I haven’t yet written
about Engaging the Feminine Heroic, the workshop I attended recently. This was intentional.
I find it somewhat difficult to describe in words, and I’m still processing all
that took place.
Dara Marks and Deb
Norton are an extraordinary team of teachers. They guided us on a journey not
only of writing but of interior exploration, into our darkest places where we
hold long-forgotten experiences and emotions. Our personal Underworld. A truly
transformational experience. It would have been a frightening place had we not
shared the experience. In a safe and sacred space, we supported and encouraged
one another and continue to do so.
I wish I could have
tapped into the deep well of creativity within my psyche that some of the
others reached. I have never been good at timed writing practice because
frankly, I’m a slow study. Once I get an idea, I can run with it, but it takes
me longer than most people. (I thought of a great one on the drive home.) The
stories these women pulled from their personal experience and crafted into
fiction were nothing short of astonishing. I felt like an amateur in their
midst. I’m still in awe.
But now that I’ve
learned some of the tricks of going deeper into characters, I will practice
them and hopefully enrich my stories.
I have long had a few
ideas about really strong feminine characters, but now feel better equipped to
explore them. I’m also excited to have learned some details about Persephone I
hadn’t known before. Someday I will incorporate them into the revised version of
my Goddess Connection story related to Persephone.
If you don’t get the
chance to take the workshop, I encourage you to read Dara Marks’ Inside Story.
You can also follow DebNorton on her Part Wild site. Check out the left side for specific
writing posts, a virtual mine of writing richness.
