Monday, June 11, 2012

Whose Line is it Anyway?


I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard. I participated in a workshop sponsored by Southern Breeze, SCBWI. Hester Bass, author of The Secret World of Walter Anderson, and our illustrious leader, taught a workshop titled, "Show Don’t Tell: How Acting Techniques Improve Writing." Have you ever tried to walk like your character? Or imagine your character as an animal? Well, we did it all, including a closing session where we played the game "Whose Line is it Anyway?" I was an 11-year old boy who couldn't stop scratching. Steve, the lone male among 13 women, was a shy 10-year-old boy. Location: a hiking trail. And he forgot the bug spray. Yes, laughter is good medicine.

I'm unpacked and re-organized for the week, but I keep bursting into laughter when I think of this wonderful weekend.

If you ever have the chance to be in a workshop with Hester , take advantage of it. So many mental connections to my writing happened this weekend. And lots of new friends.


8 comments:

  1. So glad you had a good time! That Steve is a character!

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  2. What a fun time you had! Thanks for telling about it. I'm participating in the TeachersWrite group & am attempting some fiction. At least I can imagine some of those things. Your post is good medicine for me, Dori!

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    1. Hooray for you, Linda. I hope your summer of fiction is very productive.

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  3. How great is that picture of you laughing?! LOVE. Glad it was a god time. xo

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    1. Thanks, Irene. I'm counting on that rain check.

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  4. It was, indeed, incredibly fun to participate in the crazy antics our fearless leader proposed. As a 4-year-old who had to GO, I didn't come close to the excellence you achieved as an itchy, disgusted-with-big-brother-who-forgot-the-spray 8 year old! I've said it before and I'll say it again, the weekend was perfect under the leadership of Hester Bass, the wing of Joan Broerman, and the safety net of a wonderful group of writers!

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    1. You were the perfect stubborn 4-year-old who had to GO. Oh so believable. ;)

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