We invite you to Wake Up and Write! with Judith Hannan outside on the Featherstone deck to get the day started. ALL of the other workshops will take place in the same building as the panel discussions. Please note: We are capping attendance at 20 people per workshop for the indoor workshops. Also: There is no pre-registration. Workshops will be first come, first seated. The good news is that if you don’t get into a workshop, there will be a great panel discussion in the Francine Kelly Gallery for you to listen to.
7:30 am: Wake Up and Write!
Judith Hannan
For the early birds –– begin your day at Islanders Write with a series of quick writing prompts to encourage free association and the revelation of scenes and stories.
Judith Hannan is an author and essayist who has facilitated writing workshops for medical professionals, homeless mothers, those coping with physical and/or mental illness, and those within the criminal justice system.
9:00 – 10:15 am: Memórias e Música / Memories and Music
Bilingual Portuguese/English workshop
Marcia De Castro Borges
Uma oficina de escrita criativa na qual participantes explorarão memórias inspirados pela música.
A creative writing workshop in which participants will tap into memories inspired by music.
Marcia De Castro Borges é uma mulher, Brasileira, Escritora, Fotógrafa e Educadora residente nos EUA. Investiga as relações entre Imagem, História, Memória e Identidade, com o foco na reflexão sobre questões de Gênero, Migração e Cultura Brasileira.
Marcia De Castro Borges is a Brazilian writer, photographer, and educator living in the U.S. who investigates the relationships between image, history, memory, and identity, with a special focus on issues of gender, migration, and Brazilian culture.
10:30 am – 12:00 pm: Nonfiction Publishing and Proposals: Demystifying the Process
Christopher Willard
Do you have a nonfiction book idea you’ve always dreamed of publishing? A nonfiction guide, something work-related, a how-to book, self-help, or something else? Have you been intimidated by editors, agents, proposals, and the rest? In this workshop, you’ll learn the nuts and bolts of how to turn your idea(s) into a book proposal that excites agents and editors.
Dr. Christopher Willard (Psy.D.) is a clinical psychologist and has published 20 books with traditional publishers, from self-help to workbooks to children’s and professional books, with and without an agent.
12:15 – 1:45 pm: Memoir and Mending Relations: Putting Our People on the Page
Sherry Sidoti
Every memoirist contends with the same conundrum: How do we write our story without risking the possibility of harming the people we care about? Human nature and relationships are what makes a memoir intriguing. But, let’s face it, relationships are complicated, and writing about our relatives, friends, and colleagues, even more so! Join Sherry for this rich conversation and character-writing exploration. You may find that putting your people on the page is not only worth the risk, but comes with many unexpected rewards.
Sherry Sidoti is the awardwinning author of the memoir “A Smoke and a Song,” a yoga teacher, and a steward of memoir-writing experiences.
2:00 – 3:30 pm: Using Dialogue in Fiction and Memoir: Conflict, Energy, and Ethics
Elizabeth Benedict
Even if we are good talkers ourselves, writing dialogue in fiction and memoir can be daunting. What makes good talk between fictional characters? And when you’re writing a memoir, do you have to quote people verbatim? How much do you have to say and what can you leave out? In this workshop, we’ll break it all down and send you back to your laptop with practical advice and answers to your specific questions.
Elizabeth Benedict is the author of eight books, one of which was a National Book Award finalist, hundreds of articles and essays, and the editor of three anthologies.
3:45 – 5:00 pm: Dear Fellow Warrior: Using Poetry to Write the Story Only You Can Tell
Sharisse Scott-Rawlins
What if your healing could become someone else’s lifeline?
Join poet, fashion designer, and MV Times writer Sharisse Scott-Rawlins for a transformative writing workshop on turning personal stories into powerful poetry. Sharisse’s journey surviving cancer and reclaiming her voice fuels her mission to uplift the unheard and inspire healing through language. You’ll explore techniques for: Using life experiences as creative fuel, writing with metaphor, symbolism, and sensory detail, and crafting poems that reflect your truth and invite healing. No experience needed—just your story and your courage.
Sharisse Scott-Rawlins is the creator of “Voices by Sharisse” and author of the forthcoming poetry book “Dear Fellow Warrior.”