POETRY/HYBRID WORKSHOP THAT WON'T MAKE YOU FEEL CRAPPY (8 weeks, virtual, for work in progress)
POETRY & HYBRID WORKSHOP THAT WON’T MAKE YOU FEEL CRAPPY (for works in progress)
WHEN & WHERE: April 22-June 10, 2026 (8 Wednesdays). 6-8PM ET, virtual on Zoom.
REGISTRATION: See sliding scale below. Limit: 9 students; sign up early.
DESCRIPTION: This is for poetry and hybrid writers who want to workshop existing drafts--without being made to feel crappy. In this class, our workshop model assumes that kindness/diplomacy and honesty/helpfulness aren’t opposites! (See more below.) Work may include any poetic approaches. "Hybridity" may mean mixing or playing with forms, such as prose/poetry texts; experimental memoirs or novels; unusual structures; mixed visual/language texts; lyric essays; or work which otherwise stretches, ignores, or combines genres.
Each participant will have two opportunities to verbally workshop up to 12 poems or pages, depending on the form, for 30 minutes each, plus receive at-home written comments from everyone. We will also spend time reflecting on our work and visions, plus reviewing core craft concepts through teacher lectures, including the nature of poetry, hybrid, and genre; lyricism; narrative; prose poetry/flash; lyric essay; and revision techniques. Supplementary at-home readings will be offered, but optional.
WHO IT'S FOR: Anyone with preexisting drafts/works in progress looking to take their work to the next level. Participants shouldn't worry about whether they are "advanced" enough, though should be ready for in-depth, communal workshopping, with review of both basic and advanced craft concepts.
NOTE: This class is largely for formal workshopping and craft review, with minimal focus on creating new work.
OUR WORKSHOP MODEL: I created this course because, after 15+ years of teaching with all genres, ages, and levels of students, I got heartsick and angry hearing about how many literally stopped writing or even dropped out of MFA programs because of traumatizing workshops. Those workshops had one thing in common: The macho “everything goes, don't be precious” MFA-style model that we take for granted as the only way to interact with one another’s work, even though its history is quite new—and quite associated with oppressive social systems. Thus, in our class:
- The writer gets to call the shots re: what’s helpful or not in terms of feedback, and that will be respected
- The teacher will instruct on how to give feedback in a way that’s maximally empowering and helpful
- Workshops will be dynamic, exploratory conversations
- We will practice holding a space of solidarity and becoming cheerleaders for each other’s work by getting to know what the writer themselves wants for it and helping them fulfill that vision
- Students will be expected to maintain personal accountability for not (re)creating oppressive dynamics around gender, race, culture, age, ability, etc. and for basic norms of respect, community, and kindness
****CANCELLATIONS, REFUNDS, AND OTHER POLICIES***
Zoom link and any related materials will be emailed to registrants by 2 days before the start of class.
Cancellations five days or more before the class begins will receive a full refund minus a $25 processing fee. For cancellations after that, there can be no refunds, as time is needed to fill cancelled spots. For similar reasons, there can also be no full or partial refunds for students who miss classes after the class has begun, or for students who have attended one or more classes but are dissatisfied with the class.
Conduct: I reserve the right to use my expertise and discretion to remove students from class, without refund, who display behaviors and speech which are racist, sexist, transphobic, homophobic, ableist, or otherwise disrespectful and non-compliant with class policies (to be discussed on the first day of class) regarding safe spaces and discrimination.
By registering for this class, you are acknowledging that you fully understand and consent to these policies.