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Workshop Description: Labor shapes our relationship to language. From corporate emails to instructions for post-mortem care, we all become familiar with the authority of voices and hierarchies within the workplace. How might we harness those same voices in our creative work? In this course, we will close-read poets like Paul Hlava Ceballos, Monica Sok, Belle Waring, and others to analyze how they use lexicons centered on labor to imbue their poems with an authoritative voice and, in turn, challenge authority and hierarchies. We will examine craft choices made by each poet and apply similar strategies to our own creative work. This discussion will include practical research tips, writing prompts, and ethical considerations regarding the representation of our communities. All levels of experience welcome!
About the Teaching Artist: Alissa M. Barr is a writer and registered nurse. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in West Branch, The Missouri Review, Muzzle Magazine, and elsewhere. She has received scholarships from the Rona Jaffe Foundation, the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, and the Sewanee Writers' Conference. She is the 2025 runner-up for The Missouri Review's Perkoff Prize. Alissa holds an MFA from Vanderbilt University, where she received the Kathryn Sedberry Poetry Prize.
Date: Monday, January 26th at 4pm PT / 7pm ET
Location: Zoom
• Genre: Any/All
• In-Class Writing Lift: Light
• Homework: Not Required
• Workshopping Drafts: Optional
A note on cost:
The actual cost of the workshop is $45.
There are a select number of discounted spots available for those who cannot pay the full cost, and community caretaker spots are also available for those who would like to support those paying the discounted rate. To learn more about why we use a sliding scale, click here.
If you’re interested in a Season Pass, click here.
Workshop Description: Labor shapes our relationship to language. From corporate emails to instructions for post-mortem care, we all become familiar with the authority of voices and hierarchies within the workplace. How might we harness those same voices in our creative work? In this course, we will close-read poets like Paul Hlava Ceballos, Monica Sok, Belle Waring, and others to analyze how they use lexicons centered on labor to imbue their poems with an authoritative voice and, in turn, challenge authority and hierarchies. We will examine craft choices made by each poet and apply similar strategies to our own creative work. This discussion will include practical research tips, writing prompts, and ethical considerations regarding the representation of our communities. All levels of experience welcome!
About the Teaching Artist: Alissa M. Barr is a writer and registered nurse. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in West Branch, The Missouri Review, Muzzle Magazine, and elsewhere. She has received scholarships from the Rona Jaffe Foundation, the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, and the Sewanee Writers' Conference. She is the 2025 runner-up for The Missouri Review's Perkoff Prize. Alissa holds an MFA from Vanderbilt University, where she received the Kathryn Sedberry Poetry Prize.
Date: Monday, January 26th at 4pm PT / 7pm ET
Location: Zoom
• Genre: Any/All
• In-Class Writing Lift: Light
• Homework: Not Required
• Workshopping Drafts: Optional
A note on cost:
The actual cost of the workshop is $45.
There are a select number of discounted spots available for those who cannot pay the full cost, and community caretaker spots are also available for those who would like to support those paying the discounted rate. To learn more about why we use a sliding scale, click here.
If you’re interested in a Season Pass, click here.