Simply Writing

“I learned that I can write under circumstances other than my prescribed routine. I learned that my writing is forever a work in progress and that’s OK! This class gave me some new ideas for making writing more of a routine in my life.

I HIGHLY recommend the Amsterdam Writing Workshops! Any one of them will provide new ideas for writing, inspiration to write, encouragement to keep writing, and a lasting love for writing.”

Nina, March 17, 2015

“At ‘Simply Writing’ I learned that all it takes for me to write is to just do it. I learned it’s all about work—and not as much about inspiration. How did ‘Simply Writing’ contribute to my development as a writer? It has given me faith.”

Valia, March 17, 2015

“I learned that writing is about overcoming the fear of picking up a pen and filling a page–as much as the fear of what the outcome is.

It’s motivating to see what other writers are working on and how different it may be, compared to your own material.

I learned that, in the end, the more you produce, the more you learn—and the more confident you become.”

Mel, March 17, 2015

“The class definitely made me more productive. There hasn’t been a single day so far that I haven’t written! Thank you for everything.”

D.Y., March 17, 2015

A.O. said:

“I learned three main things at ‘Simply Writing’:

1. to distinguish between the fear of writing on a blank screen from the fear of writing on a blank page.
2. techniques/prompts that will definitely help me with my writing
3. that my descriptions generally work. Listening to my own work always makes me nervous. I feel shy about it. At this particular workshop, however, once the piece is read, I feel OK again. I know I am in a safe place. Feedback is given in a judgment-free, insightful way.”

Every time I attend one of these workshops it helps to improve my self-esteem as a writer. It helps to decrease my self-criticism, need for perfection, and helps me to concentrate on what needs to be done. I get real and stop fantasizing about how I should do the work.”

A.O., March 17, 2015

“I loved every moment of the ‘Simply Writing’ course, although tapping into my subconscious mind did give me a headache! However, I am finding that the first thing I want to do when I get up is write, so that’s down to the course!”

Kym, March 17, 2015

“The ‘safe, comfortable, environment’ at every Amsterdam Writing Workshop makes it easier to overcome any anxiety or fear of receiving feedback on your writing. All comments on a piece one writes are always useful in terms of continuing to produce and revise material. This was the third workshop I’ve done with the Amsterdam Writing Workshops. Since the first one (‘The Short Story’), I’ve been very pleased with the comments and support the instructor gives writers. This particular workshop provided the tiny push I needed to really start developing—and to finish—the stories I’ve drafted.”

Hector, September 2, 2014

“I got a new perspective on writing, a feeling of freedom and comfort, which I found liberating. The live feedback was priceless really—where else could I find that diverse kind of focus group?”

Agnes, March 26, 2014