The Hudson Valley Writers' Center, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1988 with a mission to advance the art and craft of writing by encouraging writers and readers at all levels to participate in and enjoy the literary arts. It offers classes for professional and amateur writers . . . . .
The Center's headquarters is the restored Philipse Manor railroad station, which overlooks the Hudson River in the village of Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County, New York. http://www.writerscenter.org/
The Center's headquarters is the restored Philipse Manor railroad station, which overlooks the Hudson River in the village of Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County, New York. http://www.writerscenter.org/
Activist, Persuasive, & Political Writing To Change the World
with Speechwriter Joan Chevalier
DESCRIPTION:
Lead them into battle; light a fire; quell a controversy -- speechwriting and opinion pieces for yourself and others. In the case of speechwriting, you will learn the demands of writing for the ear; in the case of opinion pieces, you will learn the demands of 700 words or less.
I will not give you rules for speechwriting; there isn't a rule that I haven't broken. I will give you tools for navigating this world, among these: how to find an original thought where most would prefer to avoid one.
We will work through the intricacies of developing a point of view; we will find a story line in unyielding material; we will assess the target audience and decide whether to court or startle them. You will learn to coach speakers by being coached yourself, unearthing a speaker's voice in your client while accepting his/her limitations. Finally, you will learn how to manage your clients by fostering their creativity: make them the clients you want them to be -- the kind that come back.
| DATES: |
4 Wednesdays, 7-9 pm, 7 November - 5 December (no class on 21 November) |
| LOCATION: |
The Hudson Valley Writers' Center, Sleepy Hollow NY, 914-332-5953 (From New York, take the Hudson Valley train line to Philipse Manor station. Walk up stairs to spectacularly rennovated Station House, overlooking the Hudson River.) |
DESCRIPTION:
Lead them into battle; light a fire; quell a controversy -- speechwriting and opinion pieces for yourself and others. In the case of speechwriting, you will learn the demands of writing for the ear; in the case of opinion pieces, you will learn the demands of 700 words or less.
I will not give you rules for speechwriting; there isn't a rule that I haven't broken. I will give you tools for navigating this world, among these: how to find an original thought where most would prefer to avoid one.
We will work through the intricacies of developing a point of view; we will find a story line in unyielding material; we will assess the target audience and decide whether to court or startle them. You will learn to coach speakers by being coached yourself, unearthing a speaker's voice in your client while accepting his/her limitations. Finally, you will learn how to manage your clients by fostering their creativity: make them the clients you want them to be -- the kind that come back.