Writing and Creativity Breakthrough

Spark Your Creativity: A Writing Journey into the Deep Imagination

Next program: late 2024 or January 2025

A unique group coaching program
to explore your creativity and yourself
through writing

If you want to move past writing blocks, find your creative edge, and go deep into your imagination to produce powerful writing, here is a fresh approach you won’t find in other writing programs.

This program will help you:

• Relax the drive for perfection
• Produce deep imaginative work
• Connect with a supportive group of writers
• Feel the satisfaction of sharing your work with others
• Create meaningful expression in a wild and unpredictable world

To get those results…

You will journey into the landscape of the imagination—a magnificent and infinitely creative territory. I will be your tour guide.

STEP 1. Pre-departure Orientation

Your journey begins with a meeting to introduce you to your fellow travelers.

• Discover who you’re traveling with, so you feel welcome and part of a community.
• Learn about the culture and climate you’ll encounter on the tour, so you’ll feel comfortable and know what to pack.
• Receive Travel Notes and an assignment for the first stop on your journey—your first writing adventure.

STEP 2. Explore Your Creativity at a Series of Destination Points

In Step 2 of the program, you will visit a variety of destinations. At each stop, you will experience a writing adventure designed to stretch your imagination, spark your creativity, and bring you the excitement of creating an original piece of writing.

Each adventure includes reading or listening to a story about personal transformation and the imagery that inspired it, then writing in response.

You will share your writing with the group and discover how readers and listeners respond.

 Your itinerary will be as follows: 

• Destination 1. The Crystal Cobweb (Exploring a Life Event)
• Destination 2. The House (Investigating Imagery)
• Destination 3. The Carcass (Inviting Intuition)
• Destination 4. Organ Pipes (Discovering Desirable Dreams)
• Destination 5. The Landlord’s Wife (Digging Deep)
• Destination 6. Rag Doll Parents (Letting It Out, Letting Go)
• Destination 7. The Blue Guides (Awakening Awareness)
• Destination 8. Lady in the Lake (Experiencing Essence)

During each group meeting, you will:

• Write
• Receive feedback on your writing
• Be inspired by what others have written

STEP 3. Celebrate Success

Discover how far you’ve come on this journey—and get ready to be published! At the end of the program, you can select and work on one piece of your writing for publication in the 2024 issue of Spirited Voices, a digital magazine created exclusively to feature work created in this program. You will receive guidance on how to prepare your piece for publication.

Check out previous issues of the magazines here: December 2020. March 2021. April 2021. June 2021. July 2021. October 2021. December 2021. March 2022. October 2023.

Program delivery

• This is an online program.
• There will be 8 live Zoom meetings, 2 hours each, spread over four days. See Meeting Schedule below.
• Meetings are recorded so you can listen to a replay and download the video or audio.
• You will retain the copyright to your published work, and you may share the published magazine in any way you choose.

Meeting schedule

Day 1
Session 1: 10 am to noon Pacific Time
Session 2: 1 pm to 3 pm

Day 2
Session 3: 10 am to noon
Session 4: 1 pm to 3 pm

Day 3
Session 5: 10 am to noon
Session 6: 1 pm to 3 pm

Day 4
Session 7: 10 am to noon
Session 8: 1 pm to 3 pm

Your investment
Your investment for Spark Your Creativity is $397. Or two installments of $205 each.

Bonus
As a special bonus, you will receive one private 30-minute meeting with me to help you polish the piece you choose to include in the digital magazine.

What participants say about the program

“Each week took me deeper into a creative realm I was afraid didn’t exist.
Instead, I found it has depths
that will keep me busy writing for the rest of my life.” —Manon Santos

“The images are very powerful.
They broke something open for me.” —Barbara Stevenson

“If you like to write and you like personal growth, and you crave
relationships with others like you,
then I HIGHLY recommend Darlene’s course.” —Natalie Hill

“The confidence I’ve gained is immeasurable. The people
I’ve met are talented and generous and have become friends. Darlene is a
masterful leader. Her comments are always
delivered with such awareness of where the writer is coming
from. She is generous with her time and talent, and it is
appreciated more than I can express.” —Susan C.

____________________________

“I found every destination story inspiring and hugely generative as a prompt. The reflection questions were an invitation to be vulnerable and truthful. I enjoyed the generosity of the writers and the tone you set, Darlene—of openness, courage, excitement. I wrote outside my comfort zone and had fun with it.” —Barbara Stevenson

“I wasn’t sure what I expected. But it has far surpassed any expectations I could possibly have had. For me, it’s been a pretty phenomenal and magical experience. I’m very grateful that I have had this supportive, safe container in which to write. I have discovered that I actually can write. Thank you for being a super awesome tour guide, Darlene. Thank you for the magical energy you generated.”  —Karen Tansy Mihm

“This has been a very rewarding experience, Darlene. The subject matter and the way you facilitated the group have been so empowering. The whole program is well-designed and very compelling. As far as I know, nobody has put these things together in the way you have.”  —Suzanne Juergensen

“The best part of the program was the writing I did. The class structure and process got me started, then pushed me to keep going so that I was able to experience, repeatedly, that if I kept working, I could write something I liked. This is an incredible gift this class gave me. I feel more confident about my writing than I have in a very long time, perhaps more confident than ever before.”  —Linda Z.

“You’ve done a masterful job on this program, Darlene. You’re warm and inviting and your feedback is so helpful. I was so impressed with the skill and depth of our group’s writing. And what a beautiful magazine of our work. I was just floored! Thank you.”  —Joan Brooks, Integrative Somatic Therapist

“I loved the program structure; every element was well thought-out. And the tour concept, with each of your stories, was so stimulating and evocative of our creativity. I appreciated having to churn out something every week. And the beautiful final product . . . the magazine! Over the top AWESOME. You are a fabulous tour guide, Darlene—warm, enthusiastic, and congruent. A breath of fresh air!”  —Martha Clark Scala

“What stands out about the program is the growth and depth of discovery that took place—the trust that formed so quickly in the group, and with such impact on each person’s writing. I was continually inspired. I appreciated knowing I would get awesome feedback that helped me grow as a writer. I’m proud of the variety of stories I wrote and the opportunity to explore and explore.”  —Korie Pelka

 “I felt great joy in both writing and participating in this program, and in coming to know the extraordinary people in the group. That would not have occurred without your clear guidance, steering us through our tour of deep waters. This program has been my retreat and my refuge—my writing oasis. I am profoundly touched and grateful to you for creating this.”  —C. Mayhew

Are you interested in joining Spark Your Creativity?

If what you’ve just read inspires or excites (or even scares) you, please contact me. I’d like to know more about you and your interest in writing. A brief conversation by email, phone, or Zoom will help us both decide if the program is right for you. If it is, I’ll make sure you receive the link to register as soon as it’s offered again.

This is an unusual program you won’t find anywhere else. Participants love it, and I really, really enjoy leading these writing “tours”! I’d love to talk with you.

 

 

 

Darlene Frank
Writing and Creativity Catalyst