The Truth About Poetry

Unless your high school English class was a scene right out of Dead Poets Society, everything you learned about poetry is a lie. Yes, poetry can be inscrutable and frustrating, but only when it's bad. In this nine-week workshop, you'll learn how complexity and simplicity go hand in hand; how poets like Elizabeth Bishop, Sharon Olds, and Yehuda Amichai illuminate the world, rather than conceal it; what iambic pentameter really means; how poetic forms like sonnets and villanelles can set your language free. You'll see that you already have instincts for poetry, even if you've never read or written a poem in your life. With in-class writing exercises and time devoted to reading and responding to each other's work, you'll discover that poetry—your poetry—really matters.

Dates: January 22nd - March 28th (9 Tuesdays)

Time: 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Location: The Writing Salon, Berkeley location

Fee: $315 members/$345 non-members

Click here to register.

Getting a Perspective: How to Write a KQED Radio Commentary

Are you a public radio fiend? Do you turn up the volume for commentaries the way you once turned it up for Jimi Hendrix? How would you like to hear your own voice and views being broadcast over the air waves? This workshop will show you how to make that happen, by focusing on one specific goal: writing a two-minute piece for KQED's Perspectives series. This series is not just about politics—anything you have an opinion about can be turned into a piece for Perspectives. We'll talk about how to dig for interesting and unusual subject matter, how to pare unnecessary words, and how to pack your personality into two minutes of air time. Our goal for the end of the day will be for every workshop participant to have a commentary ready to submit: something that flies off the page, takes your listener by the ears, and refuses to let go.

Date: Saturday, February 9th

Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Location: The Writing Salon, Berkeley location

Fee: $85 members/$95 non-members

Click here to register.

Working one-on-one is exciting, rewarding, and one of my favorite ways to teach. Whether you're composing poems, working on a memoir, or writing a novel, I can help you develop your writing. I provide specific feedback, concrete exercises, and lists of recommended reading.

My rates are flexible, and I work by e-mail, in person, or both, according to your needs. Contact me for a consultation, or if you'd like more information.