Words that Sing: A Week with Mary Nilsen
Tuesday, August 14 - Tuesday, August 21, 2012
It matters little how profound your thoughts, how wise your insights, how researched your theology. Unless your language sings, unless your sentences take wing, your wisdom will never reach your readers or listeners, will never enter their minds and hearts, will never create in them a new song.
This intensive workshop focuses on craft—learning how to write and use prose rhythms, learning how to find and shape metaphor. Designed specifically for pastors in their early years of ministry, it will also help anyone with a passion for language and faith give their thoughts wings. Due to the nature of the workshop and its learning process, we will only be able to accept 12 participants. The Collegeville Institute will cover travel expenses to and from the event, as well as room and board for the duration of the workshop. Though participants will share Institute apartment space, each will be provided with a private bedroom.
Leading the workshop is Mary Ylvisaker Nilsen (M.A.W., The University of Iowa; M.T.S., Harvard Divinity School). Mary has taught creative writing courses since 1982, first at The University of Iowa and then in the Iowa Summer Writing Festival. She also teaches prose style and metaphor classes in Des Moines, where she lives and owns a small publishing company. Her complete publishing resume can be found on her website: www.zionpublishing.org.