If you want to write about your life, beware of the pitfalls!
The autobiographical impulse has always been a strong one in American poetry, but it wasn’t until the so-called “confessional” poets began writing in the late 1950s and 60s that the poet’s life became a widely accepted source of inspiration. In this workshop, we will examine autobiographical poetry’s roots in Confessionalism and some of the legal and ethical concerns that have arisen as a result. Then we will look at some contemporary poets who write about their own lives and discuss how their work transcends the confessional impulse.
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:
- What is confessional poetry, and why has its reputation suffered over the years?
- Who are the poets we associate with the confessional movement?
- What are some of the legal and ethical issues that have been raised when poets write about their own lives and personal relationships?
- What is the difference between a “good” autobiographical poem and a self-indulgent one?
Time requirements
- No time required outside of class.
Materials
- All reading materials will be provided.
Who should take this workshop?
- Because writing about the events of our lives is such a widespread impulse, this workshop will benefit poets at all levels.
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.