Tag Archives: writing workshop

Is My Story/Poem/Essay Ready to be published? (Wadadli Pen 2023)

The ratio of people who tell me they want to publish a book compared to people who tell me that they want to write is probably 4:1 and I get it – the hunger to get your work out into the world but I often feel like they’re putting the cart before the horse. I mean, obviously, if they’re thinking of publishing a book, they’ve written something but that doesn’t mean that that something is ready to be published. Writing is the purpose of writing; publishing a book is another step altogether and a big one. & I worry sometimes that people are skipping the writing en route to publishing a book, in part because it’s easier to self-publish now than when I started out from my surveying of the landscape. But that still doesn’t mean that the work is ready to be out in the marketplace. But it sells, it makes money, people like it, you’re just a hater. I mean that’s one way of looking at it. Another way of looking at it is that I believe in writer development and that’s one of the reasons I started Wadadli Pen – to nurture and showcase the literary arts in Antigua and Barbuda. Before the baby is sent out in to the world, it has to grow – go through stages of development, which in the case of writing, may include revisions and self-editing, feedback from someone outside of yourself or from a later self who has some distance from the work (i.e. put it down and come back to it), writing groups and/or workshops, writing classes or seminars, submitting to journals and contests (test your writing in the markeplace, building a writing profile etc)…or just put the work out; that’s worked for some people. I come from a different school. & the truth is different schools can yield success; there are different paths to the goal.

I do hope that one of your paths, if you’re a writer or aspiring writer in Antigua and Barbuda takes you through the Wadadli Pen challenge.

Some of the interviews we’ve been doing to promote the 2023 challenge have included hacks or tips about writing and about submitting – the Voice of the People appearance, for instance, floats ideas to jump start new writing, while on The Review I talk about what’s meant by “keep it Caribbean” from our submission guidelines:

“the idea is to kind of re-wire our brain to think of ourselves as the center of the story; to think of ourselves as where the story starts. That doesn’t mean that you have to write a stereotypical, cliche Caribbean story. In fact, we would prefer if you didn’t. You can write any kind of genre, you can set it in outer space, you can set it in a parallel universe, you can set it in a future reality but the idea is that imaginatively, psychically center your Caribbean-ness…life as you see it but also as you imagine it.”

from The Review interview

Margaret during her We the People appearance reminds that you don’t have to be Antigua-Barbudan born (only resident) to submit; whoever you are you have a particular story to tell.

You shoud give these media appearances a listen.

And if you think you need help, sign up for one of this week’s Wadadli Pen workshops

and just so you know I will be offering scholarships to my Jhohadli Writing Project workshops as part of the prize package.

As with all content on wadadlipen.wordpress.com, except otherwise noted, this is written by Joanne C. Hillhouse (author of The Boy from Willow Bend, Dancing Nude in the Moonlight, Oh Gad!Musical Youth, With Grace, Lost! A Caribbean Sea Adventure, The Jungle Outside, and To be a Cheetah – the latter scheduled for July 2023 release and available for pre-order wherever you buy books at this writing). All Rights Reserved. Subscribe to the site to keep up with future updates. Thanks.

Leave a comment

Filed under A & B Lit News Plus, A & B WRITINGS, Caribbean Plus Lit News, Links We Love, Literary Gallery, Wadadli Pen 2023, Wadadli Pen News, Workshop

New JWP Writing Workshops Start This Week

See full year’s schedule below.

This and other Opportunities with pending deadlines posted here.

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Jhohadli Writing Project for Wadadli Pen @ the Botanical Gardens

Saturday 28th August was the last of the summer workshop sessions planned for the Wadadli Pen 2021 long listed writers, facilitated by me through my Jhohadli Writing Project. While three previous sessions took place via zoom, this was an in-person session. I actually had planned initially to use the Public Library but after receiving a no from them for a Saturday session, I decided to move things over to the Botanical Gardens. And it worked out better, I think; lots of fresh air and space to distance, lots of writing, and lots of natural inspiration.

This is one participant evaluation after a zoom session; others are expected (will share when they come in). But, in the meantime, follow this blog and/or my Jhohadli blog to connect to future workshop opportunities. Anything here is non-profit (so will require patronage) and the Jhohadli Writing Project over on my personal blog is not-non-profit (requiring payment by individual participants and/or patronage, e.g. a contribution in this instance from G. Linton, to cover some or all of my time for prep and delivery of workshops, and related expenses).

As with all content on wadadlipen.wordpress.com, except otherwise noted, this is written by Joanne C. Hillhouse (author of The Boy from Willow Bend, Dancing Nude in the Moonlight, Musical Youth, With Grace, Lost! A Caribbean Sea Adventure, The Jungle Outside, and Oh Gad!). All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed it, check out my page on AmazonWordPress, and/or Facebook, and help spread the word about Wadadli Pen and my books. You can also subscribe to the site to keep up with future updates. Thanks.

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Jhohadli Writing Project – Latest News

Why did you register for this workshop?
I was curious. I also thought I could learn new things which I did.

What was your favourite/least favourite activity?
I enjoyed everything at the workshop especially the discussions.

Would you recommend this workshop?
Yes, most definitely. There is a lot to learn and the facilitator did a great job of explaining what I didn’t understand.

Promo July August 2018

The Q & A above excerpt a recent Jhohadli Writing Project evaluation – redacted to exclude any information specific to the participant.

As with all content on wadadlipen.wordpress.com, except otherwise noted, this is written by Joanne C. Hillhouse (author of The Boy from Willow Bend, Dancing Nude in the Moonlight, Musical Youth, With Grace, Lost! A Caribbean Sea Adventure, and Oh Gad!). All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed it, check out my page Jhohadli or like me on Facebook. Help me spread the word about Wadadli Pen and my books. You can also subscribe to the site to keep up with future updates. Thanks.

Leave a comment

Filed under A & B Lit News Plus, Links We Love

Jhohadli Writing Project – New Sessions (Register Now from Antigua-Barbuda or Abroad)

I have been offering courses and workshops in Antigua and Barbuda for some time. In 2018, I open up my sessions to participants from other places. While you won’t be in session benefiting from the interactive nature of my workshops, you will receive course notes and individual written feedback – a service not afforded to […]

via JHOHADLI Writing Project – New Sessions (Register Now from Antigua-Barbuda or Abroad) — jhohadli

Leave a comment

Filed under A & B Lit News Plus, A & B WRITINGS, Caribbean Plus Lit News, Links We Love

A & B Arts Round-up January 20th 2017 —>

Updated January 27th 2017

March 11th 2017 – Soothe16114617_1821137648146082_1427462733952277420_n

February 7th 2017 – the Literacy Festival that forms part of Education Week, this year with a focus on expressive literacy at the Secondary and Tertiary levels. The students will be engaged in an impromptu speaking activity and a dramatization of an extract from a text of any genre. In addition, there will be a display of original writings by teachers as well as local and regional authors as models of literacy.The event will take place at the Multipurpose Cultural Centre beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Relatedly, congratulations to Desryn Collins on her appointment as Education Officer, Language Arts, (Ag.) as of January 3rd 2017.

Wadadli Pen 2017 flyer.jpgFebruary 6th – Wadadli Youth Pen Prize Annual Challenge deadline. Must be Antiguan and Barbudan and 35 or younger to participate. See details at Wadadli Pen 2017. Teachers, youth workers, parents encourage the young people in your lives to create and submit; young people, we, at Wadadli Pen, look forward to reading your efforts.

January 28th – 10:30 a.m. – Antigua Dance Academy will be hosting a Creole Headtie Workshop at the Red Cross Headquarters on Old Parham Road. It is part of their year-long 25th anniversary celebrations.

January 23rd – Start of 12-week sculpting and painting workshop. Register at the Cultural Development Division on Nevis Street.

January 21st – Tanya Evanson will be hosting a special master class ‘Bothism’ for poets, spoken word poets and creatives during the one Day Just Write Writers’ Retreat on Saturday, January 21, 2017, upstairs Museum of Antigua and Barbuda, Long Street 10 am to 5pm – EC$150 (22 and over). Young writers 21 and under PAY ONLY EC$100 AND scholarships are available.

 

Leave a comment

Filed under A & B Lit News Plus, A & B WRITINGS, Links We Love, Literary Gallery, Wadadli Pen 2017, Wadadli Pen News

A & B Arts Round Up October 9th 2016 —>

13043687_1274438145917104_946860390555057581_n

From the Wadadli Pen Challenge 2016 Awards ceremony: Akeilah Hillhouse presenting to Chammaiah Ambrose, the 12 and younger winner, on behalf of Frank B. Armstrong.

January – February 2017 – Just a reminder that it’s not too early to start thinking about your Wadadli Youth Pen Prize submissions for the 2017 Challenge season. Teachers, youth workers, parents, start encouraging the young people in your lives to start creating; young people, start creating.

January 20th – 22nd 2017 has been announced as the dates of the 4th Just Write Writers Retreat at Mount Tabor, John Hughes, Antigua. Like the page for more updates.

November – December 2016 – Master artist Heather Doram is offering another workshop on the heels of her first successful one at the National Youth Enlightenment Academy:
14650552_1645438829120259_3795653221179216069_n

November 2016 – Jhohadli Writing Project (by Joanne C. Hillhouse) will be offering a series of workshops in November – details to come – but contact jhohadli@gmail.com if you want to be on the mailing list for a first look at those details. Flashback to the first Jhohadli Writing Project workshop activity:

October – November 2016 – Independence stuff:

independenceindependence-2

And about that big bank writing competition as the literary arts “step up inna life”! – This one’s from the local press – I don’t have any other details about this but there is a number you can call for more information (462-4707) – the information that’s in the press is that students attending primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions have an opportunity to win EC$10,000 (that’s for the upper level students) or EC$5,000 and prizes (for the primary students) for writing an essay on the Independence theme (Building an Economic Powerhouse Together) and submitting it by October 31 – either hand delivering to the National Festivals office on Market Street or emailing jennell.willette@ab.gov.ag

October 11th 2016 – Expressions: Poetry in the Pub returns, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m., at Heavenly Java 2 Go in Redcliffe Quay. Start to the new season and ongoing.

As with all content on wadadlipen.wordpress.com, except otherwise noted, this is written by Joanne C. Hillhouse (author of The Boy from Willow Bend, Dancing Nude in the Moonlight, Musical Youth, Fish Outta Water, and Oh Gad!). All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed it, check out my page on Amazon, WordPress, and/or Facebook, and help spread the word about Wadadli Pen, my books, and my freelance writing-editing-coaching-workshop services. You can also subscribe to the site to keep up with future updates. Thanks.

Leave a comment

Filed under A & B Lit News Plus, Links We Love, Literary Gallery

Goooaaaallll! Notes from a sports fiction writing session

Best of Books
I was asked to do a couple of hours on writing during the Best of Books summer camp. I’m late reporting on it. It was during Olympic season, so I decided to go with a sports theme to make it more interesting for them. We read sections of stories by me (mostly because it was short notice) including first glimpse of part a new work involving a sport approximating the game of football, also excerpts from Country Club Kids (tennis) – available in my book Dancing Nude in the Moonlight 10th Anniversary Edition and Other Writings, and my teen/young adult novel Musical Youth (boxing); the new work seemed to be their favourite. We had some discussion questions for general group interaction, then they worked in teams to identify as many of the action words and dynamic descriptors in my story excerpts as they could find. Then they got to practice using them in their own original fiction after watching some youtubed Olympic footage for inspiration. The Olympic footage got even the non-writers in the group engaged and we got to talking about some of the great Olympic moments we witnessed – one of the participants ended up writing about those moments instead of original fiction but that’s okay; at least he was writing. In two hours, there’s only so much you can do so if I got them writing, I was happy. It took a little while to get to happy. Some required a little more coaching and one or two focused on finishing (read: rushing) the story rather than capturing a moment in as much detail and with as much action as served the moment as directed; but, in the end, everyone wrote something and received a critique. Plus I distributed flyers for the 2017 season of Wadadli Pen, so hopefully they’ll be doing even more writing. Gooooaaaallll!!!!

Post-note: the organizer of the camp/Best of Books manager informs me that one of the most silent, reluctant-seeming participants had one of the best reviews.”Kid who appeared to be asleep in your session went home and told her people it was ‘amazing’ and detailed how it will make what she writes better … she just wished it wasn’t a sports theme .. would have preferred something more general.”   Go figure.

As with all content on wadadlipen.wordpress.com, except otherwise noted, this is written by Joanne C. Hillhouse (author of The Boy from Willow Bend, Dancing Nude in the Moonlight, Musical Youth, Fish Outta Water, and Oh Gad!). All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed it, check out my page on Amazon, WordPress, and/or Facebook, and help spread the word about Wadadli Pen, my books, and my freelance writing-editing-coaching-workshop services. You can also subscribe to the site to keep up with future updates. Thanks.

Leave a comment

Filed under A & B Lit News Plus, A & B WRITINGS, Literary Gallery

Have a Creative Child in Your Household? You’ll Want to Read this!

Childrens workshop flyer

Leave a comment

May 18, 2016 · 4:49 pm

A & B Arts Round Up (October 19th 2015 – )

I’ve done a couple of these arts round ups in the last two weeks. Still not promising this is going to be a weekly thing but this is the spot I’ll be dropping any new A & B arts news I buck up on for the next week or so. So, here goes.

12079601_517731981737027_525362702640387092_n

***

Untitled

Do you like to write? Have creative ideas? Need to boost your creative energy?
The Just Write Creative Sessions with
Brenda Lee Browne
Is for YOU
Three sessions 17, 24 and 31 October, 2015
Best of Books (Upstairs)
St. Mary’s Street
10 – 12
$50ec per session
Tel: 726 5468 for more information or register in store

N.B. The Just Write Writers Retreat has also been announced for January – see the Opportunities Too page.

***

Shiva School of Dance to showcase an encore of The Other Side of Me – Sunday, November 15 at 7:00pm; UWI Open Campus – Antigua.

***

12122681_1726832150877949_4017273721285935151_n

The Halo Foundation, Inc., a charity organization founded by Lady Sandra Williams in December of 2014, provides assistance to local organizations that support the sick, abused, lonely or needy of all ages in Antigua and Barbuda.

See also information re the Christmas card competition – now run by Halo – in Opportunities Too.

Leave a comment

Filed under A & B Lit News Plus