Online | Poetry | Workshop

6-Week Online Introductory Poetry Workshop: Catching Feelings/Evoking Emotions

Like it? Hate it? Love it! Inspired by it? Confused by it? As writers, all of these responses are better than, meh. But how do we create these reactions? How do we get an audience to care? What is the craft behind the feelings?

In this generative workshop—intended for beginner poets and writers of other genres experimenting with poetry for the first time—we will look at poems that move us. Why do we keep reading? What makes us care about these poems? How, in turn, can we make another care about ours? We will reverse engineer how poems use literary devices to evoke emotions, and recreate these techniques in our own work. We will look at poetry, because poetry, though sometimes employing aspects of character and narration, often places the literary devices in the forefront. In poetry, the what of the piece stands beside, if not behind, the how.

Over the course of six weeks, we will read the work of established poets, engage in in-class writing, and share our own works-in-progress. Each student will be workshopped at least twice throughout class.. Every class will be divided into approximately one-third literary discussion, one-third in-class writing, and one-third workshop. At the end of every class, each student will have a rough draft of a new poem, and by the end of the course, each student will have a portfolio of 8-10 poems-in- progress and a toolbox of literary techniques to take with them.

Class meetings will be held over video chat, using Zoom accessed from your private class page. While you can use Zoom from your browser, we recommend downloading the Zoom desktop client so you have access to all platform features.

*No class May 31st. 

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

- Explore various literary devices and techniques with which to employ in current and future projects

- Develop a thoughtful and critical language with which to engage in discussion of works-in-progress, including our own

- Gain a better understanding of your own writing practice

-  10% discount on all future Catapult classes

COURSE EXPECTATIONS:

- Students are required to submit one poem to be workshopped twice (once as a new poem and once as a revision) during the six weeks

- Students are required to discuss their peers’ poems in workshop, approaching each poem with empathy and honesty

- Students are required to engage in in-class writing exercises and are highly encouraged to share their work with the class

- Students will have light weekly reading each week and the occasional take-home assignment

COURSE SKELETON:

Week 1 – Frustration / Curiosity; Getting Started; Haiku writing exercise

Week 2 – Terror / Horror; The Line writing exercise

Week 3 – Grievance / Nostalgia; Imagery writing exercise

Week 4 – Anger / Awareness; Anaphora writing exercise

Week 5 – Liberation / Remembrance; Epistolary writing exercise

Week 6 - Celebration / Reflection; Ars Poetica writing exercise

Quincy Scott Jones

Quincy Scott Jones is the author of two books of poetry: The T-Bone Series (Whirlwind Press, 2009) and How to Kill Yourself Instead of Your Children (C&R Press, 2021).   With Nina Sharma he co-curates Blackshop, a column that thinks about allyship between BIPOC artist. His graphic narrative, >BlackNerd<, is in the works.

 Photo  by Dominique Sindayiganza.

Testimonials

"I have been in awe of Quincy's wordstyle & intellect. When he dropped into the studio last month with this kind of bout-to-boil fire, I became even more grateful to call him a friend & contemporary."

Yolanda Wisher former Poet Laureate of Philadelphia

"Quincy Scott Jones has the courage to take on the most difficult and vital subjects with stunning integrity and imagination. He's the kind of writer our culture needs desperately."

D. Nurkse author of LOVE IN THE LAST DAYS

“In many ways, Jones could be considered an avant-garde Langston Hughes had he lived in the post-Civil Rights era; rendering complex portraits in the language of those centered in his lyric narratives, whether writing as “himself” or as a persona like in THE T-BONE SERIES. His wry, futuristic folktales surprise and satisfy like cool water or a shot of bourbon, neat. He uses humor and irony in ways that somehow sting and feel poignant at once.”

Kamilah Aisha Moon author of STARSHINE & CLAY

"I was challenged to be a better writer. I will continue to write because of this course."

former student

"Jones encourages you to be a better writer with positive feedback. He loves the written word and that comes through in his class."

former student

"Writing in this class allowed me to open my mind and think outside the box..."

former student