In this class, we absolutely will not talk about ‘stealing time,’ writing schedules, writing on a daily basis, creating a physical space for writing, word counts, or creating outlines. Every time the word ‘discipline’ is spoken, the group will (virtually) loudly boo, bang pots and pans, or stomp their feet in emphatic opposition. What we will discuss here is inspiration and imagination. We’ll investigate what it means to  start or re-start a book project, connecting with the root of our desire to write, to create, to speak, to share. We’ll interrogate the internal/external obstacles that keep us from the work we long to do. We’ll question everything we’ve ever thought writing or writers have to be. This workshop will focus on sharpening our hunger to write—day after day, week after week, month after month.

TAKE THIS CLASS IF

You’re writing a novel, memoir, or short stories.
You tend to lose steam after working on a project for a while.
You’re overwhelmed by the thought of discipline, schedules, and daily word counts.
You’ve lost the joy of writing.
You never have time to write.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
ire’ne lara silva is the author of three poetry collections, furia (Mouthfeel Press, 2010) Blood Sugar Canto (Saddle Road Press, 2016), and CUICACALLI/House of Song (Saddle Road Press, 2019), an e-chapbook, Enduring Azucares, (Sibling Rivalry Press, 2015), as well as a short story collection, flesh to bone (Aunt Lute Books, 2013) which won the Premio Aztlán. She and poet Dan Vera are also the co-editors of Imaniman: Poets Writing in the Anzaldúan Borderlands, (Aunt Lute Books, 2017), a collection of poetry and essays. ire’ne is the recipient of a 2017 NALAC Fund for the Arts Grant, the final recipient of the Alfredo Cisneros del Moral Award, and was the Fiction Finalist for AROHO’s 2013 Gift of Freedom Award. ire’ne is currently working on her first novel, Naci, and a second collection of short stories titled, the light of your body. Website: irenelarasilva.wordpress.com.