21st Century Poetry Weekend Zoom Workshop with Joshua Turek

 21st Century Poetry Weekend Zoom Workshop with Joshua Turek on Nov. 8 & 9, 2025 (Sign Up Below)

The purpose behind this two day intensive is to encourage you to believe in writing poetry and sharing it with the world. In my opinion, poetry is vital, now more than ever. We gather and arrange our thoughts against a seemingly indifferent world that’s actually begging to care. 

Whether you write as a therapeutic outlet or also have ambitions of sharing your work at a larger scale, this gathering’s goal is to fortify your resolve. I’ll dig into personal experiences with writing and circulating poetry on social media and performing it for crowds in person. I’ve managed to sell thousands of my self published poetry books and have met a lot of cool people because my words have resonated with them.

In this weekend remote workshop, we will also do short exercises to awaken your impulses and carve out space to simply get words onto paper. I’ll open up plenty of time for question and answers and do my best to guide you out of being in your head and actively engaging with the world. After the course, I will also offer a single pass of notes on a batch of three of your poems that you’ve written and emailed to me alongside some of your personal information. I will give a few ideas on directions to get your work out there further and supportive thoughts about your samples.

Poetry is not outdated nor inaccessible, mine have reached millions of people. In an age of frazzled attention spans, this craft of verse still cuts through the din. This will be an approachable course for people of all experience levels and requires only an inclusive spirit and the interest in contemplating creativity. Limited Spots available.

Zoom Workshop Schedule

Day 1 - Saturday, November 8th, 2025

•10am-12:30pm 

I’ll be sharing prepared words on why we write, how to keep our morale going through the trials of silence and rejection, the worthiness of inspiration, and the forging of own our identities as poets. I will also get into the practical matters of self publishing. How to assemble a collection of poetry and approach in completing the work alongside some of the technical and spiritual details of that process. Furthermore, I will discuss social media, share tricks of the trade on growing an audience and perspectives on how to deliver your words to the world and stop people in the internet from scrolling for a second with your unique voice.

•12:30-1:30 lunch break

•1:30-3:00pm Q&A followed by a light Homework Assignment (relatively painless don’t worry)

Day 2 - Sunday, November 9th, 2025

•10am-1pm PST

Exercises to motivate writing. Sharing of homework and group discussion on how to create compelling media in tandem with your poems. I’ll be getting further into specifics for promoting your work on social media and building a poetry collection. We’ll end with a shorter Q & A. I’ll then discuss your opportunity to email me three of your poems after the weekend concludes, the parameters of that exercise, and our intention to spark your poetry into tangible modes of sharing with someone close to you, your community, and possibly the world. You will then have until end of year to send me your work and any other questions for the included consultation.

Sign Up Below: 

(Please read all FAQ’s prior to payment and joining the class)

What does the weekend workshop cost?

$125 or more for sliding scale low income, by all means (no proof necessary)

$250 suggested price

$325 benefactor price to help offset sliding scale

When is the sign up deadline?

Deadline to sign up is end of day, Thursday, November 6, 2025.

What do I need to bring?

It’s on Zoom so be with trusted wifi and device. A pen and pad of paper next to you. An open attitude.

Refund Policy?

All sign ups are final and no refunds. Poetry is subjective, so sign up trusting it can go any way but know that instructor will be giving his all to the process. In case of emergency all considerations are at discretion of instructor. Also any behavioral disruptions and harrassment of any kind will not be tolerated and person will not be refunded. Entrance and remaining in workshop at discretion of instructor.

When Will I Have the Zoom Link?

Link to the workshop will be sent out fifteen minutes prior to its beginning to the address given upon signing up.

When can I send you my three poems?

After the course has concluded! From that point until December 31, 2025. Send me three of your poems and a paragraph on your aims with them. I will then offer one reply with notes of encouragement and any ideas provoked from your material as to potential directions to take them. There are no guarantees I have anything mind-altering to provide but do have a lot of experience in finding avenues to get work out there via creative means on social media and much experience spent marinating on the journey of being a writer. I will only be able to provide a single reply and do my best to cover everything in that, please respect that offer of time.

*How to Sign Up and Pay to Ensure Spot*

1. Venmo, Zelle, or Paypal payment to links below

2. Then screenshot (or show proof of payment) and email to: acalmquietplace@gmail.com keep in mind that this email thread you create will also be where you get the Zoom link sent on the say of the workshop and also where you send me your batch of three poems and paragraph of information about yourself, your goals, and any questions you might have of me about your poetry for consultation once the workshop has concluded.

Payment Links:

Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/JoshuaTurek

Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/joshuaturek

Zelle: acalmquietplace@gmail.com 

*Very Important* Remember to email me after payment with proof to ensure spot and email for the Zoom link*