Poets Camp
100% VIRTUAL | DAILY GENERATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP
Write new poems in a daily 2-hour generative workshop taught by Ariana Brown focused on the experiences of writers of color, ending with a celebratory open mic! This is neither a craft workshop nor a class. We are all about messy first drafts and having fun. Seriously!
Workshop Dates: July 1-15 (2 weeks)
Meeting Times vary
Cost: $175 for full access to live workshops; $85 for asynchronous (prompts only)
Registration closes July 3rd.
Reserve My SpotPoets Camp is a return to writing in community without pressure, egos, or perfectionism.
I've designed a daily writing workshop focused on fun and community building because these are the things I find most writers of color these days are missing from their writing practices. If you find yourself writing the same type of poem over and over, if you find yourself only able to write about tragedy, or if you're struggling to find the joy in writing, this workshop is for you.
During Poets Camp, we'll meet daily for a two-hour generative poetry writing workshop on a theme I've curated for the day. While we are here to write new poems, our focus is on the relational aspect of tackling this feat together. We'll have a lively chat and spend two-thirds of our time each day checking in with one another and hearing each other read back the drafts we've just written. This is not about clout, publishing, or other external measures of literary success. We are here to remember how to use writing as a tool for discovery, play, fun, and connection.
This approach to writing together is inspired by my background in spoken word poetry and community-based performance spaces and the Unfold daily writing workshop taught by Tristan Richards. Poets Camp is open to all, but focuses on uplifting the experiences of writers of color (because we need spaces that think of us, first!).
Reserve My SpotWhat to Expect
Each workshop will be structured as follows. During each workshop, every participant will be called on to respond to a check-in question at the beginning, and every participant will be given the option to read aloud what they just wrote at the end of the workshop. This is a practice in community building; we are not just here for the poems, we are here to get to know one another, show up fully, and cheer each other on.
- Check-in, Discussion of Poems, & Warm Up Exercises (55 mins)
- Writing Time (25 mins)
- Time to Share (40 mins)
This year's themes include Embracing the Absurd, Rituals, Humor & Revenge Poems, Anthems, Transformations, Music, All Kinds of Celebrations, & The Body. We will read from a racially and ethnically diverse group of writers, including LGBTQ+ poets, such as Azura Tyabji, KB Brookins, Kinsale Drake, June Jordan, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Alan Pelaez Lopez, and more.
Schedule*
We will meet during the following times for daily workshops from July 1-14. All times are listed in Central Standard Time.
- Mondays: 8pm-10pm CT
- Tuesdays: 3pm-5pm CT*
- Wednesdays: 7pm-9pm CT
- Thursdays: 7pm-9pm CT
- Fridays: 3pm-5pm CT
- Saturdays: 1:30pm-3:30pm CT
- Sundays: 7pm-9pm CT
*Our only deviation from this schedule will be for our Poets Camp Open Mic on Tues, July 15th from 7pm-9pm CT.
*Backup Workshop Dates: If for any reason Ariana encounters major technical difficulties or emergencies that severely interrupt the Poets Camp workshops, please know that any cancelled workshops will be rescheduled for the week of July 27 - Aug 2.
Who is this for?
- Poets of all experience levels (including beginners!)
- Writers looking to refresh their poetry writing practice
- Poets who find themselves writing the same styles & types of poems & want to try something new
- Writers interested in reading & uplifting the experiences of poets of color
- Poets who are afraid to call themselves poets because their definition may look different from the literary world's definition of a "poet"
This workshop is not for...
- Writers looking to network instead of being in community
- Writers looking for an in-depth class on the craft of writing poetry
- Writers who believe poetry has to sound & look a certain way
- Writers primarily interested in promoting their own books & projects
- Writers who look down upon spoken word poetry, self-publishing, or community-based poets
What you get in this workshop
WRITING PROMPTS
50+ curated poetry prompts and exercises created by Ariana Brown that are yours to keep.
COMMUNITY
Access to class online community forum to stay in touch with your peers outside of workshop.
ACCOUNTABILITY
We're showing up every day for two weeks to keep each other on track toward writing poems!
POEMS TO READ
Enjoy being introduced to 30+ new poets of color from the poems selected by Ariana!
I REALLY love Ariana's generative writing workshops.
"I go as often as I can and through them I've been able to generate work, process my emotions, and engage in study of others' literary works in a way that aligns with my values. Ariana approaches barriers to writing with compassion and practicality, with a deep understanding of the real-life issues that writers face in continuing to write."
– JAZZ BELL, FREQUENT STUDENT
Accessibilty + System Requirements
- You will need a laptop with Internet to access workshop material and live class meetings. It is highly recommended for students to use headphones when attending classes for best audio quality.
- Class meetings take place on Zoom. Please make sure you have downloaded the latest version of Zoom prior to the first class session.
- Automated captions generated by Zoom are available for all class meetings.
- Live workshops will not be recorded. All participants will receive access to workshop materials such as readings and prompts.
- All of Ariana Brown's classes have a strict anti-harassment policy. Students who cause harm (such as racism, transphobia, homophobia, misogyny, etc.) to other students, the instructor, or the learning environment may be removed from the class without a refund.
- Ariana is based in Houston, TX, known for its power outages during hurricane season. If any disasters, emergencies, or outages occur during Poets Camp that affect the workshop in significant ways, please know that any cancelled workshops will be rescheduled for the week of July 27 - Aug 2. By signing up for this workshop, you agree that this is amenable to you.
- Access Limitations: Ariana cannot currently offer free tuition, scholarships, ASL interpretation, CART captions, 1-on-1 classes, or multilingual translation services. Ariana cannot guarantee extremely high audio quality without disturbances, slow speaking, or 24/7 email responses due to her own access needs and budget limitations.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Ariana Brown
Writer, Teacher & Librarian
Ariana Brown is a queer Black Mexican American poet from San Antonio, TX, now based in Houston. She is the author of the poetry collections We Are Owed. (Grieveland, 2021) and Sana Sana (Game Over Books, 2020). Her academic and poetic works explore queerness, Black personhood in Mexican American spaces, girlhood, loneliness, and care. Ariana is a national collegiate poetry slam champion, winner of two Academy of American Poets Prizes, and a recipient of a National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Grant.
She holds a BA in African Diaspora Studies and Mexican American Studies from UT Austin, an MFA in Poetry from the University of Pittsburgh, and an MS in Library and Information Science from the University of North Texas. She currently develops ethnic studies and ELA curriculum for high schools and colleges and teaches creative writing to teens in Houston. Ariana has been writing, performing, and teaching for over a decade.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Something still holding you back?
If you still have questions about whether this class is the right fit for you after reading the FAQ below, please email Ariana at [email protected].
