OUR LIFE STORIES
We gathered together
each with the purpose
of learning new writing skills.
Our backgrounds so varied
a mix of emotions
from childhood dreams to life's ills.
Our teacher was patient
coached trust and commitment
til improvement rang from the hills.
We now can do stories
that tell our true nature
in substance not just in frills.
We've grown in our writing
found Authentic Voice
words that tell us apart
and more than just learning
we've grown together
in feelings that come from the heart.
Diane Lee~ I thoroughly enjoyed Heidi Thorsen’s, “Through Your Eyes Memoir Writing Classes” both I and II. Her well organized, well thought out and very helpful. Her list of “priming questions,” supplied each week, gave so many great writing ideas and I found my mind “spilling over” with memories begging to be put onto paper! Jotting down notes on each subject that caught my interest, I finally chose the one I would write about that week and reserved my notes for further writings! The weekly deadline was a much needed incentive to get the writing done and somehow I always did! ~ Barb P.
~ I gained insight into other’s, I learned how to improve my writing, structure my thoughts in a way that communicates effectively, but also may be hopefully fun and interesting for future generations to read… I loved Heidi’s ability to teach. She is generous, enthusiastic, and motivating. She is a gem. ~ Donna M.
~ I gained confidence in my writing. I began to see what my own process of writing was like and to embrace that process as I develop further skills. I liked the positive feedback we were always given, but if we had more time, I would appreciate more constructive criticism – where improvements could be made for example. But the class was JUST GREAT! Considering the few hours we met together I can’t believe how influential they were. Thank you Heidi for being an excellent “educator” – drawing out from students in your gentle, perceptive way while also providing instructive guidance. Thank you so much. ~ Sylvia C.
~ I found myself taking the second class because I enjoyed the first class so very much and found that I needed that weekly deadline to get the writing done. I highly recommend these classes! ~ Barb P.
~ I think that having to dedicate time each week to writing on a theme not necessarily my choice was vehelpful in getting me to think and find new ways to express myself. I found the whole class atmosphere relaxing and looked forward to each instruction period and the opportunity to finally share life stories with classmates. ~ Bill L.
~ The memoir writing class Through Your Eyes, with instructor and writing guide Heidi Thorsen, has been one of the most rewarding adult education classes I have taken in recent years. I participated in session one and was so enthusiastic about the experience I committed to the second session when it was developed. The main goal for participants of both sessions was to organize past memories and events that shaped our lives into readable stories. The sessions were conducted in a small group setting, which in my case involved five to six participants over each eight week course. Ms. Thorsen provided excellent instruction and guidance during each class, offering clear, concise explanation regarding the topics presented, and engaging class members in open discussion about the lesson content. She encouraged participants to listen actively during the open reading portion of the class. She also promoted supportive and empathetic commentary from group members following each story, fostering a warm and genuine fellowship amongst the participants. This, to me, was an unexpected “golden gift.” It was such an honor for me to listen to the stories produced by each group member, and I admired each individual’s writing style as well as the content of their life journey. As for my own journey through life, the writing sessions brought out new, surprising perspectives on past events and memories. I plan to combine the seventeen plus stories written during the Through Your Eyes sessions into a memoir to be shared with family. I will be ever grateful to Ms. Thorsen for guiding me on this very special journey through my past experiences. ~ Kathy R.
~ Heidi was positive and encouraging and she gave excellent ideas to enrich our writing techniques. Hearing the memoirs of other participants was very interesting and created a bond of fellowship between us. Knowing that our memoirs were held confidential, within the group, helped us to write honestly, yet we could adjust our writings to omit personal things if we didn’t feel comfortable sharing those. ~ Barb P.