This introductory workshop is for those who write poetry but want more opportunities and inspiration, and for those who haven’t written much poetry and want to learn how.
Our main goal is to write a lot of poems, but in order to do that well, we have to read some. We will read contemporary and modern poems (and some ancient forms like haiku), and then launch ourselves into writing with prompts and poetic choices. We will experiment with the tools of poetry: line, sound, image, figurative language, and more. We will practice reading closely, and through this, participants will gain confidence as readers/writers, feeling that they hold the tools for understanding and writing in their own hands.
This workshop’s facilitation will be guided and inspired by The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop by Felicia Rose Chavez. Participants will:
- Write what they want to write in order to achieve their best work;
- Grow in confidence as writers and readers Engage in a supportive writing community;
- Study each other’s writing to learn from and support each other;
- Explore readings from living BIPOC poets as well as a few dead poets;
- Practice writing freely, without self-censorship or self-criticism;
- Share their work when they are ready;
- Reflect on their goals and growth as writers;
- Learn how to ask for, receive and give constructive feedback;
- Celebrate their own and others’ successes; and
- Revise drafts of poems into more fully realized drafts.
Instructor: Cynthia Larsen is Lake Erie Ink’s co-founder and Education Director. Cynthia taught secondary English in Jersey City, New Jersey; Oakland, California; and Cleveland, Ohio before attending graduate school at the University of Arizona, where she received her MFA in creative writing. Ms. Larsen has facilitated project-based creative writing in collaboration with teachers for over fifteen years, combining her experience in education with her passion for and knowledge of the craft of creative writing.
---Details: Poetry Lab: Intro Writing Course takes place Tuesdays May 2, May 9, May 16, May 23, May 30, and June 6 from 6:30-8:30pm at Lake Erie Ink, 2843 Washington Blvd., Cleveland Hts. OH 44118.Prerequisites: NoneGenre: Poetry, Performance PoetryLevel: EmergingFormat: Generative and feedback workshop with craft elements and reading.Location: This class takes place at Lake Erie Ink, 2843 Washington Blvd., Cleveland Hts. OH 44118.Size: Limited to 12 participants (including scholarships).Scholarships: Two scholarship spots are available for this class for writers in Northeast Ohio. Apply by April 24.Cancellations & Refunds: Cancel at least 48 hours in advance of the first class meeting to receive a full refund. Email info@litcleveland.org.
