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Transcript

REPLAY: The Art of Tension

How to Keep Your Readers Holding Their Breath

Thanks to everyone who came out and created some nail-biting tension *This is just a reminder that participants' poems are not recorded, so please attend live sessions to listen to others and share your work.

*I forgot to record the intro (whoops!) but it is all spelled out in the first few slides.

Great writing is a tug of war. It pulls and propels to find reflection and tension within itself. Join award-winning poet Kelly Grace Thomas for a generative workshop that examines and explores the effectiveness and impact of tension in poetry. We will use strategy and structure to examine opposition and juxtaposition and write poems full of balance and risk, charisma and charge. We will read and discuss poems by Franny Choi, Chen Chen, Shira Erlichman, and more.

In this workshop, participants will:

  • Explore the balance between contrast and emotional risk 

  • Learn how to hook the reader through syntax, sound, and surprise

  • Use juxtaposition and opposing forces to create unforgettable moments

  • Leave with three new drafts that push and pull

Want to Write More? 

Join the Sweat, Tears, or the Sea writing community, where Kelly leads a monthly creative workshop to help you get closer to who you want to be and what you want to say. Become a paid subscriber to attend.

Materials: