Mary Amato

Writing with Humor & Heart

Project Noteworthy with Lima Symphony Orchestra

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Music lifts us and connects us and is a lifelong partner in expressing our emotions.

Thanks to the Lima Symphony Orchestra and a project grant from the National Endowment for the Arts coordinated by LSO’s Renee Keller, I led a songwriting project with four 4th-5th grade classes in four different Ohio schools to explore and celebrate songwriting. In online sessions, I took students through the process of writing a collaborative song with the support of their teachers. First, we explored how to use songwriting to express emotions, then we worked through my brainstorming technique to generate images and ideas. Next, we explored the same kind of writing process that poets use to structure lyrics. Finally, we created a melody. I sent recordings of the four songs we created to Renee Keller, education coordinator at the LSO.

Next, arranger Jonathan Wey listened to the songs and wrote fabulous arrangements for the orchestra. Through this project, students could see firsthand how an arranger’s job is to capture the emotional essence of each song and find ways to allow the different instruments to express those emotions.

Jonathan Wey’s scores were given to the orchestra and conductor. They learned, rehearsed, and recorded the instrumental tracks, which were then sent back to the students. Music coming full circle. Imagine the excitement of hearing these from the students’ point of view.

The project was celebrated by local media and students from Heritage ES got to share their song on the radio!

Here’s just one song. More are coming!

The main goal of the project was to model a form of expressive writing—songwriting and give students tips and ideas for engaging in this creative and productive process on their own; however, the project also met a number of academic goals in language arts, music, and more, including the following:

• Using figurative language and poetic imagery
• Using meter (rhythm) and rhyme
• Learning tips for revision
• Exploring problem-solving and pattern recognition
• Strengthening cooperation skills
• Experiencing
• Applying dynamics and contrast to both music and lyrics
• Understanding the function and parts of a vocal song
• Appreciating the role of an arranger
• Learning how each instrument adds a voice to the whole of a work

Below are the lyrics of the songs.

Thanks to the students, the teachers Ms. Miller, Ms. Rohrbaugh, Ms. Place, and Mr. MacBeen, LSO’s Ms. Keller, the LSO, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Deep in My Emotions

Students in Mrs. Miller’s Class /HERITAGE

I’m shattered like a glass
Pieces of myself
Shattered, shattered like a glass

I know there’s hope
Like a window we can open
A window of hope
A window of hope

I’m burning like a fire
Spreading through my heart
burning, burning like a fire

I know there’s peace
Like water pouring over me.
Water of peace.
Water of peace.

I’m falling from the nest
through the cold air
Falling, falling from the nest.

I know there’s trust
like wings to lift me up
Wings of trust.
Wings of trust.

Trying to Find the Light

Students in Mrs. Place’s class /FREEDOM

VERSE 1
The hallway is dark
I’m always trying to find my way out
oooooh
The hallway is dark
I’m always trying to find my way out
Oooooh

CHORUS
I’m trying to find the light
I’m trying to find the light

VERSE 2
I’m looking for another place
I’m always racing, always running
oooooh
I’m looking for another place
I’m always racing, always running
oooooh

CHORUS
I’m trying to find the light
I’m trying to find the light

VERSE 3
Whispers surround me
In my head I hear them coming
oooooh
Footsteps are thumping
Always getting louder, louder
oooooh
Shadows bombard me
Watching me, they always follow
oooooh

I’m trying to find the light
I’m trying to find the light

Everything is Right

Students in Ms. Rohrbaugh’s Class /INDEPENDENCE
Verse
I’m flying through the sky
I’m climbing to the top
I’m riding and riding and riding
Everything is right

Verse

I’m swimming through the waves
Building castles in the sand
I’m diving and diving and diving.
Everything is right.

BRIDGE

I might get hurt
I may get sick
and make mistakes
all the time.

I might lose
I may get shy
But I am gonna
try to shine.

Verse

I’m walking to the moon
Singing in the sun
I’m shining and shining and shining.
Everything is right.
Everything is right. (SLOW)

Gray Day Turning Bright

Students in Mr. MacBeen’s Class

VERSE 1
Someone cuts you off
Someone takes what you want
It’s all gray today.
Gray today.

VERSE 2
Problems that you have to do
Come up with the answers to
It’s all gray today.
Gray today.

CHORUS
Tonight we need fireworks.
Lights and design shine bright.
red, blue, gold, and white
All throughout the night
We need fireworks tonight.

VERSE 3
People crowd around
You can’t get where you want
It’s all gray today.
Gray today.

VERSE 2
People yell at you
No one understands you
It’s all gray today.
Gray today.

CHORUS REPEATS TO END

Related links:

https://www.limasymphony.com/project-noteworthy

Private Lessons

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Writing and Music I am currently SOLD OUT for my one-on-one sessions are available in creative writing, manuscript coaching, songwriting, ukulele, and performance. PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE WAIT LIST (right column, underneath updates form). All private lessons are booked on a month by month basis. When you book a class, you’ll be asked (more…)

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Small Group Creative Writing

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Award-winning author Mary Amato will lead small-group online sessions in her writing studio. Maximum six students. Classes will meet either once or twice per week. This will be a project-based experience, meaning we will be writing stories, poems, songs, plays, and more. Classes will be a mix of instruction, discussion, and in-class writing. We’ll cover (more…)

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Writer’s Studio for Adults & Teens

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Join award-winning author Mary Amato via ZOOM in her writing studio every Friday from 1:00 to 1:30 EST pm. for $5.00 per class. Each week, Mary will choose a different topic related to some aspect of the writing process and give a short, energized talk and then lead a writing exercise on the spot. The (more…)

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Writer’s Studio for Ages 8-12

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Grab your notebook and pen and join award-winning author Mary Amato in her writing studio every Wednesday from 4:00 to 4:30 EST pm. for just $5.00 per class. Each week, Mary will choose a different topic related to some aspect of the writing process and give a short, energized talk and then lead a fun (more…)

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New Courses for Adults & Teens

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Open Mic Night at Westminster Cemetery

Fall 2020

Monthly Virtual Novel-Writing Retreats

and

Weekly Writer’s Studio with Mary Amato

Find out more about each of these experiences below.

Monthly Virtual Novel-Writing Retreats

Through College Park Arts Exchange, join authors Mary Amato and John Feffer and fellow colleagues for an energizing mix of lectures, facilitated discussion, and forced time to write! As Shawn Achor points out in his book, Big Potential, studies show that people are more productive when they know that others are working, too.
Amato and Feffer are both discipline-crossing writers who are simultaneously working on novels, plays, essays, and poetry. These writing retreats will be focused on novel writing, but we welcome explorers of any genre—fiction, non-fiction, poetry, screen or stage play, etc.

Use these inspiring virtual retreat days to take a work-in-progress further or to write something completely new.

10:00 am-5:30 pm EST

  • 10:00-10:15/Intro & Warm-up Writing Exercise
  • 10:15-11:00 /Lecture #1
  • 11:00-11:30/Facilitated Chat (or log off and get to your writing)
  • 11:30-2:15/Writing Time
  • 2:15-3:00/Lecture #2
  • 3:00-3:30/Facilitated Chat (or log off and get to your writing)
  • 3:30-5:00/Writing Time
  • 5:00-5:30/Final Q/A


$40 per person per retreat or $20 per person per half-day retreat. You may sign up for one retreat or as many as desired. Once you have registered, you’ll receive three Zoom links for each of your retreat days. Each retreat day will include three Zoom sessions with writing time in between. PLEASE NOTE: Registration for full day occurs through College Park Arts Exchange. If you can only attend half day, contact the instructors to register.

 

Sat Sept 26          Tense & Time

Pros and cons of writing in the past or present or a combination of both. Are you writing in the best tense to tell your story? Are you telling your story chronologically? What are your options? What role does time play in the lives of your characters? How can keeping track of chronological time in your story can make a huge difference in the revision process? Are you using your time as a writer most productively?

Register

 

Sun Nov 1            Voice & Point of View

Establish authenticity, commit to a POV or multiple POVs , and know when to come in for a close up and when to pull back. What are the various voices and POVs in your work?

Register

Sat Nov 21           Recurring Symbolism & Surprising Metaphors

Identify and explore symbols and metaphors and determine how and when they should repeat. What are the symbols and metaphors that are already in your work? Are you doing all you can or do you need more?

Register

 

Weekly Writer’s Studio with Mary Amato

Join award-winning author Mary Amato in her writing studio every Friday from 1:00 to 1:30 EST pm. for $5.00 per class.

Each week, Mary will choose a different topic related to some aspect of the writing process and give a short, energized talk and then lead a writing exercise on the spot.

The experience will be designed for adults and teens who are serious about writing. What we cover will cross genres and can be useful in writing fiction, poetry, essays, plays, and creative nonfiction.

All classes and private lessons are booked on a month by month basis. When you book a class, you’ll be asked to pay for that entire month. You’re welcome to register for as many months as desired. Payment is made through a credit card or a Paypal account online. After your invoice is paid, you’ll receive a zoom link that will be the same for each class that month. There are no make-up lessons and no refunds. I will not cancel. If for some reason, I cannot teach a session, I will arrange for a qualified guest teacher. There is no limit to the number of participants, which means there will be no one-on-one interaction. However, the energy and the quality of instruction will be high.  Register here.

Bios

Mary Amato is a novelist, poet, essayist, songwriter, and playwright, who has a great day-job writing fiction for young adults and children with 22 published books. Her creative non-fiction has appeared in The Washington Post, Education Week, Mothering, and more. A passionate teacher with a master’s in fiction writing from Johns Hopkins, she is also co-founder of Firefly Shadow Theater and founder of several organizations that promote creative networking and artistic growth. www.maryamato.com.

John Feffer has published three novels, including the critically acclaimed Splinterlands. The final volume in the Splinterlands trilogy, Songlands, will come out at the end of 2020. He has written and produced ten plays, including four one-man shows, and is the author of several non-fiction books and numerous articles on foreign policy. He serves as the director of Foreign Policy in Focus at the Institute for Policy Studies. www.johnfeffer.com.

Please note that in addition to these retreats, both Amato and Feffer offer partial or full manuscript critiques on a rolling basis throughout the year. $30 per half hour. You can cap your investment at any amount. If you’re interested, contact either instructor individually.

Questions? Contact either of the retreat leaders through the contact forms on their websites.

 

 

The Chicken of the Family Collection

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Enjoy this free collection of stories. Perfect for ages 3-6.

When you’re little, even an ordinary day is filled with big troubles and triumphs—especially when you have two older sisters who win trophies, play tricks, and seem so brave. Four-year-old Henrietta struggles with her jealousies and fears as she finds her place in her funny and loving family. This audio collection, narrated by the author, includes five new stories plus The Chicken of the Family, the beloved picture book in which Henrietta was first hatched.

Written and narrated by Mary Amato. All rights reserved.

Original music by Amy Bormet. More about her at: amykbormet.com/about/

To listen on soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mary-amato-author/sets/the-chicken-of-the-family-collection

Free Skype Day 2020: March 25

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Every year, I offer one free Skype day for schools and take reservations for time slots for 15-minute Q&A on a first-come, first-served basis.

To schedule a free Q&A session, please email me info (at) maryamato (dot) com from your school/library email address with all of the following info listed in one message:

    • Preferred time (listing your time zone, please)
  • Your name and your skype name.
  • Name of school, snail mail address, and phone number of school or library
  • Grade level(s), size of audience, and which of my book(s) you’d like the Q/A to focus on.

If your session is approved, you will receive guidelines via email and your school name will be added to this schedule.

Skype Workshops

I also offer effective Skype workshops for classes, groups, and individuals. See more.

Rave Reviews

  • “The skype visit with Mary Amato was great and inspiring!” –Mary Litwinczuk,  Weaver Lake Elementary, MN
  • “We had a very successful Skype experience with Mary Amato. We did the two-part character creation workshop. We would like to schedule for the same time next February!” –Hope Preston, Gill St. Bernard’s School, NJ
  • “This afternoon was incredible! All 70 sixth graders were riveted to the screen while you were talking. I can’t thank you enough for all the wonderful things you shared with us about your writing process. What a truly inspiring discussion. One really neat coincidence was that I had just shared my writing notebook earlier in the morning and then you shared yours. The connections were flying like wild fire…You have made a wonderful lasting memory for so many students today.” –Franklin, WI 6th grade teacher
  • “My students loved her and I loved the way she subtly got across the message of ‘grit.’ She told students how important it is to revise written work… and how mistakes can be a fabulous opportunity for learning.” Patricia London, Media Specialist Avon Middle-High School, MA

From Students:

  • “I don’t like writing, but when Mary said that she did not like writing as a kid and now she is a author it encouraged me to want to learn how to write now. She let me know that I could be a great author some day.” – R.J.
  • “The thing that really was a life lesson and really inspiring was the quote she said – ‘The only way you fail is by not trying.’ – Laykin
  • “The Skype with Mary Amato taught me that if you jot something down you are more likely to remember it.” – Ava
  • “It was a great experience to meet Mary Amato, and talk to her about her writing process! Skyping is a very fun activity. I would love to do it again. It is fun to see different ways authors, like Mary Amato, create amazing books. So all in all I loved Skyping with Mary Amato.” – Bailey

In-Person Visits

Want information about actual, in-person visits with me? Go to: Workshops.

Humor and Heart

I give voice to the funny, sad, messy, and wondrous stories of life, especially the stories of children and young adults. My mission: each book has humor and heart. If you are a teen and/or you're looking for info about my books and music for older readers, please check out my www.thrumsociety.com site.
Learn more about my mission and resources.

Appearances and Private Lessons

See my appearance list and find out about private lessons via Skype or in person.

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