Maria Tran

Creative Writing for Community & Cultural Development Workers

Date: 27^th of January, 2010

Time: 4-7pm

Location: Powerhouse Youth Theatre, 19 Harris St, Fairfield.

After been stuck in traffic for half and hour at Neeta City Shopping Mall carpark, I managed to get my way to the Creative Writing workshop at PYT.

The trainer of this session was Paula Abood, a renowned CCD worker, artlist, writer, activist and many other hats. She always has this positive and calming energy that transpires through her – I guess that one reason why she makes such an engaging facilitator.

It was a small and selective group and every one came on board ready to recharge their “creativity” batteries and view writing as less daunting task.

Exercises

1. The Tree – in this exercise, Paula asked us to visualise a specific peaceful and safe place in our minds, imagine what is in our hands and draw it. This is what I came up with.

It is a raspy Autumn leaf, crinkled with age and I can see the veiny bits very cleary. It was in my hand and kind of symbolises knowledge.

2. Scribbles – At first, this exercise was somewhat awkward, we were asked to scribble away, like a child. Initially, I was very cautious this only to spiral in a therapeutic craze of “risk taking” (scribbling closer to the edge, going faster etc...). We then coloured bits in. Then we would discuss what we drew. I can specifically spot out a parrot, dinosaur, futuristic city. Can you? Use your imagination!
3. Writing Letters to 3 different people – I chose Andy, a facebook friend and my mother. This exercise was to explore out natural voices in storytelling and writing. I note I talk more naturally with Andy than my mum.
4. Postcard Storytelling – We had to choose a card that spoke through to us and I choose this picture. I think it was a subconscious choice but it made sense after I write a story about itBelow are my notes for the workshop. I always value taking notes in most things, maybe sometimes a little frantic, but it surely compensates for a incompetent memory. On a plus side, I’d like to think my experiences in life can be a shared thing, I like to know that somewhere out that world my notes, my thoughts, my words and action is of use to someone else, maybe to be a better person as well. So here it goes.

Get people to draw

Taking us back to what you use to be

Travel to a different space

Getting people to find a natural voice

Write in first language if needed

Think about voice and how voice changes

Finding your writing voice, sometimes it takes years

Write a letter you feel comfortable

Your style is ur voice

Public writing can sometimes be hampered with caution and editing

Editing should occur latter

Creativity is about developing your inner sense – your wellness

Guide not control

Storytelling empowers communities

Empower person beyond the story

the little story is usually the best story

Hidden little stories in the bigger story

When facilitating, have a group agreement (privacy, confidentiality)

Creative = subconscious

Poetry is subconscious

Poetry is rhythm

PRACTICE “I AM A CREATIVE PERSON”

Practice creativity, you cannot start with nothing, your ingredients are your ideas

IDENTITY

Micropersonal into the bigger world

Proverbs and sayings = a compact story

Draw on proverbs into a contemporary story

Collect pictures, words, newspapers, bits of paper, take risks

Imagination resides within

Good storytelling says something, it has a domino effect, is creative and productive.