SpringPRING TimeIME WritersRITERS

SPRING TIME WRITERS
Writing Workshops
Words for the Mind & Spirit

Content Page: Details on Rocky Mt. tours, workshops, vacations

Workshop Calendar – 2009

including Writing Tips and Exercises


sit outsideAttend a workshop in the Colorado Rocky Mt. Region to improve your writing skills while relaxing in a mountainside retreat, with endless sunshine and deep-blue skies, breathing in fresh mountain air, and enjoying fresh foods. Be nurtured with warm, professional tutoring on how to get your book or memoirs started or refined, or write short stories and essays. Classes restricted to only one to four people to enable private attention (special arrangements for groups up to eight). Most workshops are especially designed for women. (see below "Home" page for more details.) Includes creative writing in everything you do: fiction, self-help non-fiction, and journalings.


Birthing of Creative Writing, and
Capturing Random Memories
©

new Writers Tips and Anthology available.
Our compilation book of our finest writing tips and exercises, and samples of works published on our web site over the past three years. Clear, exciting, simple and fun! Visit "Writers: Birthing Creative Writing..." for more details on this anthology. Only $11.95 plus $2 postage.


For Full Description, click the Link:

Our Most Popular Workshops for 2009
Dates are subject to Change

See our Calendar page for an easy view of what's happening this month.
Click on the Individual Workshop page to see which Sessions are Full.

NOTE: The weekends of July 4 and 18 are tentatively full.

Missed the deadline for registering?
Sometimes weekends do not get booked until 2 or 3 weeks before the date,
so do not hesitate to call if the weekend date you need is less than one month
away. Also, sometimes there are people who want to switch to a different week,
and a spot might open up. Generally, fees are due in full one month before the workshop,
but other arrangements are sometimes possible for late registrants. Give us a call...

New Workshops for 2009
Dates are subject to Change

Watch this web page, or subscribe to our free Newsletter to stay informed about these and other new workshops.
See our Calendar page for an easy view of what's happening this month.

"Throughout history, artistic expression has been recognized as a catalyst for healing. Art is an expression of mind and spirit, and cannot be left out of our equation of healing...Modern art therapy is being employed as a potent healthcare intervention." Larry Dossey, MD. Author, "Prayer is Good Medicine and Healing Words."

Tentative Workshops: Aimed at bringing more "springtime" into our lives, year round.

These tours are usually one week long, include unique beautiful lodging and somel meals, all Tour transportation and guides or teachers, and run approximately $1,500.00. (We can arrange to take your small group on their own exclusive trip.) Go to our Creative Writing page for more information.

Watch this web page, or subscribe to our free Newsletter to stay informed about these and other new workshops. Get on an email list for more information.


US funAttend local festivals and events
Estes Park is just outside of the Rocky Mt. National Park. It has a festival pretty much every weekend during the summer, with many of them lasting a full week. If you would like to stay at our B&B Retreat for a full week to enjoy the area, check out the Chamber Events Calendar and the Lyons Chamber Calendar. Our students get a special rate of $65 per night if they stay on (see reservation for for more details).

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new ATTENTION GROUPS!
Do you have a small "Writers Group" or a "Single Women Travellers" group or such? and might be interested in attending a WORKSHOP TOGETHER? Our regular workshops are limited to three people, but we can work with you to accommodate larger groups. Contact us! We would love to offer you a once-in-lifetime experience of going to any of our above workshop on a date mutually agreed to. We can offer single bedroom lodging or shared rooms for a lower price. Don't wait; our calendar fills up fast, as the Rocky Mountains are a very popular destination.

NOTES:

==Watch this web page, or subscribe to our free Newsletter
to stay informed about these and other new workshops.==
==See our Calendar page for an easy view of what's happening this month.==
==You can extend your stay to enjoy the Colorado Rocky Mts. sights at very reasonable prices.==
==Workshops are conducted over 4-day weekends May to September. Contact us for availability.==
==The Retreat was "refreshed" in the fall of 2005/6, and photos are displayed on this page.==
Subscribe to our free Newsletter to be informed on these dates.



2009 our  10th anniv.


Books Image

Writing Tips (June/July 2009)

"Write a Check List"


Everyone should have a check list of what should be in their story. Some people do not think beyond the basics, such as storyline, conclusion, character development. These are more the hard facts of the basics. A dedicated writer will develop a list that helps make your story interesting. Then, as you write more stories, you will be adding to the check list.

Here are some I've picked up along the way: Is the story PACED so it holds the reader’s attention? Are TRANSITIONS smooth? Does the action proceed LOGICALLY? Are flashback scenes and background information worked into the plot appropriately for fiction of this length? Develop an initial list now.


All "tips" and "exercises" are copyrighted
by Kathleen Spring, Spring Times, 1998-2009


write-yr-exercise

Writing Exercise. (June/July 2009)

"Dialogue is Different than Conversation"


The biggest thing that people get wrong in writing screenplays or movie scripts is to try and write the same way you would write a novel. People do not speak in real life the same way they speak in movies and plays or in novels. In real life, we often speak in fragments. We often pause in mid-sentence. We do not need to put in words or nouns to identify who we are talking to, because all parties can SEE who is talking to whom. "Listen" to this: "Hi Joe. What's up?" "Not much." "You going to the party?" "That's the same night as my mom's birthday. How's that for luck?" "Bummer."

In real life, a conversation often has a lot of small talk. Sometimes we fill space to kill time. Or we may not know a person well and talk about the weather. "Nice day, huh?" This is boring stuff when it's on the screen.

Dialogue has a purpose. It is meant to move a scene along. Does the person mentioned above want to avoid the party and is making up excuses? Is he closer to his mother than his friend? Is he avoiding the friend or someone who will be at the party? All of these things could make the scene more exciting and give us information to move the story along.

Try out some dialogue vs. conversation "drafts." Do a short fiction story a page or two long, and then write a play script about the same subject. Compare them. How do you think you could improve them? Are you good at writing dialogue or was it very difficult to write?


If you are still hungry for more tips and exercises,
sign up for our quarterly newsletter and
have three more delivered to your email box.



Retreat DetailsClick Here for Details on:
  • Business/Administration Testimonials
  • Room Arrangements
  • Costs
  • Transportation (shuttle bus)
  • Packing List/Health Guides
  • Links to Women-oriented Web Sites
    for fun and information
    and Book links
  • giftWorkshops make a Great Life-long Gift!
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    As seen in ARTICLES in: the N Y Times Travel Section, " Writing retreats" -and- "Travel and Leisure" writers retreats -and- in "Journaling" magazine

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    Spring Times
    P. O. Box 512
    Lyons, CO 80540-0512
    (303) 823-0997
    10am to 7pm Mountain Time MST, only please

    Check this web site for the latest information.
    Thanks for visiting; see you soon!
    Date last modified: June 22, 2009 9:00 AM

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    Disclaimer – Copyright 1998-2009: All logos, photos, and original and html text are Copyright © by Kathleen Spring. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or use is prohibited without written permission from owner. – All prices, dates and itineraries are subject to change at the discretion of the owner. Travellers are advised to ask their doctor about their tolerance of higher elevations (5,000 to 10,000 feet approximately). See reservation page for other advice/warnings. Owner may cancel or alter trips if unusual conditions come up; and reserves the right to decline to accept or retain any participant, at any time, as a member of the workshop or trip, without refund. This would be a rare circumstance, mainly to keep the integrity of the program and privacy and respect for the other individuals attending or instructing. The program content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Participants should be and will be made aware that they should always seek the advice of their physician or other qualified health provider with any questions they may have regarding a medical condition. All notification of cancellations must be received in writing; penalties will apply. Prices are in USA dollars. See Form Contract for full disclosure.