Berkeley Writer’s Class

MINDFUL WRITER: FALL 2009 SESSIONS

• All sections meet once a week on a weeknight evening from 7:00 – 9:30 p.m.
• Sessions start week of 9/28 and run through week of 12/14
• No class during Thanksgiving week.

• Classes held in a cozy North Berkeley home
• Each section limited to 6 students.
• Cost: $275 (plus class reader) with a limited number of sliding-scale spots available

Contact: Chris Malcomb, 510-559-9076; cwmalcomb@hotmail.com

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About the class:

In this workshop we’ll explore using mindfulness—full attention to the present moment—to discover our deep stories. We’ll write personal essays and memoir, using exercises to generate and hone topics, address “writing blocks,” respond to others’ work, and craft finished products. We’ll talk about essential craft elements: structure, scene-making, narrative arc, setting, and dialogue. Students will receive individualized feedback from peers and the teacher, and revise and share at least one piece in a workshop setting. Suitable for experienced and beginning writers alike, this class provides a safe, inspiring place to confidently coax forth one’s inner writer.

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From former Mindful Writer students:

“Chris is an insightful, dynamic teacher, with excellent knowledge of both mindfulness and writing. The atmosphere of the class was supportive and nurturing, with the freedom and safety to take risks.”

“I truly feel the freedom and safety to write from my heart in longer glimpses without fear after taking this class. I look forward to ‘coming back’ to my practices, again and again, without shame or guilt.”

“Chris is a gifted teacher who creates a nurturing environment for his students. I looked forward to every class and learned a lot about writing and about myself in the process.”

“Chris allows each writer to develop courage to put word to paper and share it with the world. I enjoyed his encouraging and generous spirit…I have also felt healed by the transformative power of writing about some of the intense experiences in my life. I feel really grateful to have taken this class.”

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About the teacher:

Chris Malcomb has practiced mindfulness meditation for six years. He has been a middle and high school teacher and led private classes and workshops for CAIS, BATTI, and the Prison University Project at San Quentin. His essays have appeared in San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, Common Ground, Teachers & Writers, and KQED Perspectives. He earned his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of San Francisco.

“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” – Jack Kornfield