Writing workshops to take in before the book festival

While the Louisiana Book Festival is technically a one-day event, the Louisiana Center for the Book offers writing workshops, called WordShops, on the day before the festival every year. Some of this year’s choices:

“The Journey Inward: Reflective Writing and the Letters About Literature Program.” This workshop is a special session for teachers, librarians and parents about the reading and writing contest for students. With admission set at $15, the workshop will be presented by Catherine Gourley, the National Project Director of Letters About Literature.

“Casting Characters.” New Orleans-based novelist Bill Loehfelm will focus on creating compelling characters in both series and stand-alone fiction.

“Location, Location, Location: Writing about Place.” Margaret Eby’s workshop will cover the basics for crafting nonfiction, from short journalism to long-form creative nonfiction.

“Influence and Inspiration: Mining Your Obsessions.” Louisiana Poet Laureate Peter Cooley will focus on identifying influences in poems submitted for the class.

“Crisis Creates Us: Narrative Fundamentals.” Daniel Jose Older’s workshop will explore the “defining crises of literature,” both “giant and earth-shattering or intimate, an apocalypse or a break-up and everything in between.”

WordShops are $45 each (except for the special session listed above), or two for $85. To register, call 219-9503.

This story was originally published in the October issue of 225 Magazine.