Camille Cusumano

Writing as Refuge – Confronting and Transforming Loss

Sunday, August 1
10 am – 5 pm

Anyone who writes, professionally or informally, experiences how it taps a different brain from the everyday one. Invariably, the writing space, entered as in meditation, allows loss and submerged pain to float to surface. Writers often face these feelings, along with the joyful ones, as signage to meaningful, redemptive stories, taking refuge in the practice. Consider this daylong workshop, a safe haven for personal writing—about loss or gain. We will write, chat, and work on crafting your precious material, with occasional personalized “soft” critiques.

Participants are invited to contact Camille by email if they have questions about the class: ocaramia@earthlink.net.

Fee: $70; $63 members; $56 limited income. Registration: Please call the City Center Office at 415.863.3136.

ANSWERS TO THE MANY QUESTIONS YOU’VE ASKED:

You needn’t be professionally writing. This is creative non-fiction – but if you want to write fiction (I do both), this workshop will still be helpful (there’s a thin semi-permeable border between fiction and non-fiction). If you want to want to work in poetry or poetic prose or other forms, experimental or conventional, that is great. They will all work well.

We will do exercises to prime the pump and to help you focus your story. And there will be periods of writing. The writing about “loss” is merely one of the boundless “dharma gates” into writing. It’s a great one, especially if your orientation is Zen-like. My experience working with individuals in past workshops has shown me that, whether they subscribe to Zen Buddhism or not,  invariably most of the “energy” of creating, of art, of writing is around real or perceived loss. This is not to ignore the wonderful trumpeting of the joys of life, but no matter what your religion or philosophy, we all are bound by the same profound message of ultimate loss/death. Or impermanence as we perhaps too glibly call it in Buddhism.

You need not share any of your writing – I work with the group and with each participant one on one in private, and that is what I mean by “soft critique.” My role is to help you see the ways to craft your art – you have the art already.

As they say in 12-step meetings – what you say or show here, stays here. So, I feel bound to protect your privacy.

Laptaps are more than welcome – I’ll also have paper and pens for everyone.

Any other questions, email me: ocaramia@earthlink.net

Writing as Refuge – Confronting and Transforming Loss

Sunday, August 1
10 am – 5 pm

Anyone who writes, professionally or informally, experiences how it taps a different brain from the everyday one. Invariably, the writing space, entered as in meditation, allows loss and submerged pain to float to surface. Writers often face these feelings, along with the joyful ones, as signage to meaningful, redemptive stories, taking refuge in the practice. Consider this daylong workshop, a safe haven for personal writing—about loss or gain. We will write, chat, and work on crafting your precious material, with occasional personalized “soft” critiques.

Participants are invited to contact Camille by email if they have questions about the class: ocaramia@earthlink.net.

Fee: $70; $63 members; $56 limited income. Registration: Please call the City Center Office at 415.863.3136.

ANSWERS TO THE MANY QUESTIONS YOU’VE ASKED:

You needn’t be professionally writing. This is creative non-fiction – but if you want to write fiction (I do both), this workshop will still be helpful (there’s a thin semi-permeable border between fiction and non-fiction). If you want to want to work in poetry or poetic prose or other forms, experimental or conventional, that is great. They will all work well.

We will do exercises to prime the pump and to help you focus your story. And there will be periods of writing. The writing about “loss” is merely one of the boundless “dharma gates” into writing. It’s a great one, especially if your orientation is Zen-like. My experience working with individuals in past workshops has shown me that, whether they subscribe to Zen Buddhism or not,  invariably most of the “energy” of creating, of art, of writing is around real or perceived loss. This is not to ignore the wonderful trumpeting of the joys of life, but no matter what your religion or philosophy, we all are bound by the same profound message of ultimate loss/death. Or impermanence as we perhaps too glibly call it in Buddhism.

You need not share any of your writing – I work with the group and with each participant one on one in private, and that is what I mean by “soft critique.” My role is to help you see the ways to craft your art – you have the art already.

As they say in 12-step meetings – what you say or show here, stays here. So, I feel bound to protect your privacy.

Laptaps are more than welcome – I’ll also have paper and pens for everyone.

Any other questions, email me: ocaramia@earthlink.net

Trip the lights fantastic in Paris of South America

November is spring in Buenos Aires. The broad-canopied jacaranda trees burst into magnificent bloom, carpeting streets, parks, and plazas, in glowing lavender blossoms. The city called “Paris of South America,” for its European culture and spectacular French & Italian Renaissance architecture, never looks finer. The weather is warm and lovely then. This  nine-day trip includes a fun side trip to nearby gaucho country and plenty of time in Buenos Aires, the city that never sleeps.

WHEN: November 5 to November 13, 2010 – Price $1,775, or $1,275 for doubles (rooms have twin or double beds).

Trip #1 includes all this (click here).

Trip #2, very similar, runs November 16 to 24, 2010 and is ALL Buenos Aires.

Reserve with $500 or Pay in full. If you want to pay by check, email me for the address: ocaramia@earthlink.net or ocaramia@mac.com.

Trips #1 or #2

Reserve $500.00 In full (double) $1,275.00 In full (single) $1,775.00

OPTIONAL EXTRAS:

• I’ll arrange your airport (Ezeiza) pickup and dropoff ground transportation with a bilingual driver—$70 total.

• If you’d like to take the writing workshops and the yoga or get an extra tango lesson – we can arrange both for nominal fees.

WATCH A COOL VIDEO OF MY TANGO DAYS IN  BUENOS AIRES

ANOTHER COOL VIDEO OF BUENOS AIRES IN THE EARLY 1900S

• If you’d like to do some horse riding in San Antonia de Areco, it can be arranged for a nominal fee.

• If you’d like Spanish lessons, private classes are very affordable; I can arrange them for you with great teachers.

• My first days in Buenos Aires I hired an occasional “taxi” dancer (for a nominal fee) to accompany me to tango dance halls and dance with me only. If you’d like, we can arrange that–for either men or women.

• It’s good to arrive at least a day before the trip starts–and consider staying longer than 9 days. If you want other lodging options, I’ll give you a list, once you’re a registered participant.

• If you are interested in side trips around Argentina (or anywhere in South America) I can refer you to two reliable local travel agents (from whom I accept no commission) to put together a trip for you.

In addition to the scheduled workshops, I’m available through August for on-demand writing workshops — private or group. Whether you are just getting started and want to take the plunge (into the inkwell) or need encouragement and confidence, I offer workshops to suit your and your writing group’s needs. Here is a list of several workshops I teach. Contact me for details and rates – ocaramia@earthlink.net or ocaramia@mac.com:

1. A Thousand and One Words - Find your Writing Setpoint – Just as with body weight, we all have a writing setpoint—a natural length that suits our message and determines our ideal genre. 1,000 words is the mean, from which you assess your need to unpack and flesh out or shrink wrap and tighten. We’ll meet four goals in this class: embracing your personal setpoint; understanding when to unpack or shrink; preserving the narrative arc, no matter what length; and writing with full confidence. All levels writers welcome.

2. Travel Memoir Writing - With the travel-writing market evolved beyond the go-here/see-this approach, personal experience and artful story in travel is more and more in demand. As a magazine editor, I successfully moved from the traditional how-to travel writing to publishing my personal experience travel stories in books and as essays in publications. I’ll help participants understand how they can do this, too. Even if you are still writing for the traditional travel outlets you can infuse your story with sparkle – snap, crackle, and pop. We’ll look at how you can satisfy the reader’s needs and still craft a story with your personal style.  All levels welcome.

3. Tap into your Autonomic Writing System - Much can be said about the Writing Down the Bones and Wild Mind approach to unlocking the writer within. Now is the time to circle back to the discipline and the practice of craft—without killing the golden goose. This class is designed to tap into the autonomic system of writing—where words begins to flow and to arrive on schedule, like breath. All the while, we consider craft. The goal of this workshop is to have participants leave inspired, enthused, excited, perturbed, riled up, having tapped into their own autonomic writing system; and ready to face the empty white page, armed with their own art and skill. All levels.

4. Writing about & from loss (See August 1, Writing as Refuge)- Many of my students found me through my memoir, TANGO, which is my writing about my own loss (and finds) through tango and Zen practice. I’ve worked with aspiring writers who were ready to face the blank page as a place of refuge after tremendous losses and grieving. When we sit down to write about our lives, pain, grief as well as bliss and contentment rise to the surface. Putting down the words gives a sense of meaning to life in dark times.

WRITE WITH CONFIDENCE AND FLAIR

1,000 words is the mean, from which you assess your need to unpack and flesh out or shrink-wrap and tighten your writing. This workshop is for all levels, fresh beginners and experienced writers. It is designed to pump your “autonomic writing system” by understanding your personal writing “setpoint” and thus help you focus your writing, reach your target audience, or just satisfy your own need to finish a piece.

WHEN – Choose from either Saturday, May 29, Thursday, June 3, OR Saturday June 19, 2010, Each workshop is 8 hours  —  10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WHERE – Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, California – by the beautiful Bay.

GOALS: In this 8-hour workshop, we’ll accomplish 4 main goals—READ ABOUT.

INSTRUCTOR: I bring to my workshops more than thirty years of experience in publishing as researcher, writer, editor, and instructor in a vast array of subject areas including essay, memoir, food, travel, fitness, health, mind/body/spirit, creative non-fiction, fiction, and more. My latest book, a travel memoir, TANGO, AN ARGENTINE LOVE STORY . . .READ MORE.

Price per 8-hour workshop:

$125 (lunch included)

Each workshop is limited to 12 participants.

All participants are entitled to a free follow-up consultation on your progress, in person, by phone, or email.

Workshop Dates

May 29, 2010 $125.00 June 3, 2010 $125.00 June 19,2010 $125.00

Reserve now. Email me with any questions and tell me a little about your writing: ocaramia@earthlink.net or ocaramia@mac.com.

“Camille’s workshop was the perfect first sentence to begin the story of my quest to be a writer.” James Christopoulos, Chicago, IL USA

ON DEMAND WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE

“As a novice writer, I  felt sincerely acknowledged as a woman who has a story worth telling. It was Camille’s words, “I want to hear more,” which  moved me from ‘thinking about the possibility’ of being published to setting my first writing goals to this end.” - Susan Prosser, Tulsa, Oklahoma

“Camille is an inspiring teacher, coach and cheerleader. I walked home after her 2-day writing workshop convinced that not only I can, but must write my story—maybe more than one.” Peter Esser, Ph.D., Buenos Aires, January 2010 - READ MORE ENDORSEMENTS