{"product_id":"art-of-erasure-blackout-poetry-workshop-online","title":"The Art of Erasure 4-Week Writing Workshop: Transforming Text Through Blackout Poetry with Alicia Cook (Zoom) starts Wednesday, July 22, 2026","description":"\u003ch2 class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eBegins Wednesday, July 22, 2026\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eClass will meet weekly via Zoom on Wednesdays, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e🌍 \u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClass Times by Time Zone:\u003c\/strong\u003e Los Angeles (PDT): 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM \/ Chicago (CDT): 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM \/ New York (EDT): 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eNow Enrolling! Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstructor Bio\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eInstructor Alicia Cook is a multi-award-winning writer and mental health and addiction awareness advocate based in Newark, New Jersey. Her writing often focuses on addiction, mental health, hope, and grief – sometimes all at once. She is the poet behind \u003cem\u003eStuff I've Been Feeling Lately\u003c\/em\u003e (2016, Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist), \u003cem\u003eI Hope My Voice Doesn't Skip\u003c\/em\u003e (2018), \u003cem\u003eSorry I Haven't Texted You Back\u003c\/em\u003e (2020, Goodreads Choice Awards Semi-Finalist), \u003cem\u003eThe Music Was Just Getting Good\u003c\/em\u003e (2024), and \u003cem\u003eMore Stuff I've Been Feeling Lately\u003c\/em\u003e (2026). In 2025, her work found new life through two distinct artistic adaptations: her debut poetry collection, \u003cem\u003eStuff I've Been Feeling Lately\u003c\/em\u003e, was transformed into a song cycle that premiered in Saratoga Springs, NY, while her viral poem \"Sorry I Haven't Texted You Back\" was reimagined as a contemporary dance performance in Plainfield, NJ. Her work has also been published in numerous anthologies and outlets, including \u003cem\u003eRattle\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eHuffPost\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/em\u003e, and \u003cem\u003eWriter's Digest\u003c\/em\u003e. In 2025, it was announced that her poem \"The Squirrel Made His Way\" was the Winner of the 2026 Central Avenue Poetry Prize.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho is this class for?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThis course is for beginning-to-intermediate poets and curious writers who want to explore blackout poetry as both a generative tool and a standalone poetic form. Ideal students are those interested in hands-on experimentation, the history and ethics of erasure, and using found texts—from personal writing to political speech—to create bold, resonant new work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat to expect:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eBlackout poetry is more than crossing out words with a Sharpie — it is a dynamic poetic form with a rich lineage, a complex ethical framework, and enormous creative potential. In this beginning-to-intermediate, hands-on online writing class, students will explore blackout and erasure poetry as both a generative practice and a standalone genre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eLed by Alicia Cook, a bestselling poet published by Andrews McMeel Publishing and known for her popular \"mixtape\" poetry series — in which nearly 50% of the work is created through self-erasure of her own previously written poems — this creative writing workshop offers a rare opportunity to study the form with a working writer who has successfully brought experimental techniques into commercially published books.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eParticular attention will be paid to how blackout poetry reframes language — revealing hidden narratives within existing texts and transforming public speech into intimate art. Students will receive actionable craft feedback in a supportive workshop setting and leave with a portfolio of new work, a repeatable creative process, and a deeper understanding of how erasure can function as both aesthetic choice and artistic statement. This online poetry workshop is ideal for poets and curious writers who want to expand their formal toolbox, challenge traditional notions of authorship, and engage directly with language as material. No prior experience with blackout poetry is required.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are the writing goals?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eIn this course, students will generate 4–6 polished blackout or erasure poems using a range of source materials, including personal writing, published texts, and public speech. Through guided exercises and workshop discussion, students will develop a repeatable blackout process, experiment with self-erasure as a revision strategy, and gain a working understanding of the history and ethics of the form. By the end of the course, each participant will leave with a small portfolio of finished work, a deeper command of erasure as a standalone poetic genre, and practical tools to continue incorporating blackout techniques into their broader writing practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReadings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eReadings may include excerpts from:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eMake Blackout Poetry: Turn These Pages into Poems\u003c\/em\u003e by John Carroll\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eThe Music Was Just Getting Good\u003c\/em\u003e by Alicia Cook\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOURSE OUTLINE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeek 1: Foundations of Blackout. Form, History, and First Drafts. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eFocus: What Blackout Poetry Is (and Isn't)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeek 2: Craft Under Constraint. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eFocus: Technique, Voice, and Structure\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeek 3: Self-Erasure as Radical Revision. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eFocus: Erasing Your Own Work\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeek 4: Reframing the Public Voice. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003eFocus: Cultural and Political Texts\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOURSE TAKEAWAYS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eProduce a Portfolio of Original Work: Generate 4–6 completed blackout or erasure poems using varied source materials (personal drafts, published texts, and public language).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eDevelop a Repeatable Erasure Process: Learn and refine a step-by-step blackout method, from text selection and pattern recognition to visual composition and line integrity, that students can continue using independently.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eMaster Self-Erasure as Radical Revision: Experiment with erasing previously written work as a craft tool, discovering how subtraction can uncover stronger imagery, tension, and emotional clarity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eUnderstand the History and Ethics of Erasure: Gain working knowledge of the lineage of erasure and found poetry, along with the ethical considerations of appropriation, authorship, and source material, enabling students to make intentional, informed artistic choices.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eStrengthen Craft Through Constraint: Sharpen skills in concision, image selection, pacing, and tonal control by working within the constraint-based structure of blackout poetry.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eExpand Their Formal Toolbox: Leave with practical strategies for integrating erasure into larger projects, from standalone poems to full-length manuscripts, and a deeper confidence in experimental form as both artistic and publishable work.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePAYMENT OPTIONS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eTuition is $330 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eInstructor: Alicia Cook\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eBegins Wednesday, July 22, 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eClass will meet weekly via Zoom on Wednesdays, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM ET\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eTuition is $330 USD.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Writing Workshops Org","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48253454713080,"sku":null,"price":330.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0287\/3917\/4532\/files\/AliciaCookHeadshot2026.png?v=1776447880","url":"https:\/\/writingworkshops.com\/products\/art-of-erasure-blackout-poetry-workshop-online","provider":"Writing Workshops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}