A Poet's Place

A Poet’s Place

Six Thursdays, April 4 — May 9, 6:30-8:30pm

Cost: $125-$195 sliding scale*, no one turned away for lack of funds

Struggling to finish your poems? Need a boost in confidence about sharing them? Join award-winning poet and translator Michael Favala Goldman for a short course in deepening your poetry practice, exploring writing more effective, striking poems, and getting them out into the world. This class will focus on cultivating a daily writing practice, the creative process, revision, submitting to outlets, the creative community, and assembling manuscripts. Class meets in person at 33 Hawley.

To register, please email programs@nohoarts.org with your name, address, and phone number. Payment can be made via PayPal here, or by mailing a check made out to NCFA to PO Box 366, Northampton, MA 01061.

*Payments on the upper end of the sliding scale help support our continued commitment to accessibility, including sliding scale models and the NCFA Community Fund.

Michael Favala Goldman (b.1966) is a poet, jazz clarinetist and translator of Danish literature. Among his seventeen translated books is Dependency by Tove Ditlevsen, which made the New York Times Best 10 Books of 2021 as book three of The Copenhagen Trilogy. Michael’s five books of original poetry include Small Sovereign, which won first place at the 2022 Los Angeles Book Festival. His work has appeared in dozens of publications including The New Yorker, Rattle, and The Harvard Review. He lives in Northampton, MA, where he has been running bi-monthly poetry critique groups since 2018.  https://michaelfavalagoldman.com/

Developing a Daily Writing Practice

Developing a Daily Writing Practice

Four Wednesdays, March 13 through April 3, 6:00-7:30pm

Eli’s Room at 33 Hawley

Cost: $100-$175 sliding scale*

Facilitated by Chaya Grossberg

This class is a continuation of the January session and is open to new students! Developing a Daily Writing Practice frames writing as a form of healing and reclaiming the voice, and will help students develop or recommit to a regular writing practice. In this workshop, students will write together, share writing, give encouragement, and buddy up for accountability in forming or continuing our daily writing practices. Sharing is optional and all feedback will be non-critical — either neutral or positive. Each piece will be addressed as fiction unless the author requests otherwise. Guidelines will be explained and agreed upon at the beginning of the course.

This class is for writers and anyone else with artistic ambitions who want to commit to a daily writing practice. All participants will find this class helpful in developing a writing practice that supports other artistic pursuits. For those who are artistic writers, the class will support them in writing fiction, poetry, prose, or other forms. At each of the four sessions students will have an opportunity to check in with the group about their daily writing practice and address any obstacles or blockages. Our group will cheer you on and hold you accountable! Our goal will be to write 6-7 days a week, even if only for 5 minutes. 

This workshop requests and suggests writing with pen and paper both in the workshops and in your daily writing as a means of focusing and limiting distractions, as well as taking some screen free time that many of us could use these days. Screens will be allowed if needed for a disability or accommodation. 

For questions or to register, please email programs@nohoarts.org. If registering, please include your full name, mailing address, and phone number. Payment may be made in advance via PayPal here or by check to “NCFA” mailed to the Northampton Center for the Arts, PO Box 366, Northampton MA 01061.

*Payments on the upper end of the sliding scale help support our ongoing commitment to accessibility and sliding scale models. If financial assistance is needed, participants may apply for Community Fund support.

Chaya Grossberg has been writing poetry, stories, and non-fiction since she was a child and has been actively blogging for over a decade. She has facilitated creative writing groups and workshops for over 20 years for teenagers and adults, for writers, aspiring writers at various levels, and for trauma survivors and those seeking healing. She has published poetry books, a memoir, and other writings and led writing groups, classes and open mics, from coast to coast, including NYC, SF and here in Western Mass. Chaya has been writing daily for 25 years.

Possible benefits of daily writing:

Extends life span

Improves memory

Increases creativity

Enhances immunity

Improves your writing

Improves productivity 

Keeps your mind flexible

Lowers anxiety and stress

Gives a safe space for reflection

Improves ability to think for oneself

Increases a sense of personal agency

Strengthens connection with your muse 

Increases self confidence and self esteem

Exercises your brain and makes you smarter

Improves listening and communication skills

Facilitates making desired changes in your life

Helps you get in touch with your body and feelings

Gives you a facelift: your face releases tension and looks brighter

Helps you become someone who manifests their creative ideas rather than just talking about them

Poetry Critique Meet-up - Online

Poetry Critique Meet-up

SUNDAY, APril 21, 1:00-3:30PM

Saturday, April 27, 1:00-3:30pm

Saturday, May 18, 1:00-3:30pm

Sunday, May 19, 1:00-3:30pm

COST: BY DONATION*, SUGGESTED SLIDING SCALE $25-$40. No one turned away for lack of funds, Limited to five participants. Register early!


Poetry Critique Meet-up is a twice-monthly chance for poets to give and receive immediate constructive feedback on their poems by everyone in attendance. Learn what is working in your poems, and what may need revision. Contribute your observations to other poets. Be fascinated by the breadth of the written word. Moderated by translator and poet Michael Favala Goldman. New dates are added throughout the year!

Please register in advance through Straw Dog Writers Guild! Please pay through the Center for the Arts via Paypal here, via Venmo @Northampton-CenterForTheArts, or by mailing a check made out to NCFA to PO Box 366, Northampton, MA 01061. Please note Poetry in the memo line.

These workshops are held in memory of Eli Daniel Nemetz Todd, and made possible by donations to NCFA in Eli’s honor.

For questions about the meet-ups, please email: hammerandhorn@gmail.com.

Michael Favala Goldman is author of five poetry collections and translator of sixteen books. His work has appeared in scores of publications such as The New Yorker, The Harvard Review, and Rattle Magazine. https://michaelfavalagoldman.com/

Michael’s blog about the Poetry Critique Meet-up: http://strawdogwriters.org/blog/poetry-meet-up

* Donations on the upper end of the scale help support our continued commitment to accessibility, including offering sliding scale models and out Community Fund.