By Marilyn Friedman
August is vacation time for a lot of you. Last August, I went to Russia and the Ukraine had my own, self-designed Russian literary vacation. Visiting Tolstoy's estate, Chekhov's Dacha, and Dostoevsky's apartment was so inspiring. For instance, I learned that Dostoevsky's daily writing routine included drinking tea that he insisted upon making
himself because he believed that no one else, not even his wife, could make it strong enough. He kept his samovar hot all day long. I saw his special
samovar at the Dostoevsky museum in his modest but charming St. Petersburg apartment. Just like Dostoevsky, I must drink tea when I write. Perhaps I will write a "The Brothers Karamazov" one of these days!
LA has plenty of literary destinations for you to visit if you aren't going away this summer, for instance, you could design your own "Less Than Zero" tour if you want to pay homage to favorite author Brett Easton Ellis.
Also, speaking of literary vacations, Writing Pad has several excursions for you this August that won't empty your wallet. For instance, come to our Summer Camp on Sat., Aug. 18 with award-winning novelist and short story writer Maureen McHugh, famous memoirist and personal essayist Annabelle Gurwitch, and "Mad Men" screenwriters Victor Levin and Michael Saltzman! It will be a day of life-changing classes with master writers, arts and crafts, lounging by the pool, a delicious BBQ, s'mores, and ghost stories. You can sign up for the whole day or individual classes, but there are only 2 spots left, so hurry!
To sign up for a class, click on the links below or email marilyn@writingpad.com or call 323-333-2954. I hope to see you soon.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER CLASSES
•Writing The Market Friendly Masterpiece
•Writing Pad Summer Camp
•You In 1200 Words: Writing The Personal Essay (1 Day)*
Screenwriting
•Creative Exec Cupid: Learning to Play With Power Brokers*
Writing Prompt:
August is vacation time for a lot of you. Last August, I went to Russia and the Ukraine had my own, self-designed Russian literary vacation. Visiting Tolstoy's estate, Chekhov's Dacha, and Dostoevsky's apartment was so inspiring. For instance, I learned that Dostoevsky's daily writing routine included drinking tea that he insisted upon making
himself because he believed that no one else, not even his wife, could make it strong enough. He kept his samovar hot all day long. I saw his special
samovar at the Dostoevsky museum in his modest but charming St. Petersburg apartment. Just like Dostoevsky, I must drink tea when I write. Perhaps I will write a "The Brothers Karamazov" one of these days!LA has plenty of literary destinations for you to visit if you aren't going away this summer, for instance, you could design your own "Less Than Zero" tour if you want to pay homage to favorite author Brett Easton Ellis.
Also, speaking of literary vacations, Writing Pad has several excursions for you this August that won't empty your wallet. For instance, come to our Summer Camp on Sat., Aug. 18 with award-winning novelist and short story writer Maureen McHugh, famous memoirist and personal essayist Annabelle Gurwitch, and "Mad Men" screenwriters Victor Levin and Michael Saltzman! It will be a day of life-changing classes with master writers, arts and crafts, lounging by the pool, a delicious BBQ, s'mores, and ghost stories. You can sign up for the whole day or individual classes, but there are only 2 spots left, so hurry!
To sign up for a class, click on the links below or email marilyn@writingpad.com or call 323-333-2954. I hope to see you soon.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER CLASSES
*Classes with an asterix will be held at our Westside location in Culver City.
Classes Starting Aug. 12 - Aug. 19
•Writing Pad Summer Camp
Fiction and Memoir•Writing Pad Summer Camp (Fiction/Memoir Track)
Journalism, Personal Essay and Web Writing
Screenwriting
Writing Prompt:
It's hot outside today in LA, so you may be tempted to stand in front of the refrigerator to cool off. Opening the refrigerator is actually a wonderful writing prompt. The contents of a character's refrigerator can tell us a lot about who he is and his lifestyle!
For this week's writing prompt, make a list of 5 items you have (or your fictional character has) in the refrigerator (e.g. 10 six packs of beer, condiments and nothing else, the unidentified molding thing in the back, congealing pizza from that rager you had last week, those horrible pickles that your mom made). Pick one. Now add a sensory detail to it (smell, taste, sound, touch). Now write for 10 minutes about this refrigerator item and include the sensory detail. Then, post the results in the comments of this blog!
For this week's writing prompt, make a list of 5 items you have (or your fictional character has) in the refrigerator (e.g. 10 six packs of beer, condiments and nothing else, the unidentified molding thing in the back, congealing pizza from that rager you had last week, those horrible pickles that your mom made). Pick one. Now add a sensory detail to it (smell, taste, sound, touch). Now write for 10 minutes about this refrigerator item and include the sensory detail. Then, post the results in the comments of this blog!
Write about the contents of your fridge (or your character's fridge). If you post your 10 minute write in the comments of this blog, you could win a free class!
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