Poetry and Home: Finding the Unfamiliar in the Familiar

LEARN TO USE FAMILIAR SURROUNDINGS TO PRODUCE FRESH, STARTLING POETRY.

We’ve spent more time than ever in our homes over the last few years. In this workshop you’ll learn how to transform those familiar, everyday spaces and routines into material for fresh, unusual and startling poems. Starting from the home and moving outwards, into the built spaces we move through every day, this workshop will help you use poetry to see the world around you in a new way. You’ll learn how to use poetic techniques to transform familiar places into encounters with the unexpected and learn how to generate compelling ideas for your poetry. You’ll draft poems of your own and practice seeing the spaces you move through in a brand new way.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Learn to generate new ideas using everyday place and space.
• Learn to use poetic techniques to surprise your reader.
• Produce short drafts of new poetry.
• Read, discuss and share feedback on works-in-progress.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

This workshop is hosted by Queensland Writers Centre and is being offered free of charge to a limited number of Fraser Coast Libraries members only.

If you find you are unable to attend the workshop, please either let us know, or delete your booking, so that someone else may be able to attend.

This is a hybrid workshop with a focus on craft; it will be held in-person at Queensland Writers Centre and live streamed simultaneously to an online audience. It is a level 1 course for writers of all levels.

Once you have registered you will receive login information to access the workshop, prior to the date of the workshop.

If you are unsure of how to access/use this technology, please contact the team at Fraser Coast Libraries at [email protected] for assistance.

ABOUT ELLA:

Ella Jeffery is a poet, critic and editor. Her debut collection of poems, Dead Bolt, won the Puncher & Wattmann Prize for a First Book of Poems, the Anne Elder Award and was shortlisted for the Mary Gilmore Award. She is a recipient of a 2019 Queensland Premier’s Young Publishers and Writers Award and a 2021 Queensland Writers Fellowship. Her poetry has been published widely in journals and anthologies including Meanjin, Griffith Review, Island and Best Australian Poems.

FAQs – ONLINE EVENTS

Are there ID or minimum age requirements to enter the event?

Unless otherwise stated, Queensland Writers Centre workshops and events are suitable for participants aged 16 years and over. If you are under 18 years of age, please check for suitability.

Can I ask the instructor questions as a live stream viewer?

QWC will have a live stream facilitator monitoring the chat section, so if there is a recurring question being asked, the facilitator will ask the instructor on the viewers’ behalf. Naturally, the instructor will also provide time to answer such questions; however, depending on the number of live stream viewers, for the tutor to answer everyone’s question within the time allocated can be a challenge, so please understand.

How should I prepare for the event?

We suggest having either a pen and paper or electronic note-taking device as you watch the live stream.

How do I access the event?

Fraser Coast Libraries will contact you to confirm your attendance and to provide you with your unique link to the live stream.

Can I playback the live stream after the event has happened?

Yes! You will have access to the live stream for seven days after the event. If you are watching the playback after the live stream, please keep in mind that you won’t be able to use the chat feature and ask questions to the presenter. For the best experience, we highly recommend watching live. After seven days your access will be revoked.

What am I allowed to say in the group chat?

The group chat is a fantastic way to interact and collaborate with other online participants, the QWC live stream facilitator, and the presenter. We expect members to be courteous and respectful in the group chat. The same behaviour you would conduct yourself in person at a QWC event is expected online. The QWC live stream facilitator will ban any participants who don’t abide by these rules so other participants can enjoy the event.

How do I improve the video quality of my live stream?

Every live stream is broadcasted in high definition. To watch the live stream in the best quality, select the gear icon in the bottom left of the video and select the highest possible resolution (in most cases this is 720p).

What internet browser should I use?

Our live stream provider, Crowdcast, recommends using Google Chrome to watch the live stream. However, the live stream does support Firefox, Opera, Edge, and Safari.