Writer's Workshop

Descriptions of Writer's Workshop classes with Esteban Alvarado

Poetry Workshop - This workshop will focus on a wide range of topics in poetry, introducing students to contemporary poetry styles and a range of techniques and devices to strengthen their writing. Subgenres such as prose poems, spoken word poetry, persona poems, ekphrastic poems, erasure poetry, and other fun poetic forms that can help generate new writing. Topics will address introductory questions, such as the role of punctuation and grammar in poems, while also moving toward more advanced conversations, such as how to manage uncertainty in a poem. We’ll also read and discuss a recently published chapbook that will allow us to examine the process of ordering poems  into a small-length collection.

Literary Styles Survey - This workshop provides an introduction to various literary styles, techniques and devices used in fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, with an emphasis in generating new writing using these craft elements as a guide. This is an ideal course for students looking to broaden their knowledge on literary devices and techniques, while also working toward helping writers looking to apply these concepts into their writing. Topics include stream of consciousness, free indirect style, multiple points of view, allegorical writing, epistolary writing, persona poems, and other  styles, techniques and forms. 

Writing and Revision - Our longest-standing Writer's Workshop focuses on contemporary fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, with an emphasis in revision and long writing projects. We’ll focus on sharpening our editorial and workshopping skills by unpacking different craft topics listed on the student response rubric. Not only is this a great way to become better acquainted with workshopping, but our course discussion will also highlight strategies for approaching revision.   

NOTE:  View the accomplishments of the Writer's Workshop.