Workshops
The Body Remembers
~a generative workshop~
Sunday, October 29, 10a.m. - 1p.m.
I invite you to spend 3 generative hours with me diving into a process of discovery sure to get your creative juices flowing: Did you know that our body is the most reliable record-keeper of life experiences; much more so than our brain and what we like to call “memory”?
In this workshop we will (re-)discover the treasure chest that is our bodies and how useful it can be to mine our body parts to re-member, or make whole, past experiences that have brought us to this point in our lives. We will read excerpts from authors whose bodies feed remembering and whose beautiful, memorable writing, inspires us by its sheer physicality.
With body-focused writing prompts, your eyes, breasts, hips, or feet, etc., will collaborate with you as you discover the wonder of your body parts’ evocative abilities in turning forgotten incidents into vividly remembered scenes for richer and more viscerally crafted personal essays and memoir writing.
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Who is this workshop for?
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The Body Remembers is for everyone curious about how tapping into the human body for creative inspiration can lead to discoveries and realizations that will enrich your writing. Whether you are deep into your memoir or personal essay writing or just starting out, you will gain wisdom and skill from exploring how your body gives your story texture, depth, and perspective.
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Where will the workshop take place:
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The workshop will take place around my table at Maine Writers Studio in central Brunswick, ME. (Location will be shared once spot is reserved & paid) Participation by Zoom is possible, if requested.
What do I need to bring?
An open mind and heart. A deep curiosity about language, its power and elasticity, and how it relates to experience in the body. A tolerance for new ideas. An interest in reading and discussion. A commitment to putting some new words on the page. A wish to create.
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Also, bring something to write on and with, whether this is pen & paper or your laptop, or both. I will provide coffee & tea, snacks, and a light lunch.
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What does the workshop cost?
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$89, payable by Venmo, Zelle, or check.
Non-refundable if you cancel within one week of the workshop and your place cannot be filled.
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About your teacher:
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Nina B. Lichtenstein is the founder and director of Maine Writers Studio. She holds an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of Southern Maine’s Stonecoast program, and a PhD in French literature from University of Connecticut. She has taught languages and literatures (in three languages on three continents!) since grad school in her early twenties and has been awarded for excellence in teaching. Nina is known for her warm, generous, and inclusive teaching style. Nina’s creative writing has appeared in in many publications, literary journals, and anthologies, and she is also active in live storytelling. Her memoir, Body: My Life in Parts, is forthcoming from Vine Leaves Press in 2025. You can learn more about her work and bio here.
What do past participants have to say about Nina's body writing workshop?
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As a large-bodied woman and writer who is too much in my head, I left Nina’s workshop with a renewed commitment to delve back into writing on a visceral, cellular level. The discussions, readings, and prompts offered a feast of various ways to remind myself to check in with what I call my Body-body for the stories I carry. ~Rickey Celentano
My experience of Nina Lichtenstein’s workshop was illuminating and revelatory. She really helped me to be in “compassionate conversation” with parts of my body that I’d covered up, minimized, or felt shame around. Highly recommend!
~Jenny Douglas
Nina's approach to writing about the body is truly transformative; she encourages me to focus on elements of myself that yield depths of insight and understanding. I love her classes.
~Pamela Lear
As soon as Nina B. Lichtenstein took the seat of teacher at my writing studio, I smiled. She brought energy, confidence, enthusiasm and expertise to my students. She guided them into the body, into their bodies, and onto the page with ease, managing the three-hour workshop with grace.
~Jennifer Lang
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I attended Nina Lichtenstein's "The Body Remembers" workshop and what a beautiful surprise. The discussion, writing prompts, articles, and quotes given to spark our creativity was next level. I loved the writing that I produced and would happily sign up for any workshop she is offering.
~Joyce Bryant
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Nina is a well of wisdom, a warm and welcoming host and teacher, and a flexible guide through the material she leads. The examples were fresh, relevant and immensely helpful. And, selfishly, the intimate class size is perfect for the sensitivity of most memoir writing. Also, though I was present at the workshop, Nina was masterful at effectively including the zoom participants (I think they probably felt the same way) and managing the class participation for all attendees.
~Michelle Sweet Redo
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EXAMPLES OF FORTHCOMING WORKSHOPS:
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MY BODY REMEMBERS: A GENERATIVE WORKSHOP
WRITING OUR (M)OTHERS, OUR MONSTERS, OURSELVES
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WRITING OUR SIBLINGS
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THE PLACES WE BELONG (OR DON'T)
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FLASH AND MICRO ESSAYS & STORIES: THE ART OF THE SUCCINCT
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