poetry
Saturday Workshop: How to Write a Sexy Sentence
If you don’t think that the way an adjective pairs perfectly with a noun is erotic, then you have a thing or two to learn…
This workshop focuses on developing prose, word by word, sentence by sentence, with agonizing attention to detail. Whether fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or lyrics, at the foundation of nearly any exquisite piece of writing is a grammatically sexy sentence in which every piece of it works together harmoniously to perfectly express its meaning.
Semi-colon or period? What associations does this word carry with it to the page? What is a synonym for synonym? These questions and more will be explored during our workshop as we discuss diction, connotation, denotation, punctuation, and other –tions while we practice crafting the most perfect, most fluid, sexiest sentences we’ve ever seen.
This workshop is free and open to the public. Breakfast-y refreshments will be provided, but bring your own caffeine!
- What & Who: “Syntax: How to Write a Sexy Sentence” will be conducted by Jayme Cook.
- When: Saturday, March 25th from 9:30AM to 11:30AM.
- Where: GCC Main Campus, LA-141
- Why: Because sex sells.
Announcing: The Traveler Winners!
Please join everyone from the Traveler staff, literary judges, and the English Department at GCC in congratulating the Traveler winners for 2016-2017. After even more deliberation and competition than last year, the following pieces and writers were selected for publication:
Poetry
- First Place: “I See You” by Cynthia Herda
- Second Place: “I Was a War Whore” by Charles Hisey
- Third Place: “Crows Don’t Sing” by Wendy Wallace
- Honorable Mention: “Dear Straight Dudes” by Jamie Lee Heath
- Honorable Mention: “Giving Birth to a Sonnet” by Charles Hisey
Fiction
- First Place: “Skipping Sundays” by Alex Parson
- Second Place: “Zombie Walk” by Sara Dobie Bauer
- Third Place: “Blue Acres” by Maneesha Lele
Creative Nonfiction
- First Place: “My Tatum Place” by Tatum Morton
- Second Place: “Gremlin of Doubt” by Ashley Davis
- Third Place: “Summer” by Emma Matthews
Flash Fiction
- First Place: “Ascendant” by Katelyn Cissel
- Second Place: “Those Three Girls” by Alex Parson
- Third Place: “She of Greatness” by Mary Barreras
To everyone who submitted: all of us with the Traveler sincerely thank you for your submissions. Reading your creative work is a tremendous privilege, and one we do not take for granted. We all sincerely hope to see more of your writing next year. To all of the student staff and the literary judges: Thank you for your tireless efforts!
Keep an eye on the blog for more information regarding the production of the Traveler, the availability of physical copies, and our traditional celebratory reading in October.
Open Mic: Featuring Josh Rathkamp
It is officially Go Time. Classes are churning. Deadlines are looming. New Year’s Resolutions are beginning to lose to pragmatism and habit. Writing professors, faced with the first of many waves of essays, are once again questioning their life choices. And, of course, blog posts are coming fast leisurely and furious with mild sarcasm now.
Also, there’s this Open Mic thing happening, with Josh Rathkamp as our featured reader.
- When: Wednesday, February 15th from 7:00PM to 9:00PM.
- Where: GCC Main Campus, SU104e.
- Why: Because all of this has happened before, and it will happen again.
Josh Rathkamp received an MFA in Poetry from Arizona State University and an MFA in Poetry Translation from Drew University. He has published two collections of poems, A Storm to Close the Door (selected by Terrance Hayes as the 2016 Georgetown Review Poetry Prize) and Some Nights No Cars At All (Ausable Press). His work has appeared in numerous literary journals and public art projects, including American Poetry Review, The Southern Review, Narrative, Poet Lore, and Rattle. He directs the Creative Writing Program at Mesa Community College
Writer’s Craft Conference
ASU’s MFA students are providing a free one-day writer’s conference focused on Craft & Community this Saturday, January 28, 2017. Poets and Fiction writers will offer craft talks applicable to anyone writing fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. There will be a keynote from Cynthia Hogue, ASU’s Maxine and Jonathan Marshall Chair in Modern and Contemporary Poetry. Light refreshments will be provided for a lunch break with a panel discussion (attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunch/snacks also). The conference will close with a Q&A and a chance to participate/cultivate a monthly workshop. ASU’s MFA students hope to converse with and help build a community of diverse writers.
This event is FREE and open to everyone. FREE parking is available. Details are included in the registration & Facebook links below & the pdf containing Program & Schedule.
Still Some Classes Open for Spring!
As you finalize your schedules for the Spring, know that there are still seats available in some creative writing offerings at GCC in 2017. You can find out more information about the courses below by heading to GCC’s Find-a-Class or looking at our extended course descriptions here on the CRW blog. Register quickly or we might come to your house, pull up the shrubs, empty all the condiments from your refrigerator. Stuff like that, yeah.
- CRW120: Introduction to Writing Children’s Literature. #13368. Renee Barstack.
- CRW220: Intermediate Writing Children’s Literature. #13453. Renee Barstack.
- CRW150 (at GCC North): Introduction to Creative Writing. #28938. Mark Broeske.
- CRW160: Introduction to Writing Poetry. #13276. Kimberly Mathes.
- CRW260: Intermediate Poetry Writing. #13327. Kimberly Mathes.
- CRW251: Topics in Creative Writing (Prose, Poetry & Flash Fiction). #28975. Kimberly Mathes.
- CRW272 (Online): Planning and Structuring the Novel. #13314. Jeff Baker.
Last Call(s) for Submissions!
Quick reminders with no funny business:
Later this week (Friday, December 2nd) is the final opportunity to submit your work to GCC’s Traveler Writing Competition. Submit right here on the GCCAZCRW blog: https://gccazcrw.com/traveler/submissions/
(This deadline has passed.) Monday, November 28th is the final day to submit your work to Maricopa’s District Writing Competition. Head here for guidelines and submission forms: http://bit.ly/2g4v7rL
The Slam!
Join GCC students, faculty, and staff, along with numerous talented writers and performers from across the valley, for 2016’s Poetry & Prose Slam. Whether you want to participate, or if you simply wish to listen, the slam always proves to be a great time.
- What: GCC’s Annual Poetry & Prose Slam
- Where: GCC Main, SU104
- When: Wednesday, November 16th from 7PM to 10PM, but arrive early to register if you want to participate (Hint: You want to participate!)
- Why: Cash Prizes!
Obligatory disclaimer: We accept all performers’ rights to express their creative works and art freely, so we do not censor subject matter or content
Saturday Workshop: Narrative Poetry
When is a story a poem?
Spend a morning in the company of other writers discussing narrative poetry. We’ll talk about when and why to use poetic form to convey narrative. We’ll also discuss point of view within narrative and the differences point of view can make in a poem. This workshop, as with all workshops, is free and open to the public.
- Who: The Narrative Poetry workshop will be conducted by Kimberly Williams Mathes, English Faculty at GCC
- When: Saturday, October 8th from 9:30 to 11:15AM.
- Where: GCC Main Campus, LA-141.
- Why: Well, what else are you going to do?
New Venue for Open Mic in Glendale!
AZ-Steam-Shop
Information about the Steam-Shop:
We are Happy to bring FREE OST Programs and STEAM Events to The City of Glendale, AZ. STE[+a]M is Science Technology Engineering Art and Math in an inclusive K-12 Tech-Heavy Environment. Please share the experience with us as we showcase our FREE OST (out-of-school-time) programs with Music and Poetry SLAM sessions most Friday Nights. Alternate Wednesdays are reserved for Women in Science. We have a lot to offer kids, Young Adults and Parents who want and need a STEAM Education setting.
We offer a full multimedia Stage, computer center, Makerspace, Robotics and Workplace development with the help of local area Professionals. AZ-Steam-Shop and MakerSpace
Contact Martin Wesolowski for more information:
623 240-2206
Info@MartinArtCenter.org
www.AZSteamShop.org
GCC Creative Writing 