Join me in Ubud, Bali for a writing retreat the week before the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival. See you in beautiful Bali on Oct 6!
Written on Nusa Ceningan, a small island off the coast of Bali, Indonesia on February 13, 2013.
Breathing Underwater at Manta Cove
When I was walking along the beach last night, an Indonesian man told me they needed one more person for a snorkel trip in the morning. They were going to see mantas he said, and to stop at other beautiful underwater spots while circling the islands of Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida. Time of departure, 9am.
“Ooh, that’s early,” I said.
I had arrived the day before on Nusa Ceningan for a solo 2-week writing retreat.
“I’ll see how I feel in the morning,” I said.
And so when I awoke this morning I thought, “Robin you are here to write your book, so write.” Another voice, “But it’s only 3 hours out of the day, and you want to exercise anyway and you can write all afternoon and evening.” A third voice, “Let’s see how it flows.”
A few minutes later, the electricity went off in my bungalow. It was 8:30 am. I’ve noticed that the electricity “goes out” for a couple of hours in the morning and again in the afternoon. My cabin, which sits in direct sunlight on the beach all day, was quickly turning into a sauna. Oh what the heck, I’m going. I climbed out of bed, dressed, packed my bag and met the boat at the harbor.
Our first stop was Manta Cove where there is a cave where the sea water is breathed in and exhaled out. Into the cool cerulean soup I went. And drifted towards the cave.
In less than 5 minutes a large dark shadow appeared like a space ship, coming to within inches of me, and then gliding out of site.
Oh my God, I have seen a manta ray, and up close!
Before long there was another and then another. Darth Vader-like, the manta rays arrived with mouths agape. I floated quietly gazing into their eyes saying silently, “You are such a beautiful creature”. Each one (there must have been 8-10 in all!) would appear, look me in the eye, then swoop away, bank like a plane, and return. Flashes of light sparkled through the water from divers wielding cameras on the ocean floor. I flapped my arms slowly, gracefully, mirroring (thank you NLP training!) their movements, and I did not follow or approach them, but waited for them to come to me, and come they did. Again and again.
It was as if they knew that I was loving and appreciating them, and they were digging it.
They had wing spans at least 5 times the length of my body, triangular bodies, heads rounded, mouths open to display gills and hollowness inside. Underneath they had large evenly placed gills on a white torso. And a long tail from which I noted no stinger or threatening barb. We curved around each other, beings of light and love.
I wondered briefly if they were dangerous (vaguely remembering a recent story about an Australian travel adventurer who was stung by a ray directly in the heart) and then was glad I hadn’t asked before we left. Again and again they came and we practically greeted each other with a kiss.
AMAZING!!!
Exploring the over and underwater world of Nusa Ceningan, Indonesia
In snorkeling, breath is the main event, loud, and present, like a metronome. I-Am-Here-Now-in-This-Moment breaths. What irony that I’d felt a tinge of disappointment this morning when I realized there would be no time for my breath practice – because here I am now breathing, deeply, rhythmically – underwater.
Hypnotic, soothing, effortless while all around is the beauty and wonder of the underwater world. What better way to go with the flow than snorkeling, where with the smallest effort you move like the fish with the fish?
I spent 3 weeks last month trying to push through a last minute visa to India so that I could attend a trauma release breath work class in Goa, India. One day while driving back from Danpasar after yet another failed attempt, the words “No more pushing the river” came, and I surrendered.
A few days ago, the trauma release breath work teacher I had hoped to train with emailed that he and his girlfriend, a tantra teacher and life coach, will be coming to Ubud in March and would like to trade a room in my home for personal training. Both tantra and trauma release are modalities I’ve wanted to incorporate into my breath work. Two teachers, coming to me, now that I am floating effortlessly.
I kept riding the current through February and ended up in Thailand where I met with old friends and new ones who re-invigorated me with their love. I interviewed Chiang Mai expatriates for the Thailand chapter in my book, and rode elephants bareback at an eco resort, which just happened to be perched over a flowing river. It was there where I met the owner Alexa, whose story will bring light to the chapter about Thailand’s expatriates – a chapter which had been leaning a bit too far to the dark side.
I will return to Alexa’s Chai Lai Orchid Eco Resort next year to offer trauma release breath work to the girls she donates her profits to – girls at risk for sex slavery. A greater purpose for my Clarity breathwork training last summer had appeared.
And as if that weren’t enough, 2 screenwriters and several writers have appeared in the past few weeks to support me with my book.
Life is coming to meet me where I am. Bringing me exactly what I need and much more now that I am still.
There is a popular meditation and way of being called “Following Life”. I like to think of what is happening to me now as “Life Following Me” when I stop pushing and directing it.
I love warm seawater
In the water I am transported to a primordial world where I once lived – Mother Earth’s underwater show of sacred geometry, repeated in shapes underwater as overwater and within and without in every living and non-living thing.
I’m sure I once lived in the sea as I am so at home and happy here. We all began, come to think of it, floating effortlessly, safely, in the wombs of our mothers complete with our own private snorkels, until our time to be born and breathe on our own arrived.
I think of my home of Ubud, Bali as a womb – warm, wet, and feminine – a bubble in which I have gestated, received nourishment, and grown. And I’ve been feeling vague contractions lately, a knowing that my time to emerge and to meet life in the light is nigh.
When I first attended a Transformational breath work session 3 years ago, I met the Divine within in such a cathartic way that the name “Transformational” was a an understatement. I was hooked. For God’s sake, it was here, inside all along. All I have to do is breathe deeply, evenly, for at least an hour to access it.
It’s occurred to me since I began breath meditation, that the things I have loved most throughout my entire life – riding a bicycle as a child, running through the woods with my dog, swimming, cross country skiing, ecstatic dancing, hiking in nature, connecting intimately with a lover, meditating, to name a few – all involve breathing deeply, evenly and consciously. Nourishing every cell in my body with oxygen, love, life force, the Divine. It was about the breath all along.
I have missed my Ubud community and our group breath sessions this past month – and I am exactly where I am supposed to be.
Breathing under water.
Taking a break from writing at Dream Beach, Nusa Lumbongan, Indonesia
Robin Sparks is a Level Four Clarity Breathwork Facilitator, available for private and group breathwork sessions. She’ll be leading a weeklong workshop at Kumara Sakti in October 2013 in Ubud, Bali called Breathe Life Into Your Book.
For details email Robin at Robin@RobinSparks.com
November 1, 2010
Yet another amazing dinner at our Write & Sell That Book Now! workshop
We had 14 students and the instructor, Joanna Penn, was AMAZING in every sense of the word. Each of us walked away from the workshop pregnant with cutting edge information about how to get our books out of our heads and out into the world. The Kumara Sakti Resort was sumptuous and accommodating, and the Oneworld Retreat staff professional and organized.
This was my first experience in teaching a class. The creativity session I taught was an experiential exercise on accessing the subconscious and writing from a place that is deep and authentic in order to discover one’s unique message. My course served as a counterbalance to Joanna’s left-brained, info-packed approach.
After our “Write and Sell That Book Now!” workshop, I attended the annual Ubud Writers and Readers Festival, and then holed up in a hotel with a friend visiting from New York. After she returned to the USA, I began the hunt for a new home in Ubud.
My house perched below Sayan Ridge has been feeling less and less secure as the rain saturated earth around it has begun to slide down to the Agung River below. I’d been wanting to move closer to town anyway, so I’ve looked at house after house and have finally found one which I will move into December 10. Thanks to several dear friends I’ve had amazing homes to stay in from a beach house in southern Bali, to a seaside palace on Bali’s northern shore, to an extra bedroom in a friend’s bungalow in central Ubud.
It will be amazing to finally park myself in one place for at least 9 months and unpack everything for the first time since May. That’s 6 months of living out of suitcases!
Back to the workshop. Here’s a recent blog Joanna Penn wrote about our “Write and Sell That Book Now!” workshop. http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2010/10/20/international-speaking-lessons-learned-from-a-multi-day-retreat-in-ubud-bali/
I’ll be posting photos and some of the highlights and tips gleaned for the workshop soon. Until then!
Love, love
Robin
early morning on Echo Beach, Bali, 10/10
photo courtesy of Flickr
This workshop will take place the week before the Annual Ubud Writers Festival – not to be missed.
The publishing world, in case you have not yet heard, has changed.
The time has never been better, riper, more promising for story tellers to get their tales out of their heads and into the hands of readers fast. And to make money doing so. The old publishing paradigm dinosaur is gone. Poof. Like that.
I for one say, “Thank God”.
The old way: Months and months to find an agent. Followed by more months seeking a publisher. Followed by 2 years (If you are one of the 1% chosen for publication) of line edits, book design, back and forth between editor and writer – all before ever (if ever) seeing your book in print. Followed by years of having to hit the road on your own dime to sell your own books from the trunk of your car, for a few dollars per book.
The publishing bottleneck that has developed over the past 20 years is enough to intimidate many authors from even getting started.
No more. There is a new way.
Join us in Ubud, Bali at the “Write and Sell That Book!” workshop October 1-6, 2010 – one week before the Annual Ubud Writers Festival – and together we will learn how to use the new tools available to write our books, to promote and sell them.
Details : http://www.oneworldretreats.com/ubud_bali_yoga_retreat_robin_Joanna.php
And just in case you’re worried that all that new technological know how will give you a headache, relax. You won’t have to do anything but sit back soaking up the infamous Balinese atmosphere while Joanna Penn www.thecreativepenn shows you everything you need to know to take your place in what is rapidly developing into a new era for authors.
We’ll stay at the luxurious Kumara Sakti Resort www.oneworldretreats.com
The peaceful Kumara Sakti Resort
We’re keeping the class size small at 20 students – 5 reserved for locales.
In case you’re not convinced about the changes unfolding in the world of publishing, here are predictions for authors for 2010-2020 in an article by Jane Friedman.
Or you can just read my excerpts from the article below:
“Predictions are common as a new year begins–especially a new decade. And the publishing industry invites more speculation than ever, given the tremendous transformation underway.
The rise of the independent, as I expect more individual authors and small presses will be able to take advantage of the digital format to sell direct to the consumer, make a healthy living doing so and take advantage of the platform to provide more (and more unfiltered) coverage of a broader range of content, including niche and emerging topics. Just as apps have liberated bedroom coders, so too will the preponderance of ways to connect directly with readers, build a healthy fan base and enjoy higher profit margins doing so compel legions of aspiring authors to finally put pen (or is that stylus?) to (digital) paper and permanently blur the lines between amateurs and professionals. While they’ll still have a place in the industry, I suspect by that point, most agents will be, shall we say, a good less relevant than they’ve become accustomed to in the past.
—Scott Steinberg, DigitalTrends.com
Long-form text-only narrative will continue to thrive as it has since cavemen gathered around the fire, just as painting has thrived since Lascaux. The advent of more and richer iterations of multimodal entertainment and edification will not kill off others (either multi or single mode) in the future, just as they did not in the past, though they certainly will kill businesses with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement based on past success in a given mode.
—Richard Nash, publisher
Digital First/Print Maybe Deals Will Give Authors Leverage: Not only will traditional publishers enter into more ebook-first deals, but more digital publishing houses will emerge, across all genres. Because the latter will naturally start from a position of higher royalties, traditional publishers will have to up the ante as well. Right now, the trend is to decrease digital royalties, but when publishers ask authors to take new kinds of risks, publishers have to be willing to make it worthwhile for the author. Especially in a world where playing field is increasingly level.
—Kassia Krozser, Booksquare blogger
Trend: [Publishers] will continue to focus more resources on fewer titles, using their strengths as large-scale marketers and distributors to publish brand-names. Title count at the largest houses could drop by as much as fifty percent over the next five years. Counter trend: At the same time, self-publishing (including partnerships like the one announced recently between Author Solutions and Harlequin) will grow exponentially.
Trend: Title reduction will be most significant for new talent, with the largest houses entrusting support of new authors to a handful of editorial imprints. The editors at those imprints-editors with proven ability to choose new material successfully-will increase in value. Counter trend: Editors whose job is to handle existing talent will find their roles diminished.
Trend: As the initial sale becomes less of the focus for authors, the agent of the future will become more of a business manager who handles every aspect of an author’s career, overseeing the author’s online presence, developing sources of revenue outside of book sales such as workshops and lecture tours, and acting as the author’s publicist in between publications. Counter trend: Publishers will create free-standing departments whose services can be purchased a la carte by authors, whether that author is self-published or published by a competitor who doesn’t offer such services.
—Bob Miller, HarperStudio
Thanks to digital, there is no minimum length for a book anymore. Ebooks that are too short to be print books will become a real factor in ebook sales, opening up new opportunities for publishers but even more for authors. Short fiction is already well established in the romance genre and some major publishers have broken out stories from anthologies as separate items to be sold on Kindle. In 2010, authors and agents will discover that shorter-than-a-book works can be the subject of useful experimentation and learning through electronic publishing and, by the end of the year, it will become a frequently-employed device. Periodical media (newspapers and magazines) will also see this paid delivery mechanism as an alternative worth experimentation for them as well. After all, if a big publisher can unbundle a short story anthology to sell the individual stories as Kindle editons, why couldn’t The New Yorker sell the short fiction it publishes that way as well? This concept has been tipped by the announcement in 2009 than the web site Daily Beast will be delivering shorter books in a timely manner through electronic distribution.
—Mike Shatzkin, publishing futurist”
So ready to write your book and get it out into the world? Join us in Ubud, Bali the week before the Annual Ubud Writers Festival for all the tools you’ll need to get your book written, published and in the hands of as many readers as possible, fast, and actually earn money doing it.
Snag one of the 20 spots available asap and we’ll see you in Bali in October!
http://www.oneworldretreats.com/ubud_bali_yoga_retreat_robin_Joanna.php
Robin
Beautiful Bali
The Kaptan Sevket, Magic Carpet Ride Along Turkey
Hello Writers!
We’re counting down to what promises to be another memorable writing workshop aboard the Kaptan Sevket on Turkey’s Turquoise coast September 19-26, 2009 with Larry Habegger, editor and co-founder of Travelers’ Tales Books. Aboard our classic Turkish wood sailing yacht, we’ll meet for instruction in the mornings after breakfast, partake in private consultations throughout each day (in and around writing and exploring), and meet for discussion, and sharing our work in the evenings before a sumptuous nightly feast. After that, of course, there’s more time to talk or write, sip wine or raki, or simply lie on the deck and gaze at the stars. We’ll move from secluded cove to cove up and down Turkey’s southern coastline, stopping to swim, kayak, snorkel, view ruins and visit villages. Full details here: http://www.larryhabegger.com/teaching/
Swimming off Cleopatra Island in 2008
If you haven’t reserved a space yet, I highly encourage you to do so as the class once again is limited to 8 students.
This workshop just gets better each year!
For a view of what you’re in for, take a peek at last year’s workshop:
In September 2008, ten writers boarded the Kaptan Sevket in Bodrum, Turkey to sail into the Aegean Sea and to write, guided by writing instructor extraordinaire, Larry Habegger. Our wildly varied group of personalities, ages, and skill levels bonded quickly. Each person in the group was a dedicated writer, emphatic about improving their skills. And each worked at it, showing up for every class each morning and evening and for personal consultations with the instructor throughout each day.
1st class of the day begins over breakfast
After a week that included idyllic sailing along Turkey’s curvaceous coastline, swimming and kayaking in aquamarine waters, visits to small villages, hiking among the ruins on Cleopatra Island, eating outrageously delicious, healthy food that just kept coming and coming, meeting and talking about writing, and producing heaps of newly informed and inspired pieces, we disembarked with indelible memories, new friends, and vastly enhanced writing skills.
Our magic carpet, The Kaptan Sevket, is a sleek, solid, 82 foot, hand-built Turkish gulet with majestic sails that tower high above as we head each day into the next bucolic harbor. Ensuite cabins are large, each with 2 single berths or one double bed. We did not see one other boat on the water last September that could compare to ours! And the crew, how we loved them. There was the capable, all-knowing, story teller extraordinaire Kaptan Mustafa. And sweet, efficient Levent, Batur and Tuncay.
The food. Well, if you know anything about Turkish food, you know you’re in for a treat. I cannot say enough about the fabulous food our crew prepared, and so I won’t. Check out photos here: http://ontheroad.destinationtbd.com/2008/10/04/the-food/
In September 2009, we’ll begin a bit further south in the village of Gocek. From there we’ll head south to Ulu Deniz – one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We’ll snorkel over ancient cities in Kas, sail past Lycian ruins that date back to Jesus Christ, go ashore when the mood strikes, and yes, once again, we will write. And we will do it on the Kaptan Sevket with the same crew. They are family now.
Local girls at the market in Turkish village
The price for the workshop, boat, excursions, and food is $2800 usd. (airfare separate). You may reserve your spot by sending $1400 via Paypal.com to robin@robinsparks.com. Spots are filling fast so be sure to reserve yours soon. And please purchase travel insurance as deposits are non-refundable unless we are able to fill your spot.
To learn more about our instructor, Larry Habegger, co-editor and founder of Travelers Tales Books, have a look at the following links:
http://travelerstales.com
http://larryhabegger.com
Here is what some of our participants have to say about last year’s workshop:
When I signed up for the workshop, I couldn’t have imagined what I would leave with: deep friendships, a new understanding of myself and writing goals, an amazing collection of photos, and a great big notebook of souvenirs in the form of writing tips, techniques, and guidance I received from Larry, who has replaced my 3rd grade teacher, Ms. Klein, as my favorite instructor of all time. Sailing on a handsome gulet along the gem-colored shoreline of the Aegean Sea is the perfect place to get inspired, forget about all the distractions at home, and devote yourself to a week of writing. – Cheryn Flanagan, San Francisco, California
This workshop exceeded my expectations a million times. I had a vague idea I could write commentary but had no confidence in my ability to write description. I came away feeling like I can now do both. Larry helped me find continuity in my notes and pull them together into something that was actually writing instead of just ideas on a page. Listening to everyone else was valuable in pointing me in the right direction. Having optional and flexible individual consultations was perfect. Being on a boat in gorgeous surroundings crystallized everything into one great experience. – Nicola Prentis, Istanbul, Turkey
Carrie relaxing on the bow
Thank you for a wonderful experience aboard the Kaptan Sevket! The trip was well organized. It was a nice touch making decisions as a group about specific destinations on a day-to-day basis. As a lover of the wilderness, I enjoyed mooring in secluded bays absent of resorts and other development. I liked meeting in the morning and reconvening in the evenings for writing. The private meetings with Larry were a real plus. Our group was diverse in many ways, and I appreciated the different personalities. Thank you so much for an inspiring, relaxing and colorful experience! – Carrie Visintainer, Fort Collins, Colorado
So, reserve your spot soon and I will see you in Turkey in September 2009!
Robin Sparks in Istanbul, Turkey
OneWorld Ltd – Accommodations for the Global Traveler and Writing Workshops that Rock!
http://www.robinsparks.com
In the unlikely event that a minimum of 8 students is not reached, we reserve the right to cancel the workshop and return all deposits.
The Kaptan Sevket
Hi Everyone,
Yep, we’re doing it again! We had such a successful voyage last September that we’re heading back to Turkey’s Turquoise Coast for not one workshop but two, September 12-19 and September 19-26, 2009 for a week of sailing, writing, and wandering the ruins and villages. Like last year we’re restricting the group to 10 participants and we’ll meet for instruction in the mornings, have private consultations throughout the day (in and around writing and exploring), and meetings for discussion and sharing our work in the evenings before our sumptuous nightly feast. After that, of course, there’s more time to talk or write, sip wine or raki, or simply lie on the deck and look at the stars. Full details here: http://www.larryhabegger.com/teaching/
A lot of you have asked me about our 2008 Writing Workshop last September. In short, it was perfect. (My humble opinion of course).
Ten of us climbed aboard the Kaptan Sevket on September 20, 2008 and set sail into the Gekova harbor off the coast of Turkey where the Mediterranean meets the Aegean Sea. Our wildly varied group of personalities, ages and skill levels got along fabulously. After a week that included idyllic sailing along Turkey’s curvaceous coastline, swimming and kayaking in aquamarine waters, visits to small villages, hiking among the ruins on Cleopatra Island, eating outrageously delicious, healthy food that just kept coming and coming, meeting and talking about writing, and producing heaps of newly informed and inspired pieces, we disembarked after one week with indelible memories, new friends, and vastly enhanced writing skills.
Most participants were previously published writers who were emphatic about improving their trade. They worked at it, showing up for every class each morning and evening to write, and to consult with our instructor Larry Habegger throughout each day.
As for our magic carpet, The Kaptan Sevket, it was a sleek, solid, 82 foot, hand-built Turkish gulet with majestic sails that towered high above as we headed each day for our next bucolic harbor. We all concurred that we did not see one other boat on the water that could compare to ours! And the crew, ah the crew, how we loved them. There was the capable, all-knowing Kaptan Mustafa. And sweet, efficient Levent, Batur and Tuncay. The food. Can’t say enough about it and so I won’t.
You can see photos of it here, thanks to our itinerant writer and photographer, Cheryn Flanagan. http://ontheroad.destinationtbd.com/2008/10/04/the-food/
We are on again for next fall, September 12-19 and September 12-19, 2009! This year we’ll start a little further south on Turkey’s coastline in Gocek and head to Ulu Deniz – one of the most beautiful beaches in the world – and the waters of Kas where we’ll snorkel over ancient cities, sail past ruins, go ashore when the mood hits, and yes, once again, write. And we will do it on the Kaptan Sevket with the same crew. They are family now.
With two successful writing workshops under our belts, the word is out and we expect that the 10 spots (yes, we will limit it once again to 10) for each of our workshops in September, 2009 will fill fast.
Wondering what to give that friend or loved one for the holidays? Why not a writing workshop off the coast of Turkey? It’s an experience they will never forget.
The price for the September workshop is $2800 usd and is all inclusive for the week on the boat. You can reserve your spot by sending $1400 via Paypal.com to robin@robinsparks.com. Spots are filling fast so be sure to reserve yours soon. Deposits are non-refundable unless we can fill your spot.
To learn more about our instructor, Larry Habegger, co-editor of Travelers Tales Books, have a look at the following links: http://travelerstales.com http://larryhabegger.com
Here is what some of our participants have to say:
When I signed up for the workshop, I couldn’t have imagined what I would leave with: deepfriendships, a new understanding of myself and writing goals, an amazing collection of photos, and a great big notebook of souvenirs in the form of writing tips, techniques, and guidance I received from Larry, who has replaced my 3rd grade teacher, Ms. Klein, as my favorite instructor of all time. Sailing on a handsome gulet along the gem-colored shoreline of the Aegean Sea is the perfect place to get inspired, forget about all the distractions at home, and devote yourself to a week of writing. – Cheryn Flanagan, San Francisco, California
This workshop exceeded my expectations a million times. I had a vague idea I could write commentary but had no confidence in my ability to write description. I came away feeling like I can now do both. Larry helped me find continuity in my notes and pull them together into something that was actually writing instead of just ideas on a page. Listening to everyone else was valuable in pointing me in the right direction. Having optional and flexible individual consultations was perfect. Being on a boat in gorgeous surroundings crystallized everything into one great experience. - Nicola Prentis, Istanbul, Turkey
The trip was really fantastic, worth every penny. I would definitely consider coming again next year. - Judith Colp Rubin, Tel Aviv, Israel
Thank you for a wonderful experience aboard the Kaptan Sevket! The trip was well organized. It was a nice touch making decisions as a group about specific destinations on a day-to-day basis. As a lover of the wilderness, I enjoyed mooring in secluded bays absent of resorts and other development. I liked meeting in the morning and reconvening in the evenings for writing. The private meetings with Larry were a real plus. Our group was diverse in many ways, and I appreciated the different personalities. Thank you so much for an inspiring, relaxing and colorful experience! - Carrie Visintainer, Fort Collins, Colorado
The price for the September workshop is $2800 usd and is all inclusive for the week on the boat. You can reserve your spot by sending $1400 via Paypal.com to robin@robinsparks.com.
Hope to hear from you soon, and I will see you in Turkey in September 2009!
Please purchase travel insurance as deposits are non-refundable unless we can fill your spot. We also reserve the right to cancel the workshop up to July 10 in the unlikely case that there are less than 8 participants.
Judy in private consultation with Larry
Cheryn and Carrie working on assignments
All you workaholics out there, check this retreat out! I’ll be speaking about how to break away from your daily To Do List to explore the world. You won’t believe how easy it is – time wise, finanically, all ways – travel is not only doeable, it’s necessary to maintain a balanced life. If you’re out of balance, you can’t be present for yourself or for others. Come join us! Don’t miss this chance to hear best selling author and speaker, Barbara Sher in person.
Details here: www.noTimeForMe.net
Seven days with Larry Habegger (executive editor of Travelers’ Tales) on a classic Turkish gulet in the Aegean Sea
On this seven-day intensive workshop sailing on a traditional Turkish yacht you’ll learn the ins and outs of crafting a superb story and how to bring your work to print, whether it’s a short essay or a book-length memoir. Larry Habegger, co-editor of Travelers’ Tales books, helps you develop powerful stories with simple tools and plot the course to successful publication.
In this workshop you will learn how to:
In almost thirty years in the travel writing business, both as a freelance travel writer and an editor of books and hundreds of stories in the Travelers’ Tales series, Larry Habegger has developed a fine eye for what makes a story work. He shares his knowledge at numerous writers’ conferences, writing workshops, and individual coaching sessions, both online and off.
He has been covering the world since his international travels began in the 1970s. As a freelance writer or almost three decades and syndicated columnist since 1985, Larry’s work has appeared in numerous major newspapers and magazines, including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Travel & Leisure, and Outside. In 1993 Habegger founded the award-winning Travelers’ Tales publishing company with James and Tim O’Reilly, and as co-editor has helped edit all of the company’s books. Larry is an inspiring writing teacher and coach, and has been on the faculty of the Book Passage Travel Writers & Photographers Conference annually since 1994. He lives with his family on Telegraph Hill in San Francisco.
Daily writing exercises will help you find the focus of your story, and discussions will provide guidance for shaping and polishing. Participants will gain confidence about what makes a story work and how to make it shine in the marketplace.
The group workshop will be structured around our tour of the Turkish coast and will include:
We’ll begin in the internationally renowned resort of Bodrum and work our way down the Aegean coast and into the Mediterranean. You’ll see turtles nesting, sail past and hike among ancient ruins, visit Turkish villages, natural hot springs and a mud bath, explore inner waterways and learn to write and get published. All while reveling in a classic Blue Voyage of legend. Turkey is a beautiful country, and Turks ooze with hospitality. Don’t miss this chance of a lifetime!
In the eye of the Aegean, with billowing sails as a backdrop, my writing found its new course – winged and unbridled. Robin Sparks’ writing seminar was heady and filled with heart. Aboard our gulet, our senses were heightened by the smells and tastes of great food and wine and through listening to the touching words penned by fellow travelers – a once-in-a-lifetime journey heightened by the vision of a seasoned teacher, Larry Habegger, who brought out the best in each of us. -Connie Collins, Journalist
When I first caught sight of our gulet, docked in a small bay protected by hills with the turquoise Mediterranean Sea gleaming in the background, it took my breath away. One minute I was sitting with a wonderful group of people, laughing, talking about our lives, about writing, and the next, diving off a classic Turkish gulet into the warm turquoise water below, and the next hiking past 9,000-year-old ruins. Larry, our writing writing teacher, was positively inspirational. And I learned so much from the other students. Sign me up! —Michelle Babcock
Price: $2500 USD
Includes:
The price does not include round trip airfare to Bodrum, Turkey from whence we will depart on our boat on Saturday, September 20, 2008. We have scheduled the workshop during the travel “shoulder season” so that students may benefit from lower airfares. If you would like assistance booking an airline ticket, please email workshop organizer, Robin Sparks at robin@robinsparks.com.
This is a small intimate class of no more than 12, so don’t delay. Reserve your spot by sending your first installment of $625 via PayPal.com to robin@robinsparks.com. Full payment is due by June 1, 2008. Please purchase travel insurance as we are unable to issue refunds unless we can fill your spot.
This workshop is brought to you by OneWorld Ltd, a Turkish company whose mission is to act as a conduit between the West and Middle East. Founder Robin Sparks says, “When we touch the soul of a place with our senses, when we live among its people, we cannot help but realize that although we are fantastically different, we are at our cores, very much the same.” OneWorld offers not only workshops, but travel accommodations in real homes in real neighborhoods in Istanbul, Turkey and around the world. For more information about this workshop or others contact Robin Sparks at Robin@Robinsparks.com. OneWorld reserves the right to cancel the workshop if less than 8 students enroll by June 1, 2008. In this case, all paricipants will be issued full refunds.
See the full documents at these links in PDF and Word formats (the Word doc is the easiest to read and highest resolution photos; the PDF Formatting and photos may be slightly altered).
January 26, 2006 was the departure date on my airplane ticket from San Francisco to Bangkok. From Bangkok, I’d go to India, and from there to Bali.
India has beckoned me for years, especially Kerala. With more and more jobs being exported to India every day and with its new role as an emerging world power, India seems destined to be a next best place. I wanted to meet the Americans and Europeans who are moving to India, to get a glimpse of what their lives are like.
Bali – On this island I’d felt so at home during my five months there, that I left some money in a bank account and a box of personal effects with a friend. How is it that three years later, I’ve yet to return? There have been things like bombs that went off in the night. And the sticky web of time and commitments in the States. But maybe its just that at some level, I fear that I will discover that, Yes, Bali is home. Which means taking the final (or first?) step and going.
On January 30: A week before my planned departure, I received a call from EscapeArtist.com. They were hatching a new online travel magazine and wanted to know if I’d be interested in wearing an editor’s hat.
And so, one week before departure date, I aked my travel agent to re-route my trip to Argentina.
Two months later, March 26, 2006 – I began my stay in Argentina last month on a 75-acre farm in the wine and orchard region of Mendoza.
Today I am sitting in my lovely apartment in Buenos Aires, Argentina finishing what will be the first issue of EscapeArtist Travel Magazine.
There have been rabbit trails, oh yes. Like the emergency appendectomy I had in a rural hospital, followed by a move to Buenos Aires, and a trip to Uruguay for an international real estate conference. I’ll tell you all about it in EscapeArtist Travel Magazine, www.escapeartist.com.
See you in Turkey June 3 for the experience of a lifetime!!! Sign up now!
June 3-10, 2006
The Coast of Turkey by Yacht!
Calling all moms, daughters, grandmothers, and granddaughters – new and old girlfriends… Take the journey of your life with the ones you love the most…
Led by travel writer, Robin Sparks, our group of 8-10 will cruise the coast of Turkey aboard a classic 82-ft. Turkish gulet. Our expert Turkish crew of three will sail, prepare delicious meals and take care of our every need. The Odysseus is constructed of the finest African teak and brass with air-conditioned staterooms and private baths. A cruiseship this is not! Nor is it a it a Caribbean sailboat. This is luxury of the most sublime sort – quality, exotic, sophisticated. To sail the coastline of Turkey is an experience like none other.
You will return from this trip not only enchanted with Turkey and the Mediterranean, but with your life. There’s nothing like a week in the Mediterranean with friends and loved ones to recharge.
OUR MAGIC CARPET RIDE
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