FLY Children’s Art Center: Writing the Unthinkable with Amy Probst
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Time: 9:00am — 4:00pm
Get Tickets at http://unthinkablefly.bpt.me
FLY Children’s Art Center, 40 N. Huron Street, Ypsilanti, Michigan
FLY Children’s Art Center is so very excited to host the Ypsilanti session of the amazing writing workshop, WRITING THE UNTHINKABLE, led by the incomparable Amy Probst!
THE WORKSHOP: From Lynda Barry’s original workshop description: “Do you wish you could WRITE? Do you wish you had a better MEMORY? Do you want to make STORIES but are too confused about how to even start? THIS IS AN INTENSIVE WRITING CLASS! It is not a social situation at all! In fact, you can be completely anonymous in this class! You don’t have to be cool! Your clothes can be square! You don’t have to read aloud or talk to anyone if you don’t want to! You don’t even have to make eye contact! And YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A WRITER to be a part of it! THIS CLASS WORKS ESPECIALLY WELL FOR ‘NON-WRITERS’ like bartenders, janitors, office workers, hairdressers, musicians, and ANYONE who has given up on ‘being a writer’ but still wonders what it might be like to write. OPEN to ALL people!”
THE TEACHER: This WRITING THE UNTHINKABLE workshop is taught by Amy Probst, who learned the method from Lynda Barry; both feel HUGELY compelled to spread the word and not bogart this magic. Amy is a professional trainer and writer, sometimes actor and comedian, natural-born mentor and motivator, and happiest when she’s helping people recognize their own kickassness.
WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE? Safe. Nobody is allowed to interrupt your personal space, you don’t have to share anything you write (although it’s a crazy high to do so, and you will be allowed), and nobody is allowed to comment on anyone’s work. Private, safe, intense, sincere. Focusing first on memory, we take a journey into the unexpected. Memories come as uncontrollably as dreams — you may end up remembering things you haven’t thought of since you were a kid. It can be a freaky wormhole into the universe of your mind. And so much fun. THE VENUE: Fly Children’s Art Center is fantastic, snuggled along Riverside Park, and walking distance to fantastic restaurants and bars.
WHAT IS FLY? Research shows that creativity drops dramatically in children after the third and fourth grades as they succumb to conformity necessary to succeed in school, and consequently lose the ability to seek creative solutions and take pride in unique accomplishments. Fly Art’s open studio after-school programs work with kids to explore their creative sides, enhancing and preserving creative problem-solving skills that can be transferred to all aspects of life. The good-vibe mojo in this building could not be more perfect for a day of writing the unthinkable! SO FLY!
WHAT TO BRING: A three-ring binder (no other binder or notebook will do), a pack of lined notebook paper, and a pen you love or at least tolerate. No laptops — this is an ancient method, man! Also, bring lunch money for nearby restaurants or your lunch bag.
http://www.flyartcenter.org