Poetry Writing:
Group Classes + Private Lessons

•PRIVATE LESSONS•
Ages: 13yrs - adult
Duration: 1hr & 30min lessons

•GROUP CLASSES•
Ages: 15yrs - adult
Group Class Price: $25/class
Duration: 1hr/wk (4-5wk series)

Have you ever read a poem and thought to yourself, “I don’t know what this means?” In this course, we will look at a wide range of poetry styles and ask ourselves, how does this poem make us feel? What techniques and tools did the writer use to produce that feeling? And how can you use those same literary devices to achieve the same effect in your own writing?

This course will be centered on the students’ own development as a poet, but in order to do so, students will learn—or perhaps review—literary devices and familiarize themselves with diverse poetic traditions. While students will be able to bring their own creative ideas and original work to class when applicable, we will also push ourselves creatively, practice new forms, and embrace writing prompts. These poetry lessons will function as a mini-workshop, where new work is produced and will remain malleable, in a state of flux, as the poet explores every possible avenue for the final product. Students will be encouraged to hear and give feedback, embracing the process of revision. 

For private lessons: Students enrolled in a minimum of 1 series will receive publication in Wildwood Poetry Journal and an invitation to perform during Wildwood recitals.

Poetry Writing: Monthly Workshops

Ages: 13yrs - adult
Duration: 1hr
Group Class Price: $25/class

What techniques and tools do writers use to produce image? Emotion? How can you use those same literary devices to achieve the same effect in your own writing? Workshops nurture an intellectual, experimental, and supportive environment to express ourselves through humor, sincerity, passion — as yourself. 

Centered on the students’ own development as a poet, workshop time is spent reading, discussing, writing, and sharing original poems, while we experiment creatively, practicing new forms, and playing with writing prompts. Students will be encouraged to hear and give feedback, embracing the process of revision.

Mixed-age workshops focus on carefully chosen poems, ones both inspirational and accessible to a wide range of ages. Reading emphasis is distributed across a wide variety of canonized, contemporary, and experimental poets of various genres, ages, and styles. 

Young Poet: Private Writing Lessons

Ages: 8yrs - 12yrs
Duration: 30min

Wildwood is thrilled to offer writing to people, writers, singers, and musicians of all ages. What techniques and tools did the writers use to produce image? Emotion? How can you use those same literary devices to achieve the same effect in your own writing? Poetry writing lessons nurture an intellectual, experimental, and supportive environment to express ourselves through humor, sincerity, passion — as yourself.

Centered on the students’ own development as a poet, students will write their own creative ideas and original work in lessons, while we experiment creatively, practicing new forms, and playing with writing prompts. You may find us spread out on the carpet, writing by the reflecting pool, or performing for one another.

When accessible, poetry in translation and foreign language poetry will also be read and written. Reading emphasis is distributed across a wide variety of canonized, contemporary, and experimental poets of various genres, ages, and styles.

For students enrolled in a minimum of 1series, lessons also culminate in hand-bound books, guided submissions to poetry publications and Wildwood Poetry Journal, and invitation to perform during Wildwood recitals.

Creative Nonfiction
Writing Group Classes + Private Lessons

•PRIVATE LESSONS•
Ages: 15yrs - adult
Duration: 1hr lessons, please inquire about available days and times

•GROUP CLASSES•
Ages: 15yrs - adult
Group Class Price: $25/class
Duration: 1hr/wk (4-5wk series)

Creative nonfiction, or CNF, encompasses many forms: personal essay, literary journalism, memoir, and travel writing, to name a few. While nonfiction is by definition based in fact, rather than a product of imagination, the most evocative CNF pieces utilize literary devices, whether that’s employing vivid imagery, nonlinear storytelling, or compelling character interactions, to turn a factual account into a work of art.

During this course, students will expand their working knowledge of creative nonfiction, read examples from writers from a variety of backgrounds and time periods, and review the tools at their disposal to craft rich and nimble narratives. Like other creative writing lessons offered at Wildwood, the main focus of this course will be on students producing original work of their own. Through writing exercises, prompts, constructive feedback, and revisions, students in the nonfiction course will be guided through the process of writing their own CNF pieces.

If you have a story to tell that is grounded in the real world, exploring creative nonfiction could be a gratifying outlet for you.

Short Fiction Writing Private Lessons

Short Fiction Private Lessons
Ages: 15yrs - adult
Duration: 1hr 

Fully realize the spirit of Wildwood and what it means to be at home in the arts when you immerse yourself in wonder and unleash your curiosity in this short fiction course. Fiction begins in the imagination, a muscle that must be exercised like any other.

As with our other prose offerings, students will study writing techniques found in a diverse selection of carefully curated works of fiction. Aside from reading and discussing these works to investigate literary techniques and discover how to reverse engineer desired outcomes, students will develop their own craft through writing exercises and revisions. Whether you are interested in writing flash fiction, short stories, or individual chapters of a larger work, in this course you will gain exposure to a miniature version of the workshop method where feedback is sought after and thoughtfully considered.