Words Matter: Writing Circle

Women Writing for (a) Change

6906 Plainfield Rd. Cincinnati

V-Day 2017 Event

Hometown Monologues: WORDS MATTER

Friday, February 10 at 7:00 p.m.

Stand up against gender-based violence.

Hear awe-inspiring writing by those in support of this stance.

Recently, my bosom friend, Kim, shared her poetic memoir with me. I then encouraged her to submit her poem for consideration at this V-Day event. Along with many other women who will also perform, we met today at Women Writing for (a) Change in Cincinnati. I was Kim’s ride, but aside from that, I felt touched and privileged to hear a preview; each woman in her own unique and powerful voice sharing from a Writing Circle. It was a message of awareness, energy, strength, and hope to end gender-based violence.

Kim and I

Kim and I agree that the Writing Circle was a brand new way of sharing and listening; or at least for us, it was. 

No matter what topic or subject, if any, you choose, I’ll share the format of the Writing Circle with you. If you and your writing friends gather together to try this way, I believe you will come away with a deeper understanding of your own writing, while being inspired by others who share.

1.   Align comfortable chairs in a circle, each person to a seat. Or you could do pillows on the floor, or whatever is comfortable. The key idea is to be in a circle, to see each other, with no one person being at the “front of the line.”

2.    (Optional) One person lights a candle; signifying start time.

3.    (Optional) Pass a serenity stone (or the like) around the circle, each person taking a turn to briefly and silently reflect on the present time.

4.   a. Each person, one at a time, shares their piece, previously written. Today, we heard pieces as short as a few minutes, to as long as fifteen minutes. From laughter to tears, we heard it all. Go around the circle, for each person to have their turn at it.

      b. Each person, in their silent listening, is to jot down few select short phrases they hear—whatever personally jumps at them.  

5.    “Popcorn Time”

In no particular order or direction or turn-taking, this is the time for members to say out loud, one phrase at a time which was previously jotted down during listening time. This can last for about ten minutes, or until the circle is done sharing.

6.     Candle is blown out. Writing Circle is concluded.

In our drive home from the event, Kim and I shared how much it meant to us to hear which words of our personal writing resonated with our readers. And, Kim is now feeling a little less jittery, and a little more confident for the February 10 event. If you are in the greater Cincinnati area, please join us that evening. (All genders welcomed—it’s not a “women’s only” thing.) Tickets are sold at the door, and will likely be available on line when we get closer to that date. Ticket proceeds will benefit solutions toward the eradication of domestic violence.

The link to Women Writing for (a) Change is: http://www.womenwriting.org/

Keep checking back on their website, because I understand that soon it will have a direct link to this event; for now, they just have a small blurb buried deep in one of their pages. If you try the Writing Circle idea, please feel free to share your experience in the comment section.

-Elle-