Description
Welcome to Button University!
What’s So Funny? Writing Poetic Humor (w/ Ollie Schminkey)
In this six-week course, you’ll learn a number of ways to incorporate humor into your poetry, and we’re not just talking about limericks or poems for children (although we do love limericks . . . and (cough) children’s poetry). This course is a dive into the contemporary humor poem for adults; over the six-week period, you’ll learn how to construct poetic jokes that land, use humor to tackle more serious topics, and of course, write poems that are laugh-out-loud funny.
You’ll get plenty of practice building your humor muscles with exercises, including specifically tailored writing prompts that we will complete each week in-class. You’ll learn from the best, studying contemporary poets like Danez Smith, Anna Binkovitz, and Neil Hilborn. At the end of this course, you’ll have at least 6 new poems and a brand new funny bone (gross–put that thing away!)
Ollie aims for all of their classes to be actively non-competitive, non-judgemental, pro-diversity, anti-racist, pro-LGBTQ, and extremely fun! You can expect a collaborative environment, a flexible approach to poetry, and (hopefully) a good laugh per class.
Beginners are welcomed and encouraged! Experienced folks are welcomed and encouraged! Everyone is welcomed and encouraged!
Note: Poems in this workshop will cover a wide variety of themes, some of which contain mature content and may be activating for some participants.
Learning Goals:
Demystify humor and learn to take risks that may lead to hilarity
Uncover and understand the mechanisms of what makes something funny
Study the relationship between humor and tragedy, and use it to your advantage
Identify the level/type of humor that will best suit your poem, and write impactful work
Writing Goals:
Write jokes that follow successful structure and form
Write a variety of structures of funny poems
Write 6 poems that incorporate humor
Pre-order Ollie’s book Where I Dry the Flowers, or check out Ollie’s first poetry collection, DEAD DEAD JOKES
Have questions? Visit the Button Workshop FAQ page or contact support@buttonpoetry.com
About Ollie Schminkey
Ollie Schminkey is a non-binary transgender poet and artist living in St. Paul, MN. They have spent the past decade coaching, mentoring, teaching classes, and running workshops for poets. They are the author of three chapbooks, as well… MORE