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Feminine Healing & Creating Writing Workshop
Gal’s Guide is honored to provide our well-loved fall writing workshop. The 2024 workshop will focus on healing & creativity through an unapologetically feminine lens. Using the Mother Castle method, students will use writing and meditation to heal emotional wounds for creativity to flourish. This tool, developed by Riwo, utilizes women’s history, mythology, Buddhist meditation, and compassion. Previous students found immense value in a process that allowed them to heal the hard stuff so they could write.
New for 2024 are custom online videos designed for self-paced students and international students. These videos will be in place of the live-online option of the 12 basic classes. We didn’t want to remove the online interaction altogether so we’re adding 3 bonus online sessions (one each month) for connection, questions, and bonus lessons.
In this 12-week workshop, students will also learn writing critique tools, receive feedback from their fellow writers, and have an opportunity for publication in the Gal’s Guide Anthology.
Takeaways
- Be encouraged to write
- Heal the hard stuff so you can write
- Unlock your creativity
- Unapologetically feminine
- Share your writing and get feedback
- Submit for publication in the Gal’s Guide Anthology
Course Structure
You can participate in the class in person, online or a bit of both. We are flexible because we know lives get busy. Registered writers will also have access to all videos and digital materials for 1 year.
- IN-PERSON OPTION: – 12 in-person classes at the Gal’s Guide Library on Wednesdays 4:30pm-6:00pm (Highly recommended by previous students). Gal’s Guide Library is located on the second floor of Noblesville Creates, 107 S. 8th Street, Noblesville, Indiana.
- IRELAND OPTION – This group will watch the pre-recorded videos, have group discussions, share writing, provide feedback, and have access to the live online sessions. 12 in-person classes at Conna Community Hall on Wednesdays 6:30pm-8:00pm. If there is enough interest a second Ireland group will be created in the afternoon specifically for OAP’s. The registration deadline for Ireland residents is September 18.
- ONLINE VIDEO OPTION: All recorded classes will be available to all registered students for up to one year. 15+ videos.
- LIVE ONLINE SESSIONS: 3 live online sessions will be available for all students (in-person or online) on the following Saturdays: October 12, November 16, and December 21. Live session will be 2pm-3:30pm EST
Tuition Rates
- Tuition is $150 for all 12 weeks
- Tuition includes in-person, recorded sessions, and live online sessions
- Students aged 15-115 are encouraged to register
- Scholarships are available thanks to the Indiana Arts Commission (more info below)
- Registration ends September 4 for USA
- Registration ends September 18 for Ireland
Scholarship info
Gals Guide Library’s intention is to provide services to all that need them. We strive to not have a price point that excludes anyone for any reason.
A generous grant from the Indiana Arts Commission allows Gal’s Guide to offer financial resources to writers.
If you feel drawn to take this class but you are worried about your ability to pay for this class, please apply for a scholarship. Previous scholarship recipients are also encouraged to apply. If you are an older person on a fixed income, you are also encouraged to apply for a scholarship.
There is a deadline of September 4, 2024 (9/18 for Ireland) and a requirement that all students who receive a scholarship answer a survey before class starts and after class ends. These surveys are helpful to our grant partner. We will not ask a student to take the survey before the committee decides on their request as we don’t want any demographic information to be a factor in a scholarship decision.
Class Schedule
- September 25 – Reasons to write, Mother Castle Ingredients: Mother’s & Compassion
- October 2 – Mother Castle Ingredients: Myths & Women’s History. Welcome to the Mother Castle meditation
- October 9 – Empathy Room
- October 12 – LIVE online session Q&A with Riwo
- October 16 – Abandonment Room
- October 23 – Vulnerable Room
- October 30 – Confidence Room
- November 6 – Problem Solver’s Room
- November 13 – It Takes a Village Room & rules of critique
- November 16 – LIVE online session with our guest speaker Karla Jackson-Brewer. Her talk is entitled “Claiming Our Voices, Telling Our Stories”
- November 20 – Union of Opposites Room & feedback
- November 27 – NO CLASS DUE TO THANKSGIVING
- December 4- Evolution Room & feedback
- December 11 – Hard Working Garden & rewriting
- December 18 – Leave the Castle meditation & rewriting
- December 21 – LIVE online session with feedback from Riwo
Writers love our classes
Nourish Class 2023
“The lessons and meditations sparked my creativity so much. The teachings were original.”
Nourish Class 2023
“The atmosphere created was uplifting and wonderful.”
Nourish Class 2023
“The meditation style was wonderful and brought a relaxing break to my week.”
Nourish Class 2023
“Riwo has a way of making a space so warm and encouraging. This class embraced a mantra of there is no right or wrong way to write and I loved that message.”
Journey Class 2022
“I loved the camaraderie within the group! And of course, all the information to help me feel more comfortable in my writing and submitting.”
Journey Class 2022
“It was more than just ‘how to write’ – it was about unlocking the writer within.”
Mother of All Memoirs Class 2021
“This workshop helped me to open up my brain to writing and not getting stuck on tangents or get discouraged. It has helped my writing bloom a bit more. I would take any other workshops Riwo and Gals Guide have to offer!”
Mother of All Memoirs Class 2021
“Riwo was amazing! Best writing teacher I’ve had in a long time.”
Instructor
This year Dr. Leah Leach started going by her dharma name, Riwo, a name that means “mountain” in Tibetan. Riwo is the founder of Gal’s Guide which is home to the first lending library dedicated to women’s history in the United States. Gal’s Guide was awarded 2022 Organization of the Year by Advancing Noblesville and received Congressional Recognition for their outstanding and invaluable service to the community.
Riwo is an award-winning writer, filmmaker, and podcaster with an honorary doctorate in Metaphysics. She is a Buddhist practitioner for over 30 years. She is a member of the Magyu, the Mother Lineage, that traces back to a female teacher in 11th Century Tibet.
Riwo has adapted her storytelling training into the unique way Gal’s Guide teaches and writes about history.
Gal’s Guide Writing Workshop has been selected to receive Arts Project Support funding from the Indiana Arts Commission. With the support of Noblesville Creates and the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts, Gal’s Guide is excited to bring you the Feminine Healing & Creativity Writing Workshop in September 2024.
Gal's Guide 