Workshop
Topics
Upon request, Diana will customize her workshops to meet the individual needs of your group or organization.
“Diana Raab knows how to inspire and stimulate through a skilled use of writing prompts, incisive comments that encourage rather than critique, and a profound kindness that calls forth the poetic heart. I have experienced her work both as a collaborator ... and as a participant of one of her workshops.”
Writing for Bliss:
Telling Your Story and Transforming Your Life
Writing for bliss is about being mindful of the messages of your heart, and tapping into your authentic voice. In this workshop, you’ll experiment with different forms of writing—journaling, memoir, and poetry. In the process, you’ll be guided down a path of self-discovery that cultivates your path to bliss. Appropriate for emerging and advanced writers, this workshop will inspire you to express yourself through the written word in a profound and meaningful way.
Personal Writing for Well-Being and Empowerment
Transformation can result in a dramatic change to your physical or psychological well-being. Telling your story can help in the process. Everyone has a story that needs to be told—whether it’s the result of a life-changing event or a transcendental experience. This workshop will help you access your story, and will provide you with a wealth of ideas and methods on how to tell it. You will be nurtured through the writing process via meditation, mindfulness, and other techniques to help access the writer within, resulting in a new sense of empowerment and an overall sense of well-being.
Writing as a Spiritual Practice:
A Path to an Enlightened Perspective
Spirituality is the search for truth. Writing as a spiritual practice can connect you to a state of authenticity—and ultimately your reason for being. This knowing can lead to a sense of joy and peace, personally and professionally. This workshop will give you an enlightened perspective on the spiritual power of the written word. You will be invited to create a sacred space, cultivate your imagination, share your stories, and experience the power of writing to heal and grow.
Writing and Lust:
Bringing Your Inner Passion to the Page
Lust is one of the most natural human feelings, expressing itself as a sense of wonder that feeds the soul, as a physical craving for another person, or as a desire to pursue creative endeavors. It can be experienced as two bodies speaking lovingly to one another, or as a solo journey into the world of imagination. Through discussion and writing prompts, you will embark on a fun and illuminating journey that will leave you breathless for more. All participants will receive a free, autographed copy of Diana’s latest poetry collection, Lust.
The Writing Labyrinth:
Managing the Twists and Turns of Creative Writing
A labyrinth is a wonderful metaphor for life through which we follow a path inward, then make our way to the other side, using a circular, repeating pattern. Inside the labyrinth, there are times when you might feel lost, and other times when your path flows more freely. But no matter which journey you take, it will be one of self-discovery.This workshop will explore what happens when your path during the writing process takes you in a completely unexpected direction. You will gain an understanding of the nonlinear process of creativity, and how it beats to its own drum and occurs in its own time.
The Writer’s Notebook:
A Springboard for Effectively Using a Journal
Keeping a notebook is an important part of a writer’s toolkit. It is a place to work out creative ideas, practice writing styles, and tap into your inner muse. Your notebook’s contents may serve as a springboard for poems, stories, essays, and full-length books.Through discussion and writing prompts, this inspiring workshop will show you how to effectively use a journal. It will also offer ideas on how to transform notebook entries into publishable and compelling work. This program is open to both emerging and published writers.
Writing a Riveting Memoir:
A Roadmap for Crafting a Compelling Story
This workshop will offer you tips on how to write a compelling memoir, focusing on the elements that hold a reader’s interest. It will help you understand what compels someone to pick up your book instead of someone else’s—and inspire you to just get down to it and write. The program will include lectures, discussions, and writing prompts; and is open to those who have been contemplating writing a memoir, as well as writers who have already begun doing so.
Finding Your Voice and Discovering Your Story
You might feel as if you’re at a place in your life when you want to begin writing—whether it is poetry, fiction, or nonfiction—but you aren’t clear about how to embark on that process. This workshop will help you navigate where and how to begin. Tips will also be provided on how you can tap into your inner voice and nurture the dormant writer inside of you through self-expression, discussion, and writing prompts.