Workshops: 1. Obituary Writing—It’s All in the Details. 2. Editing—So Long, Darling.
A graduate of the University of Iowa and former elementary teacher, corporate trainer, consignment store owner, and graphic designer, Kitty Sheehan is a native Iowan, born in Carroll. After years of living in other places, Kitty learned her Iowa roots are and always have been her grounding force.
Her published work includes personal essays, obituaries, memoir, and marketing copy. She teaches editing, and edits novels, memoirs, screenplays, and children’s books. Kitty and her husband Mark Cuddy co-founded The Healing Obituary, a seminar on obituary writing. She’s been a presenter and panel member at numerous writing events in New York, Minnesota, and Iowa.
To those who find it helpful, Kitty appreciates sharing stories of her career transition from teacher to working writer. If vintage magazines, fashion, and advertising mixed with retrospectives on life as a female are up your alley, Kitty’s Substack, “Man-pleasing Recipes,” is for you. Kitty produced and directed a sold-out theater event in upstate New York based on this theme.
As a fan of finding common ground and connections, Kitty is excited to meet you in Okoboji.
Learn more about Kitty:
- Subscribe to her Substack column: https://manpleasingrecipes.substack.com
- https://kittysheehan.com
- https://healingobit.com
Workshops
“Obituary Writing–It’s All in the Details.” The biographical obituary is bland and outdated and doesn’t capture details about your loved one. An obituary should capture a person’s individuality and unique legacy. It’s a story that will be read repeatedly, by family and friends. When written well, the words help us reflect, remember, laugh, cry, and heal. In this fun and insightful workshop, Kitty Sheehan, a professional obituary writer, shares some tricks of the trade — the questions that reveal a person’s legacy, what sets them apart from others, and how they want to be remembered. You’ll shape those answers into a vivid life story worthy of you or someone you love. We’ll include biographical information, but we’ll focus on stories and details that capture your loved one’s unique essence. Learn to create an obituary that makes people say, “Wow, I wish I’d known that person.”
“Editing–So Long, Darling.” You’ve heard this writing advice: “kill your darlings.” It’s true. In this workshop, we’ll learn why this works. And more importantly, we’ll learn how, from Kitty Sheehan, a professional editor. We’ll start by defining the story you want to tell, and why. You love that passage you wrote about the light reflecting off the pond at sunset. But does it work to move the story along, or is it just there to give the reader a peek into your mind? An effective piece of writing leaves room for readers to take a trip into their own minds. You do this by using specific details and words the reader relates to. Learn to edit junk words, repetition, cliches, weak scenes, dialog, and more, to make your work tell the story you mean to tell.