Why should someone sign up for this?

Poetry paid for me to see the world. Come spend 12.5 hours of quality time getting direct experience from someone who’s successfully made a living as a writer, performer, editor, organizer, and touring artist for over twenty years, and who’s done it largely by himself.

Where do I need to be with my writing skills to attend this course?

No prerequisites required. Writers at every level fit comfortably within the framework of the course.

What if I don’t know what I really think about writing?

Whether you’re at a place where you feel shiny or like shit about your writing doesn’t matter. Those same ephemeral judgments happen in the span of writing one poem anyway. We’re gonna work our way through this together.

What fears or insecurities do participants usually have?

While most writers say they fear sharing their stuff with other people, they no less want to. And the ones who say they don’t share their writing? They typically do. If the side story your telling is distracting and restrictive to you or anyone else, please don’t bring it. Participants will only need a ready willingness to step into this. You will not be made to do anything you don’t want to do, or shamed for not doing it.

What do participants want to do with their writing ultimately?

Make it worthy of a sharp audience who will spend their spare time reading it. I’m here to give participants experience with writing in consideration of an audience, to teach writing practices that have yielded the best results for me; and to answer all questions to the best of my ability. I’ll only be able to give what I know, and I commit to doing that without holding back.

Many participants want to be published. While I have some insight on publishing, it is limited. I’m not here to guarantee publishing opportunities or speak about submissions to reputable journals. That’s not the instrument I play. It is likely that more than one of your classmates will also be interested in sharing information with regards to submission and publication experience. We will provide a forum for participants to share resources.

What sorts of things will they learn throughout?

While previous courses have been largely dictated by the evolving needs of the participants within the course, Writers Anonymous takes a more structured approach to ensure participants get more than what they bargained for. A list of what participants can expect is included on the Writers Anonymous landing page on buddywakefield.com.

What will I have created?

A specific goal, and the skills to help them achieve it.

How will I be transformed (braver, more prolific, less afraid, fewer excuses, etc.)

Yes. Participants will walk away from this course more dangerous writers with less trepidation about the chaos before them every time they sit down to write. You don’t have to be brilliant every time you show up. You just have to show up.

What will be different about my writing after this course?

You won’t settle for mediocrity in your work, and you’ll know how to elevate that which is.

How will you challenge me?

By being direct within a system of feedback I developed for picking over a poem in detail. There’s a zero percent chance of me coddling false modesty. Shyness is allowed, but denying talent is not. Big you. Big me. That’s how we show up to this.

What fears will I have beaten?

The idea of writer’s block. The rest is up to you.

What will I feel during the course?

Permission. Direct feedback, with permission. You will know you’re in a safe space to explore and wreck and unwreck and rock and rocket.

… Emboldened? Inspired? Challenged? Encouraged?

All of the above. Inspiration is inevitable. I’m not here because I’m boring or lack passion or am predictable in the material I create to light up my audience. And I’m specifically here because I’m excited about teaching, especially teaching my process, how it’s unfolded for me, and because, like Jack Plotnick said, “The universe always pays off on a joyful risk.”