Telling a story is not as easy as, well, telling a story. You need training, grasshopper. You need to take a class, learn narrative techniques, surround yourselves with other neurotic introverts. Luckily for you, the Florida Center for the Literary Arts is hosting its annual summer Fiction workshop, An Introduction to Fiction: Writing from Experience.
This time around the symphony will be conducted by the internationally revered Chenjerai Hove. Hove is a poet, author, essayist, and human rights activist from Zimbabwe with over 40 years of professional writing experience. He understands the secrets of composition and he knows how to share them.
"Writing brings out the hidden corners of the human soul," explains
Hove. "The most important thing is to gain confidence in
self-expression, to be able to celebrate life and art. Literature is a
celebration of life and it is up to writers and other artists to
celebrate life."
This is a special workshop. Professor Hove is a testament to the human
will and its capacity to endure and even celebrate our experiences in
the face of hardship. Ten years ago, Mr. Hove fled his country in exile,
due to countless death threats and the provocative nature of his work.
For a decade he has lead a migrant's life around Europe, lecturing in universities while sharing the themes of his work. Known all around the
world as a great voice, he is currently the writer-in-residence for
Miami: City of Refuge, a Knight Foundation project.
So far, the Magic City has proven to be inspirational. "Miami is a
polycultural society," Mr. Hove explains. "It has a dynamism which one
does not find in other places. I believe everyone from all corners of
the world is found in Miami. A writer needs such a dynamic in order to
resonate with so many other voices from all over the world. I believe a
writer cannot afford to be narrow. The more the society is broad and
different, the more it is culturally dynamic and inspiring for a
writer."
This special fiction workshop based on personal experience will last six
weeks. It runs tomorrow through July 19, 2011, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and
will take place downtown at Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus. Visit flcenterlitarts.com or call 305-237-3940.
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