RBWG Classes Fall, 2018
Because we are committed to keeping our classes small and because we can only continue to do this if participants commit to and pay for all classes, we ask that you pay for the full class amount up front. If you are interested in a class and cannot pay for it up front, just send Maribeth an email and we’ll work out a payment plan. As always, we are open to suggestions about classes you’d like to see offered. Please send suggestions to Maribeth at fischer.maribeth@gmail.com.
To register and pay:
Click here for scholarship information.
To register and pay:
- Please register first with Maribeth at fischer.maribeth@gmail.com to make sure that the class is running (at times we do not have enough participants to make the class work) or is not already filled. Maribeth will respond to you within a day.
- To pay, mail a check to: Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild, P.O. Box 1326, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.
Click here for scholarship information.
MIXED GENRE
The Writers’ Tool Box (Saturdays)
Sign up for one session or take them all. You pay only for the specific session(s) you want.
WHEN: Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: $55 per session for RBWG members; $65 for non-members
Session One: Sep 15--Listing It ~ Ethan Joella
"Did children still marvel within as the holidays wheeled past in a slow pinwheel galaxy
of altering candies, cards and artifacts, of back-to-school tablets, footballs, Halloween masks,
pumpkins, turkeys, pine trees, tinsel, wrappings, reindeer, Santas, and stars..."
—John Updike, "Henry's Variety Store"
Lists are a powerful tool for writers. Susan Sontag swore by them as did Ray Bradbury. Kim Addonizio and Elizabeth Strout use them often. In this session, we will look at how lists can deepen setting, can tell us more about a character's personality in a paragraph than sometimes a whole chapter will, can convey motivation and conflict, and can anchor and structure a poem or essay. We will look at examples of helpful lists in poetry and prose, and we will make our own new lists. Try this session out if you want to deepen an existing project or if you're looking to create something entirely new.
Session Two: Sep 29--Creating Fully Developed Characters ~ Brandy Yates
Who was it that said a writer should always know where the moon is in their story? Writers should have intimate knowledge of what's on the page, for sure, but, maybe even more importantly, writers should know all the myriad specifics that make up a fully realized and whole imagined world, especially if those details never make it onto the page. Even if the story doesn't start until lunch, we, as writers, should know what our protagonist had for breakfast that morning. In fact, we should know what she had for breakfast when she was six years old, the morning Santa didn't show up. We should know she was wearing her grandmother's necklace when she experienced her first kiss. We should know all the things that make our characters who they are as unique individuals. During this class, we will complete a series of exercises and create fully realized characters. We will explore a set of techniques that you can then use in your own writing.
Session Three: Oct 6--Writing Nonfiction Picture Books ~ Michelle Meadows
RBWG member Michelle Meadows will lead a class on writing nonfiction children's books—with a focus on picture books for children ages 4 - 8. Michelle will discuss a variety of nonfiction approaches and the process for submitting your work to agents and publishers. Participants will deepen their understanding of narrative and expository nonfiction. Michelle has a dual degree in journalism and literature from Syracuse University. She is the author of several picture books, including two forthcoming picture book biographies with Henry Holt & Company: Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins and Flying High: The Story of Simone Biles.
Session Four: Nov 10--A Crash Course in Poetry Submissions ~ Gail Comorat
Those who don’t believe in Magic will never find it.
—Roald Dahl
You have a folder of completed poems, and you’re wondering what to do next. Good for you! Now, let’s get those poems out there to the right journals. In this class, we’ll talk about submission calls, cover letters, spread sheets, reading fees, and simultaneous submissions. Getting your poems published is hard work, and keeping track of what you send out is imperative. Let’s make our own Magic by encouraging each other to send out our best work.
Session Five: Nov 17--Search/Insert Here: The Art of Using Research Creatively ~ Judy Catterton
In this workshop we will explore the many ways research might be used to amplify, explain or enhance your writing. Maybe there’s a psychological study that helps explain the personality of a character. Perhaps an item plucked from the news reminds you of an event in your own past. Or maybe a current event works metaphorically in a poem. Pausing a narrative to give a reader a sense of the times by relaying parallel events going on in the world might provide context and texture to a story. Writing about a romance might be made more intriguing if we know it happened during the Cuban Missile crisis or five days after Katrina. A story that reports feeling angry might be improved by finding quotes from the Dalai Lama. Participants will be encouraged to bring a portion of a work in progress or a theme for a new endeavor. Attendees can then brainstorm ways in which research might enrich the work.
Session Six: Dec 1--How I Write: Or Smart Ways to Plot & Plan Your Novel ~
Crystal Heidel
Do you want to write a novel and don’t know where to start? Or have you started, are stuck, and don’t know how to proceed? I’ll show you how I plot and plan my novels using note cards, cheat sheets, and more. You’ll learn how to stay organized, keep your novel on track and get to the place we all want to get to: The End. You’ll receive handouts, complete fun exercises, and learn a few tips along the way.
Session Seven: Dec 15--Eight Elements for Great Book Cover Design ~
Crystal Heidel
This workshop is geared towards any writer who is thinking about self-publishing (in any adult genre). Graphic artist and book jacket designer, Chrys Heidel, will walk writers through the essential elements of cover design that all writers should understand when thinking about the best covers for their particular book. The goal, of course, is to attract readers and not lose them before they even read the first page. Whether you plan to design your own cover, work with an artist friend, or hire a designer, these tips and tools—dealing with everything from why your name should not be larger than the title, to color choices, use of image and font style—will allow you to package, showcase and market your book in the most compelling way you can. (Writers who took this class redesigned their covers based on what they learned!)
Sign up for one session or take them all. You pay only for the specific session(s) you want.
WHEN: Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: $55 per session for RBWG members; $65 for non-members
Session One: Sep 15--Listing It ~ Ethan Joella
"Did children still marvel within as the holidays wheeled past in a slow pinwheel galaxy
of altering candies, cards and artifacts, of back-to-school tablets, footballs, Halloween masks,
pumpkins, turkeys, pine trees, tinsel, wrappings, reindeer, Santas, and stars..."
—John Updike, "Henry's Variety Store"
Lists are a powerful tool for writers. Susan Sontag swore by them as did Ray Bradbury. Kim Addonizio and Elizabeth Strout use them often. In this session, we will look at how lists can deepen setting, can tell us more about a character's personality in a paragraph than sometimes a whole chapter will, can convey motivation and conflict, and can anchor and structure a poem or essay. We will look at examples of helpful lists in poetry and prose, and we will make our own new lists. Try this session out if you want to deepen an existing project or if you're looking to create something entirely new.
Session Two: Sep 29--Creating Fully Developed Characters ~ Brandy Yates
Who was it that said a writer should always know where the moon is in their story? Writers should have intimate knowledge of what's on the page, for sure, but, maybe even more importantly, writers should know all the myriad specifics that make up a fully realized and whole imagined world, especially if those details never make it onto the page. Even if the story doesn't start until lunch, we, as writers, should know what our protagonist had for breakfast that morning. In fact, we should know what she had for breakfast when she was six years old, the morning Santa didn't show up. We should know she was wearing her grandmother's necklace when she experienced her first kiss. We should know all the things that make our characters who they are as unique individuals. During this class, we will complete a series of exercises and create fully realized characters. We will explore a set of techniques that you can then use in your own writing.
Session Three: Oct 6--Writing Nonfiction Picture Books ~ Michelle Meadows
RBWG member Michelle Meadows will lead a class on writing nonfiction children's books—with a focus on picture books for children ages 4 - 8. Michelle will discuss a variety of nonfiction approaches and the process for submitting your work to agents and publishers. Participants will deepen their understanding of narrative and expository nonfiction. Michelle has a dual degree in journalism and literature from Syracuse University. She is the author of several picture books, including two forthcoming picture book biographies with Henry Holt & Company: Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins and Flying High: The Story of Simone Biles.
Session Four: Nov 10--A Crash Course in Poetry Submissions ~ Gail Comorat
Those who don’t believe in Magic will never find it.
—Roald Dahl
You have a folder of completed poems, and you’re wondering what to do next. Good for you! Now, let’s get those poems out there to the right journals. In this class, we’ll talk about submission calls, cover letters, spread sheets, reading fees, and simultaneous submissions. Getting your poems published is hard work, and keeping track of what you send out is imperative. Let’s make our own Magic by encouraging each other to send out our best work.
Session Five: Nov 17--Search/Insert Here: The Art of Using Research Creatively ~ Judy Catterton
In this workshop we will explore the many ways research might be used to amplify, explain or enhance your writing. Maybe there’s a psychological study that helps explain the personality of a character. Perhaps an item plucked from the news reminds you of an event in your own past. Or maybe a current event works metaphorically in a poem. Pausing a narrative to give a reader a sense of the times by relaying parallel events going on in the world might provide context and texture to a story. Writing about a romance might be made more intriguing if we know it happened during the Cuban Missile crisis or five days after Katrina. A story that reports feeling angry might be improved by finding quotes from the Dalai Lama. Participants will be encouraged to bring a portion of a work in progress or a theme for a new endeavor. Attendees can then brainstorm ways in which research might enrich the work.
Session Six: Dec 1--How I Write: Or Smart Ways to Plot & Plan Your Novel ~
Crystal Heidel
Do you want to write a novel and don’t know where to start? Or have you started, are stuck, and don’t know how to proceed? I’ll show you how I plot and plan my novels using note cards, cheat sheets, and more. You’ll learn how to stay organized, keep your novel on track and get to the place we all want to get to: The End. You’ll receive handouts, complete fun exercises, and learn a few tips along the way.
Session Seven: Dec 15--Eight Elements for Great Book Cover Design ~
Crystal Heidel
This workshop is geared towards any writer who is thinking about self-publishing (in any adult genre). Graphic artist and book jacket designer, Chrys Heidel, will walk writers through the essential elements of cover design that all writers should understand when thinking about the best covers for their particular book. The goal, of course, is to attract readers and not lose them before they even read the first page. Whether you plan to design your own cover, work with an artist friend, or hire a designer, these tips and tools—dealing with everything from why your name should not be larger than the title, to color choices, use of image and font style—will allow you to package, showcase and market your book in the most compelling way you can. (Writers who took this class redesigned their covers based on what they learned!)
ONLINE
Object Permanence ~ Ethan Joella (4 weeks)
WHEN: Mondays, Sep 24 to Sunday, Oct 21
WHERE: Online
COST: COST: $180 for RBWG members; $200 for non-members
"Objects are the limits we desperately need. They show us where we end.
They dispel our sadness, temporarily.”
—Don Delillo
What would The Glass Menagerie be without the unicorn figurine? What would William Carlos Williams have done without the wheelbarrow and plums? Can you imagine Holden Caulfield without his red hat? In this four-week online tutorial, we will study the importance of objects to prose and poetry and what a well-placed object or objects in your writing can do for characterization, symbolism, conflict, epiphany. Each week, participants will have an assignment that requires using objects in different ways (as distraction, as redemption, as symbols of grief, etc.) to enhance your poetry, fiction, or nonfiction.
WHEN: Mondays, Sep 24 to Sunday, Oct 21
WHERE: Online
COST: COST: $180 for RBWG members; $200 for non-members
"Objects are the limits we desperately need. They show us where we end.
They dispel our sadness, temporarily.”
—Don Delillo
What would The Glass Menagerie be without the unicorn figurine? What would William Carlos Williams have done without the wheelbarrow and plums? Can you imagine Holden Caulfield without his red hat? In this four-week online tutorial, we will study the importance of objects to prose and poetry and what a well-placed object or objects in your writing can do for characterization, symbolism, conflict, epiphany. Each week, participants will have an assignment that requires using objects in different ways (as distraction, as redemption, as symbols of grief, etc.) to enhance your poetry, fiction, or nonfiction.
CRITIQUE
Critique 101 ~ Maribeth Fischer (single session)
WHEN: Monday, Sep 24, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: $15 for RBWG members; $20 for non-RBWG members
Many writers are hesitant to take workshops or even to join a writing group, for they don’t feel qualified to critique another’s work when they, themselves, are still learning to write. And yet, without critique, it’s difficult to improve, and how can we expect others to critique our work when we don’t feel we can critique theirs? In addition, many of us have experienced situations where the critiques were not helpful—"this is great, stunning, beautiful (pick the adjective)” we are told, and though it’s nice to hear, is it really helpful? Or we find people spending time on a word choice, a typo—which again, is not going to make us better writers. This is editing, and while editors are crucial, this is not what writers need in first, second, even third drafts of a work-in progress. In this informal discussion, we’ll talk about the problems with critique, learn some specific strategies for great critique, and practice a few critiques to get the hang of it.
WHEN: Monday, Sep 24, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: $15 for RBWG members; $20 for non-RBWG members
Many writers are hesitant to take workshops or even to join a writing group, for they don’t feel qualified to critique another’s work when they, themselves, are still learning to write. And yet, without critique, it’s difficult to improve, and how can we expect others to critique our work when we don’t feel we can critique theirs? In addition, many of us have experienced situations where the critiques were not helpful—"this is great, stunning, beautiful (pick the adjective)” we are told, and though it’s nice to hear, is it really helpful? Or we find people spending time on a word choice, a typo—which again, is not going to make us better writers. This is editing, and while editors are crucial, this is not what writers need in first, second, even third drafts of a work-in progress. In this informal discussion, we’ll talk about the problems with critique, learn some specific strategies for great critique, and practice a few critiques to get the hang of it.
FICTION
Building a Short Story: From the Ground Up ~ Brandy Yates (5 weeks)
WHEN: Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m. Oct 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: $225 for RBWG members; $250 for non-members
In this five-week course, we'll start with developing a fully realized setting. We'll dig until we find characters that are organic to that specific place. Then, we'll explore the conflict in their lives until we zero in on a story with a solid plot structure that keeps readers engaged and excited. We'll end the class with a workshop where we'll have all the revisions and suggestions ready to revise before you send your story off into the world by submitting it to a publication. This class is a step-by-step guided tour of the process of creating a short story, from first idea to finished product, ready to see the world.
Taking the Plunge: Creative Writing Prose ~ Maribeth Fischer (8 weeks)
WHEN: Fridays, 1-3 p.m. Sep 7, 14, 21, Oct 5, 12, 19, Nov 2, 9 (No class Friday Sep 28 and Oct 25)
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: RBWG Members $360; non-members $400
This is a class for those who want to finally take that leap from their previous world of business/technical/legal/academic writing (whatever you did in your career) and begin writing the novel or short stories you’ve dreamed of writing. Or perhaps you have already taken the leap but find yourself struggling with how to transform your ideas (and your longing to write!) into actual stories. We’ll tackle all the basics—developing characters into dynamic and compelling people, and putting those people into unique situations that will evolve into scenes and plot. We’ll tackle dialogue—something most people—no matter how much writing they’ve done in their career—have never actually learned to write, and we’ll look at how setting grounds the reader in the fictional world. Each week there will be assignments to hone another aspect of fiction writing, which is a vastly different kind of writing than what many of us have practiced in our careers. This is not a workshop, so instead of spending class time commenting on others’ work, we’ll be reading snippets of our own work out loud, analyzing our own work, and doing hands-on exercises that illustrate key concepts of fiction writing. In addition, each week writers will be giving Maribeth their completed assignments for individual suggestions.
WHEN: Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m. Oct 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: $225 for RBWG members; $250 for non-members
In this five-week course, we'll start with developing a fully realized setting. We'll dig until we find characters that are organic to that specific place. Then, we'll explore the conflict in their lives until we zero in on a story with a solid plot structure that keeps readers engaged and excited. We'll end the class with a workshop where we'll have all the revisions and suggestions ready to revise before you send your story off into the world by submitting it to a publication. This class is a step-by-step guided tour of the process of creating a short story, from first idea to finished product, ready to see the world.
Taking the Plunge: Creative Writing Prose ~ Maribeth Fischer (8 weeks)
WHEN: Fridays, 1-3 p.m. Sep 7, 14, 21, Oct 5, 12, 19, Nov 2, 9 (No class Friday Sep 28 and Oct 25)
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: RBWG Members $360; non-members $400
This is a class for those who want to finally take that leap from their previous world of business/technical/legal/academic writing (whatever you did in your career) and begin writing the novel or short stories you’ve dreamed of writing. Or perhaps you have already taken the leap but find yourself struggling with how to transform your ideas (and your longing to write!) into actual stories. We’ll tackle all the basics—developing characters into dynamic and compelling people, and putting those people into unique situations that will evolve into scenes and plot. We’ll tackle dialogue—something most people—no matter how much writing they’ve done in their career—have never actually learned to write, and we’ll look at how setting grounds the reader in the fictional world. Each week there will be assignments to hone another aspect of fiction writing, which is a vastly different kind of writing than what many of us have practiced in our careers. This is not a workshop, so instead of spending class time commenting on others’ work, we’ll be reading snippets of our own work out loud, analyzing our own work, and doing hands-on exercises that illustrate key concepts of fiction writing. In addition, each week writers will be giving Maribeth their completed assignments for individual suggestions.
NONFICTION
The Voice of Memoir ~ Ellen Collins (6 weeks)
WHEN: Thursdays, 12-2 p.m. Sep 20 and 27, Oct 4, 11, 18, 25
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: $270 for RBWG members; $300 for non-members
The author Beth Kephart writes that the structure of memoir “releases the larger, universal story inside the particular this-happened-to-me. It signals an author’s willingness to think not just about events but about themes.” In this class, we will look at memoir not as a chronology of one’s life but as a distilling of memory and a discovery of themes. What is at the heart of our memories? We will use techniques of non-linear narrative to write stories, techniques like flashback, starting in the middle, and hop-scotching over time. We will look at ways to narrow focus, to include elements of fiction, and to include research. The class will have a workshop format, with a particular direction to try to follow each week.
Let Me Tell You a Story: Memoir Writing ~ Judy Catterton (5 weeks)
WHEN: Mondays, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Nov 19—Dec 17
WHERE: Judy’s King Creek Home
COST: $225 for RBWG members; $250 for non-members
How many times have you said that? And, don’t we all have stories to tell? This class will focus on how to tell your stories: tell them straight, tell them slant, tell them honest, tell them so others will see you and maybe also see themselves. Perhaps, you’ve already started a memoir and are looking for ways to add to it or make revisions. Or maybe, you want to write short vignettes, for you children or grandchildren’s eyes only. Maybe you’re interested in stand-alone essays that describe events that actually happened to you that may be of interest to friends and/or family. This class will offer you an opportunity to experiment in how best to tell your true stories.
Writing the Ordinary ~ Maribeth Fischer (8 weeks)
WHEN: Mondays, 1-3 p.m. Sep 17, 24, Oct 1, 8, 15, 29, Nov 5 and 12 (No class on Oct 22)
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: RBWG Members $360; non-members $400
The world is grim right now. Problems are dire. It’s rotten, catastrophic. But also filled with wonders,
joys, amazing places and things, heroic behaviors. Pratfuls and ridiculosity….
—David Quamman, Creative Nonfiction, Spring 2017
Often people take memoir classes because they have specific stories they want to tell—about a significant person or an event, about something that happened to them. In this class, however, participants will search for topics to write about in the ordinary, in the everyday. We will write about the small moments, about the things we love to do—biking, shopping in thrift stores, doing yoga, reading. We’ll look at the use of journals, which Anthony Doerr said should be “a love letter to the world,” and look at the literary journal River Teeth’s “Beautiful Things” column. We’ll try to capture “A day in a life,” and be inspired by the collecting of data about ordinary things—tracking in a given week the number and variety of “thank-you’s” that we’ve encountered, or examples of kindness. The goal will be to hone our writing skills by writing what we know well. Each week we’ll have a different reading and exercise that forces us to study the ordinary and write about it, while meeting the challenge of how to make compelling essays out of every-day topics.
WHEN: Thursdays, 12-2 p.m. Sep 20 and 27, Oct 4, 11, 18, 25
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: $270 for RBWG members; $300 for non-members
The author Beth Kephart writes that the structure of memoir “releases the larger, universal story inside the particular this-happened-to-me. It signals an author’s willingness to think not just about events but about themes.” In this class, we will look at memoir not as a chronology of one’s life but as a distilling of memory and a discovery of themes. What is at the heart of our memories? We will use techniques of non-linear narrative to write stories, techniques like flashback, starting in the middle, and hop-scotching over time. We will look at ways to narrow focus, to include elements of fiction, and to include research. The class will have a workshop format, with a particular direction to try to follow each week.
Let Me Tell You a Story: Memoir Writing ~ Judy Catterton (5 weeks)
WHEN: Mondays, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Nov 19—Dec 17
WHERE: Judy’s King Creek Home
COST: $225 for RBWG members; $250 for non-members
How many times have you said that? And, don’t we all have stories to tell? This class will focus on how to tell your stories: tell them straight, tell them slant, tell them honest, tell them so others will see you and maybe also see themselves. Perhaps, you’ve already started a memoir and are looking for ways to add to it or make revisions. Or maybe, you want to write short vignettes, for you children or grandchildren’s eyes only. Maybe you’re interested in stand-alone essays that describe events that actually happened to you that may be of interest to friends and/or family. This class will offer you an opportunity to experiment in how best to tell your true stories.
Writing the Ordinary ~ Maribeth Fischer (8 weeks)
WHEN: Mondays, 1-3 p.m. Sep 17, 24, Oct 1, 8, 15, 29, Nov 5 and 12 (No class on Oct 22)
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: RBWG Members $360; non-members $400
The world is grim right now. Problems are dire. It’s rotten, catastrophic. But also filled with wonders,
joys, amazing places and things, heroic behaviors. Pratfuls and ridiculosity….
—David Quamman, Creative Nonfiction, Spring 2017
Often people take memoir classes because they have specific stories they want to tell—about a significant person or an event, about something that happened to them. In this class, however, participants will search for topics to write about in the ordinary, in the everyday. We will write about the small moments, about the things we love to do—biking, shopping in thrift stores, doing yoga, reading. We’ll look at the use of journals, which Anthony Doerr said should be “a love letter to the world,” and look at the literary journal River Teeth’s “Beautiful Things” column. We’ll try to capture “A day in a life,” and be inspired by the collecting of data about ordinary things—tracking in a given week the number and variety of “thank-you’s” that we’ve encountered, or examples of kindness. The goal will be to hone our writing skills by writing what we know well. Each week we’ll have a different reading and exercise that forces us to study the ordinary and write about it, while meeting the challenge of how to make compelling essays out of every-day topics.
POETRY
Using Poetry to Tell Our Stories ~ Gail Comorat (3 weeks)
WHEN: Fridays, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Oct 5, 12, 19
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: $135 for RBWG members; $150 for non-members
I do believe that writing is always about self. Because even when you propose to write something
that is not self, you are still tapping into who you are.
—Sindiwe Magona, South African author
How do we write poetry that reflects our stories and ourselves without seeming too self-involved? I think the best way to connect with a reader is to make the stories larger than ourselves. In this three week class, we’ll read examples of contemporary poetry and discuss how the poets move beyond themselves to connect to the world at large. We’ll also look at our own poems to see how we can find ways to write beyond the personal, which will make the poetry stronger.
WHEN: Fridays, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Oct 5, 12, 19
WHERE: Lutheran Church of Our Savior (behind Big Fish Grill), Rehoboth
COST: $135 for RBWG members; $150 for non-members
I do believe that writing is always about self. Because even when you propose to write something
that is not self, you are still tapping into who you are.
—Sindiwe Magona, South African author
How do we write poetry that reflects our stories and ourselves without seeming too self-involved? I think the best way to connect with a reader is to make the stories larger than ourselves. In this three week class, we’ll read examples of contemporary poetry and discuss how the poets move beyond themselves to connect to the world at large. We’ll also look at our own poems to see how we can find ways to write beyond the personal, which will make the poetry stronger.
