James Bonnet's Storymaking

 
   COMMENTS

   “James Bonnet's Stealing Fire from the Gods is a must for every creative writer. Even for experienced authors, screenwriters and creative thinkers, James has a unique way of revealing the skeletal structure of the story you wish to write, and even more, revealing the essential lineaments of what Joseph Campbell called "The Monomyth," the essential archetypal story of human struggle and fulfillment that can be understood by any child or adult, and from whatever culture. James Bonnet's commitment to the same underlying principles of creative visioning and writing has matured and developed for over for thirty years--which marks him as a master. Or if you prefer, think of him as a Promethean wizard whose fire-theft has been so succesful, it can boil any number of cauldrons of inspiration - including your own.
    “Bonnet's rich feast for the soul is mirrored in detail by Cynthia and David Price's Franche Comte  hospitality, where every day sees fresh local produce combined with effortless grace and art for say a petit dejeuner - not to mention sumptuous Cordon Bleu caliber repasts with plenty of good wine at the end of a long day of visioning.  And all this transpires in the sequestered, comfortably arranged, and modernized interior of a medieval French Chateau (the cultural ambience is furthered even more by the good art and decor everywhere, including David's own paintings.)
    “Sorry, this workshop excludes people who think that hard work and creativity can't be delightful, delectable and romantic!” Stephen Larsen, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, SUNY, and author of A Fire in the Mind, The Life of Joseph Campbell,  and the recent award-winning: The Fundamentalist Mind:  How Polarized Thinking Imperils Us All. (Larsen and his wife and co-author Robin spent a delightful 10 days at Nans Sous Ste. Anne this past year, working on a screenplay based on Campbell's life.)

    "I have spent many years studying novel writing - including completing an MA in creative writing - and 'story' was a word that rarely came up. I therefore learned to write without understanding story. It was only very late in the process of writing my first novel that I realised that I had this fundamental gap in my knowledge.
   "I began to study story but the books that I read on the subject still felt incomplete. It was this search for an understanding of story that led me to James Bonnet's work. I came away from the Storymaking Retreat with so much more than just a new and exhilarating understanding of story. I learned how to think differently about story and, after spending years struggling with my own novel, the story that I knew I was trying to tell clicked magically into place. I developed a fresh routine and momentum to my writing. I made some great friends as well as some great memories. This retreat is a great experience in and of itself, and a must for anyone who truly wants to tell great stories."
Christina Okoli

   "I think about the gift you have given to me in your wisdom and encouragement. You have discovered the secrets of the depths, the way to travel with the tidal forces in our souls. You have enabled us to navigate toward our own unique expressions of Universal Consciousness.
   "I pray that I will be blessed with the opportunity to learn and laugh with you again. I am honored to call myself your student."
Kelli Sebastian

   “I learned more about how to handle my writing urges/ideas in a beautiful French stone house; we ate incredible meals with delightful wines each day; I met people who--in one short week--became friends for life.  What a one-of-a-kind, wonderful time!  May have been among the top ten best things I have ever done for myself.”
Cate Stetson

   “I have been working on a major documentary film-project for 7 years. The 2-day-workshop in Los Angeles and the studying of Jim’s book has been a very supportive guide to ask myself the many needed questions. The weeklong workshop in France with the daily one-on-one 90-minute coaching was the breakthrough experience for me. It laid the foundation to finish the story and to reach the final stage of creative development. I am deeply grateful and highly recommend anyone in a creative process to study and work with Jim.”
Martin Rausch, Switzerland

    “I found the workshop educational as well as instrumental in helping me focus in a way that I don't generally allow myself to due to distraction.  The surrounding forest and water and tiny town all worked together to emphasize this.  Jim is great one on one and I got a lot out of our meetings for which I found him well prepared.”
Ulrich Schmid-Maybach