IN THE EYE OF THE STORM - A workshop on the creative writing process
James Nave' begins In the Eye of the Storm with the following statement, "By time you're finished today many of you will be so impressed with your rough drafts that you will want to read them in front of the class. Moreover, years later some of you will claim that today was the day you realized you could become a writer." In the Eye of the Storm, students will learn brainstorming techniques that will generate fresh images that become the basis of a word list, written on the board, which will form the spine of all their rough drafts. Volunteers will then improvise sequences of words from the list. Invariably this exercise produces unexpected word combinations and poetic images which students will use to build their rough drafts. At this point, students will be given the opportunity to free write, using the ideas, words, and inspirations generated in the previous exercises. At the end of the timed free writing students will have an opportunity to volunteer to read their work, often to the astonishment of their peers and the delight of their teachers. The students will leave the workshop with a rough draft they can revise and develop, a new view of how much fun writing can be, and tools that will help them overcome perfectionism and neutralize the internal critic.
In addition, students will learn how to:
- Work collaboratively in a creative environment
-Explore the creative impulse
- Find the beginnings of their poetic voice
- Brainstorm
- Use improvisational techniques to generate poetic imagery
- Explore the emotional strength of the imagination
- Broaden the definition of the creative writing process
- Develop ideas with confidence and pride
- Discover the range of their own voice

IN YOUR OWN STYLE - The art of reading and performing poetry and prose
Would you like to be more comfortable and authentic onstage, feel at ease relating to an audience, turn your flaws into strengths, embrace your power as a performer, and learn to present your work with authority and poise? Through exercises in movement, voice projection, improvisation, and relaxation, Nave's workshop, In Your Own Style, will give you an opportunity to explore the "how to" of performance. In this workshop you'll learn to develop a stage style that is compatible with your own personality and with these skills you'll be able to approach the stage with a sense of anticipation, confidence, and verve that will surprise and delight your audience.
In addition, you'll learn how to:
- Be relaxed on stage
- Overcome performance jitters and manage anxiety
- Take control of a room
- Gain audience sympathy
- Project with authority
- Connect your intentions and motivations to the text
- Move with purpose
- Understand the psychology of an audience
- Frame individual pieces with great introductions
- Use eye contact, voice projections, and body language
- Establish a personal connection with your audience
- Turn a heckler into a friend
- Find opportunities to use humor
- Take advantage of the silent moments on stage
- Laugh at you own mistakes and turn them into assets
- Use performance as a revision tool
- Use technical equipment
- Memorize a poem or passage without stress
- Enjoy the give and take of the onstage experience
Dawn McDuffie, a graduate of Vermont College's MFA in Writing Program says:
"Nave' has a wonderful talent for instructional design. He helped us with every part of the performance experience from walking to the podium to responding to applause. Even the shyest participants felt respected and energized by their experiences. As you probably know, fear of public speaking is one of the most common fears, and Nave's exercises helped allay that nervousness. But those of us who felt no nervousness at all, still learned important ways of connecting to an audience and creating a memorable presentation. I feel very strongly that this presentation workshop was one of the most valuable workshops during my graduate time at Vermont College."
- Use autobiographical fragments to generate new work
- Value their own perspective on poetry
- Understand the power of the writing craft
- Develop critical skills
- Produce rough drafts worthy of revision
- Take steps to assure a finished product
- Read their work in front of others
- Celebrate the writing process

THE BODY REMEMBERS - Memorization made easy, a workshop open to all levels, beginners to professionals
For many, memorization was an unpleasant assignment that ended in flushed cheeks and dropped lines. For anyone who has had this experience, it's easy to understand why one might leave memorization behind. Fortunately, James Nave' offers an easy way to revisit the process. Nave' believes that the most important rule for memorization is to have fun, and the second most important rule is that memorization requires the full use of the body: the brain to study the text, the arms, hands, and legs to move with the text, the emotions to connect to the layers of the text, and the heart to embrace the spirit of the text.
Aside from being fun, memorization, like education, offers enduring benefits. For example, the poet, Maxime Kumin says she memorizes poems so she'll have something to do in case she's taken prisoner by an invading army. While it's unlikely Ms. Kumin will land in jail, it's fair to say that she, like the rest of us, will find her memorized pieces useful in times of solitude. Other benefits this workshop offers include an increased vocabulary, a better understanding of syntax, an internalization of rhythm and structure, and a more honed ability to revise prose and poetry. Beyond that, you will learn how to:
- Choose material that works for you
- Use body movements to enrich the memorization process
- Develop memorization steps that are more organic than forced
- Use memorization as inspiration for new work
- Memorize while waiting in the grocery line
- Collaborate with others during the memorization process
- Create a back story that will deepen the meaning of your pieces
- Remain calm while soloing without the text in your hand
- Use memorization as inspiration for new work
- Liven up a boring party
- Use memorization to uncover the layers of a story or a poem
- Connect with the old literary traditions
- Make memorization a life long learning experience