The writing part of poetry is lonely work. You are having it out with the page, with words that won't say what you need them to even though you know they can, even though you know the magic is in there somewhere. Sometimes it takes an hour to find five right words. But then.
Before You Register
I'm so happy you're thinking about signing up to be a participant in my Level II Summer Poetry Workshop! (Click here to read more about my background in poetry, and where my work has appeared.) This workshop will be capped at five participants, and there must be a minimum of three participants enrolled in order for it to go ahead. I will give you a 72-hour notice via email if I need to cancel (which I do not anticipate), in which case you will of course be refunded in full.
A full refund (minus a $30 registration fee) will be given if you need to withdraw from the workshop at least two weeks before the first session. After that time, I'll be unable to give you a refund since it will be too late to fill your spot. However, you will be welcome to give your spot to a friend, and you will still receive the workshop syllabus, writing prompts, and reading handouts.
Note: If necessary, you can pay for your registration in four installments. Select this option at checkout to learn more.
Course Description
This course is a writing workshop designed to help serious writers polish their poetry and get started navigating the complex poetry publishing world. The ideal participant is a writer who has been laboring over the craft of poetry for some time and wants to learn more about how to prepare their work for publication in literary journals or magazines. The course will consist of eight weekly group video conferences (held via Zoom), weekly writing assignments, and various supplementary readings selected from contemporary poetry journals to expand the participants’ familiarity with the field. At the end of the workshop, participants will have created a polished poetry submission document formatted according to industry standards and including five poems, a cover letter, and a third-person bio. I'll also host an online poetry reading at the conclusion of the workshop, in which participants will be invited to read some of their work to a small audience.
Course Requirements & Expectations
Participants will be asked to submit a total of five poems throughout the duration of the workshop, picking three of them to re-submit for a second feedback session after they've implemented revisions and edits. In order to facilitate robust class discussions and fruitful workshop sessions, participants will be expected to thoughtfully read and take notes on the poems submitted by the other participants, and to keep up with the (brief!) weekly reading assignments. They will also be expected to actively engage in the workshop sessions, offering thoughtful, honest, and kind feedback on others’ poems. By the end of the course, participants will be expected to complete a small number of assignments designed to familiarize them with the publishing world, and to prepare a poetry submission document according to guidelines that will be provided.
Course Texts
Selected readings from contemporary literary journals will be assigned weekly and provided via email in a single document.
Course Dates
A week before the workshop begins, participants will be asked to submit their first poem and will be given a small selection of readings to complete before the first session. Barring an unexpected emergency that may require the postponement of a session, the meeting dates and times for the workshop will be as follows:
July 6: (Tuesday) 7:30-9:30pm EDT
July 13: (Tuesday) 7:30-9:30pm EDT
July 20: (Tuesday) 7:30-9:30pm EDT
July 27: (Tuesday) 7:30-9:30pm EDT
August 3: (Tuesday) 7:30-9:30pm EDT
August 10: (Tuesday) 7:30-9:30pm EDT
August 17: (Tuesday) 7:30-9:30pm EDT
August 24: (Tuesday) 7:30-9:30pm EDT