Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, a local non-profit art and heritage organization,  announces it's 2012 creative writing series, "Writing From The Heart," schedule with author and publisher, Amy Ammons Garza. Throughout the coming year, every second Saturday of each month, from 10am until 3pm, the workshops will cover material beneficial in writing short stories, novels, articles;  enhancing skills in advice, personal experience, essays and sketches, inspiration, nostalgia and humor. The goal of Catch the Spirit of Appalachia is to encourage EVERYONE to write it down, putting on paper what matters to them. By the end of the year, in November, Catch the Spirit has a "Holiday Reception" for the CSA Writers, where the writers will be involved in reading their work in a performance for the public.

"Writing from the Heart" means to write the story you want to tell, a story you have to share with the world. It’s probably one of the easiest article types to write in terms of research because you are your research. In this workshop, you will learn how to write something that makes readers cry out, “Hey, that’s me! That’s what I think. That’s how I feel!” and at the same time offer hope and help. The knowledge acquired is something all can use in creative writing. The teacher will ask the writer to strive to have at least one completed work by November this year.

The workshops are held at 29 Regal Avenue in Sylva. Cost is $35 per session--each session stands alone--and are held from 10am until 3pm. The writers are to bring their own lunch.

January 14th—Introduction to "Writing From the Heart"
February 11th—Your Precious Heritage
March 10th—Powerful Beginnings/Endings
April 14th—Writing with a Purpose/Plot
May 12th—Weaving Fiction into Fact
June 9th—The 4-Keys of Pacing
July 14th—Persuade wth Power
August 11th—Selecting and Directing your writings
September 8th—Overview of Writing from the Heart
October 13th–—Run through of the  performance
November —7pm: Holiday CSA's Celebration of the Arts at the Jackson Cty Library

For more information and to get directions, call Amy at 828-631-4587, or go to website: www.spiritofappalachia.org.

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