEL WORKSHOP: “Anatomy of the Novel” with Angela Hunt
Part One: “The Plot Skeleton”
Remember how your high school English teacher gave you a point by point outline for how to write a three-paragraph theme? Introduction, thesis sentence, points one, two, and three, followed by a conclusion. But when it came to writing a story, your teacher probably just said, “Write away.” BUT good stories have a structure, and if you want your story to satisfy your reader, you should be sure all the “bones” are in the proper place. Come learn how to do that while fleshing out your story in a unique way.
Part Two:“Evoking Emotion”
Nonfiction primarily imparts information; fiction engages the emotions. But how is that done? Angela Hunt will demonstrate methods to evoke reader’s emotions so they live through your story.
NONFICTION WORKSHOP: “Bodybuilding in Nonfiction” with Carolyn Curtis
Part One: “Nonfiction is Storytelling, Too”
Do you share the misconception that non-fiction books and articles are dull and impersonal – reminiscent of your plodding term papers from school days? Not so in today’s anecdotal environment where stories teach your principles and shape your copy. Yet many writers miss the essential preparation techniques, such as mastering voice. In this session, you’ll discover the surprising (and successful) secrets to getting started.
Part Two: “Becoming Published”
Let’s assume you want to become a published article writer and/or book author. Or maybe you want your personal writing to be up to the standards of the paid and royalty-based publishing industry, where qualified editors select worthy writers and their writing. Learn about available markets, today’s publishing opportunities and trends – plus what you need to know about editors and how to be successful in working with them.
Part Three: “Nonfiction Techniques”
What’s exciting about non-fiction is the variety of genres. Is a great idea destined to be a book or an article? Why and what are the advantages of each? This is another nuts-and-bolts session teaching skills and techniques. What are the secrets to conducting successful interviews? What do you need to know about structure? How do you polish your work – editing and re-editing and, finally, recognizing your copy as worthy?
TECH SESSIONS with Thomas Umstattd
Part One: “How to Podcast Your Book Onto the Best Seller List”
C.S. Lewis used radio as the first draft of some of his greatest works, like Mere Christianity. You can do the same with a podcast without a friend at the BBC. Learn how unpublished authors like Scott Siglar turned their stories into podcasts and then into New York Times best sellers. Learn what a podcast is and how to start your own. Creating a podcast is easier than you might think.
Part Two: “Platform Boosting Email Newsletters”
The number of email subscribers you have is a key component publishers look at to measure your platform. In this class you will learn how to attract subscribers, design beautiful emails and create content that gets forwarded around the web.
EDITOR SESSIONS with Terry Glaspey
Part One: “How to Make an Idea Into a Book”
A highly practical approach for taking a book idea through the process of creative brainstorming, considering the market and marketability of the idea, finding the best method of organizing and structuring the material, and creating a book proposal that will catch the attention of an editor.
Part Two: “Finding Success as a Writer”
A more advanced look at what editors and publishers are looking for, how to revise and improve your manuscripts, what to expect from the experience of getting published and entering into the life of a writer.
