News
M.A.W. Presents New Public Workshop
5.01-5.31.2007
Manhattanville College’s Master of Arts in Writing (M.A.W.) program together with the Westchester Library System will be offering people in local communities the chance to participate in a series of writing workshops during the month of May. These weekly, two-hour workshops will be held in the town libraries of Port Chester, New Rochelle and Somers. The goal of the workshops, led by six Writers-in-Residence, is to encourage various types of writing and experimentation with words in a non-judgmental atmosphere.
“It is vital for writers and poets to go out into the community,” says Linda Simone, Associate Director of the M.A.W. program at Manhattanville. ”Our Writers-in- Residence know the value of writing to self-expression and self-knowledge...and they know it's fun. We also believe that collaboration with other organizations and groups, like the Westchester Library System, enriches our Master of Arts program and all who participate.”
The Writers-in-Residence who will lead the programs are working writers who are current or former students in Manhattanville’s M.A.W. program. They have been trained in a special graduate course called Teaching Creative Writing, led by Professor Nancy Krim, who is also the faculty advisor for these workshops. “The workshop leaders look forward to this experiment in teaching writing,” she said. “We believe anyone can write and write well if given a safe atmosphere to explore their feelings. Our job will be to connect the people who join us to their writing selves and their most authentic voices.”
The workshops at Port Chester and New Rochelle libraries will be geared to middle school and high school youths. The Somers program will serve adults.
"We're not concerned about the adult workshops. They will be overbooked," says Robin Osborne, Director of Adult and Outreach Services for the Westchester Library System. "It's the kids who present the challenge: getting their attention; getting them comfortable with the written word. We want them to have fun experimenting with words that they can hold on to. We want them to know that there's more to words than just spoken ones that disappear into the air.”
Those interested in the workshops should contact the Port Chester, New Rochelle and Somers libraries directly for time, date and registration information.
For more information about Manhattanville College’s Master of Arts in Writing program, visit www.manhattanville.edu or call (914) 694-3425.