Thank you so much for trekking to Little Tokyo on a Saturday
morning. I think I learned more form your session than from
any workshop CCI has sponsored since we started. I keep quoting
you to other classes and now non-writers want to sign up if
and when you come to our rescue again.
Again, I want to thank you and your wonderful colleagues for
sharing your knowledge, your experience, and your unconventional
wisdom.
Judith Luther Wilder, President, Center for Cultural Innovation
(Los Angeles) |
This is [to express] our sincere appreciation for your most
valuable screenwriting workshop in Houston….Feedback has been
very positive and I know many of our own membes have read your
books, myself included, and greatly benefited. I hope you put
us on your list to let us know whenever a new edition is published.
When you plan another trip this way, please let us know. We’d
love to have you speak again. We’ve had several requests for
a “sequel” and the many folks who missed you the first time
begged us to “bring Ken back.”
Cynthia Hand Neely, President, Women in Film & Television/Houston
|
I just wanted to thank you again for coming to Dallas to speak
to our group at Dallas Screenwriters Association. I continue
to hear really nice things from our members about the meeting
and the pitch sessions. I appreciate all you did for us.
Mike Farris, President, DSA |
Thanks so much for taking the time to visit the Dallas Screenwriters
Association. Your Friday night presentation was one of the most
helpful meetings in memory. Thanks also, for taking pitches
on Saturday and so generously sharing your time and expertise.
Aline Harris |
We met Saturday, April 17, in your Learning Annex seminar
called "Write a Novel in Three Weeks."...I am just
writing to thank you again for the wonderful class. Clearly
you are not a person who needs to give classes and I can only
suppose that you do, in large part, for the simple love of sharing.
Your insightful coupling of pragmatic time management with creative
process resonated deeply with me. I am hungry to produce the
many ideas I have. The greatest gift I took away which I expect
will continue to affect my life is the method of story-making
less reliant upon my computer. I feel unchained! ...
Tracy Stein (San Francisco) |
I wanted to let you know that your seminar "Write a
Book in 3 Weeks," which I attended in San Francisco on
3/13/99 was the best, most helpful, and overall tremendous!
I was able to use the advice and techniques the same day, as
I hauled home 1,200 colorful index cards. In addition, your
book "A Writer's Time" is the only one I've read that
combines writing and real life and does so in such a useful,
readable way. It's fantastic! I plan to recommend it to a friend
who's trying to write and work a full time job, but he'll have
to get his own copy. I'm not letting go of mine! I just want
to thank you so much for coming to SF and presenting what was
certainly the best seminar I've ever attended. I've made substantial
progress on my book and plan to submit the first 50 pages...Thanks
again...
Tracie Clayton (San Francisco) |
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 18:39:16 -0700
Subject: kudos for lectures
Greetings.
I met you at the Learning Annex Workshop and wanted to thank
you for a wonderful evening. I just finished "A Writer's
Time" and feel like I've gotten a handle on a great many
things with the help of your vision, articulateness, and inspiration.
Thank you. Two main blessings are 1) I'm not crazy--I just have
large Islands and 2) the 3x5s--I wrote in a spiral and was stuck.
My screenplay is flowing. I feel more at home with my process
after learning about first time, etc. and your workshop also
helped me with my acting. Best of luck in all your endeavors.
Camille Carida |
From: John Davis
Subject: Many Thanks
Vincent & Ken,
Just a quick word of thanks for your presentation this past
Monday at the Learning Annex (Los Angeles). I didn't have the
money on hand to purchase your book that evening, but I found
it the following day in paperback and I'm absolutely loving
it.
It's nice to have heard your speech prior to reading it (the
talk really was a great framework of the text). I'm already
using a variation of your calendaring and card system on completing
my dissertation proposal at USC. I took a day off Wednesday
and completed the 60 cards necessary today in order to complete
the final 40 pages of the project.
In the meantime I will continue reading with an edge-of-the-seat
anticipation while I gather research for my FIRST novel. Best
of all, I enrolled in the course to write a non-fiction book.
Thanks a bunch, and let me know if you need a hearty referral.
John Davis |
Thank you for your informative and inspiring seminar! I appreciate
the generous amount of material you presented in a succinct,
practical, and stimulating manner. Thank you for giving me not
just the technical tools to write, but the hope and spark.
--Jamie Truscott (Santa Barbara) |
On behalf of all the members and guests of Northern California
Writers & Artists, I want to thank you for taking the time
out of your schedule to appear in Sacramento. Everyone agrees
that in the four years our group has been in existence you were
the most influential guest to speak. I know that many in the
room have already begun to take stock of their writing careers
and the types of stories they pursue...
--James C. Davis, President,
Independent Writers of Northern California (Sacramento) |
Just a very belated note to thank you kindly for your participation
in our Writers' Harvest event. You're always welcome here at
our Barnes & Noble, should the opportunity arise for a larger
event in the Spring with all your writing titles, please give
me a ring. Thanks again for helping us raise funds for fighting
hunger--you're a gem!
--Katie Layman,
Barnes & Noble
(Marina del Rey, CA) |
I would like to thank you for coming to Palm Springs and speaking
to our group. Everyone was truly impressed by you and your knowledge
of the business. You were absolutely great....Your book is really
terrific and I know it will be a smashing success for a long,
long time to come....Thank you again for your great lecture.
--Mary Firmin, President,
Palm Springs Writers Guild |
How do we thank you? The word on your workshop was that it
was fabulous. The authors couldn't get over the quality and
the content. The feedback has been tremendous. This was a conference
from which our attendees came away with new information and
fresh perspective, due in no small part to your participation.
I extend the deep appreciation of the PASIC Board for your time,
your kindness and your generosity. We are very grateful.
--Thea Devine,
P.A.S.I.C., Inc.,
A chapter of Romance Writers of America |
On behalf of the San Luis Obispo County Medical Society I
would like to thank you for your excellent presentation to our
members and their spouses...on the topic of "Using Mercury's
Caduceus to Follow Your Impossible Dream." As you could
tell, everyone thoroughly enjoyed your presentation, and I understand
several people from the Medical Society attended your presentation
the following night at Cal Poly. Thanks again for your outstanding
program and for scheduling us into your very busy calendar.
--Linda Garcia-Inchausti,
Administrative Secretary
(San Luis Obispo) |
I can't thank you enough for coming out to Baltimore this
past weekend. You were the hit of the conference. Agents and
editors as well as authors have told me how much they enjoyed
having you there. As you saw, this conference provides a unique
opportunity for authors, agents, editors and other publishing
professionals to network, share and receive information and
gain fresh perspective. Part of my job as coordinator was to
articulate questions and uncertainties I've heard from writers
over the past year (even when they didn't concern me personally).
Adding your perspective to the mix was just the right touch...Again,
thanks for trekking out to Baltimore.
--Carla Neggers
(Novelists, Inc.) |
I greatly appreciate your approach and think your workshop
is the best thing that's happened to me. In the short time we've
been working together, you've forced me to focus my thinking
and give my characters and story direction. Thanks again.
-- David Mandy
(New York City Yale Club) |
I attended the Wednesday Writers' Workshop at the Beverly
Hills Library yesterday evening for the first time. I can't
tell you how much I appreciated being there. How extraordinarily
thoughtful of you to want to share your insights with us greenies.
... With my heartfelt thanks.
-- Audrey David
(Burbank) |
I was a student in three of your "Open U" classes
in Minneapolis, the weekend of March 18-20. Thank you for your
wonderful education and inspiration.
-- Mike Olson (Minneapolis) |
I greatly enjoyed your writer's course at the Yale Club this
past weekend. For me, it was an excellent combination of how
to focus my time on getting the writing done, and how to think
about a good structure for a novel. Your material and ideas
were very helpful, and I was impressed with your ability to
keep the group's interest and maintain the momentum of the discussion.
Your seminar will provide considerable encouragement, as I work
to continue writing... Thank you again for your excellent program.
-- Bruce M. Babcock
(Winston-Salem, North Carolina) |
If some responsible-looking person stepped up to me on, say,
the 20th of June, and said, "For $45 I can get you 17 pages
of your thesis written," I would have forked it over immediately.
So, your 4 hr workshop at Pas. P.L. worked. What I derived was
this: 1. Discipline of 1 hr per day, no excuses. 2. Don't sculpt
each gorgeous sentence as you write. Get it down--the embellishment
can come later. 3. Allow flexibility but rely on your managing
editor to engineer that time schedule into your life. Thanks.
So far, so good.
--Jeri Byrne
(Los Angeles) |
I would like to thank you for providing a forum to inform
aspiring writers. I truly enjoyed your lecture last night. Few
things in life are free, but the truly valuable ones are! Please
keep on inspiring us!
-- Gethart
(Long Beach, CA) |
Thanks again so much for the encouraging words and kick in
the a$$. Need a testimonial or example for your new book...be
happy to oblige.
--John McKinney,
Olympus Press
(Santa Barbara) |
I just finished meeting with my tutorial staff, most of whom
are present or former students of yours and absolutely worship
you. They told me with pride and admiration of how you would
come into class and deal with eighteen pieces of writing in
five minutes each, telling each person exactly what her problem
was and how to overcome it. I had to admit I could never match
that performance, since I always spend the first half hour telling
the class about my children, the Bernoulli brothers, and Peter
the Great's penchant for traveling incognito with entourage
before getting down to the matter at hand....Thank you for all
your help...You may have your secrets in time management. Mine
is to always go for help to the busiest person around.
--Ben Freedman
(Department of Mathematics,
Occidental College,
Los Angeles) |
I want to thank you for coming to the Open U. a few days ago.
I found your workshop on the 20th to be very useful and it was
presented well. I'm in the beginning stages of writing my creative
thesis for my MA--a screenplay. The information you gave me
will help me decide if I should write for TV or film. Once again,
thanks.
-- Emily Phillips
(Minneapolis) |
I wanted to tell you again how valuable your talks were at
the writers' conference at Avila College. I've already implemented
one suggestion which, though part of the mechanics of writing,
has proven to be as helpful as anything covering the creative
side: the note cards...Thank you again for your help...
--Janice M. Dover
(Kansas City, MO) |
Your speech to the Palm Springs Writers' Guild yesterday exemplified
all your advice to us. You were indeed a story-teller. You told
the stories we all wanted to hear. You knew how to tell them.
We were captivated. Thank you so very much for sharing your
knowledge with us.
--Constance E. Amsden
(Corresponding Secretary, PSWG, Palm Springs, CA) |
As you can see, I've kept writing & have even landed a
literary agent at ICM!...I think of you & your advice often.
--Mark Fairchild
(Los Angeles) |
On behalf of Women in Film and myself, I want to thank you
for taking time from your busy schedule to be the guest speaker
at the WOW Workshop, "Go for It -- Career Change Workshop"
on Thursday, April 30th...Thanks again for presenting such valuable
information.
--Rozelle Teplitsky
(Chairman, WOW Workshops, Women in Film, L.A.) |
I just wanted to thank you again for your splendid presentation
and for your roundtable session at the Senior Publications Seminar.
You're an inspiration to those of us in the nine-to-five non-profit
world! Hope we can work together again soon!
--Nancy Rogers, CASE
(Washington, D.C.) |
I just wanted to thank you for offering & launching "Writing
for Publication" course on August 7 & 8. My mother
& I were very satisfied enriched and stimulated. It's nice
to know campuses are used in the off months and we both enjoyed
being on it. Looking around at the ages & faces, it was
obvious that a great variety of needs were met.
Most sincerely, Julie Clay Freeman
(Palo Alto, CA) |
Thank you so much for speaking to our English classes. Your
presentation was most interesting and informative and everyone
learned many new things about writing. Our students have a head
start finding a career when they have the privilege of hearing
a speaker such as you. Thank you for giving us some of your
most precious time and for your interest in our students.
--Mary Clark,
Career Center Coordinator,
South Pasadena Schools
(Pasadena, CA) |
...thank you for your informative and entertaining talk to
the members and guests of Southwest Manuscripters.
--Betty O. Simmons,
Program Chairman
(Torrance, CA) |
...I've learned quite a bit about myself and my writing. The
first, and probably the most important, fact is that my love
for writing is unfailing. It may be slow at times, and may even
border on the edge of negligence, but the truth remains that
I will always be writing. Secondly, for all my love and all
my determination, I realize the fallacy of writing without discipline.
I must admit that I sorely lack in disciplinary writing, or
writing on a schedule, since most of my fiction was written
in the wake of inspiration. However, with the knowledge that
I've gained in your workshop, I not only intend to organize
my writing time, but also to complete my screenplay over the
summer.
Dr. Atchity--Ken--all through secondary school my creative writing
ambitions were more or less overlooked in the teaching of expository
writing, and I'm proud to say that if I've come this far through
those suffocating sentiments, then I can surely continue writing
'till I reach the perfection I want. Thanks for a wonderful
time, and I hope to see you for more.
--Judy E. Roper
(Los Angeles) |
Just wanted to let you know that I'm leaving Omega this afternoon
(NO reflection on your class) and will not be attending the
remaining sessions. Someone (perhaps an ancient Greek?) said
that one learns most effectively when pleasure is part of the
process. Your lectures are certainly proof of that--entertaining
without being superficial, highly informative, and a real treat
for my mind to be exposed to your breadth of knowledge. I'm
sorry to miss the rest of the week and look forward to working
with you at sometime in the future.
--Tess Glasscock
(Omega Institute, NY) |
I've just returned from your prioritizing workshop at the
Beverly Hills Library and...it was tops. I have dabbled in writing
for over 20 years, and used to go to workshops and classes at
UCLA, no one (including Pulitzer Prize winners) ever imparted
knowledge like you did. Thank you for giving so generously of
yourself and your knowledge. You are right, there are nice people
out there.
--Eleonore Stark
(Los Angeles) |
A 2-hour class w/no breaks for ten weeks that's never dull.
Sound like a silly exaggeration? Not really. I've never seen
better and more consistent enthusiasm. Dr. Atchity is simply
the best professor I have had here.
--anonymous Occidental College student evaluation
(Los Angeles) |
Just wanted to thank you for the very informative weekend
(Romance Writers of America/San Diego). Larry & I look forward
to taking some of your workshops later in the year
--Thanks again.
--Judi & Larry Lind
(San Diego, CA) |