“Write Your Passion” Intensive 2, February 2020

WRITE YOUR PASSION

Overview

Whether you are staring at a blank page and need the inspiration to proceed or you’re polishing your work for publication, Write Your Passion, will strengthen your skills, light your path and energize you to make a move.

 

ABOUT THE COURSE

Have you thought of writing a Non-Fiction book? Or you’ve written one you’re not entirely proud of? Or thought of professionalizing your writing?

This course is tailored specifically for you; to inform and give your writing a unique perspective. We will illustrate practical skills of writing compelling and informative Creative Non-Fiction and walk with you towards achieving your goal through practical Case Studies and easy to follow guidelines. This course will guide you through the process of understanding the essential elements of Creative Non-Fiction Writing, the writing process, polishing your script to publishable standards and post-writing needs to make your writing achieve its purpose. It will also help you identify opportunities in Non-Fiction Writing and ways through which you can sell your work.

 

Course Period: 5 weeks of flexible focus on your writing

Course Dates: February 2020 Intensives (1^st, 8^th, 15^th, 22^nd, 29^th)

Delivery methodology: Case Studies, Practical Presentations, Guest writers visit, Individual engagements & Study Materials, Group work,

IS THIS COURSE RIGHT FOR YOU? Yes, if…

• You are knowledgeable in a field, which can benefit others.
• You have always wanted to publish but you seem to lack the confidence to make a move.
• You are unsure of which avenues to use to tell your story in an affordable yet quality way.
• You are concerned by the loss of important details/stories if they are not written.

 

Course contents and dates:

Week 1: 1^st February 2020.

Part I: Introduction: Where to begin, Steps towards telling your story

1. i) Why should you write?
2. ii) The Context of Writing and Reading in Africa

iii) Great writers, great reading Habits (Case Study)

1. iv) What is your writing story?
2. v) The art and Business of Writing

Part II: Inspired to Write?

i)Write the book you want to read(activity)

1. ii) Virtue in writing: Writing to serve a Higher Purpose

iii) Finding your best story ideas & turning them into a compelling story (next class activity)

1. iv) Confidence to be playful, comfortable & take a risk with the pen (Vulnerability)
2. v) How to write with punchiness, precision, poise and style.
3. vi) Setting your writing goals

 

 

 

 

Week 2: 8^th February 2020

Part I: The Road Less Travelled: options it takes to tell your story

• Types of Non-writing;

1. Motivational/ Inspirational Writing
2. Memoirs: Writing about yourself
3. Autobiography
4. Historical / reference books
5. Self-Help
6. Christian Writing

 

Part II: It’s Time to Write

• The image in the Narrative; the picture tells the story
• Story first, plot second(The story genius)
• Exploring beyond; what happened to interrogating the experience
• Exploring intense storytelling in Non-Fiction
• Sensory responses; how to bring alive places and things
• Ingredients of exceptional writing: Clarity, simplicity, elegance and evocativeness.
• We want to read your story

 

Week 3: 15^th February 2020

Part I: The Unknown yet inevitable (Editing)

         Why edit?

• Hands-on Involvement in Editing & Re-writing
• Write it from the heart, edit it with no mercy.

Part II: Address by Published Writer

 

 

Week 4: 22^nd February 2020

• The Practical Writer

(Practical Guidance and presentation)

 

Week 5: 29^th February 2020

Part I: The Publishing Laboratory

1. Why Publish?
2. The Future of the written word.

• Different avenues, one goal.

Part II: The Intangibles-Take-aways that cannot be measured

1. Marketing your work to a 21^st Century buyer
2. Beating Writers Block at its game.

• Legal issues in writing; copyrights, plagiarism etc.

1. Writing and Reading as a habit

 

(Graduation)

THE POWER TO WRITE: WHAT’S WRITTEN NEXT IS UP TO YOU

 

 

” Whether you are staring at a blank page and need the inspiration to proceed or you’re polishing your work for publication, Write Your Passion, will strengthen your skills, light your path and energize you to make a move.” 

 

WRITE YOUR PASSION INTENSIVE 1 FACULTY (November 2019)

Week 1: Mr. Allan Aringo (Entrepreneur and Communications Expert), CEO-Language Experts.

Topic: Introduction: Where to begin, Steps towards telling your story

Brief Profile.

• Keynote Speaker and Master of Ceremony
• Document Translator and Conference Interpreter
• Spanish Lecturer at United States International University
• Fluent in Swahili, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian
• A member of Smartspeak Toastmasters that meets at Parklands Sports Club
• Founder of SpeakLikeaPro, a Public Speaking and Presentation Skills Training.
• Graduate of Business Administration, International Studies, Texas A&M University.
• Has 10 years of customer service training and Management in Kenya and the USA
• Facilitator Pitch Like a Pro, a business Pitching extravaganza for sales and marketing teams.
• Mentor and Coach for Young Professionals desiring to excel in Leadership and entrepreneurship.

 

Week Two: Ms. Joan Thatiah, Features Writer for Daily Nation and Author

Topic: The Road Less Travelled: options it takes to tell your story

Brief Profile

Joan Thatiah is a features writer for Saturday Nation. She is also the author of the book Things I Will Tell my Daughter, I am Too Pretty to be broke and other lies you tell yourself, Letters to my son and Damn Girl, Stop that. Read more about Joan Thatiah and her articles here: https://muckrack.com/joan-thatiah

 

Week Three: Mr. Lucas Wafula, Former Publishing Director, East African Educational Publishers.

Topic: The Unknown yet inevitable (Editing)

Brief Profile

A diligent, passionate publisher that desires to change a life through books.
11 years of publishing while balancing between commercial considerations and service to society. He has served as Head of Publishing at East Africa Educational Publishers, Senior Editor at East African Educational Publishers, Editorial Manager at Abantu Publications East Africa and Editor at Jadida Book House.  He has hands-on experience working in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi & South Sudan.
Skilled in strategic planning; corporate governance; talent management & financial planning and management.
Interested in technology and how it impacts educational and general reading environments.

 

WEEK 4: PRACTICAL WRITER-BIKOZULU(JACKSON BIKO), Renowned Writer and Blogger

Topic-General Address and Q & A

Brief Profile

Jackson Biko is a renowned writer and an established brand. He is a contributor to Msafiri Magazine, Kenya Airways inflight magazine, Yummy Magazine for Eat Out Kenya, True Love Magazine and Travel Africa, a high-end travel magazine published in the UK which caters for European travellers in the continent.

He is also a correspondent with the Nation Media Group and has a weekly commentary column ‘Man Talk’ in the Saturday Nation. He has two columns in the Business Daily newspaper, one which he has established a reputation for his quirky and illuminating business profiles.
He’s also a multiple award-winning blogger under the name Bikozulu and a social media influencer. Biko writes exclusively for a living, probably one of the very few Kenyans who do that.
In 2015 he was named one of the Top 40 Under 40 men in Kenya.

Read Dismas Okombo’s article after attending bikozulu’s session

Week 5: Gabriel Dinda and Vera Omwocha

Topic: The Publishing Factory

Brief Profile

Vera Omwocha is the author of Maria and the Tomatoes(2016), Kally the Pet(2019), Wendo Tours Nairobi(2019), The Crescent Moon(2018), Longhorn English Literacy Activities Grade 3, The English Catapult KCSE Revision Series (Paper1, Paper 2, and Paper 3), Diary of the Miaha(2019) and The Craft of Creative Writing(2019). She is a passionate Book Editor who has worked with numerous Publishers for a cumulative period of 6 years.

Gabriel Dinda is the Founder of Writers Guild Kenya and the author of Practical Guide to Self-Publishing in Kenya.

 

 

 

 

Why Writers Guild Kenya

Whether you want to experiment with writing for yourself or you’d wish to publish professionally, we have worked with writers from both extremes and we have carefully packed this course to suit your needs.

• We have different genres. Be sure to find one which suits you.
• We have been in this journey of mentoring writers for over five years and we have sampled material that is relevant and timely.
• Our tutors are understanding to a fault. They have been our mentors and held our hands for the five years.
• Other than the physical classes, we provide hand-outs and sample writings for further study and practice.
• We provide a file with all the materials you’ll need for the whole course.
• Our classes have been scheduled to accommodate everyone.
• Other than physical classes, you can register and get the classes online.

 

How do I benefit from the training?

1. You can secure writing jobs with us or our partners.
2. We will link you with clients in your areas of interest.
3. You can be published with us if you so wish.
4. We can help you market your work.
5. We will expose you to writing platforms.
6. You will get free writing consultancy within the course period.
7. You will get a certificate at the end of the training.

 

COURSE COST:

Ksh.39, 000 (Options of Instalment payment available)

Payment Methods:

A/C Name: The Writers Guild Kenya

A/C Number; 1170473326

Kenya Commercial Bank (Kipande Road)

Or

Mpesa Paybill:

Ac No: 226315

AC Name: Write (Your Name) i.e Write Victor 

What we will provide

• Stationery
• Snacks
• Course Materials
• A follow-up dinner after two months to check on progress

 

General Information

Dressing: Formal casual.

N/B: We can refund half the fee paid only after the first class should you discover this is not for you.

 

Make the move and set your wish to write in 2020 in motion: Email-write@writersguild.co.ke or call- +254751562750