Please note that this is an online workshop conducted via Zoom. Participants will be provided information on how to join the online sessions before the class begins.

This free workshop is for physicians of Texas Children’s Pediatrics which is funding this class.

But the sea

which no one tends

is also a garden

These three lines by poet and physician William Carlos Williams provide a glimpse of the transformative and expansive nature of the imagination. As we read, the rolling sea transforms into a sprawling garden through the imaginative act of creative writing. This sea, which is also a garden, beckons; the imagination waits to be tended. In my experience, the practice of tending to the imagination through writing is endlessly rewarding, made all the more so when done in community. In this workshop, we will attune ourselves to the beckoning of the imagination through a creative exploration of different modes and genres of writing. We will read the work of writers from different backgrounds, time-periods, and aesthetic sensibilities, asking ourselves how the imagination manifests through their craft. We’ll traverse expressions of voice, form, content, and style as we develop our own creative practice. Most importantly, this workshop will be a chance to play in the expanse of the imagination, and a portion of each class will be devoted to generative writing prompts. We’ll also work towards cultivating a sense of trust and vulnerability as we workshop each other’s writing and help each other hone our ever-developing voices.