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This class is currently closed. Check out Melanie Faith's current course, The Poet's Path, which starts May 6.

POET-SPEAK: Crafting Dynamic Poetry by Melanie Faith

START DATE:   This class is now closed.

DURATION:   5 weeks

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  Just in time for spring and National Poetry Writing Month, join us for this five-week course, where we will explore the work of a variety of poetic movements, from the Romantics, the New Formalists, and the Fugitives to the Confessional Poets, the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Mountain Poets, and many more. Via poetry packets provided by the instructor and reading poems within Mary Oliver: New and Selected Poems, Volume Two as well as exercises from the instructional poetry text, Writing Poems by Peter Sansom, students will find inspiration for their own weekly writing assignments. Each week, students will craft a poem (topic and form—whether free-verse or formalist— of the student’s own choosing) for constructive and supportive instructor feedback. A variety of writing prompts and tips, both in the texts and at the class Google group, will spark students’ own poetic pens.  Topics covered will include: Practicalities: Show Not Tell, A Poem Analyzed, Using Form, Free-Verse, Rhythm, Descriptions Not Prescriptions, Speak Not Recite, Why Say it Again?, Meaning, The Scenic Route to Titles, Drafting, The Creative Process, Dreaming, Sonnets, Terza Rima, and Some More Chosen Forms.

Melanie’s class taught me economy of words by using strong verbs and nouns, implying and showing rather than telling, and exploring topics outside of my comfort zone. Her feedback is prompt, detailed and constructive. ~ Rajni Gupta

Melanie Faith’s “Spark and Sizzle Flash Fiction Class” lives up to its title. The sample stories provided were examples of good writing and served as models. Melanie’s prompts came at a rapid pace and kept my pen on the page every day. Her critique comments were sharp and encouraging and challenged me to be the best writer I could be. She is easily available for questions or discussions during and after her classes via her personal email. This is the third class I’ve taken with Melanie and I am looking forward to taking many more in the future. ~ Renee Cassese

Melanie knows how to offer on-the-mark suggestions for writing improvement while also being extremely encouraging (and a joy to work with). I've taken many classes with her, including the flash class, and I plan on taking many more. ~ Marilyn Fahey

Melanie has always shown great insight into my work. Often times, she is able to pull out deeper meanings, that even I wasn't consciously aware of while writing. Her constructive criticism has moved my writing into new directions. I find that I feel more confident and prepared as a writer by having her constant editing eye. I respect that she critiques my poetry honestly, letting me know areas that are weak as well as strong points. I wouldn't be able to grow as a writer if she always told me my poems were great. It's from her perspective of my work that I grow. I enjoy learning through her and appreciate her sharing tricks of the trade that she learned in her masters program.

I'm thankful to know Melanie and hope we remain friends and a poetry support system for the rest of our lives. She's the type of person and writer that anyone would feel lucky to know. She is a great mentor and holds a wealth of knowledge in the written language. Her achievements and constant pursuit as a writer inspire so many. Her determination and skill will go very far and I suspect she'll leave a lasting imprint in the written world. She already has. ~ Courtney Burger

The course was great. I did not want it to end. I have taken several college level creative writing courses, as well as, attended many writer’s workshops, but I have enjoyed this course the most. I really appreciated that Melanie would also critique our re-writes which was very, very helpful. This course has really helped to motivate me creatively. ~ Barb Cramer

Melanie demonstrates particular qualities in a writing teacher/coach that I would recommend for anyone looking for focused attention to help move their writing forward.

I had not taken an on-line course previously, and didn't know what to expect, but Melanie melted the distance, was always accessible, and never missed a beat with out on-line communication. I always felt like I had Melanie right here around my writing table, or knocking on my door saying—“I had a few thoughts..." She provided a wealth of resources and provided us with course materials that were tuned to our course level.

Her insight into my work, in terms of critique, were extremely thoughtful, thorough, and eye-opening. I feel that working with Melanie has allowed me to be braver with my writing and editing—as she was supportive of experimentation and taking chances with style, vocabulary, and theme. She provides serious critique in an atmosphere that, well, just makes me want to keep on writing!” ~ Mary Ellen Sanger

I have taken three courses from Melanie and in each course I grow tremendously as a writer. The texts she uses as well as the handouts and daily writing prompts all contribute to what she refers to as “the writing life” and in her courses that’s exactly what it becomes. Her comments on the pieces go way beyond grammar and punctuation. She delves into the content and clarifies what is good and what can be adjusted to make the piece stronger. I can tell she spends time reading what I write and is prompt in returning the assignments so I always have plenty of time for revision. She treats me, and everyone in the class, like a writer. Her classes are a joy. If there is a course offered by Melanie and I can fit it in, I always take it. ~ Holly Helscher

I have the normal anxiousness of sharing my work while so excited to have Melanie Faith’s critical eye read my writing. It is always reviewed with an eye to improvement and an eye to the thoughts the words contain. This is the first computer class I have ever taken and want to take many more. I also look forward to many more classes with Melanie Faith. ~ Benita Cervantes

Because I love memoir writing, I have taken two memoir/personal essay classes from Melanie. I can’t believe this, but because I enjoy the teacher herself and her method of teaching so much, I’ve even taken a poetry-writing class. I’ve always steered away from writing poetry of any kind ever since I wrote a poem in college (an assignment, not a by-choice piece) and the class laughed because I wrote about a controversial topic and was so naïve that I didn’t even know it was controversial. Every time I’d mention to Melanie that I’d never write a poem, she’d encourage me to take her class, assuring me that I’d be successful. I took the class, and sure enough, I was successful, thanks to Melanie’s velvet critiquing, encouraging comments, and thoughtful suggestions, many times seeing in my writing what I couldn’t see for myself.

I have to rein myself in every time I see in the WOW classes list that Melanie is teaching another essay class. And why is this? In all of my education (B.A. in English and M.A. in English), I never took a writing class. When I was in college, writing was taught only in Freshman English; after that class, we were just expected to know how to write. I learned to teach writing myself by reading books about writing. How refreshing and educational to find a teacher/mentor who exhibits the characteristics that I know an excellent writing teacher has: the creativity to come up with topics that students want to write about, the ability to critique without finding fault, the desire to encourage students to keep on writing even when the juices aren’t flowing. Believe me . . . she’s an excellent teacher. In addition, she became my friend through being my teacher. To be a friend AND a teacher takes real talent. ~ Sandy Young

WEEKS AT A GLANCE:

Friday, March 22, 29 and April 5, 12, and 19 (instructor handouts sent)

Friday, March 29, and April 5, 12, 19 and 26 (student writing assignments due for instructor comments)

Week One: Why Write Poems?, Why Not Write Like Keats?, Reading Poems, The Tabula Rasa Theory, Free-Writing, Workshop Techniques and Writing Games, Postcard Sequence, The Mystery Object

Poetry Packet (provided by the instructor): Confessional Poets, The New York School, and Acmeism

Poetry Text Reading:
Writing Poems: Chapters One (pages 8-24) and Chapter Six (pages 66-78) 

Mary Oliver Poetry Anthology Reading: from “New Poems,” pages 3-57.

Assignment: Write a poem on a topic and form of the student’s own choosing to submit for constructive feedback.

Week Two: A Poem Analyzed, Using Form, Rhythm, Descriptions Not Prescriptions, Using Meter, Syllabics, Rhyme

Poetry Packet (provided by the instructor): New Formalists, The Fireside Poets, the Romantics

Poetry Text Reading:
Writing Poems: Chapters Two (pages 25-31) and Seven (pages 79-90)

Mary Oliver Poetry Anthology Reading: from “Blue Iris,” and “Why I Wake Early,” pages 61-95.

Assignment: Write a poem on a topic and form of the student’s own choosing to submit for constructive feedback.

Week Three: The Pendulum in Literary History, The Spirit of the Age, Seagulls and Teapots: The Contemporary Idiom, Almost a Remembrance, Practicalities: Show Not Tell, Speak Not Recite, Why Say it Again?, Meaning, The Scenic Route to Titles

Poetry Packet (provided by the instructor): the Harlem Renaissance, the Beat poets, Imagism

Poetry Text Reading:
Writing Poems: Chapters Three (pages 32-37) and Four (38-49)

Mary Oliver Poetry Anthology Reading: from “Owls and Other Fantasies” and “Why I Wake Early,” pages 99-117. 

Assignment: Write a poem on a topic and form of the student’s own choosing to submit for constructive feedback.

Week Four: Adverbs, Adjectives, That Kind of Thing; Strike it Out; Telling the Truth; The Disaster Poem; Conscious and Unconscious; Drafting; The Creative Process; Dreaming

Poetry Packet (provided by the instructor): The Black Mountain Poets, Conceptual Poetry, Concrete Poetry

Poetry Text Reading:
Writing Poems: Chapter Five (50-65).
Assignment: Write a poem on a topic and form of the student’s own choosing.

Mary Oliver Poetry Anthology Reading: from ”West Wind,” pages 121-141.

Assignment: Write a poem on a topic and form of the student’s own choosing to submit for constructive feedback.

Week Five: Some More Given Forms, Sonnets, Terza Rima, The Roundel, The Pantoum, Haiku, and Recommendations for Further Poetic Reading

Poetry Packet (provided by the instructor): the Metaphysical Poets, Modernism, The Fugitives

Poetry Text Reading:
Writing Poems: Chapters Eight (pages 91-109) and Nine (pages 110-118).

Mary Oliver Poetry Anthology Reading: from ”White Pine” pages 147-175.

Assignment: Write a poem on a topic and form of the student’s own choosing to submit for constructive feedback.

Materials needed: Students will need a copy of: Writing Poems by Peter Sansom (Bloodaxe Books, 2011) and Mary Oliver: New and Selected Poems, Volume Two(Beacon Press, 2007). These texts are currently in print and readily available online at used bookstore sites as well as at Amazon.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: Melanie Faith holds an MFA from Queens University of Charlotte, NC. Her poetry chapbook, To Waken is to Begin, will be published by Aldrich Press in September 2012. Her fiction, poetry, and nonfiction most recently were published in Linden Avenue (June 2012), Vermillion Literary Project (U. of South Dakota, Spring 2012), The New Writer (April 2012), Foliate Oak (Spring 2012), Mason's Road (Winter 2012 issue) and Origami Poems Project. Her photos were published in Foliate Oak (May 2011), Epiphany Magazine (October 2011), Up The Staircase (Fall 2011), and Ray's Road Review (December 2011). She was a semi-finalist for the 2011 James Applewhite Poetry Prize, and an essay about editing poetry appeared in the Jan/Feb 2011 issue of Writers’ Journal. In 2011, her poetry and essays was featured in Referential Magazine (July and June 2011), Tapestry (Delta State U., Spring 2011), and Front Range Review (U. of Montana, Spring 2011). She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her work won the 2009 Anne E. Sucher Poetry Prize for the Iguana Review. She has been a small town journalist, an ESL classroom teacher for international students, and (currently) a literature and writing tutor at a private college prep high school, and a freelance editor. She has enjoyed teaching writing classes for WOW! for three years. In addition to writing two novels seeking representation, her instructional articles about creative writing techniques have appeared in The Writer (Nov. ’09) and Writers’ Journal, among others.

COST:  $175, which includes e-mail critique and positive feedback on student writing, weekly handout packets, and access to a private group on Google for student interactions.

BUY NOW:  Poet-Speak: Crafting Dynamic Poetry, by Melanie Faith (5 weeks, starting 3/22/2013) Limit: 10 students. Early registration is recommended.

This class is now closed. Please check here for our current schedule.

Notes: Upon successful completion of payment, your name, email address, and contact info will be submitted to your instructor. She will contact you via email so you can get started.

Questions? Email Marcia & Angela at:
classroom[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com

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