Overview

In-person 4-Day/3-Night Working Retreat

Join celebrated poets Charles Waters, Irene Latham, and their guests for time to create and connect during this Working Retreat. We invite writers with a passion for solo poetry collections, poetry anthologies, stand alone poems, and more for an immersive experience where productivity meets inspiration!

A Working Retreat is lightly structured with one lecture each day, informal conversations, optional consultations with faculty, and plenty of time to create in the comfort and care of the Highlights Foundation retreat center.

• This is an in-person retreat for poets hoping to learn more about poetry, poetry anthologies, and collections.
• This working retreat has light instruction and ample time to work on your individual projects.
• Lodging and meals are included.
• Begins at 5:30pm Eastern on Sunday, June 23
• Ends after lunch on Wednesday, June 26

Presentations

Diving into the Wreck: How to Bring Forth a Treasure of a Poetry Collection
Best Practices for Creating Work for Poetry Anthologies

with Irene Latham and Charles Waters

“So I am passionate about, about poetry collections and how to, how to arrange them. Charles and I have conversations all the time and we have a lot of discussion about what should be first, what should be last. And what, what should go in between. So, these are actually things that, that can carry over into anthology work as well. There’s a lot of crossover and what we’ll be talking about, but I think it will help the writers, the poets, to be able to have some really concrete tools. Ways to evaluate your own collection and, and some exercises to kind of go through to kind of put your own collection through the paces and see how you can winnow out the stuff that’s not working and how you can develop your message, which is super important and I think often kind of gets pushed by the wayside because we’re so excited about language and we’re so excited to approach a topic. But what are you really communicating through those, through those wonderful poems? So we’re hoping that we can provide some help in understanding your own collection better and that makes you be able to market it better.”—Irene Latham

Feedback Expected

• Optional consultations can be scheduled with one of our faculty mentors. These opportunities are available at an additional cost, and can be added at the time of registration or during your retreat stay. No submissions will be required or accepted for these 1:1 consultation opportunities, but you will fill out a questionnaire in advance (in our virtual classroom) to prepare. Consultations will include time to discuss where you are in your stories, and ideas for moving forward with drafting, revisions, and/or submissions.
• There will be informal feedback opportunities and time to share work during generative creative exercises, and as you connect with fellow attendees.

It’s a Great Fit If…

• You are a poet (for children and/or adults) that could use some creative inspiration. There will be generative writing activities to spark ideas!

• You are a poet with a poetry collection in progress. Irene and Charles will be providing big-picture strategies to strengthen your manuscript and help make it submission-ready.

• You are a poet who’d like to place your work in poetry anthologies. Learn from a team of anthologists about the process behind selecting and editing poems.

• You want to learn more about opportunities in writing poetry for children. This retreat will showcase solo collections, stand-alone poems for placement in anthologies, and more.

• You’d like a retreat where you can get to work. This retreat is not based on lecture. It’s time to work on your own projects, with the added immersive experience of presentations, generative writing exercises, and time to connect with fellow creatives over meals and informal gatherings.

Detailed Agenda

All Times are Eastern Standard Time.  Click on the headings below to explore the agenda in more detail.

Pre-Workshop

• You will receive a link to our virtual classroom where you can introduce yourself to fellow creatives and engage in Highlights Foundation related resources (including our Community Standards). You can also fill out a questionnaire if you opt for a 1:1 consultation with a faculty mentor (at an additional cost).
• You will receive a pre-course assignment that Irene and Charles would like you to bring with you to the retreat, in addition to the materials mentioned below.
• We encourage you to bring projects with you to the retreat at various stages in-progress, as you will have time to draft, revise, research, and polish your work during independent time. This retreat is not filled with lecture.  At its heart, this retreat is time to work on your project.

How It Impacts Kids

Poetry brings emotion from page to the heart for kids. This retreat highlights the many ways to bring poetry into children’s lives, giving you time and space to create, in a supportive environment.

Testimonials from Our Community

“The faculty was friendly, helpful, patient, accessible. I felt as if they were glad to answer any and all questions and to share their knowledge and expertise.”

“It was, hands down, the best writing experience I’ve ever had. Too often educational encounters are competitive in nature. In this workshop I felt totally relaxed.”

“It really gave me the focus I needed, to sort out my stories and make a strategy for submissions.”

“The cottage was perfect, the surroundings peaceful and relaxing. I was able to find a balance of work and play. So much thought and consideration has gone into providing an inspiring, rejuvenating environment.”

“This retreat was wonderful. There was so much positive energy, and it really gave me the momentum to keep working toward my goals.”

Related Resources

• 3 Questions With Irene Latham and Charles Waters About Writing Poetry and Creating Poetry Anthologies for Kids
• Poetry Alive: Performing Your Poems for an Audience
• How to Revise Poetry: 20 Questions to Ask
• Charles Waters: It’s Poetry Time!
• From Scholarship to Workshop to Book with Traci Sorell
• A Celebration of Poetry with Padma Venkatraman and Margarita Engle
• A Poetry Chat with Nikki Grimes and Sarah Aronson
• African Town: A Cover Reveal and Interview with Charles Waters and Irene Latham
• ‘African Town’ traces the history of the last slave ship sent to the U.S.
• Tuesday 2-Minute Writing Tip video playlist on Irene Latham’s Youtube channel
• Charles Waters’ Poetry Time videos on Youtube
• Exploring Race, Mistakes, and Friendship Through Poetry (with Roger Sutton of The Horn Book)
• We Knew We Had to Leave it All Out There: Irene Latham & Charles Waters Discuss CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR?