Workshops & Appearances
Instructor-Lead Courses:
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Re-visioning Your Poems
DATE: 4 Weeks starting November 4, 2024 TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced via Poetry Barn Price: $275 Do you struggle to know when a poem is “done”? Do you have a ton of poems, but you’re not sure if they’re ready for publication? Do you need help learning how to better edit your own work? Join us for a nitty-gritty dive into the different methods of revising poetry. Learn how to self-edit for voice, form, structure, tone, and meter to re-envision your poems. Give life to your old drafts and prepare them for submission, with help from a professional editor. |
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Journaling for Writers
DATE: 4 Weeks Starting December 2nd, 2024 TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced via Writing Workshops Dallas Price: $299 Journaling is proven to boost your mental health and help focus your thoughts. Learn different techniques for journaling specifically geared toward writers. Writers are observers. One way to keep track of your observations and ideas is through a writing journal. In this workshop, we'll cover the basics of journaling for writers. Not just as a method of processing and keeping track of your thoughts, but as a method of improving your writing life and working towards a career as a writer. We'll cover tracking your writing, how to manage large ideas or projects, tracking submissions, creating goals, revising in a journal, and more, all while exploring popular methods of journaling to find the one that works for you. If you feel out of sorts or disorganized in your writing life, this workshop is for you! |
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Writing the Speculative Novel
DATE: 4 Weeks Starting May 5th, 2025 TIME: Asynchronous, Self-Paced via Writing Workshops Dallas Price: $299 Learn how to write (and finish) a speculative novel from outlining to revising to submissions. Learn tips from a freelance editor who has worked with successful speculative writers to edit their books to perfection. With over ten years of experience in editing both self-published and big fiver writers, I know what works and what doesn’t when it comes to longform writing. In this class, we’ll explore techniques for outlining, critiquing, and revising the speculative novel. Learn how to create your own outline that you can re-use for future projects. Learn how to take on revision from the big picture to nitty gritty proofreading. Craft your book so that it has the best possible chance to get published! |
Self-Paced Workshops (Ongoing):
Self-Paced Course: 30 Poems In 30 Days
DATE: Ongoing
TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced via Poetry Barn
PRICE: $149
This class came out of NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month), which happens every year in April. Similarly, the goal of this self-paced class is to write 30 poems in 30 days. However, you might write one poem a day, or several poems in a day, and then give yourself a break. It’s totally up to you! Whether you’re writing to a specific theme, assembling a group of poems for a chapbook, or you want to try writing a longer poetic sequence, this workshop is meant to support you with generative prompts and experiences to get you creating plenty of new work.
DATE: Ongoing
TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced via Poetry Barn
PRICE: $149
This class came out of NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month), which happens every year in April. Similarly, the goal of this self-paced class is to write 30 poems in 30 days. However, you might write one poem a day, or several poems in a day, and then give yourself a break. It’s totally up to you! Whether you’re writing to a specific theme, assembling a group of poems for a chapbook, or you want to try writing a longer poetic sequence, this workshop is meant to support you with generative prompts and experiences to get you creating plenty of new work.
Self-Paced Course: Queer Poetics
DATE: Ongoing
TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced via Poetry Barn
PRICE: $99
This workshop is an intersectional primer on LGBTQIA+ writers throughout the history of poetry. We’ll explore poets like Walt Whitman, Adrienne Rich, Allen Ginsberg, and Audre Lorde, but also the contemporary queer poets who have catapulted into the mainstream like Jericho Brown and Danez Smith. We’ll write poems alongside and inspired by the voices of queer poetics. This class is meant both for writers who want to explore their queerness and for writers who want to learn more about the history of queer poetry.
DATE: Ongoing
TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced via Poetry Barn
PRICE: $99
This workshop is an intersectional primer on LGBTQIA+ writers throughout the history of poetry. We’ll explore poets like Walt Whitman, Adrienne Rich, Allen Ginsberg, and Audre Lorde, but also the contemporary queer poets who have catapulted into the mainstream like Jericho Brown and Danez Smith. We’ll write poems alongside and inspired by the voices of queer poetics. This class is meant both for writers who want to explore their queerness and for writers who want to learn more about the history of queer poetry.
Self-Paced Course: Journaling for Poets
DATE: Ongoing
TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced via Poetry Barn
PRICE: $99
Poets are observers. One way to keep track of your observations and ideas is through a writing journal. In this workshop, we'll cover the basics of journaling for poets, not just as a method of processing and keeping track of your thoughts, but as a method of improving your writing life and working towards a career as a writer. In this workshop, you'll cover how to manage large ideas or projects, track submissions, create goals, revising, and more, all while exploring popular methods of journaling to find the one that works for you. If you feel out of sorts or disorganized in your writing life, this workshop is for you!
DATE: Ongoing
TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced via Poetry Barn
PRICE: $99
Poets are observers. One way to keep track of your observations and ideas is through a writing journal. In this workshop, we'll cover the basics of journaling for poets, not just as a method of processing and keeping track of your thoughts, but as a method of improving your writing life and working towards a career as a writer. In this workshop, you'll cover how to manage large ideas or projects, track submissions, create goals, revising, and more, all while exploring popular methods of journaling to find the one that works for you. If you feel out of sorts or disorganized in your writing life, this workshop is for you!
Self-Paced Course: Writing Resistance Through Erasure, Found Text & Visual Poetry
DATE: Ongoing
TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced via Poetry Barn
PRICE: $99
Hybrid poetry forms can be a powerful form of resistance. From Jerrod Schwarz’s erasure of Trump’s inaugural speech to Niina Pollari’s black outs of the N-400 citizenship form, contemporary poets are engaging with the world through text, creating new and challenging works of art. Heralded by the rise of the “Instapoet,” visual works are a way to take poetry one step further by crafting new forms and structures that often transcend the page.
DATE: Ongoing
TIME: Asynchronous, Self-paced via Poetry Barn
PRICE: $99
Hybrid poetry forms can be a powerful form of resistance. From Jerrod Schwarz’s erasure of Trump’s inaugural speech to Niina Pollari’s black outs of the N-400 citizenship form, contemporary poets are engaging with the world through text, creating new and challenging works of art. Heralded by the rise of the “Instapoet,” visual works are a way to take poetry one step further by crafting new forms and structures that often transcend the page.
Upcoming Con Appearances
Upcoming Workshops:
November: Re-Visioning Your Poems - Online (The Poetry Barn)
New Forthcoming Self-Paced Workshops for 2024:
New Forthcoming Self-Paced Workshops for 2024:
- Self-Publishing for Poets
- Teeny-Tiny Poems
My Teaching Philosophy
What It's Like to Take One of My Workshops
I teach primarily online via Wet Ink, a self-paced learning platform. Occasionally, my workshops are live via zoom. Each workshop is crafted to the topic, usually taking place in 4-weeks where the student can jump in and participate as they are available. My method for each workshop is to read as much as I can about the topic, and then distill the most useful advice out there. I utilize materials from a variety of sources from books to online articles to excerpts from other writers. Most of my workshops have a mix of video and text materials.
Love What You Write, Write What You Love
As a writing instructor, my goal is to help writers find what they love to write and learn how to love their writing. My workshops focus on empowering students to grow, learn, and understand their creative practice. While feedback is valuable, I believe that writers must be self-motivated to achieve progress. I equip writers with tools that complement their unique style, voice, and perspective.
I encourage genre fluidity and the adoption of modern writing methods, rather than being confined to the traditional canon. Reading diverse literature is crucial to developing a broad perspective and a well-rounded writing style. I strive to inspire my students to break free from the mold and develop their originality. I believe that success lies in being true to oneself and developing a personal style that stands out from the crowd. With my guidance, students can tap into their creative potential, embrace their unique voice, and unleash their full potential.
What I’ve Learned from Teaching Writers
Historically, writing workshops have used a method of critique that I believe may not be suitable for all writers. The method of having a writer remain silent while a group critiques their work can limit the understanding of the work, especially for marginalized voices, queer writers, writers of color, and writers with disabilities. Sometimes, a manuscript’s cultural context is crucial. Therefore, I often experiment with alternative critique methods.
One way I help my students improve their writing is through positive responses. Instead of criticizing, students only provide positive feedback or ask questions. This approach helps students appreciate what they did well and respect each other's work. It also teaches them that writing involves identifying both the strengths and weaknesses of a piece.
Another method I use is to have the writer ask questions about their work instead of receiving critiques. As writers, we often have a skewed perception of our work. We might believe x is wrong when it’s really y or z. This method encourages writers to interrogate their own writing, while showing them how others perceive the work. It also places the writer in the position of power over their own writing, versus feeling like they must please every reader.
Critique is essential in identifying what the writer may have missed in their work, but it should not be a place of disrespect or harshness. Beyond the classroom, students need to learn ways to receive critique and learn from feedback. Being a good citizen of the writing community also means being professional and having the freedom to dismiss feedback that is not helpful to their goals.
Conclusion
To sum up, I aim for students to learn how to deal with self-rejection and imposter syndrome. Creating a community can be a great way to combat self-rejection. When you hear another writer confess their fear of submitting a story or uncertainty about how it will be received, you realize that every writer faces these fears in their own way. Every writer is unique, and one person’s definition of success may differ from others. There are no fixed rules. My aim is to help students identify their passion and write about it.
I teach primarily online via Wet Ink, a self-paced learning platform. Occasionally, my workshops are live via zoom. Each workshop is crafted to the topic, usually taking place in 4-weeks where the student can jump in and participate as they are available. My method for each workshop is to read as much as I can about the topic, and then distill the most useful advice out there. I utilize materials from a variety of sources from books to online articles to excerpts from other writers. Most of my workshops have a mix of video and text materials.
Love What You Write, Write What You Love
As a writing instructor, my goal is to help writers find what they love to write and learn how to love their writing. My workshops focus on empowering students to grow, learn, and understand their creative practice. While feedback is valuable, I believe that writers must be self-motivated to achieve progress. I equip writers with tools that complement their unique style, voice, and perspective.
I encourage genre fluidity and the adoption of modern writing methods, rather than being confined to the traditional canon. Reading diverse literature is crucial to developing a broad perspective and a well-rounded writing style. I strive to inspire my students to break free from the mold and develop their originality. I believe that success lies in being true to oneself and developing a personal style that stands out from the crowd. With my guidance, students can tap into their creative potential, embrace their unique voice, and unleash their full potential.
What I’ve Learned from Teaching Writers
- Your voice matters. One of the touchstones of my workshops is the idea that every writer’s voice matters. I encourage students to learn what works for them and also how to hone their voice so it is recognizable.
- Every writer has a unique approach to the creative process. In my Writing Life 101 works, students learn how to incorporate writing into their daily routine. During the class, we explore the different stages of writing, from generation to publication.
- Writing is a personal experience driven by each student’s diverse background. I lead workshops that are designed to inspire writers and help them unleash their creativity. These sessions are filled with prompts that cater to all genres, and I encourage students to use tactile prompts like art or memory to spark their imagination.
- Innovation comes from experimentation. I find that writers enjoy learning about the past and how others have broken the rules, as it can help them to become more innovative in their own writing. As Picasso once said, "Learn the rules like a pro so you can break them like an artist." I teach a found poetry workshop that uses newspapers and other found materials to create visual poetry. We delve into the history of this medium and how it has been used throughout the years.
Historically, writing workshops have used a method of critique that I believe may not be suitable for all writers. The method of having a writer remain silent while a group critiques their work can limit the understanding of the work, especially for marginalized voices, queer writers, writers of color, and writers with disabilities. Sometimes, a manuscript’s cultural context is crucial. Therefore, I often experiment with alternative critique methods.
One way I help my students improve their writing is through positive responses. Instead of criticizing, students only provide positive feedback or ask questions. This approach helps students appreciate what they did well and respect each other's work. It also teaches them that writing involves identifying both the strengths and weaknesses of a piece.
Another method I use is to have the writer ask questions about their work instead of receiving critiques. As writers, we often have a skewed perception of our work. We might believe x is wrong when it’s really y or z. This method encourages writers to interrogate their own writing, while showing them how others perceive the work. It also places the writer in the position of power over their own writing, versus feeling like they must please every reader.
Critique is essential in identifying what the writer may have missed in their work, but it should not be a place of disrespect or harshness. Beyond the classroom, students need to learn ways to receive critique and learn from feedback. Being a good citizen of the writing community also means being professional and having the freedom to dismiss feedback that is not helpful to their goals.
Conclusion
To sum up, I aim for students to learn how to deal with self-rejection and imposter syndrome. Creating a community can be a great way to combat self-rejection. When you hear another writer confess their fear of submitting a story or uncertainty about how it will be received, you realize that every writer faces these fears in their own way. Every writer is unique, and one person’s definition of success may differ from others. There are no fixed rules. My aim is to help students identify their passion and write about it.
Past Appearances
September 2024: A Nature Poet's Field Guide (The Poetry Barn)
July 2024: 30 Stories in 30 Days (Writing Workshops Dallas)
June 2024: A Nature Poet's Field Guide (Writing Workshops Dallas)
May 2024: Science Poetry (The Poetry Barn)
May, 2024: Character-based Worldbuilding (Reach Your Apex)
March 2024: Outlining Your Way to Your Novel: From the Heart Romance Writers
March 2024: A Feminist Poetry Reading Primer: Writing with Our Foremothers (Writing Workshops Dallas)
October 2023: Writing Poetry From The Shadows: Horror And The Dark Poem (Poetry Barn)
August 2023: A Nature Poet's Field Guide (Poetry Barn)
July 2023: National Flash Fiction Month: 30 Short Stories in 30 Days (Writing Workshops Dallas)
May 2023: Story Hour Reading
December 2022: Journaling for Writers (Writing Workshops Dallas)
November 2022: Micro & Flash Fiction (Writing Workshops Dallas)
August 2022: Strong Women, Strange Worlds Reading (Online)
August 2022: Armadillocon (Austin, TX)
July 2022: Writing Speculative Short Fiction (Writing Workshops Dallas)
July 2022: Journaling for Poets (Nebraska Poetry Society)
June 2022: Queer Poetics (Poetry Barn)
April 2022: NaPoWriMo Write-A-Long (Poetry Barn)
March 2022: Science Poetry (Poetry Barn)
November 2021: Journaling Your Way Through NaNoWriMo ( Fairway Library, Maricopa County Libraries , AZ)
October 2021: Speculative Poetics: Neither Here Nor There (Poetry Barn)
October 2021: ArmadilloCon Austin
September 2021: FenCon Dallas
August 2021: Writing Speculative Fiction (Writing Workshops Dallas)
August 2021: Readercon
July 2021: Re-Visioning Your Poetry (Poetry Barn)
April 2021: Writing Speculative Short Fiction (Writing Workshops Dallas)
April 2021: Flights of Foundry, Writing Narrative Poetry panel
March 2021: A Feminist Poetry Reading Primer: Writing with Our Foremothers (Poetry Barn)
October 2020: Writespace Poetry Critique
October 2020: Writespace Introduction to Found Poetry
November 2020: Writespace Journaling Your Way to a Better Writing Life
July, 2020: Writespace First Chapter Critique Session
July, 2020: Writespace Q&A with an Editor
November 2019: Malvern Books: Speculative Poetry Reading with T.D. Walker
October 2019: Gemini Ink Online Workshop: The Writing Life 101
September 2019: Zinefest Houston
August 2019: Armadillocon, Austin
July 2019: Readercon, Boston
February 2019: People's Poetry Festival, Corpus Christi
November 2018: Zine Fest Houston
November 2018: Finishing Line Press Showcase - Kaboom Books & Gemini Ink
October 2018: Book launch & Women's Voices Open Mic - Writespace Houston
September 29, 2018, 6-8pm - Art & Words Show, Fort Worth, TX - Featured Reader
August 22nd-September 12, 2018: Writespace Writing Life 101 Workshop
August 25, 2018: Writespace Poetry of the Fantastic Workshop
July 2018: Readercon: Panelist
May 2018: Comicpalooza (Panelist and hosting the SFPA Poetry reading May 25th)
June 2018: 2018 SFPA Contest chair.
June 26, 2018: Reading at Fix Coffee Bar hosted by Mike Alexander
July 2024: 30 Stories in 30 Days (Writing Workshops Dallas)
June 2024: A Nature Poet's Field Guide (Writing Workshops Dallas)
May 2024: Science Poetry (The Poetry Barn)
May, 2024: Character-based Worldbuilding (Reach Your Apex)
March 2024: Outlining Your Way to Your Novel: From the Heart Romance Writers
March 2024: A Feminist Poetry Reading Primer: Writing with Our Foremothers (Writing Workshops Dallas)
October 2023: Writing Poetry From The Shadows: Horror And The Dark Poem (Poetry Barn)
August 2023: A Nature Poet's Field Guide (Poetry Barn)
July 2023: National Flash Fiction Month: 30 Short Stories in 30 Days (Writing Workshops Dallas)
May 2023: Story Hour Reading
December 2022: Journaling for Writers (Writing Workshops Dallas)
November 2022: Micro & Flash Fiction (Writing Workshops Dallas)
August 2022: Strong Women, Strange Worlds Reading (Online)
August 2022: Armadillocon (Austin, TX)
July 2022: Writing Speculative Short Fiction (Writing Workshops Dallas)
July 2022: Journaling for Poets (Nebraska Poetry Society)
June 2022: Queer Poetics (Poetry Barn)
April 2022: NaPoWriMo Write-A-Long (Poetry Barn)
March 2022: Science Poetry (Poetry Barn)
November 2021: Journaling Your Way Through NaNoWriMo ( Fairway Library, Maricopa County Libraries , AZ)
October 2021: Speculative Poetics: Neither Here Nor There (Poetry Barn)
October 2021: ArmadilloCon Austin
September 2021: FenCon Dallas
August 2021: Writing Speculative Fiction (Writing Workshops Dallas)
August 2021: Readercon
July 2021: Re-Visioning Your Poetry (Poetry Barn)
April 2021: Writing Speculative Short Fiction (Writing Workshops Dallas)
April 2021: Flights of Foundry, Writing Narrative Poetry panel
March 2021: A Feminist Poetry Reading Primer: Writing with Our Foremothers (Poetry Barn)
October 2020: Writespace Poetry Critique
October 2020: Writespace Introduction to Found Poetry
November 2020: Writespace Journaling Your Way to a Better Writing Life
July, 2020: Writespace First Chapter Critique Session
July, 2020: Writespace Q&A with an Editor
November 2019: Malvern Books: Speculative Poetry Reading with T.D. Walker
October 2019: Gemini Ink Online Workshop: The Writing Life 101
September 2019: Zinefest Houston
August 2019: Armadillocon, Austin
July 2019: Readercon, Boston
February 2019: People's Poetry Festival, Corpus Christi
November 2018: Zine Fest Houston
November 2018: Finishing Line Press Showcase - Kaboom Books & Gemini Ink
October 2018: Book launch & Women's Voices Open Mic - Writespace Houston
September 29, 2018, 6-8pm - Art & Words Show, Fort Worth, TX - Featured Reader
August 22nd-September 12, 2018: Writespace Writing Life 101 Workshop
August 25, 2018: Writespace Poetry of the Fantastic Workshop
July 2018: Readercon: Panelist
May 2018: Comicpalooza (Panelist and hosting the SFPA Poetry reading May 25th)
June 2018: 2018 SFPA Contest chair.
June 26, 2018: Reading at Fix Coffee Bar hosted by Mike Alexander