Join Dominican University’s MFA in Creative Writing Program for a free virtual writing retreat on Saturday October 2 and Sunday October 3, 2021.

The focus of the retreat is to explore the ways that we can connect through writing across distances, languages, and experiences. Dean Rader will speak on the Poetics of Repair. Ashley McMullen will present audio narratives from the podcast series, Black Voices in Healthcare. There will be a range of writing workshops, including a session on Korean Sijo poetry.

We extend a special welcome to healthcare providers and teachers. By participating in the retreat, Registered Nurses can earn 5 continuing education units (CEUs) and Credentialed Teachers* can earn 0.5 CEUs.

Saturday, October 2:

12:00-12:30pm PDT: Welcome Session

Welcome to the WHH retreat. Meet faculty and other retreat participants.

1:00-2:00pm PDT: Presentation

Black Voices in Healthcare: Audio Narratives from the Nocturnists. A presentation with Ashley McMullen.

Ashley McMullen, MD, talks about her work hosting the Nocturnists podcast series "Black Voices in Healthcare". She'll touch on the creative vision and goals of this work as well as what makes for a compelling audio narrative.

4:00-6:00pm PDT: Keynote

Look, I am Living: On the Poetics of Repair. A keynote talk with Dean Rader.

When we think of the notion of repair, we think of mending or fixing--putting back together. But, "repair" also has, as part of its etymology, a sense of return. In the 12th century, to repair was also meant to go back to a place you knew, to betake yourself back to a place or land from whence you came. In this keynote, Dean Rader will work through a series of poems that both map and mend.

Sunday, October 3:

10:00-11:30am PDT: Writing Workshops

Workshops have been assigned. Individual Zoom meeting links were sent out by email. View workshop descriptions here.

Workshop 1: Re-Membering: Memory and the Senses. Poetry with Nate Klug, MFA Faculty. Assisted by Kristan Ruona (MFA'23)

Workshop 2: Ideas & Techniques for Generating New Work with Maw Shein Win, MFA Guest Speaker. Assisted by Abby Laporte (MFA'23)

Workshop 3: Knots, Breaks, Bumps, Lumps and Bruises. Creative nonfiction with Marianne Rogoff, MFA Faculty

Workshop 4: "Back in the Day": The Element(ary) of the Body with Raina León, MFA Guest Speaker

Workshop 5: Writing to Restore Yourself. Poetry with Eliot Schain, Psychotherapist and MFA Guest Speaker

Workshop 6: The Iambic Heart. Poetry with Sandy White (MFA '22) and Robert Bradford, MFA Faculty

3:00-3:30pm PDT: Info Session: Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing at Dominican CA (optional)

Learn more about the low residency MFA in Creative Writing program at Dominican University of CA. With MFA Director Judy Halebsky and Admissions Counselor Katherine Vaughan.

4:00-6:00pm PDT: Lecture and Workshop

Sijo—Korean poetry and song

Wayne de Fremery and Chan E. Park, Guest Speakers

Description: Sijo is Korean musical tradition. It is also a Korean poetic tradition. Please join Chan E. Park of the Ohio State University, an expert on Korean performative traditions, and Wayne de Fremery of Sogang University, an expert on Korean poetic traditions, to learn how sijo lives today in Korea and around the world as music and verse. Participants will have a chance to hear sijo as it has been performed traditionally, and also how the tradition is being adapted by contemporary singers. Participants will also have the opportunity to compose some sijo poetry.

Registration Details:

Registration is required. This writing retreat is a service to the public and there is no charge for participating. Dominican University of California is a nonprofit institution. We invite you to learn more about our Low Residency Creative Writing MFA Program. Contact mfa@dominican.edu with any questions.

Meeting links will been sent out to all participants directly from a Dominican staff email a few days before the retreat.

Writing for Health and Healing Online Retreat October 2-3, 2021