Lisa’s readings helped me explore this genre and also examine my own mortality and that of my beloved family members. Her discussions and writing projects further helped me explore the multi-faceted layers of mortality as expressed in the unique voices of the poetry we studied.  Lisa’s class offers an excellent foundation into existential poetry, and I will continue to explore the genre and the writers she exposed us too. Thank you for everything!

Rosemary is an inspired teacher. Her feedback is kind, thorough, and given with such enthusiasm that I found myself immediately wanting to improve my poems. She instilled in me a love for that process, that hard work. She also encouraged me to release the wild in my poetry, resulting in a huge shift in my writing and releasing a great joy in my life.

Ollie’s instruction and feedback was extremely constructive & motivating. They created a compassionate and creative environment with their philosophy, “Don’t be afraid to be bad”! They addressed individual questions in depth without losing track of the classes’ focus, and their editing tips were always very specific and helpful.

Anna worked her magic and turned us into a true writer’s community. Anna brought something fresh, lively, and challenging to each session: a new way of reading, of writing, of listening, and giving feedback.

Anna is wonderful teacher and exceptional poet. Patient, kind, and informative, she cultivates the best in each poet, helping them on their journey. Besides her insightful critiques, her class discussions are educational, informative, and enjoyable. She imbues each discussion with her enthusiasm and love of poetry.

Anna Scotti is an exciting and compassionate teacher. I was a little worried about taking this class because I had never written a prose poem. But each week, with her guidance, I felt more and more confident. 

Jonathan McClure’s professionalism is outstanding. His readings of attendees’ work are extensive and offered as in-line marginal annotations. He reads each piece through the author’s sensibility and register, offers relevant suggestions for rethinking a piece rather than alternative words or phrases, and addresses us as adults who are serious about craft and effect. His prompts in the classes are thoughtful, lucid, and provoke valuable effort. If he has a pet metier or school, I don’t know what it is, and hallelujah for that.

Ollie was very encouraging and supportive; they not only knew their stuff, but shared feedback in a non-critical manner. This course provided an intimate and challenging opportunity for me to learn about various poetry forms/styles, as well as the experience of writing and sharing unedited, first-draft poems based on prompts provided by the instructor. It forced me to work outside my comfort zone, and that was a benefit in and of itself, outside of the class material.

Ollie was a wonderful teacher. I think it was through their feedback that I gained the best understanding of how working in this kind of format can truly revolutionize your writing.

Excellent. Tina gave consistently thoughtful feedback – on various aspects of the poems, from structure to tempo to content – and was able to meet each writer where they are which is crucial, I feel. As a beginner I felt encouraged but also nudged to consider things I hadn’t before.

Joy is a tremendous teacher and an enthusiastic person who has made me want to write at a time of my life when I wanted to be as far from pen and paper as possible. Her enthusiasm and love of poetry is truly infectious. She challenged us to write on the spot with no pressure or judgement. The way she analyzed poetry made it understandable and accessible. Without a doubt one of the best writing teachers I’ve ever had because she made me want to write.

This course came at precisely the right time in my development as a poet, and it gave me everything I could have asked for. As someone who has written poetry seriously for 45 years, I was given new, fresh ways to experience the world and find language to express that experience. The workshop itself resulted in my production of several new poems that seem worth publishing, but far more important it added to and deepened my craft and my approach to writing. The instructor was incredibly thoughtful, warm, supportive, and insightful, and working with him was inspiring to me.

I really enjoyed the course and feel that I gained so much from it. Joy Roulier Sawyer is an amazing teacher! She brings tons of information to the subject. Her feedback on assignments is so thorough and highly thoughtful. She always brings such enthusiasm to everything that she does.

Shankar Narayan is a good teacher. He is knowledgeable about the subject and provided us with appropriate instruction and examples. I would take another one of his classes.

I absolutely loved this course and I highly recommend it. Mr. Mills is an extremely passionate teacher and has helped my writing immensely.

Outstanding teacher of all things poetry-related. David’s subject knowledge is extensive. It’s thrilling to come away with much more than a cursory understanding of various poetic forms and the confidence to use them in my own work. The lectures were intense and inspiring. I love what I learned and especially loved feeling like writer’s block was no longer a problem. 

Assignments and readings all new for me, motivating, unsettling in good ways. Marc helped me show not tell, write down first thoughts, editing is mostly deleting later. He gave me confidence to submit a poem, pending now. This is my second course with Marc Olmsted, and I highly recommend him.

Marc is an excellent teacher who truly engages with his students. His critiques are thoughtful and helpful. I hope to take a class from him in the future.

I’ve taken two of Marc’s classes now and I intend to take more. He is a very insightful teacher with thoughtful guidance. He helped me work through a rewrite and I got my poem published.

The course was encouraging and positive. Joy’s approach and poetry choices were substantive and she gave us valuable info and feedback in a kind and helpful way.

Joy Roulier Sawyer was an absolutely wonderful teacher. She was so supportive of everyone and noticed positive aspects in each of our writing and responses. Her responses to poetry we submitted was thorough and thoughtful. I will be looking for another course to take with Joy as she inspired me to continue to write.

I have been interested in writing poetry for a while, but didn’t know how to get started. This was an excellent introduction. The readings included craft information as well as inspiration. The instructor provided feedback on my work that was encouraging and helped me learn how to improve my work. I am thrilled that not only did I get started writing poems, but with the inspiration and guidance provided in this class, have actually written a few that feel meaningful to me. I even have had one accepted for publication!

Excellent. I would take the course again—the exact same one. There is so much to glean from the material presented that one pass is not enough. I Highly recommend Zining to any aspiring poet or anyone exploring poetry.

The teacher was very responsive and I benefited from her ability to target my strengths and weaknesses in a very tactful but direct way. She clearly brought a new level of artistry to my work and I will forever be grateful to her. The format was wonderful and my classmates were forthcoming and the participation was open and full. She truly improved the craft of my poetry. Zining Mok is very knowledgeable and explained many techniques, forms and structures that I was up until now unaware. I recommend this course highly!!

The workshop was great. The teacher was great. I learned about modern sonnets and I am so happy. 

This setting, encompassing length, content and format, facilitated by a warm and knowledgeable teacher, offered a great dipping point into a craft that can be intimidating for so many of us! A wonderfully positive experience!

I found my way back to myself … or became more of myself through this course. Having the space to connect and be inspired, paired with the accountability and community to create was pure, poetic magic. Thank you!

This workshop was perfect for me. I wanted a beginner’s class to learn the elements of poetry including terms, forms, genres, devices. The lessons included wonderful poems that illustrated all of these elements. Then we wrote poems in alignment with the lessons as an optional assignment. The teacher, Joy Sawyer, was very knowledgeable, personable, and encouraging. I enjoyed the camaraderie of the other participants and appreciated Joy’s advice for giving each other feedback. I highly recommend this interesting and inspiring class for anyone who wants to learn more about poetry.

This was an excellent course that I was so sorry to see end! The instructor, Joy Sawyer, was terrific and the other participants very engaged. Joy is truly a motivated and passionate teacher who is very knowledgeable in her craft. She set a tone in the class that encouraged participation and her feedback was always helpful and clear. I would highly recommend this course to others. 

Excellent. The whole class – teacher and fellow writers – are so supportive and encouraging.

I loved this class. I grew so much through the author study and tried many new styles of writing, including writing in certain forms. I never would have experimented so much in my writing if it weren’t for taking this course.

The selection of poems was fantastic, the teacher was insightful, and the group of students was amazing. Everyone in the class loved poetry, was serious about learning to write poetry, and was generous in helping each other grow.

Really great writing circle. Lovely group of writers, great feedback given and received, and a wonderful experience writing together. Made me realize the importance of a good writing community. Susan’s writing circles are a gift. I learned so much from everyone, and am immensely grateful for the opportunity to write with this group.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Haiku & Senryu workshop. The teachers’ passion for this subject was obvious and this made the class a lot of fun. It was very informative and I learned things about this type of poetry I had not known before. I recommend this class to anyone curious about Haiku and Senryu.

Rosemary was amazing, and her lessons so thoughtful and thought provoking. After 34 years since the last time I tried to write poetry I was quite nervous, but she helped me start to find my voice again and I remembered how deeply I had loved poetry.

I thoroughly enjoyed the course. It motivated me to settle down and write, which is exactly what I was hoping. Lisa is a knowledgeable and dedicated instructor.

Lisa is generous and enthusiastic. She was particularly generous in offering guidance and encouragement about getting published, which was new for me, and invaluable. The topic, the assignments, and most importantly the quality of the work and the feedback offered by my fellow students were excellent. Interaction with fellow students throughout the week was the highlight. 

Rosemary Bensko is an excellent teacher. Her course instruction and selection of poems are to the point. She’s also very sharp in commenting on our writings and guiding us to improve our pieces. Her recorded analysis of a poem for each unit is my favorite. It’s full of insight and her voice is so pleasant.

Not only did I learn, I was quite entertained and had a great time. Susannah was very engaging and encouraging.

Susan Vespoli is a wonderful teacher/facilitator. She creates a safe space for each group, gives us realistic timed writings with soft landings, and makes sure that no one is ever left out from reading. Most all of us show up for the twice-a-week group, and as the days go by, our writing gets deeper into meaning. We truly end each session not just knowing each other better, but with a deep caring toward each other. This is my fourth group in the circle with Susan, and I hope there will be many more to come.

Participating in the writing circle classes is both an incredible way to improve your writing but more important, find a sense of true community with your fellow writers. The format encourages creativity and honesty.

Marc is incredibly kind and insightful. He values his students and tales their work seriously. I was shocked by how much I observed my writing grow in only four weeks.

Wonderful way to get through the chaos and beauty of winter solstice and the holidays through writing and sharing our stories. Susan collected great resources for our winter-sanity and inspired us with poetry and writing prompts.

This was challenging and substantive. Rosemary’s readings of our posted work were invariably prompt, detailed, and constructive. As usual, the participants were serious, generous, and ambitious writers and readers. Rosemary is engaged and professional. I admire her as a fellow teacher and am grateful to be her student.

This is my favorite of the three courses I’ve taken with Writers.com. The Zoom writing circles were incredibly powerful. Susan is a great facilitator. She was always timely in feedback and had a well organized course that was easy to navigate.

I really liked this course. It was very well laid out and covered the basics of writing poetry clearly and effectively. Zining was always kind and encouraging, but was also very good at pointing out nuanced areas for growth in my work.

Rosemary Bensko’s instructional materials and attention to student work is professional and engaged beyond the expectations for an online course. Her attention to our work is so prompt and engaged—she takes the construction of a good poem seriously and that’s exactly what you want in a poetry instructor. She attends to language, the presentation of feeling, the development of idea and story in a poem. I’m currently taking my 3rd class with her.

I loved this course. Rosemary was both pointed and supportive in her critique, and I really feel I developed as a writer. She pulled fantastic poetry for our weekly readings, and her lessons were always clear and constructive.

Tina is phenomenal! Her suggestions were extremely helpful – a great assist in moving me out of the cocoon of comfort and onto unknown terrain. I will definitely look for more of her classes.

Tina Barry is exceptional as an instructor. She responds with critiques in a timely manner, she shares well-thought-out suggestions and she is very liberal with praise for what is working well. Overall, Tina is a very caring and supportive teacher. As a retired educator, I very much appreciated Tina’s organization of the course as well. Her instructions were clear, her examples were excellent, and her communication with the class was supportive and very helpful. I am excited about taking other classes from Tina!

I thoroughly enjoyed this course. Tina’s feedback on my work was very helpful, balanced and constructive. She is a real crafts-person and her own writing is beautiful. I look forward to taking another course with Tina. 

I had an excellent experience with this course. I have taken multiple workshops and classes with Tina Barry over the years and have always found her prompts, lessons, and feedback inspiring. This course did not disappoint!

Barbara’s encouragement and guidance illuminated ways in which I can objectively view my own writing. The other students were extremely gifted and shared poignant feedback. I know I have grown as a writer from this course.

David Mills was one of the best teachers I have ever had. His presentation of the material was exemplary and learned. His treatment of his students was generous and compassionate. But most striking of all was the attention David paid to the writing his students generated in the course. I have never had a closer reading of my writing than that given by David. David’s class was truly a watershed moment in my writing life.

This class was enjoyable and educational. David Mills is a good teacher, knowledgeable and thorough in his instruction and feedback. I will not hesitate to take another class with David.

David Mills’ warm, open style immediately put me at ease. His passion, enthusiasm and depth of knowledge of poetry—both its history and many forms and structures—sold me on my decision to take the plunge. The feedback given in writing is very detailed and more than I expected. The time and care he devotes to analyzing student work is remarkable! In fact, David himself is remarkable.

This course was challenging and fun. Rosemary’s critiques were very helpful and I am a better poet thanks to her constructive and encouraging comments. It forced me to write each week and that was good for my body and soul.

Rosemary was very present and available throughout the course. She promptly responded at length to each posted work, and was always quick to answer questions. I felt I was being addressed directly and personally in her remarks. Rosemary really made an effort to connect with each of us through our work.

This course was just the right length and time commitment. 4 weeks with easy exercises to get into and great feedback from Marc, the teacher, along with peers. It warmed me up to get into writing and feel more confident about my work as a poet.

This course was exactly what I needed! Susan Vespoli is an excellent facilitator; her pacing was perfect; she created the safe space I needed to push my craft. I looked forward to each session, and I found the time in between to be productive because the sessions were so rich. I could not have asked for a better experience.

Writing Mindfulness was an extremely engaging course. Assignments were challenging yet fun. Feedback – by both Marc and fellow students – offered gentle learning nudges. In just one short month, a strong community of poets was formed. Marc created a safe and creative learning environment. He was an on-going presence, providing constant feedback and encouragement. I will definitely take more Writers.com courses.

I loved it! It was my first experience with Writers.com, and it was nice to not be on Zoom and to jump in the discussion board at my own pace. Marc had such a nice balance of amplifying my strengths and giving me the confidence as a beginner, while gradually providing concrete feedback and areas of improvement. I really appreciated this approach.

The course structure, covering so much in a short time; the course material and examples offered in support of each topic; and the instructor’s feedback on my work and that of my co-participants, were all truly outstanding. 

Marc’s “lectures” and assignments are creative and stimulating. He was prompt with his responses to my poems, he seemed to read them carefully and he understood them well. His critiques helped me revise my work and develop my abilities as a writer.

The course was excellent. It’s the second time I’ve taken it, but there’s always more to get out of each lesson. The readings were inspiring and illuminating, covering a range of styles and human experiences. The lecture transcripts were engaging and pleasant to read; they were packed with helpful information but also clear and concise. Jonathan’s commentary was, as usual, incredible!

This class stretched my knowledge. David Mills teaches beyond expectations. This is not a class for the casual attendee but extremely worthwhile for the attentive poet. I am still processing his remarks given to each student.  He gave dynamite suggestions!

Excellent class. Excellent instructor. Valuable input. This class has made a difference in my writing.

Susan’s feedback and promptness were very professional. Her lessons are packed with information and ideas.  And, after the class was completed, she kept the site open for additional time to finish assignments, which I greatly appreciated. I look forward to interacting with her in another class!

The course material was excellent. It kept me engaged and learning throughout. This class was so helpful because it focused not just on individual poems but on seeing work (your own and others’) in terms of a collection. The class work and generous attention of the teacher were invaluable. I wish there were more classes like this!

This is a terrific course, especially if you are looking for a safe, open forum to simply write and write and write! I find that the Writing Circles led by Susan provide wonderful inspiration for my writing, and it keeps me going even when I might not feel like I have much to say. Most important, I have been very surprised how stimulating participating is to my overall writing practice–I find I keep generating ideas between classes.