WDtS Egleston: Backbeat as Heartbeat: Incorporating Music into Our Writing

Language and music are interdependent and inseparable—in this course, we’ll explore the overlap. We’ll try writing exercises driven by rhythm and sound. We’ll dive into musical-poetic forms such as the bop and the contrapuntal (for fiction writers, we’ll look at how these forms might inspire and inform fiction-writing). And we’ll look at tributes to Motown, mambo, and the saxophone from poets and fiction writers such as Patricia Smith, Oscar Hijuelos, and Yusef Komunyakaa.

Participants can expect to leave these sessions with at least a loose first draft. All writers—including those writing in Spanish or Portuguese—of all levels are welcome!

Who Should Register?

Write Down the Street has a special focus on making the creative writing workshop more accessible to those who face challenges due to cost, language skills, lack of access to transportation, and other barriers. We believe that all voices must be spotlighted with the range and fullness they deserve.

These programs are offered tuition-free thanks to the support of generous donors who are committed to our mission of ensuring all voices are heard.

Families welcome. Coffee and snacks provided (at sites that allow food/drink). Teens are welcome to attend with an older relative. We will provide simple activities to keep young children occupied.