"Write What You Don't Know" 2-Day Intensive

What are you writing?

Memoir? Creative or transformational nonfiction? Fiction? Poetry? Not sure yet?

Whatever you’re writing, the Imaginative Storm method will give you simple techniques for writing fearlessly, authentically, and with unbridled curiosity.

You wiil learn how to:

~ replace criticism with appreciation

~ replace effort with flow

~ replace anxiety with excitement

~ replace self-doubt with confidence

What’s the secret?

Write what you DON’T know!

What you’ll learn

• easy techniques to pack your writing with emotional power

• how to recognize and build your authentic writing voice

• how to pacify your inner critic and develop your inner cheerleader

• how to find your story

Plus, you’ll say goodbye to writer’s block for good.

About Allegra

“As a former Editorial Director of the London publisher Weidenfeld & Nicolson and holder of a First Class degree in English from Oxford University, I'm all about good writing. But when I started writing myself, I wasn't able to write anything I liked! Maybe I just can't write, I thought. I was trying as hard as I could to write well.

The Imaginative Storm method was a revelation to me. I learned that trying to write well didn't help me. That my writing would be better, and my own authentic voice would emerge, if I didn't try so hard. James Navé taught me to surprise myself and write what I don't know.”

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As well as Write What You Don't Know, Allegra is the author of the bestselling Love Child: A Memoir of Family Lost and Found, the novel A Stolen Summer, How to Edit and Be Edited, and How to Read for an Audience (with James Navé). She wrote and produced the award-winning short film Good Luck, Mr. Gorski, and has also written numerous feature screenplays. Her articles have appeared in many major magazines in the US, UK, and France. An editor for over three decades, she worked with authors including three Booker Prize winners, two Nobel Prize winners, and Jane Goodall.

Allegra was born in London and grew up ni Ireland, Long Island, Los Angeles, and Mexico. She is the mother of a 21-year-old son and lives in Taos, New Mexico.

About Imaginative Storm

The Imaginative Storm writing method was developed by James Navé and Allegra Huston, who came together from different ends of the literary spectrum. Navé, a championship-winning slam poet, started teaching workshops in collaboration with Julia Cameron, bestselling author of The Artist’s Way. Allegra came from the academic side: having gained a First in English from Oxford University, she became Editorial Director of Weidenfeld & Nicolson, one of the UK’s most respected literary publishing houses.

We started teaching writing workshops together in 2003. Over the decades, we combined and refined our two approaches: bringing imaginative freedom to the rational mindset, and structure to free-ranging creativity. This collaboration is what makes our work unique.

Praise for Allegra’s workshops

“If you want to write more of yourself onto the page, I can't think of a better place to do it than with Allegra in Paonia, Colorado. Never heard of Paonia? ... it's a peaceful, artsy and colorful Shangri-la in southwestern Colorado. And, under Allegra's gentle prompting, forgotten pieces of you dance into the light. It was worth every moment of the 2,273 miles it took to get there and come back renewed, refreshed and reignited.”

— Joyce Wycoff, writer

“When my friend asked if I'd have any interest in attending a writing workshop, I immediately said YES. For the long month in wait I waffled, I was stressed, I felt the pressure, I wanted to cancel.  Then, Allegra taught us an incredibly simple way to unlock our creativity. "Writing what you don't know" is an engaging and fun process that opens up deep wells of ideas and provides a structure that I was able to easily put words to paper. She is an amazing teacher. So incredibly grateful I held to my mantra of "do things that push your boundaries"!”

— Brenda, business owner

“The workshop was transformational. It offered incredible insight and a playful, creative method of writing. At the first session of the workshop I made the mistake of saying I was not a writer. Poor choice of words that were quickly challenged by Allegra. Her passionate belief that we all have the ability to write was infectious and resonated with me for the duration of the week. Grab the first opportunity you get to work with her. “

— Doug Raphael, architect

“A fantastic, life-affirming experience. The writing prompts bring forth a style of writing that is surprising in its intensity and invigorating in its ability to communicate deep memories and emotions. This is a gift any writer should give to themselves. It will change your life!”

— Allison Kleinsteuber, art teacher

“Allegra's memoir workshop was pure sustenance for my soul.  I felt immediately engaged in her process of cultivating one's intuition to create writing that's powerful, interesting and real, with a sparkle of discovery and surprise. Loved every moment!”

— Jack Gewalter, veterinarian

“The Imaginative Storm method is so productive; it efficiently gets you right down to the heart of the matter. And the best part of all is that it’s fun and full of surprises! It’s Allegra’s gift of inspiring us to immerse ourselves in the creative process—she is uniquely warm, honest and encouraging. I’m so glad I did this workshop!”

— Terry Varner, writer

“Allegra has the rare ability to help your writing at two different levels: rational analysis of the elements and structure of your memoir, and the emotional capacity to read between the lines, to recognize and empathize with the yelling or whispering of your heart. I learned a lot in her workshop: her lessons were easy to understand and remember but deep and specific on the points where I needed to improve—and delivered with kindness and joy.”

— Jamil Mahuad, former president of Ecuador