Class

Playing with Prose and Poetry

In this generative and process-focused writing workshop, we’ll read poems. prose, and poetic texts (e.g., dream-logs, lists, cut-ups) that invite the fledglings in us to take a seat at the table. We'll also collectively embark on writing activities that court naïveté and spontaneity in an attempt to become a little—or a lot—less inhibited in our creative pursuits.

Rather than workshop pre-existing poems, we'll read and write in a manner that is intended to stoke our play instinct. We'll explore different modes of constraint-based writing, chance, and improvisation-based writing techniques. Participants will be invited, though not required, to share the results of some of their experiments during session. Beyond producing submission-ready poems or flash fiction, this workshop is about embracing a beginner mind at any stage in a creative life. Participants can expect to write in between and across genres, moving between poetry and prose, while embracing accidents, randomness, and the art of detour. All genres and skill levels welcome.

Please email [email protected] at least two to three weeks in advance if you have any accessibility requests for this class. PLEASE NOTE: the elevator in Open Book will be unavailable for use from July - August 2025 due to modernization. This class takes place in-person, at the Loft at Open Book. Please see the Loft’s website for the most up to date information about the Loft’s COVID policies.