Words of Praise, words of loss: Writing class Fall 2020

September 1, 2020 | Tags: American poetry, Books, Delaware, Family research, libraries, memoir, Mid Atlantic region, non-fiction, Poetry, Reading, writing, writing prompts, writing workshops

“Writing Creativity.” Fall 2020, six-session writing class. For information click here. To register free, click here. Wednesdays September 2 and 16; October 7 and 21; November 4 and 18 at 5pm EDT.

I am really looking forward to six evenings of writing together with with folks. Take some time to sit and honor your thoughts, your inner life. You might journal, begin a letter, describe some amazing thing you saw today, or write a few words in a loved one’s memory.

Pond at Judge Morris Estate, with lotus

We begin the 90-minute class by checking in. Then I’ll share an excerpt from a poem or essay or story. We will talk about a technique the author uses in that piece.

Guinea fowl in a barn. Rindge, New Hampshire

And then we will write from a prompt. I like to time our writing bursts. Having a time limit somehow encourages the mind to relax. That’s good for the language to flow. Having a time limit somehow also encourages risk. That’s good for getting at the truths you want to remind yourself.

Some themes we’ll explore: Words of Praise; Words of loss and healing; Words of Wonder; Word of Mystery . . . .

Some techniques we’ll explore: Repetition, rhythm and chant

; The situation and the story

; Rhymes gone wild

; Humoring yourself

This is a generative writing class for all levels with time to share built in. Some writers we will dip into: Elizabeth Alexander, Toni Morrison, Lydia Davis, Sandra Cisneros, Sarah Manguso, Li-Young Lee, Franz Wright, Toni Morrison, Lucy Grealy, Terry Tempest Williams, Tommy Orange, Sigrid Nunez, James Baldwin, Barbara Jane Reyes. I’ll adjust writers and models to class members’ interests.

Writing Creativity: Writing time and craft talk for poetry & prose writers

I can’t believe the year is half over. We’ve been through a lot, with more to come. It’s September. Fall is the season of harvest and regeneration. Let’s write together. Register here.

Six Wednesdays in the Fall: September 2 and 16; October 7 and 21; November 4 and 18 at 5pm eastern.