“From the Oral Tradition to the printed page, energize and empower your creative process…”
This five day intensive retreat focuses on developing a unique approach to writing that comes from the Ojibway oral storytelling tradition. Through the use of ceremony and daily walks on Royal Roads University’s beautiful campus, surrounded by ocean and acres of old growth forest, you will reconnect to the storyteller within you.
Who the program is for:
There is a storyteller in all of us. “The trouble is that we forget that. When we struggle with our writing it’s because we forget the tools that we already carry. We forget that we are born with the gift of language. We forget that we alone among creatures have the ability to translate our dreams into words and image. We forget that we are all storytellers.”
The writing retreat is for anyone who desires to improve their ability to put thoughts and words on paper. It is great for creative writing students, academics, professionals, emerging writers and established writers.
Structure
The program uses a participatory teaching approach (Richard works and creates along with the students) which emphasizes a variety of experiential techniques based on First Nations oral storytelling combined with contemporary writing practices. The majority of class time is devoted to the practice of craft with the initial assignments done orally in class.
Working with ‘The Channel’
Each day you will approach The Channel through ceremony and time with the spirit of the land. You will
learn how to center yourself on the creative channel we all possess. You will learn how to access this creative channel anytime you choose.
Using Richard’s unique Storywalk technique you will learn how to use the five oral storytelling principles to construct strong, vibrant narrative arcs. You will take these principles and techniques and transfer them to the printed page where you will learn to work with the ideas that ‘writing is not struggle’ and ‘when you start to think – stop.’ These two simple ideas will transform your writing.
Program outcomes:
- Create spontaneous oral stories
- Generate ideas rapidly and weave them seamlessly into oral storytelling
- Enter the storytelling ‘channel’ and work from there
- Move oral storytelling principles and techniques to the printed page
- Write effortlessly and spontaneously
- Overcome the ‘idea’ of writers block
One entry per person
