In "Playing in the Dark," Toni Morrison wrote, “Writing and reading are not all that distinct for a writer. Both exercises require being alert and ready for unaccountable beauty, for the intricateness or simple elegance of the writer’s imagination, for the world that imagination evokes.”

In a collaborative and supportive environment, we’ll explore the interplay between our reading and writing practices and what it looks like to read with curiosity, pleasure, and a critical eye. In addition to Morrison, we’ll discuss work by Elaine Castillo, Adrienne Rich, and Kate Zambreno. There will be a short presentation, participatory and generative exercises, and opportunities to share work.

Katie Bennett is a writer and musician based in West Philly. She’s been in residence at Yaddo, published in Lit Hub, and she runs the reading series Personal Velocity. She also spent a decade touring North America and Europe with various bands and her songwriting project Katie Bejsiuk has been featured in Pitchfork, SPIN, and NPR’s All Songs Considered. You can learn more at www.katiepbennett.com