Italy, in Other Words

The Heart of Memoir Writing Workshop

May 27 - June 2, 2012

in the Abruzzo Region of Italy, in the medieval hilltop burgh of
Santo Stefano di Sessanio,
a UNESCO World Heritage site,
awarded in 2007 for Conservation of Cultural Landscapes.

Experience travel in the grand tradition of times past when great
American writers sought inspiration in unspoiled European cities and villages.
Allow yourself time and seclusion to create literature from your life
experience as you craft creative nonfiction essays— memoir, food and travel writing.
Join The Heart of Memoir Writing Workshop if you are just starting out
or already a seasoned writer. Instruction and writing activities will accommodate those of all experience levels.

	Santo Stefano di Sessanio ~a step back in centuries ~a step forward in awareness
	Engage in a sense of restoration of place and self as you witness Santo Stefano’s ambitious work recovering from the earthquake in L’Aquila in 2009. Afford yourself the space for both solitude and collegiality. Enjoy Abruzzo’s countryside of haunting loveliness and spiritual depth. It’s an ancient place where artisanal cheese is made from the milk of local sheep, pure oil from olives grown on small family orchards, and stories seem etched into worn stone walls, cobbled lanes and winding stair steps.

The Heart of Memoir Writing Workshop

Explore your understanding of the world in first person writing—travel, memoir, food and personal essay,
Reflect on moments of change or loss and reconnect to individual purpose,
Discover the power of personal restoration while steeped in a small town's process of reestablishing its lost past,
Renew your spirit, unfold identity, and awaken purpose in your writing.

Writing Instruction
Daily morning sessions include instruction focusing on the craft of creative nonfiction, analysis of professional essays, writing exercises, and sharing of participants’ writing. Writers will benefit from regular written and verbal feedback from the instructor as well as one thirty-minute individual conference, as desired.

Reading
A reading list of local history and creative nonfiction—memoir, travel, and food writing—will be provided to each participant. About four specific essays will serve as a starting point for discussion and modeling during the week of writing in Italy.

Writing Focus and Theme
Writers may wish to bring a long-shelved creative nonfiction work to revive and replenish or come empty-handed and ready to respond to the rough-hewn charm found in Santo Stefano di Sessanio. Experiences in the town and instruction throughout the week will provide inspiration and writing prompts for those interested in starting new writing projects. The workshop instruction will focus on:

Memoir
Become inspired to make meaning of life experience, to create a first person narrator who writes with complexity and layered thought, to craft a memoir essay or begin a book-length work. Take advantage of the Abruzzese solitude to consider, for example, a recent life-changing situation, to revive your spirits, to re-imagine personal circumstances with a new perspective. Learn the craft of creative nonfiction—of writing scene and summary, of balancing illuminating details with meaningful reflection.

Travel
Learn the art of composing the experience of a place, of finding and revealing the heart of an unfamiliar locale, of clarifying a critical essence that can be known only through watchful observation and reflection. Carefully note architectural detail, patterns in old stone steps, symbolism on church walls, vistas of green and gold. Weave such imagery with historical research to add texture to travel essays.

Food
Research the Italian food typical of Abruzzo, perhaps to find the connection between the foods served in Santo Stefano and local farming traditions. Uncover ancient practices that shape a dish and understand the love implicit in each “Mangia, Mangia.” Focus on one ingredient and trace its path from farm to table or write about the leisure of the evening meal and its relationship to the meandering style of Italian conversation.

Please bring your favorite writing materials. A laptop computer is ideal for the workshop as it allows writers to share writing via email during the week, but it’s not necessary. While free wifi is available to hotel guests, printing is not, so we will do our best to share—whether or not you have a laptop.

Instructor

Kathryn Abajian

Kathryn earned her M.A. in English at San Francisco State University and taught composition, literature and creative writing in the Bay Area for thirty years. She was honored by the San Ramon Rotary Club as the Educator of the Year in 2008 and recently retired as a tenured professor at Diablo Valley College. Kathryn facilitates writing workshops at home and abroad and edits manuscripts. Her research into the life and art of a Utah landscape artist resulted in her 2005 book, First Sight of the Desert, a blend of biography and memoir. Her travel, memoir and arts essays have appeared in various publications, including the San Francisco Chronicle, American Art Review, Salon.com, and Travelers’ Tales anthologies. After discovering a deep connection to Santo Stefano di Sessanio on a visit in 2006, Kathryn and her colleague, Helen Free, sought an avenue for supporting the town and founded Italy, In Other Words in 2009.

Cultural Enrichment and Fieldtrips

Linda Prospero

Afternoons are free to read, rest and write and you may join optional excursions, such as a hike to the local castle ruins, an outing to see artisanal cheese production or pasta making by a local chef. Evenings learn about Abruzzo culture, literature and history.
Our cultural enrichment and field trips will be led by Linda Prospero, a Princeton, N.J. writer who has lived in Italy and traveled to Abruzzo many times to visit family and explore the region. Linda's background and fluency in Italian offer participants valuable insight into the local culture. She spent her career as a journalist, and her articles have appeared in publications ranging from The New York Times and Los Angeles Times to the Times of India. But her real passion is Italy -- its art, literature and food -- and sharing that love with others. She is author of the popular blog, Ciao Chow Linda.

Accommodations

Enjoy six nights in a private room in Sextantio Albergo Diffuso, Santo Stefano’s award-winning hotel offering Comfortable rooms of medieval simplicity, their restoration guided by a deep-felt appreciation for local history Historically preserved architecture Blankets made from the wool of local sheep, hand-woven linens Warmth from wood burning fireplaces, heated floors and Philippe Starck bathrooms

Feast on traditional Abruzzese cuisine and local wines—breakfast and dinner are included Evening meals in the hotel’s candle-lit dining room and in other locally-owned trattorias around the burgh Daily breakfast in the hotel—a sumptuous selection of sweets, savory dishes, local cheeses, salamis, and frittatas Mid-day snack or lunch purchased from local shops Photo: Dayle Fergusson

Workshop Rates and Registration

The registration fee of $2950 includes van transport from Rome and return, five days of workshop instruction and materials, six nights single occupancy accommodations in Albergo Diffuso, full daily breakfast, afternoon activities and excursions, and all evening dinners. Airfare to Rome and mid-day meals are not included.

We limit the workshops to small groups so we can provide an optimal experience for everyone. Thus, while we accept up to eight participants, we will run the workshop with fewer. It may be possible to accommodate companions who do not attend workshop sessions or receive instruction; these companions will benefit from all other activities, meals and accommodations. If interested in this option, please inquire early on as double rooms have a limited availability.

Getting Started

Reserve your place in the workshop by filling out the Enrollment Form and making the non-refundable deposit of $500 due to be paid via PayPal or by U. S. check. The deposit, to ensure your place, is due by March 10, 2012.
The deposit and subsequent payment of the remainder of the workshop fees will be refunded only if IIOW cancels the workshop.
The remainder of the workshop fee is due by April 14, 2012.

Please wait to purchase non-refundable airline tickets until we confirm workshop enrollment. At the latest, we will confirm the workshops by April 16, 2012. If enough participants enroll earlier, we will confirm sooner. Once a workshop is confirmed, but space remains available, new participants can register at any time.

Although it's not required, we strongly recommend that you purchase travel and trip cancellation insurance, in case of illness or any other unanticipated circumstances.

Payment options

Questions?

Contact Kathryn here or, if you prefer to talk by phone, leave your phone number for a call back.

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