WRITING WORKSHOPS
Workshops with Distinguished Poets
The Poetry Center offers poetry writing workshops in conjunction with the Distinguished Poets Reading Series. Over the years, distinguished poets have included poet laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, Inaugural poets and others of national and international reputation, such as Allen Ginsberg, William Stafford, Amiri Baraka, Lucille Clifton, Stanley Kunitz, Billy Collins, Marge Piercy, Mark Doty, Marie Howe, Kim Addonizio, Billy Collins, Dorianne Laux, Robert Sward, Patricia Smith, Martín Espada, Toi Derricotte and Richard Blanco.
There is limited enrollment and workshops generally fill up, so register early. For full information, open the registration form link below. Check on registration availability by emailing Smita Desai at the Poetry Center.
The college is limiting the number of attendees for all the events, so registration is required and limited for workshops. Everyone who comes to the Poetry Center for workshops and readings should be vaccinated. Coffee, tea, and a light breakfast will be provided for workshop participants.
Poets will give a poetry reading following their workshop. The readings are always free and open to the public.
Readings are recorded and archived for viewing on the Poetry Center’s YouTube channel.
There will be some in-person and some virtual (Zoom) workshops offered. Registration and a fee of $20 are required for all workshops.
Workshops via Zoom will run from 1 PM – 2:30 PM (EST) and be followed by the poet’s reading from 2:30 PM – 3 PM (EST)
In-person workshops will be held at the Poetry Center in Paterson from 10 AM – 12 PM EST and will be followed by the poets reading at the Center at 1 PM EST. These in-person readings include an open reading opportunity after the featured poets.
Directions and parking information for the Poetry Center
Workshops 2023-2024
For bios of the poets, see our READINGS page.
12/2/2023 Nathan McClain & Talena Lachelle Queen
1/13/2024 Jim Reese (ZOOM)
2/17/2024 Suzanne Cleary (ZOOM)
3/2/2024 Gabrielle Calvocoressi & Tara Betts
4/6/2024 2023 Paterson Poetry Prize Winners Reading with Joshua Bennett & Tom Sleigh
5/4/2024 Martín Espada & Chen Chen
5/18/2024 Jennifer Poteet (ZOOM)
Download the workshop registration form for any of these dates
The Mature Adults Workshop Series will be held online using Zoom. This series is open to adults 50 and older. Award-winning poet Maria Mazziotti Gillan leads each workshop in the series.
There are six one-hour workshops in each series. The focus is on writing narrative poetry and sharing the work that you’ve just written in the workshop.
Pre-registration is required for the entire workshop series. The fee is $90 for all six workshop sessions. Registration is by check and mail. We will take a maximum of 25 people and it will be on a first-come-first-served basis based on receiving your check in the office. So, If you want to participate in the next session, please send the registration form and your check as soon as possible. To check registration availability, email Smita Desai at sdesai@pccc.edu. Registration will only be confirmed when your check has been received.