Writing the More-Than-Human World
July 11-16, 2024
Playa, Summer Lake, Oregon
In this multi-day workshop, we’ll use practices carried by many cultures to help us notice the more-than-human world—those aspects of nature outside of ourselves—and to write about our entanglement with other beings. Each day, we’ll have the opportunity to experiment with a new skill or writing tradition, including the short poetic form of tanka, the prose/poetry hybrid of haibun, and the mindfulness practices of forest bathing and bird noticing. Registration includes the workshop and two group dinners, and additional options are available for campsites and room or cabin rentals. More details about the workshop, including a full agenda and housing options, are available here.
Writing with Our More-Than-Human Kin & Poetry Is a Party, and You Are Invited
November 7-10, 2024
Northwest Writers’ Weekend, Port Orchard, Washington
This will be my fourth year teaching at this camp, which includes classes on songwriting, poetry, creative nonfiction, cross-genre writing, and art. I’ll be teaching two classes:
- Writing with Our More-Than-Human Kin: In this outdoor class, we’ll devote part of our time to listening to the sounds of birds, trees, wind, rain, and other more-than-human beings we’re sharing space with at Lake Flora. After gathering these sounds and translating them into our human language(s), we’ll compose several poems guided by and in conversation with those sounds. No prior writing experience necessary.
- Poetry Is a Party, and You Are Invited: In this playful class, we’ll gather around a table for a poetry party, where the place settings will offer prompts to help you tune into your senses and awaken your imagination. During our party, we’ll tuck into four courses of inspiration, with plenty of time for writing and sharing our poems with the other party guests. No prior experience with poetry (or dinner parties) required.
Registration covers classes, housing in a cabin in the woods by a lake, and scrumptious meals. Scholarship funding is available by contacting the camp’s incredible organizers, Karee and Janet, at nwwritersweekend@gmail.com.