Are you ready to commit to your craft? This class is for writers who want to take a deep dive into poetry. If you've taken a lot of short classes and want to step up your practice, are preparing for the full academic immersion of an MFA program, or are trying to hold onto that intensity after finishing one, you've found your place.

 

This class is intended for those who have studied poetry formally in an MFA or class series, or have been reading and practicing on their own. Whether you are in the midst of a book project or simply looking for accountability and community in your writing practice, this course will provide structure and intensity to take you further in your poetry. 

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The yearlong course is flexible enough to accommodate poets at a range of stages, but everyone should be familiar with poetry writing basics and have a commitment to the craft. (If you’re looking for introductory classes, try our short-term offerings!) We will study poems up close, seminar-style, and dig into their workings to find tools for ourselves. And we will spend many hours together reading and discussing your own poems. Through this group you will find guidance and instruction from a practicing poet, and a committed set of readers who will challenge you to broaden and hone your own poetics. You will also expand your own capacity to understand and appreciate a wide range of poems, and learn about the pragmatics of publishing and how to strategize building a writing life that sustains you. 

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What you get: 

 

-28 total class meetings, 56 hours of instruction and workshop time. 

 

-3 one-hour private consultations with Rachel. 

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-Access to open monthly office hours and a private Slack channel for further poetry conversation.

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-Personalized and supportive accountability for your writing practice.

 

-A close-knit group of classmates who are serious about poetry and engaged with your work. 

 

-20-40+ new poems written, revisions undertaken, and a toolbox of techniques for engaging further with your drafts.

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-An introduction to magazine and book publishing and the life of the poet.

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-Focus units on other pragmatic concerns, like chapbook publishing, book reviewing, and arranging a collection, as desired by the group. 

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-Visits and craft talks from published poets (approx 3).

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-Opportunities for in-person meetups, cultural outings (virtual/in person), and more. 

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-Flexible and receptive mentorship that will personalize and shape the course toward the particular needs of the group. 

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Outline: 

 

Fall (Sept-Nov):  

 

In our first season, class time will focus on generative writing, creating and sticking to a routine, reading closely and gathering tools, expanding our craft, and beginning workshop. You will write poems in class and be offered prompts to continue your practice at home. Everyone will be invited to submit work every week, and we will try to share it among the group regularly in short introductory workshops and occasional longer excavations. We will hear from one to two published poets who will visit class to give perspective on composing and other aspects of craft. If you are already working on a manuscript, this is the time to expand its boundaries and push toward new opportunities to see what else might come into the work. 

 

Expect to write 10-15 new drafts in fall and develop a strong writing routine to support your work. Expect to read about 3 published poems per week for discussion, as well as work by your peers, and try to explore widely on your own as well. 

 

Winter (Dec-Mar): 

 

Here our workshops will deepen as we get a firmer grasp of our peers’ poetic aims and projects. More time will be spent with student work in detailed discussion. We will also dig into craft elements that are suggested by your own writing. Discussion will focus on revision strategies, and we will hear from one or two published poets on their processes and tips. If you are working on a manuscript, you will begin to hone your drafts further here, considering strengths and themes that emerge. 

 

Expect to write 8-12 more new drafts this season, while also developing a revision practice and revising a similar number of poems. Identify your poetic tendencies and where you should focus your attention. Try to explore literary magazines and newly published books of poems. 

 

Spring (Mar-May): 

 

In our third season, the focus of workshop will move into the concerns of writing a collection, whether a book or chapbook. You will be encouraged to think about your work in the context of contemporary poetry, and where you would like to join the conversation. You will be encouraged to lead a class discussion on a new book of poems or other poetic topic of your choice. Rachel will provide an overview of magazine publishing nuts and bolts, book reviewing, and other ways to enter the literary conversation. 

 

Some students may continue to write mostly new drafts, while others may be focused on revision this term. Workshops can be modified to consider single poems or small sequences at a time. Students should be outlining next steps for themselves in consultation with Rachel. 

 

Conclusion (June): 

 

In our final group session and one-on-one meetings, we will highlight the achievements of the class and look toward next steps for you as writers, whether that is the publishing world or other study focus areas. We’ll also have a party and public (virtual) reading to celebrate you and your work!

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(No class on holidays and school breaks: 10/13, 11/24, 12/22, 12/29, 1/5, 1/19, 2/16, 3/30, 4/6, 5/25.)

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Yearlong ​Payment Plan:

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Deposit $500 due upon acceptance.

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Full payment ($4000) or first installment ($2000) due September 5, 2025. 

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Second installment ($2000) due January 5, 2026.

 

No refunds of course deposit. After first class, students are responsible for full payment for the yearlong course. If Left Margin LIT cancels the course, all deposits will be fully refunded.

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