In this nine month intensive class, students will improve practical and theoretical areas of how to finish a manuscript and make it as close to your intention as possible. Some of the topics include: How do I know which poems to include? What order should they go in? What if none (or only 1, 2, 3, etc.) of the poems have been published? Should I put my best poems first? Should I only include published poems? How long should it be? Is 60 pages too short? Is 100 too long? Do all the poems need to have a connecting theme? What if I just have a collection of poems that are not connected? What is a book of poems? What is at stake in changing a manuscript into a book? Is it practical to want to write or publish a book of poetry? How do I keep going? Participants will have an opportunity for a quick evaluation of their manuscript-in-progress.

Meetings

There will be two meetings per month. These will be group meetings to discuss elements of craft and to discuss the assigned texts. I will also arrange one-on-one meetings with each participant to talk through your individual manuscripts.

Pre-requisites

Ideally, if you have between 30-60 poems we can build a strong manuscript from that material. You don’t need to have publications, an MFA, or other credentials. However, a prerequisite is a serious commitment to language and writing.

Additional FAQ

There is no application process for this offering. Participants do not need to arrive with a completed manuscript. We’ve one scholarship available for this offering. Other payment options include: tiered tuition rates and payment plans. If you have questions, please attend our free Q&A event with Sean, or email FAWC Online senior program manger Jennifer Jean: jjean@fawc.org