Class

2026 Year-Long Poetry Collection Writing Project with Michael Kleber-Diggs—June Online Cohort

In this year-long poetry project, we’ll focus on imagining, writing, completing, and seeking a home for poetry collections we’ll build during the project. We’ll begin by exploring how to assemble a collection, and, along the way, spend time reading, writing, workshopping, and refining the poems that will eventually become your book. Toward the end of the year, we’ll shift our focus to the path to publication.

Throughout the year, we’ll meet with poets, editors, publishers, and other literary arts professionals to shape our thinking about how to think about arranging a poetry collection, the common elements of effective books, and things to think about as you seek a home for your work. During each meeting we’ll work together as a cohort, building the kind of collective momentum that advances successful art making and forms the foundation of enduring relationships.

One-on-one meetings include one introductory meeting before the program kicks off in June, and one manuscript consultation session with Michael after the program concludes (and you submit your final manuscript) in April, 2027. The final manuscript consultation and edits must happen by June 28, 2027.

Your program orientation meeting is scheduled to take place Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 6pm online via Zoom. Login information will be communicated via email.

Your final public reading will be Wednesday, April 21, 2027, at 7 pm online. The reading will be free and open to the public. The link will be sent closer to the date from Loft staff.