The Poetry Chapbook: Creating and Publishing (with Gail Thomas) - ONLINE
If you have a group of poems you’d like to publish as a chapbook, this workshop will guide you through the process. A good chapbook is more than a shorter version of a full-length book and more than a steppingstone to a first volume. You will learn how to select, edit and order poems and how to search for a publisher. There will be hands-on exercises to demonstrate steps of the assembling process. Writers who would most benefit from this class are those who have 20-30 pages of completed work. (Prior to the first class, writers will submit 10 pages of poetry to be used to demonstrate assembly).
WHEN: 3 Weeks: Saturdays, May 13 - 27 (10am - 12pm EST)
WHERE: Online, via Zoom video conference
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
GAIL THOMAS' books are Trail of Roots, Leaving Paradise, Odd Mercy, Waving Back, No Simple Wilderness, and Finding the Bear. Her poems have been widely published in journals and anthologies including CALYX, Valparaiso Poetry Review, Beloit Poetry Journal, North American Review, Cumberland River Review, and Mom Egg Review. Among her awards are the Charlotte Mew Prize from Headmistress Press for Odd Mercy, the Narrative Poetry Prize from Naugatuck River Review, the Massachusetts Center for the Book’s “Must Read” for Waving Back, the Quartet Journal’s Editor’s Choice Prize, and Seven Kitchen Press’s A.V. Christie Chapbook Series award for Trail of Roots. She has been a fellow at the MacDowell Colony and Ucross, and several poems have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She teaches poetry with Pioneer Valley Writers’ Workshop, visits schools and libraries with her therapy dog, and works with immigrant and refugee communities in Western Massachusetts. You may read more about her work at www.gailthomaspoet.com.
COURSE OUTLINE
WEEK ONE: What is a chapbook and why publish?
We will focus on defining what makes a cohesive chapbook and examining the benefits of publishing.
WEEK TWO: What does assembling a chapbook entail?
We will practice exercises in editing, ordering, and choosing titles.
WEEK THREE: Publishing and marketing a chapbook
We will share information on how to search for chapbook publishers, manage expectations, and anticipate marketing strategies.
GOALS OF THIS COURSE
- Learn how to select, edit, and arrange poems to create a cohesive chapbook.
- Be able to identify themes in one’s work and write a summary of a group of poems.
- Expand skills in giving thoughtful feedback to others.
- Receive supportive and considered feedback from instructor and group.
RECEIVING THE ZOOM LINK: For one-day workshops, we send out the link to attend the Zoom session 1 - 2 days before the event, via email. For multi-week workshops, you should receive info and the link about 3 - 5 days before. Please mark your calendars when you first register and look for our emails. If you don't see the email in your inbox on the day before the class, please check your spam and junk mail folders (and search all folders) for an email from joy@pioneervalleywriters.org before contacting us. We have found that very often our emails end up in those folders. This is based on your own email settings, and you can prevent this by adding our email as a contact.
ONLINE SESSIONS happen remotely, via Zoom video conference. All you need is a laptop, computer, or phone with functioning audio and a webcam. Those who RSVP receive directions and a link to "join" the session via email (please see above note about receiving the Zoom link). All online instructors will log on to the video conference a few minutes before the start of the session, so please plan to log on early if you'd like assistance! We'll do everything in our power to help you get comfortable with the Zoom format, though we are not able to offer technical assistance beyond basic Zoom orientation.
REFUND & CREDIT POLICIES AT PVWW
If you withdraw from a workshop ten days or more before the start of the class: You'll receive full credit toward another workshop OR a full refund. If you withdraw from a workshop nine days before the start of the class up until 48 hours before: You'll receive a refund minus 20%. If you withdraw from a workshop less than 48 hours before the start of a class or after the class has begun: We are not able to offer you credit toward another class or any refund, unless in the case of a medical emergency, or if we are able to fill your spot. If you are absent on the day of your workshop or miss it for any reason, we are unable to offer any kind of refund. If we have to cancel a class for any reason, you will receive a full refund, or if you choose, credit in the amount of your payment, to be used for any future PVWW class. Anyone who does not specify whether they would like a refund or a credit for a cancelled class will automatically be refunded. Please contact Joy (joy@pioneervalleywriters.org) for all matters concerning credit and refunds.