2021 MVICW Virtual Summer Writers’ Conference Contest!

As of today, March 31, 2021, there are just five days left to apply to the Writing Contest for this summer’s virtual Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing! I’m the judge of the poetry contest! Send in your poems (or fiction and CNF to be judged by Wendy Rawlings) to maybe win a full or partial fellowship!

You can submit to the contest HERE!

I’m teaching at this summer’s virtual Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing!

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be teaching at this summer’s virtual Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing June 6-13! LOOK at this list of my fellow instructors: Alexander Weinstein, Adrian Matejka, Tia Clark, Britton Shurley, Amelia Martens, Wendy Rawlings, Joshunda Sanders, Elizabeth Schmuhl, Keith Taylor, Matthew Gavin Frank, Phong Nguyen, and John T Howard. Register now and join us!!!
https://www.mvicw.com/

Here’s an interview with me published by the Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing

Here’s an interview with me just published by the Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing. It’s one of my favorite interviews I’ve done. I talk about the Institute a little, and a lot about my poems, my titles, my first and second books, teaching, poetry readings, prose poetry, the importance of play in creativity, and more. Ya’ just can’t shut me up once I get going. Thanks so much Alexandra Murphy for your thoughtful, exciting questions, and to the MVICW for publishing this interview!

Read it HERE.

Hey writer! Let’s work together!

Hey all writers everywhere! The deadline for this is tomorrow, July 10! Want a little of that Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing experience? This summer the Institute is offering virtual one-on-one manuscript consultations with some of the regular faculty (including me!). Each session includes a generous review of your work, including line edits, written feedback, and a 40-minute Zoom meeting to discuss your manuscript! The cost is $200. Visit this link to register by July 10. I’d love to see what you’ve been writing!

https://mvicw.submittable.com/submit/166759/mvicw-summer-one-on-one-manuscript-sessions

 

I’m Reading Poetry Friday July 3 @ 7 pm Eastern Time via Zoom!

I’m reading poetry tomorrow night with the wonderful Samantha Ocena (followed by a conversation with the marvelous John Howard) as the closing festivities of this week’s virtual Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing, hosted by the Oak Bluffs Public Library. The reading starts at 7 pm Eastern Time. The zoom link is below. Swing on by and join us already!

https://oakbluffs.zoom.us/j/92674393814?pwd=NUx1NWZHeWpaK0wvemJYc1NQSGF6dz09

Reminder: My Free Zoom Creative Nonfiction Class Tomorrow!

This is just a reminder that I’m teaching a free online creative writing class tomorrow, Wednesday July 1, from 10-12 Eastern Time. It’s a creative nonfiction class on Hermit Crab essays, a kind of lyric essay. They’re fun! No need to register or anything, just use the Zoom link below and join us! It’s part of this week’s virtual 11th year of Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing, and it’s hosted by the Oak Bluff’s Public Library on Martha’s Vineyard. I can’t take you all out for a cup of chowder afterwards, but we should have a lovely digital time together! 🙂

Weds July 1: 10am-12: Christopher Citro: Zoom Lyric Essay Writing Workshop:
The Hermit Crab Essay
In this class we’ll explore the hermit crab essay, a hybrid form of the lyric essay which uses the shell of an existing form of writing, such as a recipe or questionnaire, in which to write our own personal essay. We’ll gain an acquaintance with this popular new form of the personal essay, then use prompts to inspire us in our own writing journey. Previous writing experience welcomed but not required. Free and open to all writers.

https://oakbluffs.zoom.us/j/98698055535?pwd=K2NSaU1NYlBqWUtqajg4VnZhNktKdz09

I’m teaching & reading online next week – for free!

This is happening online next week! All free! 🙂 Workshops in fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Readings in the evenings! I’m teaching a generative workshop on Hermit Crab Lyric Essays on Wednesday morning, July 1, and I’m giving a reading on Friday July 3 at 7 pm. It’s all free and organized through the Oak Bluffs Public Library on Martha’s Vineyard. Tune in and join us!

https://www.facebook.com/events/272428864097682/

Write your lyric essay!

The Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing, where I’ve taught seven of the last ten years, has begun sharing writing exercises as part of their new online content. The Institute won’t be happening in person this summer, for obvious reasons, but anyone can now enjoy free weekly writing prompts from the faculty. Today they’ve posted an exercise I created.

It’s a prompt to guide you in writing a lyric essay, specifically one of the fragmented/collage type lyric essays which I love so much. Happy writing!

To get the writing exercise, click HERE!