The Writer’s Toolbox

INSTRUCTOR: Marlena “Zen Ase” Johns

TIME: Four Sundays, April 7, 14, 21, 28, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m CDT

PRICE: Early bird price: $150 for members, $180 for nonmembers. The deadline for early bird pricing is Monday, April 1. After Monday, April 1. $180 for members, $210 for nonmembers. Become a member here. Apply for a scholarship here.

LOCATION: Writespace, 1907 Sabine Street, #125, Houston, TX 77007 (map). This is a hybrid workshop and can be attended in person or online via Zoom.

LEVEL: All levels

CAP: 15

There are over 285 rhetorical devices. That’s a lot of tools for a writer’s toolkit! This workshop will take participants beyond simile, metaphor, and personification into dozens of devices and organizational tools, including why and when they're used.

• Week 1– Rhetoric and its effects on the audience
• Week 2– Structure, syntax, modes of discourse, and organization (If the foundation isn’t strong, the house cannot stand)
• Week 3– Flow, fluency, and unforgettability (Style)
• Week 4– Voice, diction, precision, and specificity (The power of the right word, phrase, or image, and how to present it)

Each week’s class will include three phases, each with a different focus: .

• Hour 1– overview and discussion of background knowledge, models, and specific devices.
• Hour 2– close readings of excerpts, examining multiple writers’ use of rhetorical devices (their craft).
• Hour 3– opportunities to practice using these devices, tools, and techniques and discuss what we notice.

This workshop will distill the gems from twenty years of teaching rhetoric into practical, applicable guidance that writers of all skill levels can use. You’ll leave ready to apply new rhetorical models and devices to your own topics and pieces. Let’s organize our toolkits and fill them with more tools ready and waiting for our use!

This event is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. This project is generously funded by the Houston Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, and Mid-America Arts Alliance.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Writespace, 1907 Sabine Street, Houston, United States