Poetry Masterclass
Are you a poet who could benefit from getting a head start on a new project, or some extra feedback on a work in progress?
A Varuna masterclass offers a creative and stimulating mix of individual work time, facilitated sessions, one-on-one mentorship, and social time with other writers. Each masterclass is limited to only six participants.
This online masterclass with writer, poet and Varuna Consultant Vanessa Kirkpatrick will run through the month of November.
This virtual residency includes:
A 30 min online consultation (one-on-one) with Vanessa Kirkpatrick to talk about your current project.
Weekly zoom group sessions, with Vanessa Kirkpatrick to explore the week's focus topic and participate in on-the-spot writing tasks.
An online Q&A session with award-winning poet, novelist and dancer, Tishani Doshi.
Facilitated writing tasks throughout the month, including the opportunity to share work, talk about process, and receive feedback about your work.
And finally, a virtual dinner and wrap up session with your peers with a recipe from our beloved chef Sheila Atkinson to cook at home if you choose.
Places limited to six only.
Key dates
Applications open in July and close 31 August 2020. Successful applicants will be notified by 21 September, 2020.
Successful applicants will have access to the course material from Monday 2 November - Monday 30 November 2020 with the weekly zoom meet ups taking place on Wednesdays 4, 11, 18, & 25 November 4-5pm EST.
One-one-one consultations will likely occur in the week commencing 26 October. The timing of the session with Tishani Doshi will be confirmed shortly, but it is in addition to the times listed above.
Participants are expected to attend the programmed sessions, with the expectation that you will spend at least five hours dedicated writing time each week (although this is flexible according to your own personal circumstances).
Participants will need a reliable internet connection, and a computer or mobile phone with a webcam and microphone.
What you need to send us
Writers interested in participating need to complete an online Expression of Interest (EOI) form. The form asks you to state what you would most like to gain from the masterclass and to upload a sample of your work (10 pages of poems).
Fees
The cost of the program is $595.
More information
If you have any questions about the masterclass or would like to discuss whether this is the right program for you, please contact Amy Sambrooke, Creative Director at amy@varuna.com.au.
VANESSA KIRKPATRICK
Vanessa Kirkpatrick is a writer, poet and teacher. She has a PhD in English Literature from the University of Sydney and a teaching qualification. She is an award-winning poet and her publications include To Catch the Light (2013) and The Conversation of Trees (2017). She is an experienced creative writing mentor and is adept at assisting writers at all stages of manuscript development – from helping writers to find the core of their writing project, to providing detailed feedback on manuscripts.
TISHANI DOSHI
Tishani Doshi is an award-winning writer and dancer of Welsh-Gujarati descent.
Born in Madras, India, in 1975, she received a Masters in Creative Writing from Johns Hopkins University, and worked in London in advertising, before returning to India in 2001, where a chance encounter with the choreographer Chandralekha led her to an unexpected career in dance.
In 2006, Tishani’s book of poems, Countries of the Body, won the Forward Poetry Prize for best first collection in the UK. She is also the recipient of an Eric Gregory Award for poetry and winner of the All-India Poetry Competition.
Her first novel, The Pleasure Seekers, was published to critical acclaim in 2010 and has been translated into several languages.
Tishani Doshi’s most recent books include a collection of poems, Girls Are Coming Out of the Woods (shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award) and a novel, Small Days and Nights (Bloomsbury).