Calling Portland Writers! There’s still time to get in on Jessica’s Morrell’s writing classes!!

You can check out her blog here.

I’ve known Jessica for almost 10 years and have been taking classes and workshops from her from time to time. She’s a fabulously talented woman who makes her living as a writer and editor and has like 5 books on the shelf already and more in the pipeline.

So she clearly knows what she’s talking about. If you want to be a better writer, here’s a list of her upcoming workshops and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND signing up! She’s amazing and if you work with her, your writing will evolve, not to mention she’s a kick in the pants to be around. She’s fun and gets right to the point of how to be a better storyteller.

Here’s her flyer:

Writing Your Life: Narrative Nonfiction
February 6, Parts 1 &2, 9:30-4:30

Narrative nonfiction reads like fiction but is loyal to facts and truth. But it has something more–a bit of magic, the poetry of beautifully written sentences, and thoughtful explorations of themes. This workshop will explain how a memoir or essay uses novelistic techniques to shape reality on the page. Part 1 will combine lecture, discussion, and a writing exercise. Part 2, which happens in the afternoon, will be focused on voice that leaves a trace of the writer and is harmony with his or her roots. We’ll complete another writing exercise, then participants will give feedback on the writing samples each has brought to demonstrate his or her writing voice.

February 13 Part 3, Writing Your Life: Narrative Nonfiction

Part 3 will take place on the February 13 and will begin with a lecture on truth and themes in nonfiction, as well as how to write compelling beginnings. We’ll then provide feedback on the participants’ opening pages and brainstorm strategies for getting published. Times: 9:30-12:30 Cost: $95.00, February 6 only $75
Fine-tuning Fiction

February 13, 1-5

I wrote my book Between the Lines which is about how to employ the subtler aspects of fiction writing because over the years I’ve noticed that a lot of writers have great plot ideas, but that their stories don’t pass muster because their lack of understanding and craft of some of smaller aspects of fiction. In this workshop we’ll discuss and illustrate this concept via reading several short stories, and talking about the places in your fiction where you want to become more refined. Topics include: subtlety, flashbacks, theme, subplots, secondary characters, dialogue, and imagery.
Note: participants will read one short story before the session (available on- line).

Cost: $40 Location: PNCA 1241 N.W. Johnson
(Note Fine-tuning Fiction will also an all-day workshop in Manzanita, OR on April 10.)

Generous handouts are included in all the workshops.

To register: send a check to Jessica Morrell, P.O. Box 820141 , Portland , OR 97282-1141 Phone 503 287-2150 or write at jessicapage@spiritone.com for more information.

Working out last night with Nick was AWESOME! Seriously, folks, I generally don’t get excited about exercise. Just ask Jordy, I wussy out about everything.

Last night’s training was quick, and not easy but definitely doable. There’s a difference. I was making as many jokes as I could, since that’s pretty much how I deal with awkwardness. I windged… a lot.

“I might need to up my calories a little. I don’t think I’m eating enough.” I said.

“We might need to up your calories because the starting count is just a guideline and you’re a little taller than most women so we can test it out and see how you feel and where you get your results, but we probably don’t want to shift it more than a two hundred at a time.”

“Wait. Wait. Wait a minute. Don’t I get to factor in at least 500 PER BREAST? I mean. As soon as I start losing weight I’m gonna lose boobs. Don’t we get to compensate with more to spare my rack?”

Nick was not at all persuaded by my plea to save the mass of my tatas. But I suppose in the name of overall better physical fitness and health – I can live with my girls shrinking – just a little bit.

The beauty of working with Nick so far, is that he has singlehandedly put one of my biggest fears to rest. My fear of being judged for putting on extra weight. The fear of being judged by athletes and found pathetically lacking and unworthy of rehabilitation.

I have no idea if this is a common fear or not for most people. Ridiculously the amount of work doesn’t scare me. I’m mildly daunted by the shift in diet and the work involved to maintain it, but even though I am mildly daunted by it – hands down, my biggest anxiety is judgment.

Judgment from other people at the gym who would look down on me. Judgments from more conditioned or athletic people I can’t keep up with in my current state of being unhealthy. Judgment from people with flat bellies or toned arms.

Even saying it loud is funny, because I so rarely care about the judgments of strangers. So it’s really not their judgment about me that I should be concerned with but my own judgment about myself that I project onto them.

There’s a lot worth blogging on the topic of body image and why we have the hang-ups that we do. But for the moment I am processing why I feel so safe with Nick and Leslie who were both at the gym last night.

They know this is tough for me and they are making it as easy as possible to let go of my anxiety and embrace the concept that I can have my health and body back. There are no judgments from them, in fact they are nothing but encouraging, cheerful and understanding.

It doesn’t seem like I did much last night, but I did in fact struggle with some of the exercises. Mostly though – I wrestled with my pride, and that’s a far stronger opponent than I was expecting.

When I got home last night, I was exhausted and still needed to meet my protein count for the day. So I dragged ass to the kitchen where I only had the energy to pull out the cottage cheese container and scoop a cup into a bowl then put the container away.

Or so I thought.

When I got up this morning to make a cup of tea, I opened the tea cabinet and found the nearly full container of cottage cheese, where I had evidently stored it last night after my workout – three cupboards away from the refrigerator.

I couldn’t stop laughing. I didn’t think I worked out hard enough to turn stupid – but apparently, I must have been in some form of dissociative shock. Could it be that my brain is in disbelief about what I am trying to do to my body?

It’s highly probable. I wonder if Nick has any ideas for that.