When is it?

Monday March 20th to Sunday 26th March 2006

Why an experienced course?

Those of us who have worked with Barbara Turner-Vesselago know what an amazing teacher she is and how much progress we can make with her. She has helped us develop our voices as writers, in no small part because she focuses on the power in the writing rather than technique or tricks.

However, writers who are experienced in Freefall often also want to know more about the craft of writing. Barbara’s depth of knowledge in craft is profound but is not usually displayed at Freefall workshops since she knows a premature focus on it will invoke the editor in writers still trying to find their voices.

But for more practised writers, Barbara has developed an experienced Freefall workshop. Here is what Sue Reynolds, author of Strandia, winner of the Young Adult Canadian Book Award, has to say about the experienced course:

“I LOVED the [experienced] workshop. Before I came this time, I felt that this would probably be the last Freefall workshop I would want to attend for a while. I didn't think I could learn much more from this format that I wouldn't learn just by getting my bum in a chair and writing. But with the focus more on the technical aspects… I felt like a whole new universe was opening out for me. You have an incredible depth of understanding of what works and what doesn't in a piece…I want more more more. I found it an incredibly satisfying, expanding experience.“

How does an experienced course differ from a regular one?

The format of a regular Freefall remains—writing in the morning, free time in the afternoon, class in the late afternoon with Barbara reading from various pieces and leading a discussion on them. The anonymity of the writer is retained as is the supportive and positive feedback environment. The difference is the focus not only on what worked in the piece (what has energy) but also on why the piece worked (technique).

This workshop still deals with writing generated primarily at the workshop, but participants are welcome to suggest, when they hand in the writing, what they would like the discussion of their piece to cover (i.e.: that it is to be discussed as pure Freefall; that listeners say what they think the story is about, that they suggest what directions it could take, suggest what could be strengthened; etc.). In this way, writers get to have some say in the direction of the feedback, while still retaining their anonymity as the author of the piece.

In addition, Barbara will begin and end the course with an individual 10 -15 minute interview with each participant where they may pose any questions they have about their writing in particular or writing in general.

Who can come?

You need to have taken Barbara’s Freefall courses in one of the following combinations:

Two in-residence courses of one week or longer

One in-residence course of one week or longer + a correspondence course

One in-residence course of one week or longer + an eight-week course.