Tag: Westport Arts Center

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Writers’ Cafe Keeps getting better

We had a great Writers’ Café last Wednesday at the Westport Arts Center. There were plenty of brags to start us off:

Ina bragged that she’s had her latest piece published in the Good Men Project online magazine:

http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/facing-my-fathers-demons/.

She also had a review of her favorite short story published on Echook’s website as a guest blog:

http://echook.com/guest-blog-ina-chadwicks-favorite-short-story/

Robert Steven Williams had two pieces published in the Good Men Project, both sports related (kind of – the Phillies and yoga).

http://goodmenproject.com/sports-2/to-philly-fans-chill-out/

http://goodmenproject.com/sports-2/yoga-a-mans-view-from-the-mat/

Elsie Ferrara had her memoir piece included in Writing Your Life 2011, published by the New Canaan Library.

I bragged that I had, in fact, completed 30 creative things in the 30 days of June. (I’d rashly said I would do this at the last meeting.) I learned that it’s OK to fail, and can even be fun. I also discovered some different creative skills I didn’t know I had. (See my Facebook photos for details, and my friends hilarious comments.)

Ina gave a preview of our next writing contest, to be undertaken for the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk. The theme will be Deja Vu, and writers will be asked to look at the work of Jack Boul, Master print-maker, for inspiration. The contest will officially be announced on August 2, and entries will be accepted until September 19. Check the MouseMuse website for more details (link below).

 

Ina also mentioned that she had a very good editor available at a very reasonable fee for people who’d like someone to work with. Please send all requests to Ina, who will pass them on.


We spent a little time discussing social media as a way of building a platform for writers who’d like to publish. Facebook and Twitter seem to be the minimum requirements, so long as they don’t stop one from actually writing! We may discuss this further at a future meeting if our writers would like to.

Our Next Writers’ Café is on Wednesday, August 10, from 1-2 at the Westport Arts Center.  Please come, and do send this on to any of your writing friends you think might be interested.

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April Storytelling: Money Talks

Cash, bucks, bread, dinero, coins, loot, even high finance – no matter what you call it, the abundance or absence of money can cause conflict and change. We’ve been there, and we know you have too. Bring us your stories of striking it rich, barely getting by, being broke, owed or owing –and our great team of coaches (Bill Bosch, storytelling master, aided and abetted by Ina Chadwick,  and Gabi Coatsworth) will help you hone your tale so it’s ready to perform in April.

Our March storytellers weren’t sure they were ready for prime time, but we helped them get there, and the March 22 event was a smashing success, thanks to them. Be part of this exciting new entertainment form by telling a story or coming to cheer on the people who do! Just a small handful of banknotes will get you a ticket, free scrumptious food, and a great evening. Be there!

Doors open at 7PM. Show starts 7:30 PROMPT.

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Storytelling:Gimme Shelter

Whether you were in a tent on a scouting trip or playing under your bed as a kid, shelter is a universal  need. Maybe you were settling into your first dorm room, finding, renting, building or even losing shelter, we want to hear your story. If you think you’ve got a story, email us, and we’ll take it from there. Ina@mousemuse.com or Gabi@mousemuse.com.

There is life here in the suburbs after dark! Hear it! Be part of it! Experience it! Be in the audience or be at the microphone. Or be both!

Doors open at 7 PM. Show starts 7:30 PROMPT.

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Storytelling: What I did for love

Turn off the six-o-clock news! Treat yourself to a weeknight evening that doesn’t end by falling asleep before 9 p.m. There is life here in the suburbs after dark! Hear it! Be part of it! Experience it!

Be in the audience or be at the microphone. Or be both!

How to become a storyteller? Try not to write out your story. If you have already written it, then fold it up and put it in your back pocket. You wrote it. You know it. You can tell it by heart.  You are the character! It’s your story.

Doors open at 7 PM. Show starts 7:30 PROMPT.

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Writers’ Cafe

Whether you’ve been writing forever, or are new to it, whether you’re published or hope to be, join us at the Writer’s Cafe at the Westport Arts center. Sympathy, support, new ideas and time to connect with other writers. We’ll bring the coffee, you bring your sandwich. For more details, please visit www.westportartscenter.org and www.mousemuse.com.

Categories
Blog

Writers’ Cafe

Whether you’ve been writing forever, or are new to it, whether you’re published or hope to be, join us at the Writer’s Cafe at the Westport Arts center. Sympathy, support, new ideas and time to connect with other writers. We’ll bring the coffee, you bring your sandwich. For more details, please visit www.westportartscenter.org and www.mousemuse.com.

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Storytelling Debut! Save the Date

Audiences loved last season in Fairfield.

Finally, Westport!


The Tuesday evening series that launches on January 25th  at the Westport Arts is in the casting phases.If you have a a good story on the following theme, email: ina@mousemuse.com or call 203 247 3346.
If you’re selected, we will work with you to get that story into a dazzler, under 10 minutes no matter what, and you’ll see, you’ll be hooked. You’ll want to be a storyteller again and again.
Theme: The End of Innocence.
We often think that young kids are the only innocents in the world, and indeed we try to protect them from as much reality as we can. But we are all kids in certain ways, and the end of innocence keeps popping up throughout our lives.
Maybe you were six years old when you noticed that the Tooth Fairy slipping out the door looked just like your mother? Or perhaps you were just at retirement when your genius stockbroker turned out to be Bernie Madoff?
Disillusion is a kicker no matter when it happens. Maybe the boneheaded guy who cheated on his exam in high school ended up getting into Harvard? Maybe you suddenly realized that the guy who finally asked you on a date really was only after one thing?  How long did it take for these eye opening realities to sink in? And how did they change your life? Did you go for vengeance or acceptance? If we’re lucky, and if we are to grow, each end of innocence brings some retrospective humor, wisdom, and knowledge. Think about it. You’ve got a story. We want to hear it. So does everyone else.