Who: Cynthia Marie Hoffman
What: Unbound: a form-free writing workshop on the theme of Multiply Your Obsessions and Write More
Where: ArtHaus
When: Sunday, 9/21 at 4:00pm
Wisconsin poet Cynthia Marie Hoffman will join the Unbound writing community to lead a writing workshop on the theme of Multiply Your Obsessions and Write More on Sunday, September 21, at 4pm in the ArtHaus studio, located at 107 W. Broadway, Decorah IA. A suggested minimum donation of $10 per person will go to ArtHaus for use of their space and copies of her book, Exploding Head, will be available for purchase through Dragonfly Books. Everyone is invited to this workshop series sponsored by the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation, with support from ArtHaus and Dragonfly Books. Be sure to join us the following evening, Monday, September 22, at 7pm at Pulpit Rock Brewing for a reading, Q&A, and signing with the author.
Multiply Your Obsessions and Write More: This two-hour generative creative writing class will have you thinking big and writing more by leaning into what already fascinates you. We’ll brainstorm a list of obsessions, those unanswered questions we keep returning to, and even the recurring signs and symbols that seem to keep finding us. What do these things mean in our lives, and how can we use them in our creative work? Taking inspiration from the diptych and triptych panel paintings first popularized more than 600 years ago, you’ll draft two (or three!) poems or flash memoir pieces that relate to each other. We’ll talk about using repetition of themes and imagery, call and response, and other strategies for envisioning a larger body of work and recognizing what makes you, as an author, unique. Your workshop leader is a poet and essayist, author of four collections of poetry on cohesive themes. She has extensive experience building projects from existing obsessions and (feeling stuck?) cultivating new obsessions through research. This workshop will include lecture, readings, generative writing prompts, and some time to share. Writers of any level and genre are welcome. Come ready to write and play!
Unbound is a welcoming monthly writing community organized by the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation, created to support writers of all backgrounds and experience levels. This is a form-free space—whether you write poetry, prose, journaling, or something entirely your own, all are welcome. Each session offers time to connect with fellow creatives, spark ideas, and engage in guided writing. When available, visiting authors join the group to share insights into their craft and creative process, offering participants a deeper look into the writing life. Unbound meets on the last Sunday of each month from 4:00 to 6:00pm at ArtHaus in Decorah. Bring a notebook, your favorite pen, and whatever’s been waiting to be written. (*Please note that September's Unbound is meeting one week early and not on the last Sunday)
Cynthia Marie Hoffman is the author of four books, most recently the OCD memoir in prose poems Exploding Head (2024), as well as three previous collections of poetry based on travel, historical research on birth and medicine, and family genealogy. Essays have appeared in TIME, The Sun, and Lit Hub. Poems have appeared in Electric Literature, The Believer, and The Los Angeles Review. The recipient of fellowships from the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing, Civitella Ranieri Foundation, and the Wisconsin Arts Board, Cynthia lives in Madison, WI.
These events are part of the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation’s robust author event series, which brings top-notch writers of all genres to Northeast Iowa to lead in conversations about literature and writing. To learn more about these and other events with the Foundation or Dragonfly Books, visit www.dragonflybooks.com.
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