Here's a recap of what we posted to our Substack publication, Center Your Writing, in April.
April talking point
Each month, we pose a question or present a craft technique or writing life consideration and invite comments that become a kind of month-long conversation. We learn from each other and share some of our own tips and advice for getting to the page and sticking to it. Our April talking point was devoted to National Poetry Month—we asked readers to share their favorite poems. Check out their responses, which include links to read and hear those poems as well as some favorites by us Center mentors, in our wrap-up post, where we’ve also introduced May’s talking point on fame and fortune vs. influence and inspiration.
More April posts by Center Mentors
This month, I had the pleasure of interviewing Center writer Cindy Von Halle, a Center writer and personal essayist who recently completed a Bookings session through the Center for Creative Writing to self-publish a short collection of her work. In our Q&A, she shared a bit about her creative process and what publication feels like, as well as information on purchasing her beautiful book, Ghost Flowers.
Each month, Teneice Durrant, creator of Tarot with Ten, uses various tarot and oracle decks to provide monthly readings for writers, with exercises on using imagery and intuition as prompts. April’s post was about using the Devil card to develop an opportunity for your main character to “get right” in a karmic situation. With each month's post, you can read a transcript of her reading and watch/listen as she pulls cards and shares her insights.
Helena Clare Pittman, one of the Center’s most dedicated teachers, has written, painted, and taught her entire life. In her monthly Helena Writes series, she shares a lifetime of wisdom, one pearl at a time. In her 89th post, Helena’s rediscovery of a well-crafted pair of pliers transports her through a meditation on freedom, craft, and the certain uncertainty of life.
In another monthly series, Shawna Ayoub moves “beyond a book review” by not only recommending great books by diverse writers but highlighting a technique to apply to your own writing practice. For April’s review, Shawna invited us to imagine a world where work is play, through the lens of Cixin Liu’s Supernova Era.
Thanks for reading and being part of our writing community!
Until next month,
Stacia
