Living Room Craft Talks
The Third Series
with Ellen Bass
Self-Guided Online Series
with 90 Days of Access
You do not need to have taken the previous Living Room Craft Talks to take this series.
If you want to learn more about the strategies that you can employ to write poems that are vivid, arresting, meaningful and complex, I’d be delighted to have you join me in the Living Room Craft Talks: The Third Series. If you haven’t attended the previous talks, that’s fine. Each series is independent.
I’ll be presenting practical teachings that you’ll be able to put to use at whatever stage of development you’re at—whether you’re just beginning, somewhere in the great middle, or are an accomplished and published poet. These talks are focused on poetry, but prose writers are welcome. This precise attention to structure and language will enrich your work as well.
The topics for this series are:
The Turn: The swerve into the unknown
The Leap: How to get from here to there without walking
Music: It don’t mean a thing (if it ain’t got that swing)
Dialogue: So…what did you say he said to her?
Ekphrastic Poems: Engaging with the other arts
Obsessions: Diving into our passions and manias
And we’ll also be looking at other aspects of the craft, such as image, metaphor, syntax, lineation, diction, and tone.
We’ll be reading exemplary poems from a large and diverse group of poets. And there will be pop-in visits from these amazing poets: Kwame Dawes, Mark Doty, Linda Gregerson, Danusha Laméris, Nicole Sealy, and Patricia Smith!
More About the Topics
Week One – The Turn: the swerve into the unknown
Guest Poet: Linda Gregerson
Writing your way into the unknown is the most thrilling aspect of poetry. If we already knew what we were going to say, there’d be no surprise and little excitement. The turn (or volta) is so essential that in some received forms, like the sonnet, there’s a specific place prescribed for it. But even in free verse, we are always searching for that opening into discovery. By studying poems that make skillful turns, we’ll learn how to careen around those curves so our poems land in new and unpredictable terrain.
Week Two – The Leap: How to get from here to there without walking
Guest Poet: Nicole Sealey
Although it’s essential that a poem eventually make that turn into the unknown, many of the best poems engage us throughout with their imaginative leaps and juxtapositions. These unexpected connections reach the reader in ways that are more mysterious than our rational, linear progressions. They express what can’t be communicated directly without being reductionistic. We’ll look at poems that make agile leaps and I’ll teach practical suggestions on how you can invite associative thinking into your poems.
Week Three – Music: It don’t mean a thing (if it ain’t got that swing)
Guest Poet: Patricia Smith
Sappho wrote: Mere air these words, but delicious to hear. The lyricism of language is one of the great joys of poetry. Rhyme, rhythm, repetition. Speed, pacing, hesitation. Sounds that are sibilant, sonorant, nasal, guttural, liquid, fricative (isn’t it fun just to say these words?). And even more exhilarating to bring the power of sound into our own poems. With the inspiration of a broad array of poems, we’ll become more aware of the mouthfeel of words. And you’ll learn specific techniques to create more lyrical language.
Week Four – Obsessions: Diving into our passions and manias
Guest Poet: Kwame Dawes
John Waters said, “Without obsession, life is nothing.” The thoughts, images, desires, repulsions that persist in us are the deep well that we draw from. A writer who has an obsession is fortunate! We’ll study poets who have delved into their obsessions and explore the ways they enter each poem from a different angle, making new discoveries. We’ll also learn strategies to connect our personal obsessions with the external world to enlarge the scope and significance of our poems.
Week Five – Dialogue: So…what did you say he said to her?
Guest Poet: Danusha Laméris
One dynamic way to vitalize a poem is to have someone speak. Instantly, instead of just hearing about someone, you are there in the room. We get the direct experience. Even a single line of dialogue can reveal a character, illuminate a relationship, make us laugh, create tension or raise the stakes. We’ll read a variety of poems that incorporate dialogue and I’ll offer ideas on how you can listen for speech that will enliven your poems.
Week Six – Ekphrastic Poems: Engaging with the other arts
Guest Poet: Mark Doty
Ekphrastic poems respond to and engage with other arts–painting, music, dance, etc. Originally, ekphrasis meant describing a thing in vivid detail and often these poems begin that way. But they don’t stop there. Tolstoy wrote, “A real work of art destroys, in the consciousness of the receiver, the separation between himself and the artist.” Writing an ekphrastic poem is like a deep conversation. It’s an act of radical empathy. It’s also a fertile way to tell it slant, to approach your own experience through a new doorway.
From Past Students
I absolutely love this series. I’ve learned more about revision and writing poetry in these talks than any other workshop or program. Ellen, you are a fabulous poet and teacher. Even taking this series on Zoom, you have managed to make the space feel intimate. I hope you keep offering more Living Room Chats so we don’t all have to move to Santa Cruz! I feel so fortunate to have the guest poets appear. This kind of thing doesn’t happen where I live in Idaho!
I cannot express how wonderful these craft talk are. They have helped me to fill in the gaps that I have in my poetry education (despite a decade of workshops). Ellen is so open and positive, she makes me feel I could write anything. This is a workshop unlike any other and I hope (fingers crossed) there are many more to come!
Fabulous! I am bowled over, weekly, by Ellen’s warmth, knowledge, and preparation. Candor and clarity consistently grace her teaching style, which delights as well as inspires. Five stars!
I can’t say enough in praise of this amazing series! It’s incredible. I hold an MFA in writing, have published several books of personal essays, have studied poetry and prose in many outside-the-academy sessions, and I have never taken a course as rich and rewarding as this one. Thank you, Ellen, for the fabulous examples, for generously sharing your own, less-than-perfect early drafts, and for inviting such a diversity of poets to join your conversations with us. . . . This series is brilliantly and lovingly curated, clearly planned and organized, packed with important insights and suggestions.
I registered for both courses as a way of coping with a long quarantine. I felt that my poetry had reached a certain level and was not improving. . . . Ellen’s lectures were recommended by a friend, so I held my breath and registered. Then the explosion hit! From the first lecture to the last, I found a wealth of material to use in my poems. I watched and listened spellbound.
OMG – these talks are so fantastic. Each one so in depth, so thoughtful, so informed, so practical. And Ellen’s passion and joy about the topics are absolutely delightful. The handouts are amazing. Going through the actual examples, moving through the revision piece by piece is so illuminating. Holy cow! I’ve loved having the visiting poets- and being introduced to one whose work I didn’t know.
[Ellen] make[s] it easy to be a beginner; offering encouragement and empowerment to those of us struggling with the intricacies of creating good poems.
Fabulous. Unique. Enlightening. Invaluable. Ellen, I really appreciate your clarity and wisdom. The examples are treasures. As teacher and writer, I’ve always been interested in process and have hungered for examples of poets’ craft choices. It’s spectacular to see the examples on the page and even more special to watch interviews with guest poets.
This course is brilliant. Ellen is a generous teacher. There is great depth in this workshop. The materials are aplenty. I love the extras, the resources and the guest poets! I attend on the Fridays and then watch each episode again. I have watched some of the chunks of each episode many times. This course is a revelation. My poems have made leaps. . . . The breadth of example poems; the details of Ellen’s teachings; the genuineness of Ellen’s way of disseminating knowledge; the generous handouts; the exercises, the ability to attend the talk and re-watch it are all gold.
This has been one of the most helpful classes on writing I’ve ever taken (and I’ve taken a lot of classes over the past 20 years). Ellen demystifies the process and helps us to see that it is a messy, multi-staged journey accessible for everyone who is willing to put in the effort. . . . I just finished an MFA program and believe this particular course would have been suited for that program.
Ellen is magic! And wise, funny, self-deprecating, hard-working, dedicated and real. She has invested a great deal of time and energy in creating the course, and the result has been a valuable learning experience that delves deep into the revision process in a way that is engaging and useful.
Logistics for the Series
Technical Format for the Series:
The Living Room Craft Talks: The Third Series were originally recorded as a Zoom craft talk series. Now, it is available as a self-guided, multimedia series that is available online through a participant-only portal on this website. All access is for 90 days. See below for details.
Your Registration Email:
The email address that you enter into the billing information on the following registration pages will be the email address that is sent your confirmation email. If you wish the series materials to be sent to a different email address than the one you use for billing, please email Jen at jen@ellenbass.com and provide her with the alternative email address.
While signing up for this talk series you will be asked to be added to Ellen’s email list (this is how all of the talk series information is sent). YOU MUST DO THIS IF YOU WISH TO RECEIVE THE EMAILED INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO ACCESS THE SERIES. You are able to cancel your subscription to Ellen’s email list at any time, but please keep in mind that if you cancel your subscription before all of the talk series’ emails are sent, you may not know how to access your subscription materials.
Emails About This Series and Your Registration:
Once your registration payment has been processed, you will be sent an automated email from jen@ellenbass.com confirming your spot in the series and giving you important information to access the series materials. If that email does not reach you within 1 hour, please check your spam, junk, promotions, or trash folders as the email could have been misdirected.
All emails about this series are sent automatically from jen@ellenbass.com. To make sure that you receive those emails, which include a confirmation with details on how to access the series materials, please add jen@ellenbass.com to your contact list before you register. Not sure how? Click the button below.
More From Past Students
Brilliant! Well-organized, well thought out. Ellen, your manner is engaging, inspiring, and allows for a range of experiences in writing.
You are always so positive about the joy of poetry while respecting the challenges of learning and improving. You celebrate the work of it.
I am so excited about this series – it is exactly what I needed. Ellen is an excellent teacher and so generous, warm, honest and down-to-earth. I feel like I can understand the process in an entirely new way now – in a sense I now know what I have to do to try to grow and improve.
I’m learning so much helpful information and greatly appreciate Ellen’s style, spirit and teaching methods. It’s a joy to tune in weekly, to be able to listen/watch from home and to then use suggestions for homework or revision that day or the next while it’s all still fresh. More than ever, I am enjoying writing poetry as an adventure in discovery. Many of Ellen’s words stay with me as I write/revise. Her metaphors (some quite spontaneous) are wonderful and memorable. These craft talks have been the most valuable poetry classes I have attended (and there have been many).
Absolutely love it! Ellen is so full of wisdom and insight on the process of revision. As always, love the quotes she reads, the poems she shares, the concepts she explains. Seeing the evolution of individual poems gives me so much reassurance that my process isn’t as hopeless as I thought. When I see how these poems start as one thing and evolve into something from deep within the poet and the poem talking to the poet, that’s worth the price of admission alone.
The course, like the first, is beyond wonderful. Ellen is a master teacher, organized, generous, funny and light – and I have been able to directly apply the lessons to my writing.
I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to study with Ellen without having to take an MFA – one of the blessings of the new realities of online learning
I continue to be amazed with the amount of knowledge Ellen shares in such a passionate, organized way. I am inspired to write more, analyze more and read and listen more than I ever have before. The notes and citations are very helpful. I get to listen and think and jot down notes knowing I will get to hear the lessons again. The references will keep me busy forever I think
I also appreciate the price of the series. Working class background and budget does not normally leave me latitude for getting this kind of education. Your pricing is generous for your effort and skill.
It’s clear how much work and thought Ellen has put into [the series] and I feel I’m getting an excellent value for the fee. In addition to applying the series to my own writing, I appreciate being able to apply it to my teaching – currently, adults and 8th grade girls (in separate workshops).
I am loving this set of craft talks. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The lessons are jam-packed; they stretch me while inspiring me. The explanations are clear and thoughtful and respectful. I can’t sing your praises enough.
One of the best studies of poetry I have ever experienced. Ellen is so thorough and generous. The learning has been complex, and I often review the videos more than once. The guest poets are a grace note I really enjoy, just enough of a special point of view. The exercises extend and refine the skills, and I began using them in my writing immediately. They are clear and accessible. Ellen is a great teacher and I would study with her anytime.
I have learned a tremendous amount. Every class is loaded with material that is new to me. I’m excited, I’m trying new approaches to my writing and I feel like I have many tools and strategies to make my poetry more authentic, clear and engaging.
Registration Options
Please read through the details for each of the registration options so that you are clear about the differences between them.
If you have questions about the Downloadable Edition and whether your device will be able to download the talks, please read the Downloading Tips and FAQs.
Full and partial scholarships available for BIPOC writers and individuals with financial need for Standard 90-Day Access only. If the price is a hardship, please email Jen at jen@ellenbass.com and tell us in 2-3 sentences what your circumstances are and what, if anything, you could pay.
Option 2: Downloadable Edition
The Downloadable Edition allows you to view the craft talks online for 90 days AND the ability to download the craft talks as MP4s to view offline on your own device. Once the MP4s are downloaded, they are yours to have and watch after your access to the website ends. Handouts are also downloadable.
Cost: $400 (US dollars)
Questions and Concerns:
If you have any questions or concerns, please email Jen at jen@ellenbass.com.
Cancellations and Refunds:
If within 72 hours of purchasing the Downloadable Edition you find that you cannot download the craft talks, contact Jen and she can move your registration to the Standard 90-Day Access option and refund you the difference. No other refunds are offered.