The View
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Writer's Struggles and Blocks
Arrival evening: (Usually a Saturday)
Welcome Soirée with fellow attendees and partners (optional) . . . Having arrived in Prague during the day, you have time to check-in to your hotel, take a brief walk across the Charles Bridge and along the Vltava River or stroll through the curving streets of Nove Mesto to refresh yourself after your flight. When ready, come to our private flat late afternoon/early evening for greetings and light evening snacks. . . . to get to know your fellow workshop attendees. Day 1: (Usually a Sunday) You'll rise to a Czech traditional breakfast and come to our flat/workshop venue. We'll get right to work . . . Morning Part 1: Orientation to the city and our work and a few Warm-up exercises to gather your writing wits, identify areas we'll work on. We'll enjoy a quick mid-morning stroll to orient to the area and to find nearby writing/reflecting venues of choice. Late Morning Part 2: "Approaching the Wall" workshop for those attending as a struggling or blocked writer, where we'll explore the texture, threshold and energy of your worries and battles in a group-supporting series of exercises and guided free-writes. or If attending a Start/Finish your Project week, we'll offer Guidance discussions specific to your project, and give you time to work for those bringing projects. Late "sandwich" lunch together at our workshop venue. Afternoon: Scaling the Wall blocks coaching one-on-one sessions, or Time to write and work on bones or journals and projects. Late afternoon, stroll (weather permitting) for sight-seeing or time to go to saunter through the enormous courtyard of the Gothic Prague Castle to decide which museums to visit on Tuesday and/or Wednesday afternoons. Dinner (pay your own way) with new friends where the conversation continues at nearby taverns, an easy walk away. Day 2: Morning Part 1: Workshops: Deconstructing blocks, reconstructing voice. Identifying the censor and getting out of the closet. Late Morning Part 2 Workshops and mini-exercises continue: Today we explore Writing the Waves and any Structural Struggles faced in our works. Guidance offered is specific to the participants' needs. We make choices about our work, our beliefs about our talents and work, and refresh our artist psyches with self-identity exploration, all very gently. Late Lunch on own today, with time for work or afternoon park and/or museum visiting. View the cityscape from the castle walkways, explore museums and 700 years of history. Wander back through the side-streets of colorful buildings and a quietude rare in today's European cities. Return rested and inspired to work on your project or your reasons for not facing the page. Today, there's also time for Private Coaching or feedback sessions as requested if you prefer. Optional Tea Time/Story time together with progress/encouragement reports at our venue. Dinner on own with your new friends; take in a concert or play, or quiet working time in your room or having quiet tea at our venue if tired. Day 3: Morning Part 1: Wrap Up sessions: Promises to self, nurturing plans for your artist, initial ideas for what to do next. Feed-backs on any works brought or started or abandoned to get the energy moving again. Late Morning, Part 2: Time for feedback or exercises on aspects of story as needed by individuals if attempting a start or private sessions time while others work. Lunch break. For some, Sightseeing to return to favorite places . . .a last deep breath away from our busy and confining lives. For others, an offer of last private sessions on remaining issues or coaching plans on projects and specific struggles. Story/Tea Time for those who wish to share progress or take-aways. Farewell dinner together. Day 4: Optional Here You Begin day-workshop (additional $85): You may choose to join locals and others to rejuvenate your soul and make specific plans to make your life and your work one in our Here You Begin workshop, based on the Editor's newest book on making your Life and Work one. Or Day 4 is a departure day for others, to catch a train to the spa-town of Brno, or off to Vienna or Budapest or Munich, or to take the exotic overnight train to Amsterdam or an afternoon flight to European cities for some further European explorations. Or a further day exploring Prague now that you feel you know your new favorite places in this delightful city. Or it can be a day of dedicated work if you plan to stay on for our subsequent workshop on Starting (or Finishing) Your Book Project. |
Arrival Day: (Usually a Thursday)
Welcome Soirée with fellow attendees and partners (optional) . . . Having arrived in Prague during the day, you have time to check-in to your hotel, take a brief walk across the Charles Bridge and along the Vitlava River or stroll through the curving streets of Nove Mesto to refresh yourself after your flight. When ready, come to our private flat late afternoon/early evening for greetings and light evening snacks. . . . to get to know your fellow workshop attendees. (or Day 5 if you are continuing on now that you are inspired!) If you've continued on, there are times for one anchoring one-on-one session on the project you've decided to start or finish, meeting your specific needs for feedback, coaching, why-nots, character, plot or POV issues. Then you have time to work and ready to meet a new group of fellow writers arriving with commitment to get to work on their individual projects. Day 1 : Start (or Finish) your project: Orientation and a quick walking tour of good places to walk or write in. Solid characters mini-workshop (optional) One-on-ones or group discussion to set tone for needed work-sessions if there are common struggles going on. Lite lunch buffet in our venue and off to work you go. Your late mornings and afternoons are yours for your work, with times to set up feedback sessions or one-on-one coaching specific to your project. If there are chapters to work on that need feedback, or plot or voice issues, this is the time to take a look and speak in detail with your Editor/Coach host so you can spend the next few days productively. Afternoon Tea/kolačky and story time for those who would like to share portions of their work for feedback or encouragement. Dinner together at nearby taverns (on your own or with others, pay your own way) are set up at our afternoon story and feedback times. Day 2: Workshop in morning: Narrator voice and the moments in story arc mini-workshop for those who wish it. Sometimes we know the story better inside us than that which is showing up on the page. Do you have the breathless climax? Are there continuity problems? More time for one-on-one with yesterday's work or new concerns. Afternoon for exploring Prague castle, taking time to put your story into perspective, more work time if you wish. Day 3: Morning Part 1: Wrap Up sessions: Defining the finish. Definition and mini-work of "polish". Launching. Summing up the book as a proposal; finding your readers mini-workshop -- for those who wish. Time for one-on-one Feedbacks specific to your work if you wish especially any new material. Lunch break. For some, Sightseeing to return to favorite places . . .a last deep breath away from our busy and confining lives. For others, an offer of last private sessions on remaining issues or coaching plans on what to do with the project from here Story/Tea Time for those who wish to share progress or take-aways. Farewell dinner together. Day 4: Departures from your hotel as your schedule requires or off to more adventures in Czech Republic or in Europe as you plan. There are trains available to Germany, Austria, and spa towns in the Czech Republic or adventurous overnight trains to Amsterdam, inexpensive flights to other capitals of Europe or the UK. |