"You become part of a solar system where you as the writer function as one of many planets revolving around the sun that is the workshop leader."
- dimitrireyespoet.com
Poetry workshops are very important.
In order to hone your skills, it is suggested that you don’t only put in the work, but you have others peer into your process as well. As writers, we sometimes get tunnel vision while pouring pixie dust all over our work. Writing in a group or having others look at our work brings us back to reality. It can also give you an edge with your own writing career. Here are 6 of those ways.
1. Encourages You to Write
This will be the first but not the last time I’ll say this on this blog; “writer’s block doesn’t exist.” Though our wells can run dry, we are solely responsible for the drought. Basically, we block ourselves from our own artistic potential. A way we can continue to water our poet trees are through workshops.
Attending a free workshop or paying for a workshop breaks away from several “dry spell” excuses like, “I don’t know what to write” or “I don’t have time to write.” This is because once you are already at the workshop, you’ve already made the decision to commit some time to your work. Whether free or paid, it’s your time to sit with your craft. And most of these workshops (unless the workshops that are done during retreats or over the course of a few visits) will be generative, which means at some point, there will be time for you to break away and do some of your own writing. Everytime I go to a workshop, I come out with at least 1 to 2 poems.
2. Encourages You to Think Outside the Box
There’s this phrase I heard Robin Schiff say during a Q&A to describe poetry. She called it, “free association.” Meaning, where we could write about any associative thing that we’d feel is worth writing. In theory, we are floating freely, and anything we can think of, we can pull into a poem.
But I would say free association as more akin to a stream of consciousness. In a stream of consciousness, you are allowed to have one idea, that spurs the next, which spurs the next, that gives birth to the next idea, and so on. With free association, you are able to create in a very similar manner, though instead of having one idea splicing into another in a linear manner, the poet is allowing theirself to input information from any angle. Though more free, this is still a binding act and the poet is still operating from a box— a box with a lack of gravity where ideas and scenarios flow freely and need to be pulled in by your own floating space— but still a box nevertheless.
When you enter a workshop you end up entering another box. A space occupied by other poets and the workshop leader. You become part of a solar system where you as the writer function as one of many planets revolving around the sun that is the workshop leader. This allows you to think freely and challenge yourself and do something else you wouldn’t normally do based on the workshop discussions and content provided.
3. Introduces You to a Writing Community
You will be attending a workshop with at least 5-18 other writers all trying to find that nugget of information that’ll perfect their next piece. Before, during, and after the workshop there will be this kind of togetherness in the room that no one will mention. Writing is a very intrinsic act when you’re sitting in front of your laptop or notebook penning lines and sometimes we forget that other people are doing the work too. It’s great when we run into others that are mentally wrestling over similar line breaks and language because there’s this sense of community that begins to develop.
Writers like talking to writers and it can be a lonely practice. Spaces like workshops are where like minded literary beings meet and can keep in contact afterwards. There are several writer friends that I met in workshops and I still keep in contact with them.
4. Introduces You to an Abundance of Resources
Workshops are usually put together by organizations that are backed by grants and/or funds from art foundations, schools, universities, public libraries, or anything that has to do with education and higher learning.
Being that there is some money or extra social capital that surrounds these workshops, they’re great resources to learn about different opportunities. Some organizations would have brochures with different events and writerly occasions. If you happen to attend a workshop where that isn’t the case, the individuals who are running may have heard of different opportunities for writers. This can come in the way of knowing about fellowships, readings, and other workshops.
It’s always a good idea to be friendly too, as the other writers you strike up a conversation with may know or have heard about things you weren’t aware of.
5. You're Learning from a Master Writer
They don’t let anyone conduct these workshops. They have to have some prestige either in publishing, community activism, both, or something else entirely. No matter how they’ve proven themself, this master teacher could walk the walk.
If you’re sitting in front of a person that is teaching you about the craft, they know a lot about it. The only way to become a better writer is to read and to listen. So when you’re there in front of this writer, be sure to listen attentively, ask them questions, take notes, and be present with forming a connection. The lessons taught in a workshop are rarely found in a book.
6. It Builds Your Resume
These workshops make you look like the better prospect if you’re trying to apply to competitive residencies, workshops, fellowships, grants, retreats, or programs. In many applications, they ask you about your professional development.
Workshops count as professional development, especially if you had the chance to work with a well- known and/ or highly respected poet.
Hopefully, I’ve convinced you to take workshops. I think they’re supplemental to the writer and even though I teach workshops I still attend them.
If you decide to watch the YouTube video, pardon the editing! Start the video at the 1:00 minute mark as there was an error when uploading it that I just realized when posting this blog!
Subscribe to my blog for weekly post updates and I encourage you to check out my Patreon and Teespring accounts for more poetry community and merchandise!
Teespring
Patreon
