workshop offerings:

Since 2015, I’ve offered poetry workshops in collaboration with organizations including Rutgers University, Blue Stoop, The Stables, & The Head & The Hand. Attendees range from widely-published poets to those just starting out &/or curious to try something previously unexplored in their writing.

Most often, I teach workshops centered on themes of sex, desire, the body, & intimacy. These sessions aim to open lively, inclusive, & generative dialogues about getting comfortable with writing that take these topics as its dominant themes/concerns. We look at more straightforwardly erotic work, but also approaches that aren’t explicit, couple-centric, or even particularly “sexy”. In-class exercises & discussions are framed by illustrative examples – from sensual to silly, profound to profane. The workshops are open to any/all poetry familiarity & experience levels.

To hear about future workshops, sign up for my [super infrequent] email list at the bottom of this page.

testimonials:

“Alina’s thoughtful prompts and carefully curated library of poems served as such generous openings. I found myself exploring desire and intimacy on the page in a way that I’d previously been somehow blocked from. I came feeling that I had little to say but by the workshop’s end I had many new threads of thought to follow. Alina is a warm and generous instructor who holds space for a multitude of interpretations of sex, desire and intimacy. If you are seeking an expansive and generative experience, this workshop is the one.”

“Alina's workshops are both a blast and deeply informative. Her depth of knowledge really comes through in the span of poetic sources she choices and the prompts, even when they get personal, always maintain a lightness and playful curiosity. Work generated from my last workshop with her immediately went into my editing rotation and I have no doubt the same will happen for you.” - Warren Longmire

“Alina shared interesting and diverse poetry samples, offered generative prompts, and facilitated a safe, encouraging, and brave space for participants to read aloud new work.” - Tanya Paperny

“I absolutely loved the Pens with Benefits workshop on sex and desire in poetry. The content was well researched and a variety of writers and styles presented. The prompts were accessible yet challenging, and we the participants were made to feel comfortable sharing, or not. I came away with the beginnings of some interesting poems worth developing further. In addition to Alina's brilliant teaching, I immensely enjoyed spending time with the group of fellow participants.” -Vera Zakharov

“Our workshop on Eros was incredible. Even if you're just an enthusiastic amateur like me, I can't recommend it enough just for a chance to look at great, hand-selected poems and ask them pointed questions to get them to divulge their secrets. But even more than that, the exercises we were given coaxed me into doing something I wasn't sure I could do, which was to give my poetry a physical layer resembling the great work we were reading. Not a trivial accomplishment for a few hours' workshop. Alina's a perspicacious reader, a gentle, thoughtful teacher and a consummate craftsperson.” - Wade Redfearn