In this workshop, we will take a close look at how sentences are put together and how changing their structure can send a poem off in a new direction.
Guided by a prize-winning and internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, you’ll first read time-honored sonnets to see how and why they work. Next the class will write a group sonnet, and then — with or without shortcuts — you’ll start one of your own. You’ll leave with at least one new (draft) or improved sonnet, as well as insights about how writing poems in form can unlock deeper meaning and enhance everything you write.
Live video conference: This workshop will be held via our online video conferencing platform, Zoom. You can view brief tutorials on using the platform here. On the start date or the day before, participants will receive an email with login info (please check your spam if you don’t see it).
In this workshop you’ll learn:
- Shakespearean and Petrarcan sonnets
- Iambic pentameter
- The Volta
- Can any 14-line poem (or any poem at all) be a sonnet?
- Feedback on participant poems
Time requirements
- No additional time required outside of class.
Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
Who should take this workshop?
- This workshop is for poets who would like to improve their sonnet skills, or write their first sonnet.
If you need an accommodation for this workshop, please contact us at access@writer.org. We will attempt to fulfill all requests, but advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility services.
