Writing Workshops

Creative Writing Workshops held at Washtenaw Community College, University of Hawaii Hilo, Adult Learners' Institute, Volcano Art Center, Springfed Arts, or personalized for your organization!

Writing: Finding your Voice
If you have been scribbling poetry in secret journals for years or if you now want to begin a memoir for your loved ones, it can take some time to find your voice or to have enough trust to show your writing to the world. Rather than waiting until all is perfect, begin in this course, one word at a time. With many tips, tricks, exercises and more, overcome those barriers to writing.

Writing: Jumpstart your Memoir
If you have a memoir you have been meaning to write, either for publication or just for your grandchildren, but are having difficulty getting going, why not just start here, one chapter at time? Short writing exercises, tips and tricks, including creating a space for writing, writing every day, reading aloud, training your mind to see detail, taking chances with emotion, having fun with humor and flourishes, writing from the heart, cultivating consistency, overcoming barriers to writing. Leave with beginning drafts of several chapters.

Writing: Dare to Dream
Facing a big change or opportunity in your life? Terrified or thrilled out of your wits? Not sure if you trust that you know what you know? Learn simple but powerful methods to get the ideas out of your head and onto the page in order to write your way through challenge. Part journaling, part business plan, lots of short writing exercises, this course aspires to create the space in your head and the courage in your heart to take those first dizzying steps as you dare to dream.

Writing: Writing from the Heart
The most powerful writing comes from the heart. What do you care about? What inspires you? What is special in your life? Write about the people and things that matter to you. Write to touch, inspire, move, persuade, and provoke readers. Write with emotion, write with spirit. Write from your own truest self to help others find theirs. This course explores the kind of writing that changes people, oneself included. And it begins honestly, one word, one day at a time.

Writing: Writing to Change the World
What do you care about? What do you really care about? Learn simple but powerful methods to get the ideas out of your head and onto the page in order to persuade, convince and move people to your point of view. We are writing to find our voices, to discover our meaning, and to fight for our message. Part journaling, part activism, this class aspires to clarify the change you want to see and to create that change in the world with the written word. 

Writing: Ethical Wills--a love letter to your familyTraditional wills distill our lives to a balance sheet of assets and liabilities but they do not fully capture the legacy of our values and experiences, our hopes and dreams that are the stuff we really want to pass down to our loved ones. Learn about ethical wills or Legacy Wills and begin writing a love letter to your family that can be shared now and treasured forever. As important for families with young children as for those with grown children or grandchildren.

Writing: Writing about Families and Culture (and Food!)
Write about the things that matter most to us, without apologies for the uniquely delicious smells or Grandma's untranslatable endearments. Write about the foods of cultural holidays and discuss trends in writing about families and cultures without translation. Show how "Did you eat?" means "I love you."

Writing: Women and Women of Color Writing for our Lives (in development)
We are not only writing for fame and fortune (lol), we are writing for our lives! We will write to find our voices, to discover our meaning, and to fight for our message. With short timed writing exercises, we will write and share our stories, discuss ways in which our stories and struggles may have been discounted, and find that women's stories and strength speak to us more powerfully than many of those dead white males we had to read in school.

Writing: Writing on the Water (in development)
Want to go on a week-long or weekend writing retreat along the water? Let me know!
What could you create in a peaceful and beautiful setting, free from the distractions of work and family? Let's gather along the water and write together about our lives and our loves, inspired by the flowing water, the water lilies, the water birds, the fish, and the beautiful colors flowing over us. 


PARENTING WORKSHOPS

I am working on a book about raising children with cultures and pride (and preparing children for racism). In the meantime, here are some of the parenting and teen workshops that I offer (talks can be tailored to your group), and some resources that I have written in years past (there are more). 

  • Asian American History and Resistance
  • Multicultural Toolbox--Strategies for Raising our Children with Culture(s) and Pride
  • Parenting Beyond Amy Chua Tiger Mother (Hint: It's more than violin lessons and no sleepovers)
  • Strategies for Raising Bilingual and Multilingual Children
  • Preparing our Children for Racism
  • Teaching Our Kids to Critically Read and Deflate Media Stereotypes
  • APA Girl Power!
  • Talking to your kids about COVID-inspired anti-Asian American racism and bullying (and how to stand up for their friends)

Angry Asian American Parenting Guide and more resources
Until then, here are some resources I have written (Apologies, some are very old, but I put newer ones at the top.)

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