The Craft and Heart of Poetry: A Virtual Event for Poets 2020

Please note: this course is full. Please click here to be placed on our waiting list.

Online Course Info:

Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Georgia Heard take their annual poetry workshop online! Immerse yourself in writing poetry and working on your craft during two weeks of LIVE Zoom sessions, writing exercises, assignments,small group poem workshopping, 1:1 consultations and a presentation/Q&A from Wordsong editor Rebecca Davis.

Online Workshop Participant Cap:

20 students.

What You’ll Learn & Experience:

In this course, you will be discussing, learning, writing, revising, and working on the craft of writing poetry for children. The focus is on all elements of poetry, from the importance of word choice to surprising metaphors. There will be plenty of writing exercises to inspire new poems. You’ll have a one-to-one consultation with faculty, participate in small group workshopping and hear from Wordsong editor Rebecca Davis.

Attend If:

• You have a passion for writing children’s poetry. Learn and be inspired along with your fellow poets.
• You are a beginning poet, a seasoned writer, a teacher, or a dreamer. All poets are welcome!
• You are a picture book author or author/illustrator. Picture books and poetry for children are a natural fit. Join us and let yourself play with words!

Preliminary Agenda:

Note: All times are Eastern time.

October 13
LIVE Zoom session, 5:30 Eastern
Welcome, introductions, faculty presentations, assignment #1, and writing exercises

October 15
Assignment #1 due.

October 16
LIVE: 1:1 meetings with Georgia or Rebecca, 12pm – 2 pm Eastern

October 20
LIVE session, 5:30pm Eastern
Quick write with Rebecca and Georgia
Editor presentation and Q&A, Wordsong editor Rebecca Davis
Assignment #2

October 22
Assignment #2 due.

October 24
LIVE Zoom session, 12pm Eastern
Quick write with Rebecca and Georgia + write-pair-share with partner
Workshopping poems: small group discussions of poems
Farewells and overview of add-on critiques

Following the two-week course, Rebecca Dotlich and Georgia Heard will be open to privately critiquing student work. Students can submit picture books or poetry. There will be a submission window after the close of the course. Students can expect a 1:1 consultation via Zoom for an additional cost of $125.00. Details on submissions, including word counts and submission windows will be sent to those interested. This is an optional service, in addition to the one-to-one offered during the course.

Resources

Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Georgia Heard: Collecting Word Treasures
Rebecca Kai Dotlich: One Poet’s Story
Georgia Heard and Rebecca Kai Dotlich: The Magic of Metaphor
Faculty Interview: Poet Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Picture Books: To Rhyme or Not to Rhyme
Writing Poetry for Children
Harvesting Language From the Worlds We Know

Testimonials

“Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Georgia Heard are amazing apart and absolutely magical together. Smart, approachable, creative and supportive. Would attend ANY workshop with either of them again.”

“Georgia and Rebecca were amazing, fun presenters, knew their stuff, gave lots of information, supportive. One-on-one session was very valuable. Their choice of poems was on-spot to exemplify the lesson. Assignments and feedback were valuable. Open, friendly, knowledgeable, honest. what you hope to get!!!”

“Georgia & Rebecca were incredible. The workshop was the perfect blend of instruction, writing, group reading, feedback and guest speakers. Georgia and Rebecca took the time to become “part of the group”, appearing to have as much fun with us as we had with them.”

“Highlights include connecting with all the other writers (all along the writing continuum) to share their experiences. Hearing Lee Bennett Hopkins and Rebecca Davis to understand the hard travels that we all go through from editor and master!…all the struggles (even they go through) and the process of publishing! Of course, Rebecca and Georgia’s amazing travels were inspiring in so many ways.”