The Writing Life Workshop: A Practice That Sustains

A special Writing Life workshop with teacher, author and editor Laura Lynn Brown.

From May 4-June 26.

Sign up by April 24th to avoid a late registration fee.

One year on his birthday, poet Ross Gay decided to explore the idea of delight by writing a little daily essay for a year.

Poet and fiction writer Harry Crews worked at “overcoming the anxiety of the blank page” by writing 20 lines a day each morning.

Beverly Rollwagen got the idea to answer Freud’s rhetorical question “What does a woman want?” with an alphabetical series of “she just wants” poems.

Sherilyn Lee is almost two years into a habit of writing a daily page about caring for her parents and posting it on Instagram (interspersed with daily index cards of overheard dialogue).

Marilyn McEntyre turned a long habit of listmaking into a book on its generative powers.

Sherrie Flick spent a semester writing a 750-word story each day.

Charity Singleton Craig spent a year writing essays about a word of the week.

Numerous writers exercise their writing muscles (and build a body of work) by exchanging letters.

What work wants you to write it?

From Habits to Inspiration

(Or vice versa.) For some writers, finding ideas is easy. Finding the time to write and the motivation to keep at it is harder. Or maybe it’s the other way around. You’ve written for years, off and on, and lately you’re at a loss for ideas. You need some inspiration. Your desk misses you.

Either way, this workshop is for you if you want to develop or resume a regular writing practice. Come with a project in mind (or the wish for a project in mind) — an essay, a flash series, a poem cycle, a pandemic journal, family stories you want to preserve — and spend time in company with others drafting and revising. Leave with completed work and new strategies for continuing and sustaining your writing, as you discover how writing sustains you.

Via interviews, Zoom appearances or both, weekly guest writers will share insights from their writing practices, favorite writing prompts, inspiration to get you started, and advice on how to keep writing.

The Guest Writers

Diane Glancy, award-winning poet, novelist, memoirist and playwright, author of many books including The Book of Bearings, Pushing the Bear: After the Trail of Tears, and the forthcoming Island of the Innocent: A Consideration of the Book of Job

Marilyn McEntyre, professor, speaker and author of many books, including Make a List: How a Simple Practice Can Change Our Lives and Open Our Hearts and Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies

Tania Runyan, author of five poetry collections, three nonfiction books, and a forthcoming memoir

Sherrie Flick, teacher, gardener, author of short story collections Thank Your Lucky Stars and Whiskey, Etc., the novel Reconsidering Happiness, and series editor of the Best Small Fictions 2018 anthology

John Blase, editor, author or coauthor of several books including  The Jubilee, a poetry collection, and Know When to Hold ‘Em: The High-Stakes Game of Fatherhood

Patrice Gopo, author of All the Colors We Will See and popular speaker

Callie Feyen, author of the memoirs Twirl and The Teacher Diaries

Sherilyn Lee, writer, caregiver, founding poetry editor of the journal Angels Flight • literary west

8-Week Class Includes

• Weekly themes, with hand hand-selected reading assignments from the guest writers and others, including Ross Gay, Lia Purpura, Harry Mathews, Naomi Shihab Nye

• Writing prompts to help you try new things

• Resources for making friends with Time

• Pairing with a peer for weekly support, encouragement, and feedback

• Eight live Zoom video chats (recorded, in case you need to miss)

For You

Private online group “classroom” where you can be assured of a setting that’s been set aside just for you. No distracting social media setup to contend with.

Note to Teachers

You may be able to get professional development units for our courses. We recommend this service offered by Courses4Teachers (and that you check with your district beforehand).

You Will Need

A computer or mobile device with an Internet connection capable of accessing our interactive online space, clicking on documents, and participating in Zoom chats. And you’ll need your favorite writing devices: computer, tablet, pencil, pen, notebook paper, Moleskine, spiral, or other creative tool.

Your Workshop Leader

Laura Lynn Brown, a composition instructor at the University of Pittsburgh, is also an author, editor and writing coach who honed her writing and editing talents at The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Her work was named as a Notable Essay in the 2013 Best American Essays. Laura has an MFA in nonfiction from the University of Pittsburgh and is the author of Everything That Makes You Mom. One of her loves is writing about her home city, Pittsburgh.

8 Week Workshop • BUY NOW $350 + $10 Late Registration Fee = $360

From Past Tweetspeak Workshop Participants

Sharon Gibbs: Thank you for making Tweetspeak Poetry such a rich area of living and learning. The workshops are not only life-changing, but they have blessed me with friendships and community outside the classroom(s).

Laura Lapins Willis: The writing workshop I’m taking with Tweetspeak Poetry has been transformational. I’ve had a great teacher/mentor who has encouraged our group with interesting readings and assignments. My classmates have broadened my perspective and challenged me to be a better reader and writer.

Brad Grout: I am personally getting so much out of this memoir workshop…you people are AMAZING!

Lane Arnold: I struck gold. An afternoon session of writing poetry is good for the soul. The poetry workshop is a catalyst for creativity.

Lexanne Leonard: The most important step I’ve taken is to join Tweetspeak’s Poetry Workshop with Anne Doe Overstreet. I cannot begin to thank Tweetspeak, Anne, and my fellow students for this journey.

Darlene S.: I don’t think I can put into words both the overall value of the lessons learned and the encouragement I got.

Debra Hale-Shelton: My writing had become formulaic after so many years having to write the facts and just the facts. For the first time in years, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my craft, again dreamed of becoming what I dreamed of at age 18—a writer, not a reporter.

Rhonda Owen: Both of the Tweetspeak workshops I’ve taken this year have nourished me on so many levels. I also feel energized and revitalized through the relationships I’ve formed with the lovely, talented, kind people I’ve met in the workshops. Transformative is the best word to describe it…

Sandra Heska King: This was absolutely the single best whim I’ve followed.

Photo by Kate Kend, Creative Commons, via Flickr.