Nancy Slonim Aronie excels at helping people access their inner muse — the very heart of who they are. Participants in her multiday Chilmark Writing Workshops or those off-Island walk away transformed. Having attended one, I can attest to the power of the experience. Delightfully, Aronie is offering a mini, single-day workshop at Featherstone Center for the Arts on Feb. 25. “Writing from the Heart: Finding Your Own Voice” will be a taste of the magic Aronie orchestrates when helping others write their truth.
Featherstone’s director of the Literary Arts Program, Mathea Morais, shares, “It’s exciting because the workshop is a fundraiser for the Literary Arts Program. It’s a wonderful way to support us financially, and what we can offer the Island. To have Nancy — a local legend and important literary member of our local community, and the literary community in this country and world — is so affirming.”
Aronie says of the day, “It will be a condensed version of a four-day workshop. I will talk in the beginning and tell stories. I will model what being in a safe place is like by relating my horror story of being in a mean-spirited writing group, so that everybody knows that is not what will happen.” Afterward, Aronie will give a writing prompt, and people will have the opportunity to read their pieces. “We’ll laugh, and we’ll cry. I’ll cry for sure. I have one rule: We will tell you what we loved when you’re finished reading.” No one is compelled to respond. “You only comment if something moves you. But what happens is that as people go deeper and become more courageous and feel safer, they write more powerfully. And if the writing is powerful, a lot of people are going to comment.”
Aronie’s intriguing prompts are always open-ended, and it’s fascinating how everyone takes them in such a different direction. “Something my father never told me ….” or “Dinner at my house …” are examples: “I have learned that no matter what prompt I give, people get the story out that they need to write. They’re jumping-off places.”
Aronie has honed her facilitating skills over the decades: “At the beginning, when I didn’t know what I was doing, I used to read my writing. I would never do that now. The students are always teachers for the teacher, and I’ve learned to listen better. I’ve also learned that if somebody can’t write, and their intention is beautiful and their hearts are huge, I will find something.”
The group is always supportive, and Aronie will be your biggest cheerleader. “I still can’t control myself when somebody is unbelievable. I scream, ‘Oh my God, who are you?’ I can’t help myself, because I’m thrilled when that happens. I also think we need to hear good writing to become better writers.” All sorts of people come to Aronie’s workshops. There are those who have never put pen to paper. Others are working on their memoirs for publication, or perhaps to leave to their grandchildren.
Aronie believes writing your story has immense power. “I think getting your grief, sorrow, and fear out of your pancreas and out of your liver and heart onto the page is healing. Many people say, ‘Oh my God, I haven’t had that memory. I am so glad I wrote that. I don’t have to think about it anymore.’ Many people come to forgiveness of themselves or somebody else when they write. It’s just magnificent.”
Aronie shares, “My goal is for people to know that their voice is important, and to take the risk of saying, ‘This is who I am. This happened to me, and this is where I am now.’ I want people to feel moved, juiced, motivated, and inspired to write so they will get down to business when they leave.”
For more information, visit featherstoneart.org/writingworkshops.html. Future workshops at Featherstone include “Your Book Is Not Going to Sell Itself: Planning and Executing a Book Publicity Strategy” on Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9, from 2 to 3:30 pm with Kate Feiffer and Elisa Speranza. Additionally, Nancy Aronie will conduct a workshop at the Midwinter Islanders Write on March 15. For more information, visit islanderswrite.com.