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Inspiration in the Archives

Write the Present from Mementos, Artifacts & Ephemera

In this two-part workshop, we’ll find inspiration for creative writing (all genres) in a personal artifact or a treasure from the library archive, then make the writing into a memento all its own.

In this two-part workshop, we’ll find inspiration for creative writing (all genres) in a personal artifact or a treasure from the library archive, then make the writing into a memento all its own. No special experience or equipment necessary! Please register and be available for both dates.

An artifact, in this case, can be a family photo, a letter or note from a loved one, a poster or a ticket stub from a memorable event, even a particularly meaningful receipt. If you’re stuck on that, don’t want to write about your own life, or are unable to bring a specific object with you, a selection of photos and paper ephemera from the Spokane Public Library archives will also be available to peruse and use as inspiration.

In the first session, we will use prompts and guiding questions to generate writing (poetry, prose, something in between) in response to our artifacts. This will be a beginner friendly workshop based on developing ideas with an opportunity to share work-in-progress. Participants are encouraged, but not required, to continue working on their writing between sessions one and two.

In the second session, we will return to what we wrote and identify the strongest, most interesting ideas and sentences, then explore the idea of mementos/artifacts/ephemera by condensing the longer written piece into a new form—a mini-zine, a single panel comic or drawing, a poster, a love letter, a postcard, a recipe, a sticker, a social media post, a graffiti tag, a personal ad (the possibilities are limitless). The workshop will consist of guided brainstorming, time to create, and an opportunity to present work-in-progress at the end.

Come and see what emerges when we expand, contract, and transform our creative ideas! Questions? Email facilitator at taylor@roseweeds.com.

Facilitator Bio: Taylor Roseweeds is a writer, artist, and audio engineer living in Palouse, WA. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairfield University and has been recently published in The Spotlong Review, Blue Mesa Review, and Write or Die Magazine. She is a former columnist at The Inlander who now writes prose, poetry, and a regular email newsletter. She has been making zines for nearly twenty years and plans to continue until the world runs out of paper. More at roseweeds.com.

By attending library programs, you are agreeing to potentially appear in photos/videos taken at our locations that may be used in promotional materials including social media.

We strive to make events welcoming for people of all abilities. To request accommodations (i.e. hearing assistance, ASL requests, or other ADA inquiries), email sday@spokanelibrary.org.

For all event information inquiries, email telref@spokanelibrary.org or call 509-444-5300.

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