Classes and Workshops
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For 35 years, I have taught a wide variety of creative writing, composition, and literature classes to adults, children, college students, and incarcerated adults and teens.
I am an encouraging, practical, and inspiring teacher. I currently teach at The Writer's Center, The Writer's Passage, The Loft Literary Center, as well as in in private homes in Maryland and Washington, DC. |
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Upcoming Offerings
8 Forms in 6 Weeks - ONLINE
Sponsored by The Writer's Center
May 26-June 30, 2022
Thursday on ZOOM, 7-9pm ET
Register Now!
Formal poems require just enough rules to engage your inner word nerd and set your imagination free. We’ll study poems by accomplished poets for inspiration and guidance as we write our own. Build your literary muscles by practicing two traditional forms (the Ghazal and Villanelle), two forms created by American poets (Terrance Hayes’ Golden Shovel and Jericho Brown’s Duplex), and a variety of fun found forms (erasures, lists, abecedarians, instructions). Classes are a mix of instruction, tips, close reading, Q&A, and sharing work (optional, but encouraged). The instructor will offer feedback on a chosen draft; final class focuses on revision.
Sponsored by The Writer's Center
May 26-June 30, 2022
Thursday on ZOOM, 7-9pm ET
Register Now!
Formal poems require just enough rules to engage your inner word nerd and set your imagination free. We’ll study poems by accomplished poets for inspiration and guidance as we write our own. Build your literary muscles by practicing two traditional forms (the Ghazal and Villanelle), two forms created by American poets (Terrance Hayes’ Golden Shovel and Jericho Brown’s Duplex), and a variety of fun found forms (erasures, lists, abecedarians, instructions). Classes are a mix of instruction, tips, close reading, Q&A, and sharing work (optional, but encouraged). The instructor will offer feedback on a chosen draft; final class focuses on revision.
Feedback from Recent Participants
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Poetry II: Re-imagining Critique
"Thank you for leading a great workshop. It has helped me be a better reader for others and a better judge of what feedback I would like for my work." Building a Poetry Chapbook
"Your class has been tremendously insightful to me and helped me think of my work differently already." "Thank you for the well structured and insightful course." Traditional & Contemporary
Poetic Forms "Thank you for the reminder to be OK with being messy and imperfect. What kind and generous words you gave us this morning. I'll take them to heart." |
Revision as Discovery
"I'm looking at revision in a whole new way. The exercises you shared are a game-changer for me!" Writing for Procrastinators
"You are a fantastic instructor! You are very creative in pulling the class together with small discussions and what not. And, I love the reading assignments." "I appreciate your judgment-free class." "Your course has helped me to get started with my writing again, every day, and revitalized my passion for my book. I'm very grateful for what you've given us." Exploring Memoir
"Thank you for this class! Very motivating!" "Many thanks -- very helpful!" " Great class!" Submit Your Stuff to Literary Magazines
"Your class on submitting work was really, really great. I've taken a class in submitting work a few years ago and I have to say, yours was much more thorough." |
Reviving Stuck Poems
"Your workshop yesterday was fantastic. It has really opened up my thinking about the poems I revised during the session. A new direction in one and a connection I hadn't totally grasped in the other. I plan to use the activities in the future. Thank you for giving me these most helpful tools. I feel liberated." Create a Writing Routine That Works
"The handouts were very helpful as takeaways from the class, and Melanie was super awesome." "Practical information that I can implement." "The pacing of class was perfect." Strong Poetry Titles
"Thank you for this workshop. You’ve given me great ideas for revision and I appreciate your worksheets; very useful and helpful!" |
Praise
- "Thank you for your class on Submitting Your Poems. I followed your excellent advice and voila! I had 3 poems accepted. This is my first publication in over 10 years. Now I'm ready to keep trying to get my work out into the world - all thanks to you."
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- "Melanie is a treasure—a quirky, committed, talented treasure. She was/is as good or better than anyone I had at my Ivy League university. Most notable, she cares.”
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