The Art of Storytelling on the Page and on the Stage
A Six-Month Writing Workshop with Nina Wise
Thursdays 10:00am–11:30am Pacific Time, on Zoom
September 2026 – Febuary 2027
Every life is filled with stories waiting and wanting to be told. Stories from childhood. Stories from today and yesterday. Stories we’ve told many times, and stories we’ve never found the words to tell. Some have been carried for years. Others arrive spontaneously as we begin to write. All invite us to look more closely at what it means to be human.
Often we think we know a story because we remember what happened. But writing asks something more of us: to discover what the experience meant, what was happening beneath the surface, and how to shape it into something another person can enter.
During this 6-month journey you will receive a weekly teaching about a particular element of the craft — not a set of rules but a way of shaping, deepening and refining a story. Character, setting, sensory detail, scene, dialogue, time, and narrative movement are ways of bringing a story to life. As our understanding of craft deepens, so does our capacity to recognize what is most alive and essential in a story.
You will have time to write together, read your work aloud, listen with attention, and discover what can make your writing more powerful and true.
We will approach the work with both rigor and playfulness, trusting that imagination flourishes when curiosity and experimentation have plenty of room.
As we deepen our craft, we also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. In this way, storytelling becomes a practice of attention and presence.
“Nina taps into so much pent-up, boxed in joy and creativity. She is salve for the soul.”
“An empowering, joyful and celebratory guide to a fuller life.”
Private Sessions
Nina is available to anyone interested in creating a performance work, editing writing, developing skills and confidence in public speaking and presentations, enhancing creative expression … whatever your project or goal may be, Nina will help you see it through.
Approach
We at Motion believe that every writer, from absolute beginner to award winning published authors, deserve to experiment in a safe and supportive environment in order to develop their craft. So Motion writing workshops follow the guidelines and principals of the Amherst Writers and Artists, which is outlined below and is fully described in founder Pat Schneider’s book Writing Alone and With Others (Oxford University Press, 2003)
The AWA method is based in the following philosophy. These affirmations rest on a definition of personhood based in equality, and a definition of writing as an art form available to all persons.
Everyone has a strong, unique voice.
Everyone is born with creative genius.
Writing as an art form belongs to all people, regardless of economic class or educational level.
The teaching of craft can be done without damage to a writers original voice or artistic self-esteem.
A writer is someone who writes.
Essential Practices
The following practices establish a safe environment where everyone is free to explore within their own writing and listen to each other with respect.
Everyone’s writing, including the leader’s, is treated with equal respect and value.
Writing is kept confidential and treated as fiction.
Writers can refrain from reading their work aloud.
Responses to just-written work reflect what is strong and successful.
Responses and exercises support the development of literary craft.
Refund Policy
We do our best to keep our fees very affordable and hope you understand that there are many administrative hours and costs that are involved in running our programs. We also understand that things come up for people and want to accommodate your change of plans as best we can. So here is our refund policy:
The registration fee for Motion’s online events is non-refundable. If you withdraw within one week prior to the first session, the fee you paid can be applied to a future Motion Theater workshop within one year (less 20% processing fee).
* All workshop sessions are recorded and available for 4 weeks after the final workshop session. The links will be sent to you each week (only for those registered for a multi-week series).
* Motion will consider refund requests due to an extraordinary circumstance or emergency on a case by case basis if you withdraw within one week prior to the first session. To request a refund of this nature, please contact us and explain your situation.