Adult Ed Program: Writing Group

Memoir Writing as a Spiritual Practice

First Monday of the month

In Person or on Zoom

7pm to 8:30pm

“You Addiction,” my former Korean-Australian friend Soo Been would tell me anytime I suggested I want a coffee, …a beer, …or even a snack.  I responded by saying quite indignantly that “I’m not “addiction” to anything.”  Truth is, I’m blessed enough to be able to go weeks without missing any of the above. 

However, on vacation with her years ago I came to realize that even if her assumptions about my consumptive habits were exaggerated, she might have led me to notice a habit I had not mentioned.  I had on that vacation realized that I might be a bit addicted to writing.  I caught myself sneaking back to the hotel, or out to a café with the excuse that “I just need to get a little work done.”  This was true, and I had had e-mails to check, and phone calls to make, but scrutinizing my deepest motivations, mostly “get a little work done” meant that I wanted to write.  Paying attention, I found it centered and calmed me.  This was something I hadn’t really known.  So, in light of this newfound awareness, and despite a remarkably pathetic grasp on grammar and punctuation, you might have picked up on, I want to share my addiction with you, and have you share what might be an addiction of yours with me.  

Class Schedule & Expectations:  This drop in class/group will meet monthly throughout the church year, at least to start on the first Monday night of the month at 7pm.  Perhaps a better time will reveal itself.  Each of these monthly gatherings will be an hour and a half long, and follow a repetitive pattern of checking in, sharing our “work” on the assignment and as time allows participating in a short exercise.  Because the writing assignments are personal, in the end all participants will have created the makings of a mini memoir.  In general, each of these pieces should be between one to three pages long.

If time affords it, the last quarter of our time together will be a chance to work on a writing exercise and conclude with a shifting of our gears to the next writing assignment.  A sampling of the class themes include “A Moth Worthy Story,” “The Importance of Place,”  “Unexpected Joy,” “Dream a little Dream of You,” and “A Poet but Didn’t Know It.”

The dates and topics are…

UU Writing Group Monday Night September 9th from 7pm to 8:30 @ church.  Our writing group, sessions are non-consecutive sessions that open to all, and will except for this first meet also begin to meet on Zoom.  This first topic, or writing homework is titled “Pet Story.”  All our welcome to come drop in on our writing group.  Participants who attend are encouraged to be prepared to share a 1 to 2 page (2-5 minute) personal piece about a pet but are also on this first session welcome to just verbally tell a story about a pet.  The first class will only be offered only in-person.  Subsequent classes will have a zoom option.