Play it by Ear: Presence and Play in Writing

The pressures of productivity can seep into even our creative processes, creating a daunting and self-defeating environment. Pleasure and play are antidotes and necessary steps toward creative self-sovereignty. Away from the grind, this class is a reminder that above all else, the work of the artist and writer is a calling of attention and perception. Through presence, duration, and pleasure, we’ll PLAY—using play as a vehicle to increase our risk-taking and creative exploration. While this class is open to any genre, we’ll pay particular attention to the sonic life of language (what sounds our mouths want to make), so it is well-suited to poets and the poetically inclined.