When people think of poetry, simple rhyming schemes come to mind, but poetry can be so much more than that. This class delves into experimental forms of poetry. Types explored include: Free verse Picture poems Found poetry One-line poems This class is taug...

The genre of horror has been used to reflect society’s anxieties at the time the story was written. From ghosts to vampires, all literary monsters have an underlying meaning that expresses or challenges fears. In this class, learn how to take your fears and worries and turn them into something that you can defeat....

Come enjoy reading and analyzing scary stories. This class focuses on several short stories of the horror genre and includes a short in-class writing segment to emulate what we read. This class is taught by a graduate student in the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s MFA Program in Creative Writing....

Journaling can often be a daunting task. Either you don’t know where to start, you feel like you don’t have time, or you fail to keep a routine. But journaling is a lot simpler than it may sound. Activities in this class include learning different techniques, answering short journal prompts, and free-write sessions....

Stories don’t need to be long and intricate sagas to captivate a reader. Challenge yourself to write a complete story in under 1000 words! This class covers varying lengths of flash fiction with the aim to elevate your skills. This class is taught by a graduate student in the University of Missouri-Kansas Ci...

Getting started on writing a story can be tough. This class lays the foundation you need to write a complete and engaging tale. Walk through the introduction, the inciting incident, rising action, up to the climax, down the falling action, and into the resolution. This class is taught by a graduate student i...

Ekphrasis is a literary description of or commentary on a visual work of art. In this class we will look at ekphrasis poetry as a playful method of creative exploration. You might be a poet looking to expand your repertoire or a visual artist looking for a new way to write about your own work. Perhaps you are a nove...

Creating a fantasy world can be incredibly overwhelming. By tackling major areas one at a time, worldbuilding can be broken down into much easier parts. This class helps establish: Culture (including government and religion) History Fantasy element This class is tau...

Spoken word poetry is designed to be heard, not read. Spoken word poetry gives unique opportunities to be expressive through body language and to experiment with volume, sound, and delivery. Watch videos of spoken word poets such as Gill Scott Heron, Darius Simpson, Scout Bostley, and others. This class is t...