Comics are a magical bridge from text to image. Working with prompts, we will experiment with combining images and words to make something greater than the sum of its parts. No prior experience necessary.
read moreA two hour workshop going over the history of three ancient Japanese forms, the haiku, the tanka, and the haibun, and how they have evolved over the last thousand years. Students will read works by the masters and then write prompt driven poems of their own!
read moreIn this workshop, learn the basics of songwriting and have a chance to write a song or poem based on photo visuals provided to you, along with instrumental music to accompany the visuals. Have fun while you create your own narrative through this workshop! 2 hours, 15 people max
read morePoetry forms stretch us. They challenge us to write more creatively, help us express what feels too enormous to say, and provide moments of pause and reflection. Essentially, they are containers of excavation. In this three-hour workshop, we'll explore the ghazal, an ancient Arabic form that traditionally engages themes of longing, melancholy, questioning, love, and […]
read moreWhat consciousness might we imagine lurks inside a lamp, a well-loved book, or a pen lost behind the refrigerator? What stories would a fire hydrant tell, or a great blue heron, or a printing press? In this workshop, we’ll explore the persona poem, a form that asks us to attempt the difficult but exciting work […]
read moreThis workshop explores the intersection of poetry, mythology, and personal narrative as a portal to our inner world. Through rituals of spoken word and storytelling, workshop facilitator Liza Newell will guide participants into emergent landscapes where the “old stories” live; extending an invitation for individuals to consider the specificity and universality of their lives as […]
read moreJoin us for a crash course in reading and writing poetry. We’ll read some poems together, talk about what makes them tick, then try our hand at capturing some poetry on the page. No prior writing experience required!
read moreThis generative workshop will illustrate why poetry is necessary and sought-after during times of crises and change. Through prompts and discussion, we will explore how poetry can offer us not only a place to put the heat but also a place to find rest, renewal and community as we write our way together towards a […]
read moreHow can pop culture provide new and inventive ways to write poems, present complex truths, and provide an avenue into our deepest emotions? In this generative workshop, poet Courtney LeBlanc will provide examples that effectively, and creatively, weave pop culture into their poems. How does an American Girl doll represent your childhood? How does Nirvana […]
read moreIn this generative workshop Courtney LeBlanc will provide example of poems that focus on the body – how the world interprets our bodies, how we survive in the world, what we hold inside and what the body remembers. We'll discuss the poems and then the instructor will offer prompts for writing our own body-focused poems.
read moreJoin poetry slam champion and coach Douglas Powell/Roscoe Burnems in an introduction to poetry as a performance art, how to take your poem from page to stage, and create more dynamic performances. This journey will cover finding emotional checkpoints, storytelling, and the importance of spoken-word in the digital era.
read moreAre you curious about translating real-life events onto the page? Do you have personal stories that seem like they could work together holistically? Are you a consummate journaler who wants to experiment with craft? In this two-day intensive, we break down specific craft elements (structure, characterization, time management, etc), and then use what we’ve learned […]
read moreThis class focuses on basic tips for revising poetry, giving and receiving constructive poetic feedback, and how to further revise a poem after a group workshop. First, we'll get inspired by topics or prompts discussed in class and revise poems you have been working on to get them workshop-ready. Then, workshop your poem among peers […]
read moreWhether you're currently working on a literary project or trying to get inspiration, this generative workshop will serve as a gentle and fun way to push yourself creatively. Through prompts, mini-lectures, readings, supportive discussion, group members will work towards realizing their prose visions.
read moreDive into screenwriting in this seven-week class exploring on the core elements of storytelling: character, conflict, and climax. This class breaks down the essentials of a compelling script, exploring how to craft memorable characters, create dynamic conflict, and build tension to a powerful climax. You'll have the chance to develop your ideas from concept to […]
read moreSending writing to literary journals can be an intimidating process. In this two-hour class, we'll take a step-by-step approach to sending our writing out to journal editors. Learn directly from Samantha Steiner, MFA, a writer with 50+ publications including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. In addition to her work in the world of book publishing, Steiner […]
read moreThomas Larson writes that “memoir is most successful when it is not the ‘story of a life,’ but a focused part of that life—a dozen summers spent working on a grandfather’s farm, a long relationship with a dying relative, the first year of law school.” You’ll work with writing prompts and timed writing exercises, and […]
read moreExplore the possibilities of the prose poem. Each week, we'll read and discuss examples of prose poems (historic and contemporary), then use these conversations to inspire us as we write prose poems of our own.
read moreHave you taken poetry workshops at VisArts? Do you feel ready to deepen your craft? Work with other experienced writers to study, learn new forms and critique your classmates' work.
read moreGot ideas for a science fiction or fantasy story but aren’t sure how to approach it? Have you wanted to try exploring these imaginative genres but need a push to get started? Looking for like-minded folks with whom to share work and explore ideas? If you answered yes to any of those questions, this is […]
read moreDo you have story ideas but don’t know where to start? Are you wondering what to do with those completed story drafts that need revision? Or, maybe you’re a first-time writer looking for a way into the work? In this two-day intensive, we break down specific craft elements (POV, time management, characterization, etc), and then […]
read moreWhat does it mean to write about home? We’ll examine the many kinds of homes that exist, ranging from houses to nations to the body itself. Our conversation will take us from the Grimms’ Fairytale “Hansel and Gretel” to the present day as we write about our changing relationships with home in the time of […]
read moreAre you looking for a creative way to process your childhood or recount memories? Look no further! This 4-week class will dive into childhood and early adulthood in the form of creative essays or short stories. We will include workshop time so students can receive feedback on their work as well as writing exercises to […]
read moreThis class is for the conversations that still need to happen. We’ll talk about the barriers that keep us from writing what we need to write. We’ll also examine works by Chanel Miller, Jeannette Walls, and Layli Long Soldier to take lessons from the ways in which they make difficult topics easier to access. Students […]
read moreDo you: Overthink the first draft? Struggle to get past creative resistance? Every draft is an experiment. In this class, participants will engage with on-the-spot experimental prompts, workshop short drafts, and come away with a new and renewed skill set for their creative process.
read more