Poetry can come from the most grand and dramatic situations, as well as from the most mundane aspects of our life. Successful writers can discover meaning in almost any and everything around them or within them. In this workshop, Courtney Cliften will facilitate a discussion about “writing what you know” and about what goes into creating the “voice” you will use to turn that into a poem. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to engage in this discussion; read, analyze, and discuss examples of poems demonstrating these elements; and will be given generative writing prompts relevant to the workshop’s topic.

Courtney Cliften was raised in the Nevada Desert. She writes poetry as an MFA candidate at the University of Nevada, Reno. Courtney often explores the complexity of relationships—with another person, with the self, the relationship between life and death, relationships we have to place, ideas, etc. Her writing attempts to examine inter-connectedness and deflate boundaries. Her work has appeared in The Meadow, Helen Literary Magazine, An Anthology of Emerging Poets, The Racket, The Hunger, Caustic Frolic, and more. Twitter and Instagram: @courtneycliften   

Space is limited, and advance registration through the Carson City Library is recommended. Free and open to the public. Learn more at carsoncitylibrary.org.

Nevada Reads In Your Library brings authors and literary programming to public libraries across Nevada. This program is produced by Nevada Humanities and is made possible with support from Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.