Guiding Principles PDF Print E-mail
WVW workshops follow the principles developed by Pat Schneider, Amherst Writers and Artists:  
  • Everyone is someone who can write.
  • Everyone is born with creative genius.
  • Everyone can use words to make art.
  • Everyone has a strong, unique voice.
  • Everyone  has a compelling story – real or imagined – that deserves to be told.
  • Everyone can use writing to understand themselves and others, and make sense of the world.
  • Everyone has strengths as an individual and as a writer that deserve encouragement, empathy and compassion.
  • Writing as an art form belongs to all people, regardless of economic or educational level.
  • The teaching of craft can be done wihtout damage to the writer's original voice or artistic self-esteem.
  • Writing and sharing what we write encourages a sense of community that promotes openness, respect and creativity.
    1. --Pat Schneider, Founder and Director Emeritus, Amherst Writers and Artists