BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//PYVOBJECT//NONSGML Version 1//EN BEGIN:VEVENT UID:events.uid.1096@www.discovernikkei.org DTSTART:20081004T000000Z DTEND:20081108T000000Z DESCRIPTION:Asian American Poetry & Writing Presents: Creative Writing Clas ses\n\n\n2008 Asian American Poetry and Writing (AAPW) and the Japanese Am erican National are proud and excited to offer community-based creative wr iting workshops for aspiring and emerging writers. Our goal is to create a ffordable and culturally sensitive classes that allows writers the space t o explore craft and theme in their work.\n\n\nWhen:\n\nOctober 4\, 2008 - November 8\, 2008 (Saturday mornings and afternoons)\n\n\nWhere:\n\nJapane se American National Museum\n\n369 East First Street\n\nLos Angeles\, CA 9 0012\n\n\nCost:\n\n$150 for six sessions. $125 for JANM members (Minimum 5 participants\, maximum 12). To sign up for a class please go to http://ww w.aapw-la.org/workshop.php. Pre-registration is required.\n\n\nCourses:\n\ n<b>1. Stories Make us Real (1-3pm)</b>\n\nIntroduction to Fiction with No el Alumit\n\n\nIn this introductory class\, we will read stories and then write our own. What are the elements of narrative? How do we utilize chara cter\, point of view\, dialogue\, plot\, setting and tone? Through close r eading and discussion\, we will examine how others have created powerful f iction. We'll also workshop our own writing\, helping each other to dig de eper and unearth the core of our stories and in the process--ourselves.\n\ n\nNoel Alumit's first novel "Letters to Montgomery Clift\," has received many awards including the Stonewall Book Award (American Library Associati on)\, Violet Quill Award (Insight Out Books)\, the Global Filipino Literar y Award (Our Own Voice)\, and the Gold Seal (ForeWord Magazine). He has al so been nominated for the PEN Center USA West Literary award\, the Lambda Literary Award\, and the Asian American Literary Award. His second novel " Talking o the Moon" was published in 2007 and went on to become a Los Ange les Times Bestseller. He also teaches for UCLA Extension. He blogs at www. thelastnoel.blogspot.com\n\n<b>2. The World is a Poem (11am – 1pm)</b>\n \nIntroduction to Poetry with Neil Aitken\n\n\nThere are moments in our li ves that transform us or change the way we view the world around us. Somet hing we see or feel moves us beyond where we've been. Often it's love or l oss\, the stories of how we got here or where we are going\, or maybe just the way that something we've always taken as ordinary reveals itself as e xtraordinary or beautiful. What makes a poem a poem? How do we set down ou r thoughts and emotions in a more powerful way? This course will cover ess ential poetcraft including: imagery and figurative language\, rhythm and s ound\, line and form\, and lyric and narrative styles. Some discussion of poetry journals and publishing will also be provided.\n\n\nNeil Aitken is the author of The Lost Country of Sight which won the 2007 Philip Levine P rize for Poetry and is due out from Anhinga Press in November 2008. He hol ds an MFA in Creative Writing from UC Riverside and is currently pursuing a PhD in Literature & Creative Writing at USC. More information about Neil can be found on his website: www.neil-aitken.com\n\n<b>3. Claiming Your V oice (11am – 1pm)</b>\n\nA memoir/personal writing class with Naomi Hira hara\n\n\nHave you always wanted to write\, but are not sure quite how to put your thoughts and experiences on paper? How do you find your written " voice" and how do you nurture and sustain it? Instruction will include wri ting exercises that allow students to take creative risks in a safe and en couraging environment. Participants will learn how to remove obstacles tha t keep them from being truly free in their writing. Basic craft skills wil l also be covered.\n\n\n* Please note: Naomi's class will run from Oct 4 - Nov 15 with Oct 25 off\n\n\nAward-winning writer and former Rafu Shimpo e ditor Naomi Hirahara is a Los Angeles literary treasure. She is the author of the Edgar Award-winning Mas Arai mystery series\, which includes Summe r of the Big Bachi\, Gasa-Gasa Girl\, and Snakeskin Shamisen. Her website is www.naomihirahara.com\n\n<b>4. Lights\, Camera\, Write (1pm – 3 pm)</ b>\n\nIntroduction to Screenwriting with Koji Steven Sakai\n\n\nFor the ci nephile who has the next great American Film within them\, this six-week c ourse will introduce you to the craft of screenwriting\, where students wi ll focus on story structure\, scene development and dialogue. From plot-dr iven action to independent drama\, students will write and workshop short scenes\, basic outlines and short treatments.\n\n\nKoji Steven Sakai is a graduate from USC's Masters of Professional Writing program. He co-wrote\, Haunted Highway\, which was directed by Junichi Suzuki and distributed by Lions Gate DVD. He has held several fellowships\, starting with the most recent\, which include: Film Independent's Project: Involve (2007)\, Visua l Communication's Armed With a Camera (2006)\, and Screenwriting Expo 4 Ne w Visions Fellowship award (2005). When he isnt' fighting crime or making movies\, he is the Manager of Public Programs at the Japanese American Nat ional Museum.\n\n\nTo sign up for a class please go to http://www.aapw-la. org/workshop.php.\n DTSTAMP:20240419T180233Z SUMMARY:Asian American Poetry & Writing Presents: Creative Writing Classes URL:/en/events/2008/10/04/asian-american-poetry--writing-presents-creative- w/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR