Tea Stained Pages

Tea-Stained Pages
Writing Workshops and Coaching

...getting it down, getting it right, getting it read.

One Day Events!
Spring Inspiration
Free Creative Writing Workshops

Come join us for two hours of writing exercises and explorations. In the spirit of Spring we’ll play with sensory detail, push our linguistic envelopes and open our imaginations in a no-criticism environment. Open to beginner and veteran poets, fiction writers, memoirists, and creative souls of all kinds. Bring your own writing materials but leave your inner critic at home. Those who are inspired will be welcome to share what they’ve generated.

Julie's Tea Shop in Alameda

1223 Park Street Alameda, CA 94501

Friday April 17, 5-7pm

http://www.juliestea.com/

Far Leaves Tea Shop in Oakland

2979 College Ave Berkeley, CA 94705

Sunday April 19, 5-7pm

To RSVP email:

Eli@teastainedpages.com

Upcoming Five-Week Workshops

Accepting students now. Beginners and veteran writers welcomed.

Limit ten for each track.

$180-$210 sliding scale

Oakland

Fiction Saturdays:

Five Saturdays, May 2nd—May 30th, 11am-1:30pm

Fiction Mondays:

Five Monday Nights, May 4th—June 1st, 7pm-9:30pm

Alameda

Fiction Wednesdays:

Five Wednesday Nights, May 6th—June 3rd, 7pm-9:30pm

Bring your novel, short-stories, or memoir. Through supportive listening and feedback we will sharpen your talents and address the needs of your work. The first session will include a brief examination of critical feedback itself. Then we will turn an analytical eye onto some classic works to show that no writing is perfect and that even the greats had room for improvement.

Each meeting begins with a brief exploratory exercise. Then we will listen to your work read aloud and give encouraging feedback. Craft topics such as POV, voice, character, and plot will be addressed as needed. Participants leave each critique with a clear understanding of the strengths of their work as well as tools for improvement. Assignments offered for those looking for inspiration.

Workshops are held in comfortable home environments in the Rockridge district of Oakland as well as Alameda. Light refreshments of tea and fruit are provided.

To register: Send an email telling a bit about yourself and which workshop you're interested in. Please include your contact information as well.

Workshops have limited space; participants will be selected, in part, based on how they fit with the group.

We look forward to hearing from you!

What writers say about Eli's work:

"Eli's understanding of narrative structure and character development is invaluable to any craftsman of writing. And even more impressive is his attention to the poetics of language and integrating such aesthetics into a wholly developed story."

Tonya Hersch, Instructor of Writing and English

“Eli Brown is as sensitive and acute in his critiques as he is in his prose. He leaves himself behind in approaching other peoples' fiction, taking it on its own terms (a very difficult thing to do) but brings with him his years of experience writing and rewriting books. He knows how to encourage a writer and how to steer her towards a more full expresion of what she was trying, but may not have known she was trying, to do.”

Cora Stryker, Steinbeck Fellow

Instructor Eli Brown earned his MFA in fiction writing from Mills College where he worked as an editor for 580 Split Literary Journal. His poems have been anthologized in Homewrecker, published by Soft Skull Press, and have appeared in journals such as the Cortland Review. His novel, The Great Days, won the Fabri Literary Prize and was hailed by Publishers Weekly as "lyrical, confident prose…a harrowing, convincing look into the heart of cult life that should linger with readers."

Photography by Adam Shemper

Literary Coaching
Eli is available for one-on-one coaching and reviewing of your stories, poems, novels, and manuscripts. He has worked with award-winning, published authors and will give your work the focused attention it deserves. $85/hour.

eli@teastainedpages.com