Online Poetry Writing Courses

Explore and grow as a poetry writer in our online poetry courses. Collaborate with other serious poets, and enjoy direct interaction with and feedback from our award-winning instructors.

We’re here to support you through all stages of your poetry writing journey, from deepening in craft elements to exploring genre and form to developing and honing your collection.

Our instructors are both published poets and experienced educators, and they're dedicated to supporting you—whatever your personal goals, level of experience, or approach to poetry.

Our online poetry classes are filling fast, so reserve your spot today.

online poetry writing courses

Upcoming Online Poetry Writing Courses




March Courses

Poetic Prose: The Prose Poem

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March 20 | 10 Weeks | $645

Only 1 seat left!

Explore the border between prose poetry and flash fiction. For writers of fiction, poetry, essay and memoir.

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Sing the Body Electric: Poetry of the Body

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March 20 | 4 Weeks | $345 | NEW!

The human body is a continuous source of inspiration for poetry. Embody the poetic in this electric workshop. 

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Writing Mindfulness: Sensual World/Poetry Mind

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March 20 | 4 Weeks | $345

A four-week class, melding the language mind with the sensual: How to turn detailed observation into a poem. With Marc Olmsted.

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Crafting the Poetry Novel for Young Adults

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March 27 | 8 Weeks | $545

Even if you’ve never written poetry before, you can begin the rewarding process of crafting a poetry novel for Young Adults. Is there a market for novels written in verse? Are they well received? Yes, there is, and yes, they are!

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The Craft of Poetry

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March 27 | 10 Weeks | $645

Poetry is alive and well. Contemporary poets can be touching, terrifying, and laugh-out-loud funny. Join us for an exploration of writing and reading poems.

April Courses

30 Poems in 30 Days

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April 1 | 4 Weeks | $345

This National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo), build community and get feedback on your work while writing a poem every day.

(Live Workshop) Poetry as Sacred Attention

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April 2 | Single-Day Webinar | $115

Poetry asks us to slow down, listen, and pay attention. In this meditative workshop, we'll open ourselves to the beauty and mystery of poetry.

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A Poet’s Calling Card: Writing and Composing a Chapbook

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April 17 | 8 Weeks | $545

The poetry chapbook gives poets the chance to make a small, artful collection around a poetic obsession. Learn how to craft yours in this 8 week chapbook intensive.

Poems of All Sizes: Haiku, Tanka, and Japanese Poetic Forms

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April 18 | 2 1-Day Workshops | $195

Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.

Explore the history and poetics of Japanese poetry forms, and write haiku, tanka, renga, haiga, and linked verse poetry.

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From the Source: Journaling for Self-Knowledge and Creativity

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April 24 | 6 weeks | $445 | NEW!

Journal to discover yourself, find a wellspring of creativity, and produce publication-ready pieces.

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How to Craft a Poem

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April 24 | 6 Weeks | $445

A poem can tell a story, communicate our innermost thoughts, and reveal what moves us most deeply. Craft poems that do all of this and more in this guided poetry workshop.  

The Joy of Poetry: A Beginner-Friendly Workshop

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April 24 | 6 Weeks | $445

Have you wanted to get into poetry, but don't know where to start? Learn the craft from the Joy of poetry herself in this welcoming workshop.

May Courses

Experiments in Poetry

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May 8 | 10 Weeks | $645 | NEW!

See poetry in a totally new light! Draw inspiration from the most radical, innovative, and imaginative poets in literary history, master their techniques, and write new exciting poems of your own.

Writing Circle Workshop: Moving Toward Creativity & Light

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May 8 | 6 Weeks | $445 | NEW!

Connect with other writers, spark your creativity, and write light-filled poems in this writing circle workshop. 

It Starts with Play: Get (Back) into Writing

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May 22 | 6 Weeks | $445 | NEW!

Harness the joy of creativity in this inspiration-focused class, where we'll uncover new ideas for writing projects and draft loads of new material. 

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June Courses

Ordinary to Extraordinary: Turning Everyday Experiences into Poetry

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June 5 | 4 Weeks | $345

No experience is too small or mundane to serve as a foundation for extraordinary poetry and short fiction.

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Call of the Weird: Poetry and Nature

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June 12 | 6 Weeks | $445

Turn your poetic lens towards the outdoors in this six week workshop, where we'll put to verse everything strange and wonderful about the natural world. 

The Healing Power of Poetry

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June 12 | 4 Weeks | $345

Poetry heals. Journey alongside several poets whose works resonate with a variety of healing themes, and learn how to use craft elements as healing tools.

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Finding Inspiration in Dreams

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June 26 | 6 Weeks | $445

Our dreams are fertile fields of inspiration, meaning, and creativity. Learn how to use your dreams as doorways to future writing.

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Observing What’s Vivid in Prose and Poetry

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June 26 | 4 Weeks | $345

Learn how to spotlight beauty through fresh, vivid, and surprising language, in this four week mindfulness writing course.

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July Courses

Opening the Door to Poetry

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July 10 | 8 Weeks | $545

How do we use poetry to express life's marvelous complexity? Learn how to control language beyond the "ordinary" and discover the many possibilities of poetry.

September Courses

A Writerly Life: Develop a Writing Routine that Works for You

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September 4 | 5 Weeks | $395

What does a writer's life look like? Build a productive writing habit in this course for writers of all backgrounds.

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Telling Truth: A Poetry Workshop

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September 4 | 6 Weeks | $445

Learn how to tell your story and write a mini chapbook of poems in this truth-driven poetry workshop.

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Putting It All Together: Completing Your First Poetry Manuscript

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September 18 | 8 Weeks | $545

How do you put together a poetry book? From choosing a theme to ordering your poems, you'll end this course with a ready-to-publish manuscript.

October Courses

Plumbing the Past: Turning Life Experience into Poetry, Flash and Creative Non-Fiction

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October 2 | 4 Weeks | $345

Dig deep into personal ritual while studying narrative poets, short fiction and non-fiction authors, and food writers.

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Unscheduled Courses

These online writing classes don’t currently have a next session on our calendar, but will soon. If you see a course you’re interested in, use the “I’m Interested” button to let us know, and we’ll follow up with you when the course is on our calendar next.

Want to reach us or our instructors with questions about our online writing courses? Contact us at writers@writers.com, or visit the contact form.

(Live Workshop) Drawing Poems: the Art of Visual Poetry

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1 day workshop | $115 | NEW!

By melding poetry with design, visual poets can create multidimensional works of art and literature. Explore the craft in this visual poetry workshop. 

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(Live Workshop) Get Clear on Your Story and Voice

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Single-Day Webinar | $115

What is your story about? What is your voice? Whether you write poetry, fiction, or nonfiction, hone your writing in this 3 hour workshop.

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(Live Workshop) Haiku & Senryu: Rekindling A Sense of Wonder

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Single-Day Webinar | $115

Haiku, Senryu, and other Japanese poetry forms encourage us to slow down and write mindfully. Learn how to write these forms in this meditative writing workshop.

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*Private Class | Poetry Workshop: Bring Your Poems to Life

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January 1 | 8 to 12 Weeks | $645 | NEW!

Join us for this workshop on creating powerful poems—poems that are clear and organized, fresh and moving, full of life.

*Private Class | The Craft of Poetry

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January 1 | 10 to 14 Weeks | $745

Poetry is alive and well. Contemporary poets can be touching, terrifying, and laugh-out-loud funny. Join us for an exploration of writing and reading poems.

*Private Class | Using Bullet Journaling to Achieve Writing Goals

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January 1 | 3 to 7 weeks | $345

Looking to keep your writing goals organized? Make it happen in our bullet journaling course. Learn the art of the BuJo with Rudri Patel!

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A Crazy Little Thing Called Love: Writing Original Love Poems

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6 Weeks | $445 | NEW!

How do poets write about love in fresh, surprising, original ways? Tackle the art of love poetry and write about all kinds of love in this generative workshop.

Architecture of the Creative Heart: Writing Formal Poetry

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6 Weeks | $445

Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.

Learn how diving into form—the coherent relationship of all of a poem’s parts—can enhance your creativity and freedom as a poet.

Both Fish and Fowl: The Prose Poem

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8 Weeks | $545

A successful prose poem reads like a magic trick. Learn how to wield the powers of poetry in the context of prose in this comprehensive prose poetry course.

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Crafting the Poetry Novel: Advanced Workshop

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5 weeks | $395

Want to make headway on your poetry novel? This workshop offers the structure and resources to get it done, with instructor Kelly Bingham.

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Death Riding Shotgun: How Awareness of Our Mortality Impacts Poetry

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How can your own mortality inform your work? In this 6-week course, you'll use death to inspire and motivate your poetry writing.

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Deep Waters: The Prose Poem Advanced Workshop

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6 Weeks | $445 | NEW!

Take the plunge in this advanced prose poetry course, where you'll write and revise short, powerful works of prose that hit like poetry.

Embodied Writing: Improve Your Writing with Full-Body Creativity

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6 Weeks | $445

Have a grand time with specific physical exercises that honor your health, generate imaginative ideas, explore deeply and make your creative writing entertaining.

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Embodied Writing: Somatic Practices to Improve Your Work

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6 Weeks | $445

Have a grand time with specific physical exercises that honor your health, generate imaginative ideas, explore deeply and make your creative writing entertaining.

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Even Smaller: Adventures in Short-form Writing

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4 Weeks | $345

Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.

Less is more in this bite-sized writing class, where you'll learn how to tell complete stories under the tightest word counts.

 

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Fall (Back) In Love with Poetry

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5 Weeks | $395

Whether you're new to poetry or returning after a hiatus, rekindle the spark that puts verse to page in this exploratory poetry class.

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Finding Wildness and Freedom in Poetry

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Single-Day Webinar | $115

Find a greater sense of comfort, ease, lightheartedness, and freedom in reading and writing poetry.

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From Writing Circle to Finished Poem: Turn Raw Writing into Poetry

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6 Weeks | $445

Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.

Gather together in a virtual writing circle, hit the mute button on your internal editor, and uncover inspiration to shape into poetry.

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From Writing Circle to Poems in 6 Contemporary Forms

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6 Weeks | $425

Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.

From the sonnet to the villanelle, turn your journal entries into formal poetry in this 6 week writing circle workshop.

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From Writing Circle to Poems in 8 Contemporary Forms (Tuesdays and Saturdays)

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8 Weeks | $545

From the sonnet to the villanelle, turn your journal entries into formal poetry in this 8 week writing circle workshop.

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From Writing Circles to Poems of Gratitude & Hope for the New Year (Mondays and Fridays)

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4 Weeks | $345

Want to move forward into the new year with gratefulness and clarity for 2024? Join us for 4 weeks of writing about gratitude and hope.

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From Writing Circles to Poems of Gratitude & Hope for the New Year (Tuesdays and Saturdays)

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4 Weeks | $345

Want to move forward into the new year with gratefulness and clarity for 2024? Join us for 4 weeks of writing about gratitude and hope.

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From Writing Circles to Poems of Gratitude and Hope

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4 Weeks | $345

Poetry is a powerful method for healing and happiness. Write poems about gratitude and hope in our intimate, live-video writing circles, with instructor Susan Vespoli.

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Get It Done: Create the Scaffolding to Start (and Finish) a Writing Project

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2 Single-Day Webinars | $195 | NEW!

Get your butt in the chair, your mind roaming freely, and your creative juices flowing in this motivational, all-genres writing class.

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I’ve Drunk Your Poisoned Nectar: Writing with the Goddess

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8 Weeks | $545

Dig deep into the rich mythology of South Asian goddesses to find new inspiration for your work in this generative, open-genre writing class.

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Iconoclast: Reimagining the Line Break

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2 Single-Day Webinars | $195

Poets can express so much in just a line break. Hone this tool of the poetic craft in this two part Zoom workshop.

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In Bloom: Nature Writing Workshop

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6 Weeks | $445

Only 3 seats left!

Want to write about nature like Robert Frost, Henry David Thoreau, or Annie Dillard? Join us for this six-week nature writing course.

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Mastering the Manuscript: Completing a Full-Length Poetry Manuscript (from Start to Finish)

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12 Weeks | $795 | NEW!

In this generative course, you'll write the bulk of the poems you'll use in your full-length manuscript, and learn how to structure them into a collection.

Poetry and Performance: Slam Poetry 101

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2 Single-Day Webinars | $195

In these workshops, master the elements of poetry and performance, and learn to take your poems from the page to the stage.

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Poetry Workshop: Bring Your Poems to Life

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8 Weeks | $545

Join us for this workshop on creating powerful poems—poems that are clear and organized, fresh and moving, full of life.

Simple Summer Writing Circles and Poems

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6 Weeks | $445 | NEW!

Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.

Sail through the summer and survive the heat with these chill writing circles, where you'll laugh, vent, and honor the season in poetry.

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Simple Winter Sanity-Saving Writing Circles

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4 Weeks | $345

Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.

Write your way to the finish line of 2023: let go of and say goodbye to a momentous year, honor the changes in yourself and the world, and set your intentions for a new chapter.

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Techwashed!: Writing with AI, Data, and Surveillance

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2 Saturday Workshops | $205

Raise a mirror against society's relationship to technology in this two part workshop series where we will learn how to write about tech.

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The Chronology of Mind: From Journal to Poem or Prose

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10 Weeks | $645

Gather material through writing and experimenting with journaling, researching and taking notes to develop into poems or prose works.

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The Deep Dive: Poem As Self-Discovery

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6 Weeks | $445 | NEW!

Through poetry, we can access our deepest truths. Use the poem as a roadmap to self-discovery in this 6-week poetic deep-dive.

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The Only Submission Workshop You Will Ever Need

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2 Single-Day Webinars | $195

How do you get your poems in literary journals? This two part webinar shows you the ropes for getting your work published, read, and celebrated.

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The Poetry of Play

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4 Weeks | $345 | NEW!

Get playful in your poetry in this fun-focused workshop, where we'll experiment our ways into new and delightful poems. 

The Spirituality of Poetry

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Let the spirit of language move through you. In this 6 week course, we will study, write, and share poetry about the sacredness of human experience.

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The Surprising Sentence: Honing Your Prose Style

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2 Single-Day Webinars | $195 | NEW!

Great sentences stack up into great stories. Learn how to hone your style and voice at the most basic unit of writing, the sentence, in this workshop.

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Twoness Poems

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Single-Day Webinar | $115

Twoness poems are poems written collaboratively with another poet. Learn something new about yourself, your writing partner, and poetry in this collaborative Valentine's Day workshop.

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Using Bullet Journaling to Achieve Writing Goals

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3 weeks | $195

Looking to keep your writing goals organized? Make it happen in our bullet journaling course. Learn the art of the BuJo with Rudri Patel!

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Using Your Poetry Skills to Write Memoir

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Single-Day Webinar | $345

How do poets tell their stories in prose? Take the leap from poetry to memoir in this hybrid writing workshop.

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Warp and Weft: Weaving Free Verse Poetry from Life

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8 Weeks | $545 | NEW!

Weave everyday events into deftly-written free verse poems in this generative, creativity-centered poetry workshop. 

What’s So Funny? Writing Poetic Humor

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4 Weeks | $345 | NEW!

Can a poem make the audience laugh out loud? Learn how to harness poetic humor in this class about knocking the reader's socks off.

Word Flashes & Eye Snapshots: Sketching Your Life Awake

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8 Weeks | $545

For any writer wanting to root writing in vision and vision in the body: for poetry, fiction, essay, memoir & pleasure.

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Write from the Untamed Mind: Find Your Voice

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6 Weeks | $445

Join Susan in two writing circles each week: intimate spaces for writers to free-write together, saying yes to whatever shows up, followed by group read-arounds. These writing sessions are spontaneous, intimate, freeing, and transformative.

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Writing Circle Workshop: A Focus on Eight Contemporary Poets (Section 2)

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8 Weeks | $545

By studying the poems of Billy Collins, Ellen Bass, Natalie Diaz, and more, write stunning poetry in this generative writing circle workshop.

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Writing Circle Workshop: A Focus on Nine Contemporary Poets

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8 Weeks | $545

Write freely and expressively in this 8-week poetry workshop. Along the way, we'll explore the transformative work of 9 contemporary poets.

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Writing Circle Workshop: A Focus on Six Contemporary Poets –Mon./Fri.

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6 Weeks | $445 | NEW!

Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.

By studying the poems of Maya Stein, Sharon Olds, Alberto Rios, and more, write stunning poetry in this generative writing circle workshop.

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Writing Circle Workshop: A Focus on Six Contemporary Poets –Tues./Sat.

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6 Weeks | $445 | NEW!

Only 1 seat left!

By studying the poems of Maya Stein, Sharon Olds, Alberto Rios, and more, write stunning poetry in this generative writing circle workshop.

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Writing Circle Workshop: Writing for Happiness, Healing, and Health (Monday/Friday)

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6 Weeks | $445

Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.

Expressive writing can be a powerful elixir for what ails you. Learn and practice tools for writing expressively, including two virtual writing circles each week, turn raw writing into poetry or prose, and come away with a better understanding of how writing can lead toward wellness.

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Writing Circle Workshop: Writing for Happiness, Healing, and Health (Tuesday/Saturday)

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6 Weeks | $445

Course full. Contact us to join waitlist.

Expressive writing can be a powerful elixir for what ails you. Learn and practice tools for writing expressively, including two virtual writing circles each week, turn raw writing into poetry or prose, and come away with a better understanding of how writing can lead toward wellness.

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Writing Circles & Exercises to Spark New Poems (Mondays and Fridays)

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6 Weeks | $445

Looking for inspiration? Write, vent, laugh, and honor your writing practice in these generative writing circle workshops.

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Writing Circles & Exercises to Spark New Poems (Tuesdays and Saturdays)

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6 week | $445

Looking for inspiration? Write, vent, laugh, and honor your writing practice in these generative writing circle workshops.

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Writing Circles: Finding Community, Clarity, Poetry, and Prose

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8 Weeks | $545

Join our writing circle to form a writing community, find clarity in your words, and turn your untamed free-writes into poetry and/or prose.

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Writing Poetry About Family Histories

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2 Single-Day Webinars | $195 | NEW!

To write about our families means reconciling past and present, our origins and our futures. Put these contradictions to verse in this two part webinar.

Writing with Consistency and Courage

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Single-Day Webinar | $115

What makes a successful writer? It's not talent, craft, or even the right connections—it's consistency and courage.

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You Are Drinker and You Are Wine: Writing with the South Asian Sufis

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4 Weeks | $345 | NEW!

Through the traditions of Sufi poetry, learn how to write poems that access the divine and stand the test of time.

You Yourself Are the Beloved: Writing with South Asian Ghazals

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Single-Day Webinar | $129

The ghazal poem has a rich history with a tricky form to master. Learn the ropes in this inspiring and electrifying workshop.

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