Aug 09, 2025

Writer to hold creative writing workshop

Posted Aug 09, 2025 11:00 AM
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MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post

Kim Stanley, a writer and former McPherson College professor, will bring her passion for storytelling to Hutchinson on Saturday, Aug. 16, with a free workshop on writing family stories.

The event, "A Created Guide to Writing Your Family's Stories," is hosted by the Kansas Authors Club and sponsored by Humanities Kansas, will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the Blue Dragon Room at the Hutchinson Community College Student Union. 

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5320ea95-540b-4911-a25b-01f2d111e5f9">Click here for the BW Morning Show interview with Kim Stanley&nbsp;</a>
Click here for the BW Morning Show interview with Kim Stanley 

Stanley, who began her academic career as a Shakespeare scholar before developing expertise in creative nonfiction and poetry, has taught a wide range of courses from freshman composition to world literature. As chair of McPherson College’s English and Modern Languages Department, she encouraged students to explore both the art and craft of writing.

The upcoming workshop will focus on “creative nonfiction,” helping participants transform family memories into compelling narratives. Rather than long periods of silent writing, the session will be interactive, with attendees generating ideas, sharing stories, and receiving tips on structure, detail, and voice.

Stanley has led similar workshops across Kansas, often drawing unexpected gems from participants — such as a Hutchinson woman whose grandmother’s cookbook still smells faintly of smoke from a house fire decades ago.

She says these family tales, whether humorous, dramatic, or bittersweet, carry value beyond the facts. “Story truth is different from factual truth,” Stanley explained. “If your family tells it, it’s important — it says something about who you are.”

The Aug. 16 workshop is open to all, from seasoned writers to those simply curious about putting family history into words.