Driftwood Seminar Series
Erasure Poetry Seminar
Overview: Driftwood Press is excited to announce open calls for our 2020 Erasure Poetry Seminar! This seminar is a five-week, in-depth look at the history, practice, and importance of erasure poetry. Each week, students will receive a video lesson from the course instructor, multiple tailor-made writing prompts, and detailed feedback on their writing. In addition, students will also have access to a class-only Facebook group where work can be shared and a Youtube channel where course materials will be available to class members. Those who take the class will also receive a copy of the wonderful erasure collection A Little White Shadow (Mary Ruefle), shipped directly to them. The course will culminate in a Showcase Booklet of students’ erasure poems available for free on Driftwood’s website and shared widely through our social media!
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Application: Students will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. To apply, please provide the following:
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Statement of Interest: Please include a 200-word statement of interest detailing how this online course would benefit your or why you are interested in learning about this unique type of poetry.
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Brief Biography (optional): Please include a short, 100-word biographical statement outlining any work history, publications, or upcoming projects you are involved in.
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Cost: Cost for the entire 5-week course is $200.00 USD. Payment is due upon application. The course-cost includes:
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Specifically made video lessons available only to students.
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3-5 tailor-made writing prompts for each week of the course. *these prompts will be made exclusively available to course students*
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Detailed instructor feedback on 1 of your poems for each week of the 5-week course (totaling 5 critiques).
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A copy of A Little White Shadow by renowned erasure poet Mary Ruefle delivered directly to you at the end of the course.
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A magazine-style Showcase Booklet designed specifically for course students and made available electronically (as PDF) on Driftwood Press’ website.
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Timeline: The class timeline is as follows:
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March 1st - May 30th: Submissions open for application
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June 1st: Start of Erasure Poetry Seminar!
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July 3rd: Final day of online course. (Showcase Booklet will be uploaded to Driftwood Press' website in August)
About the instructor: Jerrod Schwarz teaches creative writing at the University of Tampa. His erasure poetry has been published in PANK, Entropy, Poets Reading the News, and the Plath Project; his erasure work has been featured in places like New Republic and Poetry Foundation. He has lectured extensively about the topic of erasure/found poetry to both undergraduate and graduate students. His erasure poetry is forthcoming from ABRAMS Books, Ctrl + V, and Thimble Magazine.