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Workshops

  • INTENSE EMOTIONS, SUBTLE WORDS

    LIGHTHOUSE LITFEST
    FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 9-11 AM
    DENVER

    Poetry is the native tongue of passionate intensity. Yet how much is “too much” when it comes to expressing enormous, complex emotions? We’ll explore poems from Ada Limon, Sherman Alexie, and others, as well as write our own intense, subtle poems.

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  • The Joy of Poetry: A Beginner-Friendly Workshop

    6 WEEKS
    BEGINS JULY 8, 2026, 5-6:30 PM
    ZOOM

    Do you want to get started as a poet? or are you already a dabbler, but would like to learn (or revisit) basic elements of craft? We’ll read and discuss quality contemporary poems, experiment with in-class writing exercises, and explore a wide variety of poetry elements and forms. No experience is necessary, and class assignments are optional.

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  • Writing 101: Gotta Start Somewhere

    4 WEEKS
    BEGINS JULY 13, 2026 4-6 PM
    ZOOM

    Gotta start somewhere, right? In this non-critiquing, experiential workshop, you’ll immerse yourself in a wide variety of exercises, assess your writing strengths, and set do-able writing goals. No experience needed. Just bring pen, paper, and your burning desire to write.

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  • Joy Sawyer is one of the most inspiring, uplifting, and energetic writing teachers with whom I’ve studied, and I’ve taken literally hundreds of classes with dozens of writing teachers over many decades. She brings a fresh and very optimistic attitude to every class that she teaches. One of her greatest strengths is the way she uses poetry to spark discussions, which results in deep sharing and great writing prompts. Joy is a fabulous facilitator who packs SO MUCH into an hour, and always keeps discussions on-topic and on time. I always come away from a class with her with fresh writing I’d like to further work with. She is amazing.

    PAULA HAGAR

  • Joy is an amazing teacher. Many teachers mouth a lot of platitudes, but Joy speaks words of writing wisdom you can carry with you a lifetime. She is a great listener, but also keeps things moving in her classes, switching it up with exercises, readings, workshopping, etc., all while keeping us focused on the subject.

    HOLLY WOODWARD

  • Joy is an absolutely phenomenal teacher: encouraging, enlightening. She’s very knowledgeable and clearly a skilled writer. And she provides such a beautiful, positive environment in which writers can be challenged without becoming discouraged. What a wonderful workshop. I will always remember it.

    CHRISTINA LEWIS

  • I have taken classes with Joy for several years now. She has a signature style, one that combines her own life and writing experience with a personalized mentoring approach. Joy makes me feel that I have something important to say, and she gave me tools (writing exercises, examples of poets’ work) that helped me become a better poet. I feel heard and valued in her classes, and that is worth everything.

    CAROL McDONALD