Writing in the Garden

"Writing is very hard work and knowing what you're doing the whole time."

Shelby Foote (American historian and novelist)

This past weekend I had an opportunity to participate in a unique writing retreat A Day of Writing in the Garden at the home of Bev Abear, writer and artist,Brainerd, MN. 

The writing class The Three Act Structure -- The Point of Attack, the Confrontation and the Resolution was facilitated by Candace Simar, award winning author and poet (on left) and her sister Angela Foster, writing instructor and author (on right). The class was for fiction and memoir writers.

Candace and Angela provided instruction on Three Act Structure, a model used in screenwriting and fiction writing followed by a critique session of previously submitted pages by participants for discussion.  

Bev's yard, a tranquil setting, provided inspiration for writing and literary conversations.
It was a day of learning, writing and creativity. Morning and afternoon sessions were inside with breaks, lunch and writing in the garden. 

Did you know that the model of Three Act Structure dates all the way back to Aristotle? He is often credited by screenwriting how-to authors with having originated three-act structure because of his observation that a tragedy must have a beginning, a middle and an end

I found Angela's and Candace's presentation to be quite informative. I appreciated having their expertise sharing many practical writing tips. It was helpful for my writing.

Lush gardens and a waterfall- could there ever be a better place to pen one's thoughts? 
It was a wonderful way to spend the day talking about books, writing and sharing ideas with other writers.

Candace Simar nurtures a passion for Minnesota History. She has published THE ABERCROMBIE TRAIL SERIES: ABERCROMBIE TRAIL 2009, POMME DE TERRE 2010; BIRDIE 2011, and BLOOMING PRAIRIE 2012. BIRDIE received the 2012 Spur Award for best juvenile fiction set in the west. She co-authored FARM GIRLS with her sister, Angela Foster, in 2013 and published SHELTERBELTS in 2015

Angela Foster holds an MFA (Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing) from Pine Manor College in Boston, MA. She teaches memoir at The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, MN. Her work has been published in Poetry Midwest, Lake Country Journal, Dust and Fire, Minnesota Literature, Talking Stick, The Drum Literary Magazine and others. In 2013 she co-authored Farm Girls with her sister, Candace Simar.