Popular Bookfest Horror Writing Workshop (The Star, 30 June 2017)

 

Here is a link to the pre-workshop write up about the various speakers. 

Here is a link to their 2016 workshop.  And the 2015 workshop.

And to my recent five-part Maugham and Me series about being filmed for the Franco-German channel Arte in June 2017.

         —BorneoExpatWriter

Popular Bookfest Horror Writing Workshop (The Star, 20 June 2017)

 

Here is a link to the actual workshop.

Here is a link to their 2016 workshop.  And the 2015 workshop.

And to my recent five-part Maugham and Me series about being filmed for the Franco-German channel Arte in 2017.

         —BorneoExpatWriter

Popular Bookfest Children's Book Writing Workshop (The Star 5 June 2016)

Here is a link to the 2015 workshop.  And the 2017 workshop.

Also a link to to my recent five-part Maugham and Me series about being filmed for the Franco-German channel Arte in 2017.

        -- BorneoExpatWriter

Popular BookFest-Creative Writing to Publication Workshop-The Star

Here is a link to the 2016 workshop.  And the 2017 workshop.

Here are links to four of my author to author interviews of first novelists:

Ivy Ngeow author of Cry of the Flying Rhino, winner of the 2016 Proverse Prize.

Golda Mowe author of Iban Dream and Iban Journey.

Preeta Samarasan author of Evening is the Whole Day. 

Chuah Guat Eng,  author of Echoes of Silence and Days of Change. 

Plus:

Five part Maugham and Me series

Beheaded on Road to Nationhood: Sarawak Reclaimed—Part I 

        --BorneoExpatWriter

Borneo Post: Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 23 June 2012

Yesterday, 3 April 2012, The Borneo Post announced my upcoming Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 28 April 2012 (*postponed to 23 June, 1:30-5) under the heading “American author to conduct writing workshop at ICATS”.

Kuching-based American author Robert Raymer will be conducting a “Writing Your Life Stories Workshop” in Kuching at ICATS/PPKS from 9am to noon on April 28. 1:30-5 on June 23

The fees are RM120 adults(*RM100 for groups of three who register together in advance) and RM100 for full time students.  ICATS/PPKS is located at Jalan Canna, Off Jalan Wan Alwi, Tabuan Jaya.

Raymer, who did a workshop in December and a series of three workshops in KK last year, will take participants through several story starting techniques and some pre-writing probing to help bring your stories alive, plus give tips on story structure, organising and editing to make their writing readable. 
 
Named as one of the “50 Expats You Should Know” by Expatriate Lifestyle, Raymer has taught creative writing for 13 years at two Malaysian universities, acted as a judge in short story competitions including the 2009 MPH National Short Story Awards, published over 500 short stories and articles, and conducted numerous workshops on creative writing.  

He is the author of Spirit of Malaysia, Tropical Affairs, and Lovers and Strangers Revisited, winner of 2009 Popular-The Star Reader’s Choice Award, taught in universities, and his works are now translated into French. 

His short story “Neighbours” is being taught in SPM Literature in English from 2008-2014.  Currently his novel The Resurrection of Jonathan Brady has advanced to the Quarterfinals of the on-going AmazonBreakthrough Novel Award 2012.

To confirm your place, in the writing workshop send your name, email address, contact phone number to robert@borneoexpatwriter.com 

*Announcement:  New workshop in KK on 17 June 2012!

**If you are interested to bring one of my writing workshops to your organizations or association in Sabah/Sarawak/West Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei please contact me at robert@borneoexpatwriter.com  Thank you.

Here are links to some of my author-to-author interviews of first novelists:

Ivy Ngeow author of Cry of the Flying Rhino, winner of the 2016 Proverse Prize.

Golda Mowe author of Iban Dream and Iban Journey.

Preeta Samarasan author of Evening is the Whole Day. 

Chuah Guat Eng,  author of Echoes of Silence and Days of Change. 

Plus:

Five part Maugham and Me series

Beheaded on Road to Nationhood: Sarawak Reclaimed—Part I 

Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 23 June 2012

 

Do you have fascinating life experiences to share or interesting stories to tell?

Have you always wanted to write but

couldn’t find the time or anyone to help?

Turn Your Life Stories 
into a Memoir or into Fiction!

ROBERT RAYMER  
teaches you pre-writing and story starting techniques so you can

quickly get your story and your ideas down on paper

based on publishing over 500 short stories and articles

and a prize-winning collection of short stories.

Are You Going to Keep that Story (or that Book) Inside You Forever? Or Are You Finally Going to Write It?

When:  Saturday, 23 June 2012                             Time:  1.30-5.00,  (*1.30 register; book signing, before and after workshop)	Who:  14-70+ years old Cost:  RM120 RM100 adults/  RM100 RM 80 students (full-time) *group discount for 3 or more booked at the same time RM100/RM80 students.
Where:  Kuching, I-CATS/ PPKS, (Kolej Antarabangsa Teknologi Lanjutan Sarawak/ Sarawak Skills Development Centre), Jalan Canna, Off Jalan Wan Alwi, Tabuan  Jaya (oppsite Giant); room A14, ground level.  Enter second entrance on the right and then exit to left of stairs and turn right.	What: Writing is a learnable skill.  Passion is not.  Neither is perseverance.  But desire to share your life stories can take you a long way to achieving your goals! Why: If you don’t tell or share your life stories, no one else will!  Question is, do you want others to know, or can you disguise it as fiction?
How to enrol:  Email your name, contact phone number, email address to robert@borneoexpatwriter.com
Next:  Invite your friends to join you or sponsor a younger/older relative.  Bring plenty of paper and pens to write!   SEE YOU AT THE WORKSHOP!

Areas of learning:  story starting techniques; pre-writing probing; tapping into your (or your characters’) emotions; using sensory details to bring your stories alive; plus tips on story structure, organising and editing to make it readable! Writing tips: Links to Robert’s article on "Pre-writing Techniques", “Judging Tips” , "The Power of Five",  "Writer Envy-Get Some Editing", “Tree Methodology”, “Prove Them Wrong!, and “Writing Workshops: Torture or Fun?"     Challenge:  You’ve been talking (or avoiding talking about) your “life stories” all of your life.  Isn’t it time you wrote it down for your family and friends or maybe adapt it into fiction?  A good story is a good story, but no one will know about it if you take it with you to the grave! Writing is not only therapeutic, but can also be profitable!                     Help your Sarawak-based friends and relatives find out about the workshop by sending them this link! Thanks! Leap Year Bonus: A practical way to change your year and your life!

Bio: Named as one of the “50 Expats You Should Know” by Expatriate Lifestyle, American Robert Raymer has taught creative writing for 13 years at two Malaysian universities, has judged short story competitions including the 2009 MPH National Short Story Awards, published over 500 short stories and articles, and conducted numerous, practical, hands-on writing workshops.   He is the author of Spirit of Malaysia, Tropical Affairs: Episodes from an Expat's Life in Malaysia and Lovers and Strangers Revisited, winner of 2009 Popular-The Star Readers Choice Awards, taught in universities and now translated into French. Writing samples: Three stories from Lovers and Strangers Revisited:  “On Fridays”, “Home for Hari Raya” (to be filmed by Ohio University) and “Neighbours” taught in SPM Literature in English 2008-2014 Excerpt of novel The Resurrection of Jonathan Brady now in the Quarterfinals of the ongoing Amazon Breakthrough Writing Award 2012.

*Announcement:  New workshop in KK on 17 June 2012!

* Here is a link to my previous workshop in Kuching, to my first KK workshop, second KK workshop, third KK workshop2011, Malaysian Nurses Association workshop, and International Tuition School workshop.

**If you are interested to bring one of my writing workshops to your organizations or association in Sabah/Sarawak/West Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei please contact me at robert@borneoexpatwriter.com  Thank you.

Take the Fear out of writing and replace it with Fun at the Writing Workshop in Kuching!

Created by Jenny!  Thanks!

Take the Fear out of writing and replace it with Fun!

Don't be intimidated by the word "creative".  It's just plain writing! 
 

*Announcement latest workshops:  Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 23 June 2012 (with links to other workshops and writing tips!) and also a workshop KK on 17 June 2012!

Here are links to some of my author-to-author interviews of first novelists:

Ivy Ngeow author of Cry of the Flying Rhino, winner of the 2016 Proverse Prize.

Golda Mowe author of Iban Dream and Iban Journey.

Preeta Samarasan author of Evening is the Whole Day. 

Chuah Guat Eng,  author of Echoes of Silence and Days of Change. 

Plus:

Five part Maugham and Me series

Beheaded on Road to Nationhood: Sarawak Reclaimed—Part I 

Borneo Post: Writing Workshop in Kuching--17 December 2011!

*To enlarge, click, right click, view, zoom

Are you serious about writing?

Are you up to the challenge?

Turn your Personal Experience into 

Published Articles!

ROBERT RAYMER takes you through the brainstorming 

and the writing process to produce a complete first draft, 

if you're up to the challenge!

Take the Fear out of writing and replace it with Fun!

**Announcement latest workshops:  Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 23 June 2012 (with links to other workshops and writing tips!) and also a workshop KK on 17 June 2012!

Here are links to some of my author-to-author interviews of first novelists:

Ivy Ngeow author of Cry of the Flying Rhino, winner of the 2016 Proverse Prize.

Golda Mowe author of Iban Dream and Iban Journey.

Preeta Samarasan author of Evening is the Whole Day. 

Chuah Guat Eng,  author of Echoes of Silence and Days of Change. 

Plus:

Five part Maugham and Me series

Beheaded on Road to Nationhood: Sarawak Reclaimed—Part I 

Creative Writing Workshop—Kuching! 17 December 2011

Are you serious about writing?

Are you up to the challenge?

Turn your Personal Experiences into 

Published Articles

ROBERT RAYMER takes you through the brainstorming 
and the writing process to produce a complete first draft, 
if you're up to the challenge!

Take the Fear out of writing and replace it with Fun!

*UPDATE: THREE DAYS REMAIN; NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED!
SEE YOU AT THE WORKSHOP!

When:  Saturday, 17 December Time:  9.00-12.00 or 2.00-5.00pm (one session/two-time slots)   *register 8.30/1.30			Cost:  RM120 adults/           RM90 students (full-time), above age 14
Who:  14-70+ years old, plus your friends and relatives		Where:  Kuching, Open University Malaysia, Sarawak Learning Centre, 9 1/2 Mile, Kuching-Serian Road
Next:  Email your name, contact phone number, email address, and your preference morning or afternoon session to robert@borneoexpatwriter.com

Not Sure?	Why not treat yourself or a relative to an early Christmas present or get a head start on your   New Year Resolutions!

Areas of learning:  pre-writing techniques, probing questions; 5Ws and IH; primary and secondary emotions; sensory details; narrative structure; organising and outlining; four killers of narratives; and some valid reasons for editing-it's not just about grammar! Writing tips: Links to Robert’s article in The Writer on pre-writing techniques, (click, right click, view and zoom to read) and the expanded version in Quill Annual 2011 , “Judging Tips” , "The Power of Five",  "Writer Envy-Get Some Editing", “Tree Methodology” and “Prove Them Wrong!"     Challenge: Start and complete the first draft of your narrative in the workshop and have a final draft before the New Year to start your New Year in a new direction!             Workshop Bonus: Plan and start an additional piece of fiction.                Help your friends and relatives find out about the workshop by sending them this link! Thanks! Bonus New Year Tip: A fun way to raise your self esteem and build your confidence for the New Year! And Leap for Success in the upcoming Leap Year.

Bio: Named as one of the “50 Expats You Should Know” by Expatriate Lifestyle, American Robert Raymer has taught creative writing for 13 years at two Malaysian universities, has judged short story competitions including the 2009 MPH National Short Story Awards, published over 500 short stories and articles, and conducted numerous workshops on creative writing.   He is the author of Spirit of Malaysia, Tropical Affairs: Episodes from an Expat's Life in Malaysia and Lovers and Strangers Revisited, winner of 2009 Popular-The Star Readers Choice Awards, taught in universities and translated into French. Robert’s interviews and book reviews can be found on his blog https://borneoexpatwriter.blogspot.com/

* Comments from recent workshop participants (below article) and a link to the actual workshop in Kuching,

**Here's the link to the first KK workshop, second KK workshop, and third KK workshop, the Malaysian Nurses Association workshop, and International Tuition School in Kuching workshop

**Announcement latest workshops:  Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 23 June 2012 (with links to other workshops and writing tips!) and also a workshop KK on 17 June 2012!

***If you are interested to bring my workshops to other organizations or associations in Sabah/Sarawak/West Malaysia/Singapore/Brunei for 2012 please contact me at robert@borneoexpatwriter.com  Thank you!

Here are links to some of my author-to-author interviews of first novelists:

Ivy Ngeow author of Cry of the Flying Rhino, winner of the 2016 Proverse Prize.

Golda Mowe author of Iban Dream and Iban Journey.

Preeta Samarasan author of Evening is the Whole Day. 

Chuah Guat Eng,  author of Echoes of Silence and Days of Change. 

Plus:

Five part Maugham and Me series

Beheaded on Road to Nationhood: Sarawak Reclaimed—Part I 

Creative Writing Workshop Three in Kota Kinabalu

The third creative writing workshop in Kota Kinabalu was the smallest of the three, but that was to be expected, since it required, ideally, either a first person narrative or a short story from either the first or the second workshop sent in advance.  Some, who had promised to attend, never got around to it, while others seemed under the impression that they had to attend one of the other workshops despite it being made clear in the announcements, that that was not the case.  Ideally, it would be better, but if they had a story to submit, they would have benefited like all the others. 

In fact, there were a couple of new faces, guests brought by others who had no story.  They just came along to learn.  Several of the participants, at least six, did manage to attend all three workshops, including Tina Kisil, whose book Footprints in the Paddy Field had recently won second prize in the 2011 Popular-The Star Readers’ Choice Awards for nonfiction.  This time she was trying her hand at fiction. 

Before the workshop, I found out that several of the participants had been encouraging one another to take advantage of having a published author go over their work.  They even exchanged their stories to get some feedback.  As agreed, I received most of the manuscripts, 3-5 pages, about a week in advance of the workshop (ideally I wanted two weeks and did get some—thanks for those who submitted their work early).  Initially, I didn’t plan to line edit the stories; I just wanted to give them my overall impression and point out story or logic problems and suggest how to correct them as I did with MPH short story contest workshops in Kuching and Miri, but since I was getting mainly first person narratives (some very intriguing), what they really needed was some serious editing!  Especially some of the short stories!  They were almost there, but...

During the workshop, I went over the bigger issues of each (so everyone else could benefit) by projecting their story on a white board and using a marker.  An overhead projector would’ve worked better because every time we moved the text, the old markings got in the way, so there was a lot of erasing.  Now we know (and now we know where to get an overhead in KK!)  With the help of Jude, the organizer, we tried to minimize the movement between paragraphs (that some stories required). 

After asking the participants in advance, many agreed to have their stories sent around to the others so they would have a chance to read them before the workshop.  That helped to make most of us familiar with the story, so I could concentrate on their problems such as generalizing too much at the beginning, or not starting close to the action, or going off on tangents, or creating needless confusion by jumbling dialogue or using pronouns with no clear antecedent. 

I kept stressing that if you anticipate that people are going to ask you questions while reading your story then you should answer the questions such as “Who is this character?  Where is this story taking place?  When did this happen in relationship to the other events?"  By answering these 5-W questions before readers have a chance to ask, you’re not only making it easy on them but you’re also eliminating needless confusion. This allows the reader to get caught up in your story, in your characters, instead of pausing to scratch their heads.

After going through all of the major issues for everyone’s benefit, we broke for tea, and then I gave another jumpstart topic “He/she kicked in the door,” which I brainstormed for them.  While they worked on this and tried to produce a complete draft by the end of the workshop, I then met with each participant who had submitted their story, so we could discuss the rest of the editing that only concerned them.  This way no one was wasting their time waiting for me; they were all busy writing.

For many of them, meeting one on one was an eye opener; it probably felt like they were back in school, though I never experienced any teacher going over my story in such detail until years after I graduated and took a writing course!  It’s not grammar mistakes that I’m pointing out, except when they were present; it was stylistic mistakes of using vague or wrong word choices, or trite expressions, or combining or separating sentences for effective­ness, or cutting out unnecessary words, or rearranging their sentences to increase clarity or effectiveness.

Now and then all writers need to go through this.  I know I sure did when I first set out to make myself a writer, and later even paid someone to rip up my already published Malaysian short stories so I could sell them overseas and produce a better collection of short stories as I did in Lovers and Strangers Revisited.  Now I work with both published and unpublished writers as I blogged about earlier.

At the end of the workshop the writers agreed to meet in the future to push each other in the right direction to improve their writing, something we all need now and then, a push to get started and another, often a bigger push, to keep your writing going.  This is what I set out to achieve in my three creative writing workshops in Kota Kinabalu.

                                                  *  *  *

*Here is a blog about the third workshop from one of the participants. It's always exciting (and scary) to get feedback so fast!  I have my perception of how it went, but what really counts is how they saw it!  (Looks like we even chose the same photos! Decided to add one more...)  Yes, I agree, it can be embarrassing to have your mistakes pointed out but we're all making mistakes, and often the very same mistakes, too!  It's a good way for everyone to learn. 

Here's another blog from another participant.

**Here's my workshop with Malaysian Nurses Association.   Another with International Tuition School in Kuching.


***Announcement latest workshops:  Writing Your Life Stories Workshop—Kuching! 23 June 2012 (with links to other workshops and writing tips!) and also a workshop in KK on 17 June 2012! 



If you wish to contact me for a creative writing workshop at your school (for your staff or students or both) or your association, I can be reached at robert@borneoexpatwriter.com 

Here are links to some of my author-to-author interviews of first novelists:

Ivy Ngeow author of Cry of the Flying Rhino, winner of the 2016 Proverse Prize.

Golda Mowe author of Iban Dream and Iban Journey.

Preeta Samarasan author of Evening is the Whole Day. 

Chuah Guat Eng,  author of Echoes of Silence and Days of Change. 

Plus:

Five part Maugham and Me series

Beheaded on Road to Nationhood: Sarawak Reclaimed—Part I