© Hollis Gillespie

Hollis Gillespie's Shocking Real-Life Writing Academy

Catch the shock wave! Already shocking real-lifers are landing book deals and fielding offers from interested literary agents. Now it's your turn to put yourself in for a shock and publish your articles and book!

That's right, it's time to stop bitching about your life . . . for free, that is. Hollis Gillespie, syndicated humor columnist and author of the top-selling memoir, Bleachy-Haired Honky Bitch; Tales from a Bad Neighborhood, is offering a series of one-day workshops designed to help you unleash your inner memoir. Face it, you've been saying for years that your life story would be a best seller if you could just get it on paper, well now it's time to turn your dirt into dough. Hollis will share her secrets to unclogging your creative arteries so you can tell the world what you've been telling your friends all this time; that your life was a riotous hell and now it's time to cash it in. She will offer her candid critiques, suggestions for selling your work, and answer all your questions about breaking into memoir writing.

In these workshops you'll learn:

  • How to turn your personal shame into a literary laugh-riot.
  • How to pick an eye-grabbing title.
  • Which genre best suits your idea (Memoir? Novel? Self-help? Humor?)
  • When it's permissible to embroider, improvise, and reorder real-life events.
  • How to kick writer's block.
  • How to begin.
  • How to describe your book in one sellable paragraph.
  • How and when to contact agents.
  • The difference between an illuminating essay and a journal entry.
  • How not to lie about your drug addiction or the time you spent in solitary lockdown (or How to avoid falling into the James Frey foible).

And that's not all, most classes come with complimentary booze and fingerfood, as well as inappropriate conversation and other basic essentials for unleashing creativity and unlocking buried memories (not to mention ping-pong!). Classes fill up quickly, so sign-up now!

Upcoming Seminars:

Shocking Real-Life Memoir Writing Seminar
ATLANTA, GA
Sunday, May 18, 2008, 11:00am - 5:00pm
Cost: $175
ONLY 4 SPACES LEFT! REGISTER TODAY!
Includes finger food, champagne, ping pong and inappropriate conversation. REGISTER NOW!
Class held at Telephone Factory Lofts, 828 Ralph McGill Blvd. #106, Atlanta, GA 30306.
Shocking Real-Life Memoir Writing Seminar
CHARLOTTE, NC
Sunday, June 22, 2008, 11:00am - 5:00pm
Cost: $175
Includes finger food, champagne and inappropriate conversation. REGISTER NOW!
Class held at North Carolina Music Factory Lofts. 820 Hamilton St., Charlotte, NC 28206.

Instructor Bio: Hollis Gillespie, a Writer's Digest "Breakout Author of the Year," is an award-winning, syndicated humor columnist, NPR commentator and author of "The Ugly American," a travel column in Paste magazine. Her two books are titled Bleachy-Haired Honky Bitch; Tales from a Bad Neighborhood (ReganBooks, 2003), the film rights of which were bought by Paramount, and Confessions of a Recovering Slut and Other Love Stories (ReganBooks, 2005). Her column, titled "Moodswing," appears weekly in Creative Loafing, one of the largest alternative newspapers in the country.

Special Guest Instructor: Check Hollis' blog for info on the special guest instructor.

Grant HenrySpecial Guest Appearance by Grant Henry (aka Sister Louisa, aka The Beehived Bartender, aka "The Happiest Man Alive"), a recurring real-life character in Gillespie's writings, who is a self-proclaimed "Liver of Life, Loss Expert, and One Who Laughs When Told Not To." Grant will provide a retrospective on the life decisions he's made that have brought him to the point today where he is able to make a living by doing, saying, or creating any-damn-thing he decides. (He refers to this segment as "Grant Henry's 'Fuck Fear' Enlightenment Lecture.") (Ogling is allowed, though it's advised to avoid eye contact.)

Location:

Atlanta seminars are held at SISTER LOUISA'S ART GALLERY IN THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING ROOM AND PING PONG EMPORIUM ... "Come on in Precious!" Located in the Telephone Factory Loft Complex at 828 Ralph McGill Blvd. #106, Atlanta, GA 30306. View map to Atlanta seminar.

Charlotte seminars are held at SISTER LOUISA'S ART INSTALLATION at the North Carolina Music Factory Lofts. 820 Hamilton St., Charlotte, NC 28206. View map to Charlotte seminar.

Seminar Specials:

Coming to Atlanta from out of town? Check out our hotel deal! The Highland Inn, a historic boutique hotel located in the heart of Atlanta's charming Virginia Highland neighborhood, is within walking distance of the seminar site as well as an array of quaint shops, coffee houses, wine bars, restaurants and taverns. Contact The Highland Inn to get their special discount rate for Shocking Real-Lifers!

What past particpants have to say about the Shocking Real-Life Writing Seminar:

"It was a great schedule, and how things were accomplished in each phase really flowed well. Great environment and vibe!"

"Food, art and interesting people—plus motivation to succeed as a writer! Thanks!"

"Well-structured and informative throughout—really enjoyed the personal narratives of [the special guests] and the suggestions Hollis gave will be invaluable for completing my book. The insight and perspectives of 'people who have been there' helped me identify many problems I have been having (writer's block, procrastination), and offered me strategies to overcome them."

"I liked the energy—the best source of creativity. I thought the personal attention was great."

"Helpful in where to begin, gives a good starting point. Like the atmosphere. Agent info was very helpful."

"I liked the location and atmoshpere. I thought the seminar was really helpful and informative. I liked the part about the agents and how Hollis was very encouraging."

"I loved this seminar. I had to text my boyfriend and say, 'This is really fucking awesome.' I learned so much; how to fight writer's block, how to query agents, not to be afraid to tell my story and share my voice. This seminar can help get my ass in gear. This seminar could end up in a book one day."

 

Questions? For more information email shockingreallife@gmail.com