We hope you’ll join Boise City Writer-in-Residence Susan Bruns on October 30th, from 6 PM to 8 PM, at the Erma Hayman House (617 Ash St.) for The Artifacts of Memory.
An "artifact" is something made by humans. Since memory is also human-made, it is not only imperfect but can also be elusive, fragmented, and jumbled. Guided by Susan, participants will explore how artifacts can be used to excavate memory and help us write our unique stories.
The workshop will also delve into the concept of a "writer’s voice" and how to access our most original, authentic voice, which often gets lost over time. In addition to writing exercises, participants will read examples of writers with distinctive voices and practice finding their own, shaped by the places they've lived, their family background, culture, and unique experiences.
No registration is required, but space is limited. This workshop is geared toward adults. As mature content may be discussed, parental discretion is advised for participants under 18. Please bring writing materials, such as a notebook and pen.
Price: Free
ABOUT SUSAN BRUNS
Susan Bruns is an Idaho-based writer whose essays and stories have appeared in The Sun, Creative Nonfiction, Brevity, LitHub, Under the Gum Tree, The Clackamas Literary Review, and elsewhere.
She is the recipient of grants from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, the Alexa Rose Foundation, and the City of Boise for her writing. In 2020, she was a Surel’s Place Artist in Residence, and she was named a 2021 finalist for the Richard J. Margolis nonfiction writing award for her essay about a sibling’s struggle with mental illness and addiction.
She has an MFA in creative writing from Boise State University and degrees from the University of Oxford and the University of Idaho. She has taught dozens of writing workshops to students of all ages and enjoys teaching the craft of writing and encouraging others to write their stories.
Susan grew up on a farm next to the Snake River Canyon on Idaho’s high desert and writes about how her family battled the harsh conditions, beginning with her grandparents who were homesteaders. She is the mother of two adult children and works for Fahlgren Mortine, an integrated communications agency with offices in Boise. Learn more at susanbruns.com.
Headshot by Ana B. Rowe.
ABOUT THE BOISE CITY WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE
Founded in 2023, the Boise City Writer-in-Residence is a collaborative program between the Boise City Department of Arts & History, Boise Public Library, and The Cabin. Funded by the City of Boise, these six-month residencies offer local writers dedicated time and stipend to support their creative practice and connect them to the community through free monthly literary public programs and events. The Boise City Writer-in-Residence call for applications opens annually in the summer.