Tomorrow, Aug. 6 kicks off a three-week series of writing workshops with author Kristen Gentry through her COLLIDER Artist-In-Residence at South Central Regional Library (7300 Jefferson Blvd.).
Gentry is the author of the story collection, “Mama Said: Stories,” which was longlisted for the 2024 PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for a debut story collection. Gentry has also been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and appeared in Electric Literature, Crab Orchard Review, and other literary journals. Gentry is an alumni of Voice Of Our Nation Arts Foundation (VONA) and Bread Loaf Writers’ conference. As well she was the former Director of Creative Writing at SUNY Geneseo, and a member of the Poets & Writers inaugural publicity incubator for debut writers.
The three 1.5-hour, themed workshops are:
Tuesday, Aug. 6, 6 p.m.
for Black girls–and their allies–who have considered not writing / when they are enuf: Finding Your Magic
In this workshop, we’ll explore various parts of the self and uncover some of the stuff that makes you unique and will make your writing distinct.
For adults & teens ages 15-17.
Wednesday, Aug. 14, 6 p.m.
Steal Like an Artist
Participants will use rules from Austin Kleon’s best-selling book, Steal Like an Artist, as a guide for their theft. They will choose a writer whose work they admire, study their work, and write fiction of their own using snatched strategies identified in their study.
For adults & teens ages 15-17.
Thursday, Aug. 22, 6 p.m.
Mess Around and Find Out: Playing on the Page to Break Through Blocks
Let’s have some fun! Sometimes writers can take themselves and their work too seriously, and this leads to stilted writing, and dreaded blocks. Through out-of-the-box writing exercises, participants will silence their inner critics, reconnect to the child within, and see what their play can unleash in new or ongoing projects.
For adults.
