Find your feedback people–and the perspectives your poems need at this 6-session critique circle
Writing poems is vulnerable work. Revising them without knowledgeable readers? Even more so.
Maybe you’ve shared drafts with kind humans who say things like, “I love it!” (Sweet, but… not exactly actionable.) Or maybe you’ve asked ChatGPT what it “thinks.” (Respectfully: robots are not your workshop.)
If you don’t currently have a poetry community that can offer constructive feedback—or if you’re not sure how to give feedback that’s clear, compassionate, and useful—this circle is for you.
Bring Your Poems is a supportive space where poets receive thoughtful critique and learn how to give it. You’ll practice reading poems with craft in mind, naming what’s working, and offering feedback that helps a poet revise with clarity—without flattening their voice.
Kelly Eastlund leads this group using a compassionate, writer-centered approach rooted in Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process (the same overall critique philosophy used in Bring Your Pages).
Bring Your Poems is for any poet who…
- doesn’t currently have people in their lives who can offer constructive feedback on poetry drafts
- has struggled to give feedback confidently (or feels like they’re guessing)
- wants to sharpen their critique skills and strengthen their poems at the same time
- You’re welcome whether you’re new to sharing work or a long-time poet who’s ready for better critique than “nice.”
What you’ll get from Bring Your Poems
- Supportive, constructive feedback on multiple poem drafts over the six sessions
- A better understanding of poetic terms and techniques (imagery, line, sound, form, structure, tension, etc.)
- Practical tools for giving helpful feedback—kind, specific, and actually usable
- More confidence in both critiquing and revising poems going forward
- A circle of fellow poets who care about craft, community, and not being weird about feedback
How it works
Each session, a few poets share their work in advance. You’ll read their poems before class and come ready to share what you loved, what confused you, and what you want more of. If you’re the poet receiving feedback, you’ll get helpful written notes on your draft. And you’ll learn a ton from giving feedback, too.
Each session includes:
- A short craft mini-lesson (so we’re building shared language and tools)
- Guided critique practice (so feedback doesn’t turn into vibes-only improv)
- Round-table workshopping, one poet at a time, with the facilitator keeping things supportive and on-track
You’ll leave with clearer next steps for revision—and you’ll also become a stronger reader of poems, which (surprise) makes you a stronger writer.
Bring Your Poems isn’t just a solution to your writing struggles. It’s a way to form new connections and friendships with other writers. The enemy of creativity is often isolation, which can make you spiral into yourself and cloud your vision for your writing. By committing to six bi-weekly (every other week) sessions, you’ll find fellow writers who understand this craft to talk with and become inspired by!
Whether you’re revising a chapbook’s worth of poems or just getting your first words onto the page, Bring Your Poems gives you the support and accountability to keep going.
Six sessions, every other Tuesday, 3-5 pm
Spring cohort: March 3 to May 12 – led by Kelly Eastlund
Wordcrafters studio
436 Charnelton St., Ste 100, Eugene, OR 97401
Cost: $199
Pricing info: Our classes and events are priced at their actual cost to run.
If paying the full price would keep you from joining us, use the code ACCESS at checkout to reduce your registration amount by 20%—no questions asked. If you’re a Wordcrafters member, use code MEMBERACCESS.
If the full price is within your means, please leave the ACCESS code for those who truly need it.
If you’re able, you can add a donation during registration to support our scholarship fund.
Scholarship info: We want everyone to have access to our writing programs. If you need additional support, please complete our scholarship request form.
Wordcrafters members save 10% on this and other events and classes.
Click here to learn about becoming a Wordcrafter.
Join Bring Your Pages, a 6-session in-person critique group for writers who want to grow in craft, confidence, and community. Maximum of 8 participants.
HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS
Masks are optional. Please stay home if you’re unwell with any upper respiratory illness.
Your Instructor
Kelly Eastlund (she/her) has been happily hooked on poetry since the age of 13. She earned her B.A. in English from the University of Colorado and after moving to Oregon in 2002, has continued to study and hone her craft independently via books, workshops, and critique groups. Her poems have been published in Rust + Moth, Shot Glass Journal, Verseweavers, and other journals, as well as the chapbook “How to Love Everything.” She co-coordinated the River Road Reading Series and served as secretary of the Lane Literary Guild for many years.
After over two decades working in marketing communications, Kelly now offers freelance content writing, editing, and commissioned poems through her freelance business, Morning Owl Writing Services. When not writing or reading, she enjoys gardening, crafting, plant-based cooking, and falling down YouTube rabbit holes. Kelly lives in Springfield, Oregon, with her husband and three rescue pups. Visit morningowlwriting.com for more info.
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