Illinois historic sites offer writing workshops

[October 22, 2013]  SPRINGFIELD -- Writers looking to sharpen their skills or generate new ideas can get help at a series of workshops in October, November and December at two Springfield-area state historic sites.

The workshops are being organized by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and the Vachel Lindsay Association. The sessions cost $10 for the general public, $7 for members of the association or $5 for students. The registration deadline is two weeks before each workshop.

Instructors from the University of Illinois Springfield and Benedictine University will help writers explore their ancestry, use historical research in their work, turn holiday angst into good stories and more.

The workshop schedule is:

• Oct. 27, 2-4 p.m., at the library of the Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site: "Poetry of Your Blood" -- writing poetry about ancestry and identity

• Nov. 3, 2-4 p.m., Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site: "Calling Art Out" -- writing poetry describing scenes or other works of art.

• Nov. 24, 2-4 p.m., Dana-Thomas House library: "Write Short" -- how to write short "flash" fiction and prose poetry

• Dec. 8¸ 2-4 p.m., Dana-Thomas House library: "Facing Fear in Your Fiction" -- exploring fears and weaving them into writing

• Dec. 15, 2-4 p.m., Dana-Thomas House library: "Bad Fruitcake, Burnt Turkey, Good Stories" -- turning holiday tension and turmoil into good writing

In addition, there will be a daylong session Nov. 16 at the Adams Wildlife Sanctuary. This session will cover autobiographical writing, historical research and poetry about nature. The event costs $50 for the general public, $40 for members of the Vachel Lindsay Association or $5 for students.

For more details, including information about the instructors, visit https://sites.google.com/site/
writingworkshops2013/ or email [e-mail].

[Text from file received from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency]