Thankful for Poetry Friday and LLL

When I think of all the things I am thankful for, this Poetry Friday community is definitely high on my list. Belonging to this group has helped find folks who share my love of poetry.  I’ve met some of you in person and some only on social media, but I cherish each of you.

A wonderful bonus of Poetry Friday is discovering resources that have helped me become a better writer.   I recently finished a class taught by two Poetry Friday poets I have admired for many years: Renee LaTulippe and LauraPurdie Salas.  

The class, Lyrical Language Lab is an intensive 8-week course that kept me learning and  writing every day.  I had taken the class four years ago. It was fantastic, but I was teaching full-time and wasn’t able to fully focus on the lessons.  Now that I’m retired, I wanted to immerse myself in a writing class, and LLL immediately came to mind. 

There are two new features to the course that I especially love.  First of all, Laura joined Renee to co-teach the fall session.  These two EXCELLENT TEACHERS have a VAST KNOWLEDGE of lyrical language and writing resources so I knew I would learn a lot!

Our class was divided into two small groups with Renee and Laura alternating each week between groups. Their positive approach created a no-risk environment where writers could take chances and try new techniques.  I really appreciated that!

The other feature that was a real game-changer for me was the video feedback.   I loved being able to pause  videos and take notes.  I watched many of the videos several times over. The thoughtful and thorough feedback gave me new insights on how an editor might view  my work.  I also learned a lot  by listening to the feedback given on my classmates’ assignments.  Both Renee and Laura interjected a boatload of extra advice from their own experiences as professional writers.

At the end of the course, Renee provided us with a 187 page e-book of the entire course, and I have a binder of feedback notes I can refer to. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from Renee and Laura.  

If you are looking to kick start your writing in 2019, or ramp it up to the next level,  I highly recommend the Lyrical Language Lab. 

A big thank you to my talented and lovely friend Irene for hosting this week. 

Have a wonderful weekend!