Workshops

The Ongoing Poetry Workshop (afternoon) with Gary Copeland Lilley

Dates: Thursdays, September 30th - December 16th
Time: 2:30pm to 5:00pm
Cost: $250
Limited to: 8 participants -- Full
Where: Online

A weekly poetry workshop open to writers of any skill level or genre, a gathering of writers coming together in a supportive environment to work on the development and refining of our personal aesthetics. Yes, free to do your poetic thing with a focus on the crafting of poems, and on not judging poets. That is exactly the attitude this ongoing workshop has always maintained, while working the literary elements we use to create poems: gaining an understanding of poetry’s major operating modes, discovering ways to build the sharper images, enhance the poem’s musicality, and to convey those subtle meanings and significant statements uncovered in the poetic process. Each week, bring 9 copies of a poem in progress. Simply put, this workshop rocks as much as you want it to.

Gary Copeland Lilley is the author of eight books of poetry, the most recent being The Bushman's Medicine Show, from Lost Horse Press (2017), and a chapbook, The Hog Killing, from Blue Horse Press (2018). He is originally from North Carolina and now lives in the Pacific Northwest. He has received the Washington DC Commission on the Arts Fellowship for Poetry. He is published in numerous anthologies and journals, including Best American Poetry 2014, Willow Springs, The Swamp, Waxwing, the Taos International Journal of Poetry, and the African American Review. He is a Cave Canem Fellow.

The Ongoing Poetry Workshop (evening) with Gary Copeland Lilley

Dates: Thursdays, September 30th - December 16th
Time: 5:30pm to 8:00pm
Cost: $250
Limited to: 8 participants -- Full
Where: Online

A weekly poetry workshop open to writers of any skill level or genre, a gathering of writers coming together in a supportive environment to work on the development and refining of our personal aesthetics. Yes, free to do your poetic thing with a focus on the crafting of poems, and on not judging poets. That is exactly the attitude this ongoing workshop has always maintained, while working the literary elements we use to create poems: gaining an understanding of poetry’s major operating modes, discovering ways to build the sharper images, enhance the poem’s musicality, and to convey those subtle meanings and significant statements uncovered in the poetic process. Each week, bring 9 copies of a poem in progress. Simply put, this workshop rocks as much as you want it to.

Gary Copeland Lilley is the author of eight books of poetry, the most recent being The Bushman's Medicine Show, from Lost Horse Press (2017), and a chapbook, The Hog Killing, from Blue Horse Press (2018). He is originally from North Carolina and now lives in the Pacific Northwest. He has received the Washington DC Commission on the Arts Fellowship for Poetry. He is published in numerous anthologies and journals, including Best American Poetry 2014, Willow Springs, The Swamp, Waxwing, the Taos International Journal of Poetry, and the African American Review. He is a Cave Canem Fellow.

Backstory: How Much is Enough? Part I with Jennifer Haupt

Date: Sunday, December 5th
Time: 11:00am to 2:00pm
Cost: $150
Limited to: 6 participants
Where: Online

The first 50 pages of any book are critical for drawing in readers and keeping them engaged. (Not to mention keeping yourself engaged and moving forward!) That means balancing backstory, present action, and hints at what will come. We'll discuss the basics of what needs to happen in these critical pages, look at examples of successful beginnings, and do exercises to get down the bones of credible characters and storylines.

Jennifer Haupt is the author of the novel In the Shadow of 10,000 Hills (April 2018) and editor of ALONE TOGETHER: Stories of Love, Grief, and Comfort in the Time of COVID-19 (Sept. 2020). She has also ghost-written memoir, and her essays and articles have been published in O, The Oprah Magazine, Psychology Today, The Rumpus, Spirituality & Health, The Sun, and elsewhere. She teaches at Hugo House in Seattle, and writing conferences and workshops around the country.

Backstory: How Much is Enough? Part II with Jennifer Haupt

Date: Sunday, December 12th
Time: 11:00am to 2:00pm
Cost: $100
Limited to: 6 participants
Where: Online

We'll workshop the first 10 pages of your book, specifically looking at the balance of backstory and forward motion in terms of plot and character development. Prerequisite: Part One of this series, or approval of the instructor.

Jennifer Haupt is the author of the novel In the Shadow of 10,000 Hills (April 2018) and editor of ALONE TOGETHER: Stories of Love, Grief, and Comfort in the Time of COVID-19 (Sept. 2020). She has also ghost-written memoir, and her essays and articles have been published in O, The Oprah Magazine, Psychology Today, The Rumpus, Spirituality & Health, The Sun, and elsewhere. She teaches at Hugo House in Seattle, and writing conferences and workshops around the country.

Writing Fiction for Children with Patrick Jennings

Dates: Wednesdays, January 12th - 26th
Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm
Cost: $150
Limited to: 6 Participants
Where: Online

Do you have a story guaranteed to delight young readers (ages 6-12)? This three-week workshop will help you bring it to life, with vivid characters, solid structure, narrative sweep, and thematic clarity. We will also discuss the various forms of children's literature, as well as finding and working with agents, editors, illustrators, and art directors.

Patrick Jennings is the author of 25 books for young readers - published by Scholastic, Random House, HarperCollins, among others - including Guinea Dog, We Can't All Be Rattlesnakes, and Odd, Weird & Little. He is the recipient of the Washington State Book Award, Booklist Editor's Choice Award, Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book for Children, New York Public Library Best Book, and was a PEN Center USA Literary Award finalist as well as a PNW Booksellers Association Award nominee. Jennings has been a presenter at schools and libraries all over the US and abroad for over twenty years.

Edit Your Novel Like a Pro: The Focused Draft Approach with Nicole Persun

Date: Saturday, January 15th
Time: 10:00am to 1:00pm
Cost: $125
Limited to 12 Participants
Where: Online

When it comes to editing your messy first draft, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and get lost in the weeds. In this class, we’ll discuss an editing framework that will keep you organized. The focused-draft approach offers a holistic, multi-level view of your manuscript. By tackling different areas of craft—such as structure, pacing, emotion, and more—separately, you’ll stay grounded and productive without overworking your passionate prose. If you’re looking to gain confidence, efficiency, and organizational skills in your editing process, this class is for you.

Nicole J. Persun is an award-winning and internationally bestselling author. She’s the host of The Write Inspiration, an encouraging and educational podcast for fiction authors. Nicole has a Master’s Degree in Writing & Instruction and is a board member of the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association.

Nicole got her start writing fantasy, but nowadays writes book club fiction under the pen name Jennifer Gold. The Ingredients of Us was a 2020 Book Excellence Award Winner and a two-time finalist for the 2020 International Book Award. Her latest release, Keep Me Afloat, was a 2020 Chanticleer International Book Award Somerset First Place winner, a 2021 Book Excellence Award winner, and a 2021 International Book Award winner.

In addition to her writing career, Nicole works as a horse caretaker on a large farm in the Pacific Northwest. She fills her spare time with books, nature, and coffee. Learn more at nicolejpersun.com. Discover her recent novels at jennifergoldauthor.com.

Sex and the Poet: A Generative Poetry Workshop with Lauren Davis

Date: Saturday, January 22nd
Time: 10:00am - 4:00pm (with an hour lunch break)
Cost: $125
Limited to: 12 participants
Where: Online

Desire, regret, dysfunction, trauma, bliss. How can we approach such sensitive subject matter and stay true to the emotional truth in our work? Join Davis for a generative workshop exploring this question. Participants will have the opportunity to focus on creating first drafts of poems. In this particular workshop, in order to create and maintain a safe space, no one will read their writing aloud. This class is appropriate for both beginning and experienced poets.

Lauren Davis is the author of Home Beneath the Church (Fernwood Press, forthcoming), and the chapbooks Each Wild Thing’s Consent (Poetry Wolf Press) and The Missing Ones (Winter texts). She holds an MFA from the Bennington College Writing Seminars, and she teaches at The Writers’ Workshoppe. She is a former Editor in Residence at The Puritan’s Town Crier and has been awarded a residency at Hypatia-in-the-Woods. Her work has appeared in over fifty literary publications and anthologies including Prairie Schooner, Spillway, Poet Lore, Ibbetson Street, Ninth Letter and elsewhere.

PoemLab: Techniques for Objective Revision with Peter Quinn

Date: Saturday, February 5th
Time: 10:00am - 3:00pm
Cost: $90
Limited to: 10 participants
Where: Online

You have a poem. You think it has promise. Maybe the best one you’ve ever written. There’s a point where you lose the creative distance you need to keep working. How do you convince yourself it is as good as you want it to be? This half day session will explore techniques to take your poem through its paces, check its heartbeat, its music, the strength of its words, how it feels – to you first, then to others. Does is say what you hoped it would, does it bring out emotion, does it go there?

Using examples then 1-2 of your original poems, we will utilize specific, simple techniques intended to strengthen these elements in every line. You will see things happening you might not have seen before. Then you can decide if you like it that way or if you want to change it. Take what you need and leave the rest. You will find at least one tool that will help you revise your poems with the creative distance an almost finished poem needs to shine.

A graduate of Lewis and Clark College, Peter Quinn studied with poets Vern Rutsala, Tony Ostroff and William Stafford. In 1976 he received an Academy of American Poets Award. For several years following, poet John Willson and Peter convened a poetry group called Moonphases in Portland. Peter published ‘Painting Circles on Straight Highways’ (Irenicon Press), his first full length book of poetry, in 2012. His second book, small things, is currently out on submission. He has published in Salish Sea Magazine, Mississippi Mud, Foxfire, the Portland Oregonian and Pacific Northwest Magazine, Tidepools, Northwind Anthology, and the Port Townsend Leader. Peter's work appears in A Ritual to Read Together: Poems in Conversation with William Stafford, from WoodleyPress, and Alone Together poems and essay during COVID, from Central Avenue Press.

The Love Letter to the Self: A Generative Poetry Workshop with Lauren Davis

Date: Saturday, February 12th
Time: 1:00pm - 3:30pm
Cost: $55
Limited to: 8 participants
Where: Online

The hush of winter and tenderness of Valentine's Day creates a gentle space for us to reacquaint ourselves with how wonderful we are. Join Davis for a generative poetry workshop where participants will write love poems to the self. Appropriate for all ages and levels of writing experience.

Lauren Davis is the author of Home Beneath the Church (Fernwood Press, forthcoming), and the chapbooks Each Wild Thing’s Consent (Poetry Wolf Press, 2018) and The Missing Ones (Winter texts, 2021). She holds an MFA from the Bennington College Writing Seminars, and she teaches at The Writers’ Workshoppe. She is a former Editor in Residence at The Puritan’s Town Crier and the winner of the Tatterhood Review Flash Fiction Contest. Her work has appeared in over fifty literary publications and anthologies including Prairie Schooner, Spillway, Poet Lore, Ibbetson Street, Ninth Letter and elsewhere.

Blah, Blah, Blah: When Dialogue Falls Flat (And How to Fix It!) with Nicole Persun

Date: Saturday, February 26th
Time: 10:00am to 1:00pm
Cost: $125
Limited to 12 Participants
Where: Online

Dialogue isn’t just about propelling the plot or allowing your character to voice her thoughts—it’s about power struggles, emotions, backstory, and more. Good dialogue is nuanced, multi-layered, and intentional. It grips the reader’s attention and subtly conveys the unspoken inner lives of our characters. In this class, you will learn how to take your dialogue to the next level. If you’ve been struggling to make your characters sound different from one another, want to add layered tension and unspoken intrigue to your dialogue, or simply want to write conversations that flow smoothly and pack a punch, this class is for you.

Nicole J. Persun is an award-winning and internationally bestselling author. She’s the host of The Write Inspiration, an encouraging and educational podcast for fiction authors. Nicole has a Master’s Degree in Writing & Instruction and is a board member of the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association.

Nicole got her start writing fantasy, but nowadays writes book club fiction under the pen name Jennifer Gold. The Ingredients of Us was a 2020 Book Excellence Award Winner and a two-time finalist for the 2020 International Book Award. Her latest release, Keep Me Afloat, was a 2020 Chanticleer International Book Award Somerset First Place winner, a 2021 Book Excellence Award winner, and a 2021 International Book Award winner.

In addition to her writing career, Nicole works as a horse caretaker on a large farm in the Pacific Northwest. She fills her spare time with books, nature, and coffee. Learn more at nicolejpersun.com. Discover her recent novels at jennifergoldauthor.com.

Write On: A Workshop for Young Poets with Kathryn Hunt

Date: Saturday, March 26th
Time: 10:00am to 2:30pm
Cost: $20
Limited to: 8 Participants (ages 16 to 22)
Where: Online

You know who you are. You’re the one with pages of writing hidden under your bed and stuffed into your pockets—journal entries, the beginning of a story, a few lines of poetry. Maybe it’s time to come out into the light. In this half-day class, you’ll be given writing prompts, time to write, and kind, constructive feedback, while your workshop mates listen. The gathering will be conducted in an atmosphere of mutual support and inquiry. Curious minds rule. Before we meet, I’ll send you a short packet of poems to read; we’ll talk about some of them in the workshop. You’ll go home with drafts of several new poems.

Kathryn Hunt makes her home on the coast of the Salish Sea, on the ancestral lands of the S’Klallam, Chimacum, and Suquamish. Her poems have appeared in Orion, Radar, Terrain, Missouri Review, and Narrative, among others. Her second collection of poems Seed Wheel was published by Lost Horse Press in 2021. She’s recently completed a memoir, The Matter of All Things. She’s worked as a waitress, shipscaler, short-order cook, bookseller, food bank coordinator, filmmaker, and freelance writer. kathrynhunt.net

The Art and Craft of Poetry: A Generative Workshop with Kathryn Hunt

Dates: Fridays, April 1st - May 6th
Time: 2:30pm to 4:30pm
Cost: $225
Limited to: 8 Participants
Where: Online

This six-week workshop offers a chance to strengthen your writing practice and begin new poems. We’ll read and discuss poems by contemporary writers, you’ll write new drafts based on prompts, and I’ll provide feedback (if you’d like) while your workshop mates listen. We’ll explore forms like persona poems, sonnets, braided poems, and prose poems, with an eye to the art and craft of poetry, and consider revision, music and rhythm, and the act of listening deeply for what the poem under the poem is trying to say. The intention of the weekly workshop is to create a supportive atmosphere that encourages and builds a community of poets on the Olympic Peninsula and beyond.

Kathryn Hunt makes her home on the coast of the Salish Sea, on the ancestral lands of the S’Klallam, Chimacum, and Suquamish. Her poems have appeared in Orion, Radar, Terrain, Missouri Review, and Narrative, among others. Her second collection of poems Seed Wheel was published by Lost Horse Press in 2021. She’s recently completed a memoir, The Matter of All Things. She’s worked as a waitress, shipscaler, short-order cook, bookseller, food bank coordinator, filmmaker, and freelance writer. kathrynhunt.net

Writing From the Mysterium: A Generative Workshop with Sonya Lea

Date: Saturdays, April 2nd and 9th
Time: 10:00am to 2:00pm
Cost: $250
Limited to: 20 Participants
Where: Online

In this two-day workshop, you’ll write into the mysteries of life, the sensory impressions that include both the nearly inexplicable, and the intimately knowable. No matter whether you’re interested in deep time, astral travel, alchemical processes, ancestral connection, the collective unconscious, or other-than-human relationships, this will be a chance to explore on the page those parts of your liminal experience that can seem daunting to imagine. Sonya will create a defined container to explore your work at depth. A syllabus will include excerpts from the works of Clarice Lispector, Sequoia Nagamatsu, Lidia Yuknavitch, and other introspective novels and narrative nonfiction. Whether you’re exploring fantasy or writing the strangeness in the midst of the enuui of life, this is your place to track the mystical and the mysterious. Fiction and nonfiction writers welcome.

Sonya Lea’s memoir, Wondering Who You Are was a finalist for the Washington State Book Awards. Her essays have appeared in Salon, The Southern Review, Brevity, Guernica, Ms. Magazine, Los Angeles Review of Books, and more. She teaches writing in the United States and the Canadian Rockies. Find her at www.wonderingwhoyouare.com.

WORKSHOPS