Writing for the Soul Workshop™
“Creating tomorrow’s writers …today!”
Writing for the Soul Workshop™ Books
For a limited time, get any title for only $10. Includes tax and free shipping. eGift Cards are available.
“We publish books not ranked in traditional circles in our industry. A genre we refer to as “Cathartic Literature” sometimes referred to as ‘misery lit’ category which is biographical in nature, and usually about the impact of traumatic events in childhood, and the impact of dealing with those experiences.
We consider our focus “cathartic lit” because our writing program experience tells us that these stories are that of catharsis, or discharge of pent-up emotions so as to result in the alleviation of symptoms or the permanent relief of the condition caused by traumatic experiences.
As a publisher, you could say that our Writing for the Soul Workshop™ program fills the need for books about trauma and abuse with deeper meanings to them. Books that leave the reader feeling inspired. Like the caterpillar whose cathartic change becomes the most beautiful of butterflies, our books will leave you inspired and changed, like the authors that penned them.” -Eric Jones, TGiM Digital Publishing
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Removing Chains of Child Abuse
“There was no one to tell, and nowhere to hide. I kept the pain to myself, while a part of me died.” -unknown
Writing for the Soul Workshop™ uses writing as therapy to help students get what’s on the inside …out. This process allows healing to begin. When we partner with great organizations like Ark of Hope for Children, the program then gives birth to books like Removing Chains of Child Abuse.
Together, we collected heart-rending stories, art and poetry from around the US and Europe that will encourage readers from all walks of life. Removing Chains of Child Abuse is the first book in the Restoring Hope series. The book is simply beautiful and each page is filled with hope, resilience and love for the reader.
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The Bully Diaries
The Bully Diaries by Writing for the Soul Workshop™
Chances are that you experienced bullying in your life. Whether your experience was as a victim, a bystander or the bully, if you search your memories, you will probably find instances when bullying was a part of your life. For many of us, these experiences have defined us and shaped us. Our experiences made us stronger, and helped us become who we are today.
When you are being bullied, it is hard to think about much more than getting through today. For others, there is no today. Their experience being bullied was too overwhelming, and drove them to a devastating and permanent solution to the temporary pain.
Through a community partnership with Stand for the Silent, Writing for the Soul Workshop collected stories, letters and poems from youth, teens and adults from around the world. These stories are pieces of lives impacted by bullying; written to show everyone affected by bullying that you are not alone, that you can survive the experience, that you are somebody. A portion of the proceeds from book sales goes to support Stand for the Silent.
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Stories of Hope
Stories of Hope by Writing for the Soul Workshop™
Stories of Hope is a compilation of heart wrenching, and liberating short stories written by youth participating in Writing for the Soul Workshop™ around the world.
Through a unique structure offering both engagement -and reward, this workshop brings education and passion together in a way that offers permanent life changing impact. As noted in the forward by educator Sarah Lankford, these unique and amazing individuals have received a rare opportunity to share a story they needed to share … and develop a love of writing as a result.
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COVID-19 Response Update
On February 28th, our programs ground to an abrupt halt, as the COVID-19 crisis became all-consuming for our Writing for the Soul Workshop™ programs. The first thing we had to figure out was how could we do our part to try to stop the spread of the virus while continuing to provide programs.
As we worked to do this, we were mindful that 34% of people who sexually abuse a child are family members. With students being stuck in the house, we quickly realized that our program is essential. For some students, accessing it onsite …is absolutely critical.
MJ (pictured above) reported that Writing for the Soul Workshop™ helps him to cope with anxiety, and boredom associated with social isolation. Our Pandemic Crisis Action Plan makes it safe for him and mentors to attend each week.
With distance learning and alternate methods of instruction (AMI) now in place, we have resumed offering all of the WOW Factors packed within our program -like Social Emotional Learning and mentorship to students onsite here in Arkansas. Regarding health and safety, we quickly created a Pandemic Crisis Action Plan and implemented strict screening protocols using CDC Guidelines and by restricting visitors in our onsite locations. Read More
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Why Do I Want To Be A Mentor?
Submitted by Nahnee
I want to learn how to work with others whom I don’t have a natural connection with. I want to go the extra mile to help others and exert a positive influence on their lives. I am passionate about helping people and want to be seen as someone who has helped someone become successful.
Today, everyone needs good guidance and role models. I lacked them both, and it caused me to travel down a road that lead destruction. I want to be that good role model. I want to be that good leader. My saying has always been “Change Brings Greatness” and that’s the truth.
Once you change your life great things will start to blossom. For some, it may take jail for that change to come, but it doesn’t have to come to that. As a mentor, my goal is to help decrease the juvenile incarceration rate to 0%. To help shift these negative paths towards something great.
In this photo, Nahnee explaings to Walter Sims, Director of Sims Strategic Mentoring why she wants to help teens. Nahnee nailed her interview and is scheduled to complete our next Mentor Training in May.
Nahnee’s Mission.
Nahnee was born in Long Beach, California and currently resides in Little Rock, Arkansas. She seeks to impart knowledge, and promote understanding among young adults who are currently or have been incarcerated, as well as spread empathy concerning their circumstances and living conditions throughout communities.
Nahnee spreads stories of her experiences behind bars with hopes of saving as many lives as she can through her book entited, “Convicted at 16”. Click on the photo below to learn more about Nahnee and to view her book.
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Be the Change. Mentor.
“Every day, mentors in communities across our Nation provide crucial support and guidance to young people. Whether a day is spent helping with homework, playing catch, or just listening, these moments can have an enormous, lasting effect on a child’s life.” –President Barack Obama, Presidential Proclamation, National Mentoring Month.
Writing for the Soul Workshop™ is a quality mentoring program aligned to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring. In alignment with those standards, we provide a systemic approach to ensure the safety, well-being and growth of both our Mentors and Mentees. We also provide a wealth of ongoing resources to ensure our program participants receive all the support they need.
Our program is listed in the Mentoring Connector. It is the only national database of quality mentoring programs. The Mentoring Connector is a free service that helps quality youth mentoring programs across the country recruit more local volunteers. Each year, potential volunteers looking for mentoring opportunities do more than 80,000 searches in this system. The NBA and others use this database to recruit volunteer mentors. We currently need e-mentors and mentors in Pulaski County, Arkanasas.
Mentors are what makes Writing for the Soul Workshop™ so successful. The Mentor to Participant relationship strengthens the engagement that participants have with the Workshop, and can also help facilitators better understand what motivates our participants.
Training is required for Mentors because it outlines the way you should interact with our participants. Click here to review our eligibility requirements. While “mentor” is a specific role within our program’s structure, the mentor training outlines what a responsible mentoring relationship looks like, and how their unique role and relationship with workshop participants strengthens the overall success of the workshop.
Our Mentors:
*Accept the importance of the relationship they develop with participants in the Workshop, and understands the need to have honest, engaged and supportive relationships with Workshop Participants
*Protect the Workshop and it’s participants with professional, caring and honest interactions with all Participants, other Workshop staff, and members of the community.
*Relate to others in a way that is respectful and understanding of each person’s unique story and identity, while staying focused on a positive, pro-social communication.
*Illustrate our Workshop Operating Values in all that they do, and stays focused on the Mission of the Workshop during interactions, understanding that they represent Writing for the Soul Workshop™ in all that they do.
*Listen to feedback from all they interact with, understanding that all feedback is valuable to improving our success in communication with everyone associated to the Workshop, as well as the community we serve.
Benefits of Completing Training
Mentors receive a Certificate of Completion after successfully completing a Background Check and the four hour certification course. The Certificate allows our mentors to work in any of our workshops around the world. Learning Objectives during training are
Have a better understanding of quality mentoring.
Have a better understanding of the program.
Be prepared to start their mentoring relationships.
Better understand working with youth in challenging environments.
Be prepared for a great adventure mentoring!
Mentoring is, simply, the right thing to do. You do not need a particular religious orientation or specific motive to be a mentor in our program. If you are in a position to give of your time—and many of us are—that is all you must have to begin. Use the Contact Form below to sign up today.
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WRITING IS GOOD THERAPY
Submitted by Elsie Varn Harrell
Long before I even thought about writing seriously, I wrote. As a teenager, if I had a fight with my boyfriend, I would write pages and pages about how I felt about things and him in particular. I guess it was my way of letting off steam. I know I always felt better afterwards. Even today, sometimes my fingers just itch until I can sit down and put thoughts on paper.
I can be having a terrible day, everything going wrong, but when I sit down at my desk and boot up my computer, my troubles just disappear. I so lose myself in my story that all the problems just go away. I sometimes sit and type for 5-6 hours and don’t even realize how much time has passed. I get so wrapped up with my character’s lives and events that mine just fade into nothing.
I mean, the vacuum cleaner quit working, or what shall I fix for supper, those are so trivial when compared to the murder and mayhem that Josh and Charlie are dealing with.
Speaking of murder and mayhem, my first four books were all in the mystery/suspense genre. They were all filled with murder, rape, arson and kidnapping, to name just a few main events. My fourth book, The Color of Thunder, is more of a Christian novel. It tells the life story of a minister and his association with a newspaper reporter who is not a Christian.
Of all four books, can you guess which one had to have a disclaimer? Yep, you guessed it. It was the Christian novel. I was so afraid of offending any of my minister friends that I had to write a disclaimer, avowing that the pastor in my book was totally fictional and was not based on any minister that I know.
Shattered Dreams is nearly finished, it’s pretty exciting. Josh and Charlie are having a hard time with this particular case, so Sheriff Dodge Brewster (you may remember him from Fire Light Fire Bright) joins the chase. Shattered Dreams has three murders, plus a fugitive on the FBI’s ten most wanted list. Attempted murder, using a pick-up as the murder weapon, plus much more. I think it’s my most action-packed novel to date.
The only problem is that when I type the words, “THE END”, it’s not the end for me. I still have several months of editing and re-writing ahead of me. For those of you anticipating the release of book three in the series, I hope you’ll be patient; I think Shattered Dreams will be well worth the wait.
Elsie Varn Harrell is a TGIM Best Selling Author and avid supporter of Writing for the Soul Workshop™. Follow her on Twitter at @elsievharrell
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Join our Board
We are seeking twelve business owners to join our Youth Entrepreneurial Skills Online Advisory Board. Board members advise us concerning our Street Team Program. This program was developed to help youth living in poverty, earn money while learning critical job skills. Click here to read our full Proposal. For your tax-deductible donation of $2,500 you’ll receive these great benefits:
*Advisory Board Membership with attendance in online meetings and forums with other local business owners and sales professionals.
*Community Based Brand Exposure as a sponsor of the Writing for the Soul Workshop™ Street Team Program. Students in this program will promote your brand on social media, email, print media and events.
*Quarterly Input on Internship Curricula allows you to directly shape the modules our program offer to students based on your hiring needs.
*Mentor Training allows you to work one on one with a student. Mentee will create a quarterly marketing campaign specific to your business. As a mentor, you’ll receive mentor training created using the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring.
