What others say:
She was very good at pinpointing what is relevant for each poet, and customising her critique according to their needs.
I liked very much Wende's easy going but professional teaching style. She has a talent for drawing things out and making her students think and consider things.
John has a way of conveying feedback in a non discouraging way. Very important skill/ talent in a given setting. On top of that he comes across as a warm, friendly and modest person.
John is excellent at critiquing and a great reader. I could always expect a thoughtful set of observations in terms of how my work aligned or did not align with the exercise. He gives such thoughtful notes.
I would tell others that this course is perfect to get you writing when you haven't given yourself the space, time, and encouragement to do it in a long time and that it's amazing to talk to other writers and see how they juggle work, life, family and writing. It's really very inspiring. It is also wonderful to see how people react to your writing, particularly across cultures and languages... I don't think I had ever had this opportunity before - we were from all over the world!
It was great to meet a group of like-minded souls, all interested in writing, and learning from the assignments and each other.
I joined the course for a specific reason and was not disappointed. I wanted to start writing again after a long time, so I spent a year reading writing advice books and blogs and watching endless YouTube videos, but I never managed to actually write, which was quite frustrating. The workshop format was perfect for me. Writing two pages with a specific prompt is an excellent way of forcing yourself to just write, without getting lost in the plotting and with pointless revisions in my head. It was truly helpful. I also loved the variety in the pieces selection, the safe atmosphere during the workshops and the fact that I got to try poetry, which I would never have done otherwise.
The instructors preparation of materials, explanation of techniques and presenting/writing feedback was helpful actual and to the point. While reading her written feedback I understood that she understood my writing attempts. I felt-seen-by her and experienced those moments as true and meaningful and constructive.
I liked the structure and that we had a different assignment every week that shifted just enough from previous assignments. I liked the feedback from the instructor. I liked being required to read other participant's work as it was a good learning to see how they interpreted the assignment. I liked our weekly meetings to hear about the writing experience of each person. I am a big fan of this course.
I love that there are these options for shorter courses on specific topics. I think its a great addition to the Writer Collectives Course catalogue! I've taken a writing course with another school once many years ago, but IWC just has one of the best atmospheres. The teachers really make you feel supported and its reflected in the community.
I haven’t taken courses in creative writing before. I thought I could write, having written and edited for magazines for more than 25 years. Writing an autobiographical novel made me realize I needed some help. This collective has already helped me out with some of my issues.
Yes. This course is the real deal, it is intellectually stimulating, and very enjoyable at a social level.