Masterclass Courses & Writing Workshops
kind, consistent editing to get you where you want to be
Safe & encouraging spaces where you
can hone your skills, inspire each other & have fun.
8 Week Masterclass Courses
My most popular writing courses! These 8 week masterclasses in Poetry or Prose are constructed for writers who have at least a basic understanding of writing & wish to grow technically & artistically. Each master class session focuses on one genre within the broad spectrum of literature. Weekly reading assignments include Theory or Process (conceptual & behind-the-scenes practices of published authors) as well as diverse styles & forms of writing from talented living authors. Each class revolves around group discussion & workshopping of the participants’ original works. Honest, constructive feedback is offered in these safe & encouraging spaces.
8 Week Master Class Course = $500 CAD + tax
$100 nonrefundable-deposit due on registration
Returning clients receive a $25 CAD discount!
Fall 2021 – 8 Week Poetry Masterclass
Built from new material each year, my 8 week masterclass courses are my most popular offerings! Founded in respect, inclusivity & diversity, I welcome writers of all levels & genres who want to explore great writing & hone their skills. Each session is a master class in itself, focused in one subject, where I provide detailed individual attention to each participant. A collaborative approach in discussing weekly readings & original writing helps each poet define their writer’s identity. Supportive peer-centred learning hones process & composition skills, broadens approach & assists shifting into a new genre, voice or style. Each week includes:
• Feedback on one original poem (group & myself)
• Writing exercises to help you stretch your craft
• Readings in Process or Theory
• How to Think Like a Writer
• Elevating Voice & Style
• Pursuing your Creative Vision & Publishing Guidance
• Writing Life Coaching
8 Week Fall Poetry Masterclass = $500 CAD + tax
$100 non-refundable deposit due on registration
5 Week Masterclass Courses
Similar to my 8 week courses, these short intensive masterclasses are more technical in nature. Rather than focusing on streams within literature, these fun courses centre themselves in technique & execution. Each 5 week course comes with a free 1 hour technical skill session—techniques taught at a university level that will significantly advance your writing. For example, close reading, rabbit hole research, thesis statement, themed composition & more!
5 Week Masterclass Course = $200 CAD + tax
Surfacing the Great Poetry Within You
+ Free 1 Hour Close Reading Workshop!
Great poetry, in whatever length or form, will always make a connection with the reader. However, great writing also takes risks. What does that look like & how are key techniques—things like resonance, repetition, metaphor & thinking as—used to achieve our best works? This 5 week masterclass course breaks down many of the critical elements that build great poetry & how a writer grows into them. The participants will have weekly readings (theory, process & poems from living poets) which we will discuss in class. The same skills we use for our weekly readings will then be used to help our fellow writers. Each week, two participants will be chosen to submit one poem each. They will receive exclusive in-depth feedback from myself & the group. The two participants selected to submit their poems for generative feedback each week must do so two days before class. A free 1 hour workshop on how to perform a close-reading is included with this course.
$250 CAD per participant
$100 non-fundable deposit
Workshops
My Writing Workshops take a collaborative approach (expect to to talk with me), examining a wide variety of subjects & technical skills in poetry, prose & other genres. I foster a safe, healthy workshopping environment where we give honest & constructive feedback. All participants are encouraged in their unique voice & creative vision.
My most popular workshops are listed below. Contact me for other selections or to create a customized workshop just for you!
2 hour Sunday Workshops = $25 CAD + tax
2.5 hour Workshops = $50 CAD + tax
Half-day Workshops = $100 CAD + tax
Penning Prose Poetry
Why do we write? What makes a really good storytelling poem unforgettable? In this 2 hour zoom workshop we will explore evocative & inspiring prose poetry, have fun with writing exercises & delve into the mystery of what makes storytelling poetry so compelling. Each participant will have the chance to compose a prose poem and workshop it with the group. Writers of all genres & levels & those who have never written poetry before, are welcome. All my workshops are safe, encouraging spaces.
Writing the Harpy: Releasing Your Fiercely Authentic Voice
The harpy, born of a wind god, was once considered one of the most beautiful creatures of the ancient world. However, over time they were re-written as evil portents, ugly creatures who inevitably brought doom to men. In this 2.5 hour workshop created to honour the female spirit, we will capture the power of our authentic voices. We will use writing exercises to explore dark sounds, the art of capturing our truths on the page & what it means to write from within ourselves rather than from our intellect. Each participant will have the chance to compose an original piece and receive generative feedback from the group. This workshop was created to support women & female-identifying writers in achieving their desired voice, technique & process, however, allied writers of all levels & genres are welcome. All my workshops are safe, intimate & encouraging spaces.
Write Your Own Pillow Book
In medieval Japan, upper class women kept their Makura no Shoshi, their journals & other precious possessions, inside their wooden pillows. Sei Shonagon, an exceptionally talented & educated courtly lady of Heian Japan used different literary & artistic techniques to capture her everyday life. In this 2.5 hour workshop we will explore excerpts from Sei Shonagon’s famous (or infamous) Pillow Book & discover alternative ways to record our lives. Each participant will explore those techniques & engage in writing exercises that will offer new perspectives & outlets for journaling. Everyone welcome. No writing experience necessary. All my workshops are safe, intimate and encouraging spaces.
(Re)Telling Your Own Fairy Tale
Fairy tales have enchanted & educated us for centuries. In this 2.5 hour workshop, we will explore the tradition of European fairy tales & how we can (re)tell ourselves through them. Often vehicles for the traumatic & the weird, we will look at the traditional stories that have inspired or frightened us, a few modern retellings in literature & film, and how we can intertwine or reconstruct segments of our life stories through the lens of the strange & the fantastical to achieve healing or broaden our experience as writers. Filled with collaborative exercises that explore this genre of writing, each writer will also have the chance to begin their own fairy tale and workshop it with the group. Writers of all genres & levels are welcome. All my workshops are safe, intimate & encouraging spaces.
Writing You: Representing Yourself in Poetry
In this 2.5 hour poetry workshop, we will discover how each of us—who we are, where we’re from, our culture & life experiences—can often be our best source of inspiration. We will explore the poetry & process of many talented living poets to help us discover how we can thrive on the page. Filled with fun writing exercises, each participant will have the chance to compose their own poem & workshop it with the group. Beginners & writers of all genres & levels are welcome. All my workshops are safe, intimate & encouraging spaces.
Custom Courseware & Private Hosting
I love to partner with organizations or individuals to create great writing experiences! If you would like me to create a customized workshop or masterclass course just for you or your group, contact me to discuss.
If you are interested in a masterclass course or workshop & have missed the date or can’t attend & would like to, contact me to discuss a private hosting.
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