In 2022 David and Monty launched their Soul Food creative writing workshops. The initial venues helped create the enchanting environments in which to explore the phenomenon of “big magic” – as Elizabeth Gilbert* calls the creative process. Helping provide the wizardry was super chef, fire master and land lord, the charming and impish Justin Bonello.
But it was all about being feeling the magic. In each session participants were taken through the history, the sources, the form and the function of musical lyrics, poetry, the short story, the novel, and finally biography and autobiography. And then they each had to produce examples.
Soul Food creative writing guests under the oaks at Keurbosfontein, reflect on the revelation that iambic pentameter echoes the rhythm of a horse walking, or that of the human heart beating.
Serendipity Beach Cottage at Cebe Bay on the Wild Coast: if you cannot feel the magic there, you will not be able to feel it anywhere.
Later in the year Monty hosted a/two “next level” courses at his home town of Bathurst. These [one-day] events were geared more the nitty gritty of being a writer and writing: learning the tools of the trade if you will.
Going forward they will be plan to offer two-day workshops, combining the creative process with a skills workshop, learning how to use those tools. Venues will change according to circumstances, but they have a choice of, well choice places. The kinds of places where you can feel the magic.
* Do not judge her by her one ‘chic-lit’ book “Eat, Pray, Love” book alone. If you have not read “The Signature of All Things”, “The Last Man in America” or “Big Magic” at least, you don’t really know her.
