Enjoy Writing?
Want to Learn to do it Better?
By Betty Gibb
Nancy Kastman-Scott has been teaching people to write for many years. First she taught high school students at Center Senior High School. Next she taught upper level classes at UMKC. With a master's degree in English and a love of the writer's craft, she certainly didn't want to stop teaching just because she was retired.
When her father was living at the Atriums Retirement Center a dozen years ago, Nancy started a writing group there. Then she moved to Lubbock, Texas and taught several classes in retirement communities-all for the love of writing-not for money.
Now Nancy is back in Johnson County. She's gotten a small group together at Lakeview Retirement Community and is looking for others interested. The group meets at the Northpoint Building in the third floor Community Room from 9:30 to 11:30 on Tuesday mornings.
As Nancy explains it, here's kind of what happens. Each week she gives a suggested assignment-a memory from childhood, or another subject of interest. Group members can write about the assigned subject or another of their choosing. The length? "Long enough to cover the subject without embarrassment," Nancy laughs. Papers can be computer-generated, typed or written in long hand.
At the next meeting, group members read their stories aloud (if they wish). Nancy takes them home and marks them (as she would for a composition class). She points out errors in grammar or style, suggests ways syntax could be improved, suggests words that might be cut. "Most writers tend to be a bit wordy," she says.
The teaching part of the class draws from what she's read and found in the papers-common mistakes or areas of improvement.
In the past, and probably here as well, she will produce a book of the stories-just for the memory and interest in the writers who tend to become well acquainted over the course of weeks.
If you are interested, you can show up at a class or call Nancy at 913-649-2425. There is no charge for the class.
Human Services & Aging
11811 S. Sunset Drive, Suite #1300
Olathe, KS 66061-7056
(913) 715-8800 : voice
(913) 715-8825 : fax
(913) 894-8822 : TTY
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