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Women's Writing Workshop

"We write to taste life twice." Anais Nin

Leading Women's Writing Workshops

Each week I place flowers on the mantle, choose tea from the tea cabinet, set out dark chocolate and cookies and then wait for the door to swing open and the writers to arrive.

I scour the books on my shelf, the library, bookstores and soar the web in search of the best poems I can find to read to the writers. I read up to thirty poems a week in my search for the perfect ones to present to the women who walk in this door. I read the words over until I can taste them, feel their heft and meaning. I feel, when I'm reading, as if I'm spooning dessert into the mouths of the listener. I place the poems together into a set to read, the way I imagine a jeweler might set jewels.

I begin each workshop by reading a series of clear, often "gasp worthy" poems because it helps us settle in. Poems are arrows to the mark, hitting the truth, the place in us that flourishes with words. I lead us in to our own writing through the windows and doors of poetry.

Listening to the poetry and writing what comes each week saves our lives, enhances our days and deepens our soul.

Some women are writers already, some have only jotted grocery lists and e mails, but in this place, in my care, words flourish as we dip into our writing selves.

My previous experience with poetry were school poems, poems chosen by someone else, whose meanings escaped me, often leaving me feeling stupid and confused. Poems were slapped down on my desk on mimeographed sheets, chosen by adults who didn't, as far as I knew, keep journals, scribble creative ideas on scraps of paper or have pens they were passionate about.

I was never taught writing by a writer. I was led in art classes by artists, music classes by musicians but never led into the mystery of writing, of following silence, slim glimmers and ink along a page, by a writer.

I discovered a love of poetry and writing on my own. I became a teacher and then a writer. Now I'm both. (You'll discover a list of my books below.) I find that to be a writer and a teacher is a lovely and essential combination for leading workshops.

And now I pass my passion along to other women as we step out of the rush and lists of life, sip our tea, uncap our pens and dive into the undersea of what surfaces when ink flows. We create art from our lives rather than having our days river away on us. "We write to taste life twice." We write to save our lives.

On workshop days my door opens and women begin to arrive. There's a feeling of coming home, of returning to a place of vitality as each woman heads to the cabinet to choose a tea cup before sinking into her chair to uncap her pen and surprise herself by what she writes in this sweet, safe place.

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life? Mary Oliver

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Drew Lamm’s Books

BITTERSWEET, YA Novel * Clarion (YA novel)

STAY TRUE * Scholastic (Short Story Anthology)

GAUCHADA * Crown/Knopf (Picture Book - all ages)

PIRATES * Hyperion (P. B. - all ages)

THE PROG FRINCE * Orchard (P. B. - all ages)

HOW WRITERS WORK by Ralph Fletcher, Chapter 7 : Interview with Drew Lamm * Scholastic

ANNIRANNI AND MOLLYMISHI, THE WILD-HAIRD DOLL * Annick Press

WOODCHUCK AT BLACKBERRY ROAD

COTTONTAIL AT CLOVER CRESCENT

SCREECH OWL AT MIDNIGHT HOLLOW

SEA LION ROARS

(all poetic nonfiction picture books) Smithsonian/Soundprints

POETRY in Lee Bennett Hopkin’s anthologies

Climb Into My Lap * Simon & Schuster

My America * S&S

Home to Me * Orchard Books

Got Geography * Scholastic

Incredible Inventions * Greenwillow

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