Nature and Desire: A Workshop for Poets and Curious Prose Writers, with Diana Whitney
Desire is a force that can spark creative inspiration, propel our writing forward, and rivet our readers. So how can we find new ways to articulate desire in our work? For centuries, poets have turned to nature as a rich source of writing about desire. In this half-day workshop, we’ll mine the natural world for images and language that embody desire in all its forms– not just hunger for a beloved, but longing— for connection, for transformation, for youth, for self-love, for a just world… We’ll start the day by exploring poems by writers who draw on nature to add texture, intensity, and emotional depth to their work; then we’ll use their lines as prompts to spark our own writing. In a supportive atmosphere, we’ll share our work and receive affirming feedback from the group. You’ll leave with a cache of new ideas to sustain your momentum. In-person & online!
Saturday, February 17th, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. ($75)
Diana Whitney writes across the genres in Vermont with a focus on feminism, motherhood, and sexuality. Her first book, Wanting It, became an indie bestseller and won the Rubery Book Award in poetry. She was the longtime poetry critic for the San Francisco Chronicle, where she featured women poets and LGBTQ+ voices in her column. Her essays, op-eds, and book reviews have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Kenyon Review, Glamour, and many more. Her anthology, You Don’t Have to Be Everything: Poems for Girls Becoming Themselves, was released by Workman Publishing to critical acclaim, won the 2022 Claudia Lewis Award for the best poetry book of the year, and became a YA bestseller. She holds a B.A. from Dartmouth and a M.A. from Oxford, where she was a Rhodes Scholar, and attended the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers. Her irreverent parenting column, Spilt Milk, was syndicated for years, ran as a public radio commentary series, and became a blog at The Huffington Post.
