SUSAN GOLDSMITH WOOLDRIDGE has worked with thousands of adults, children, teachers and youth-at risk. She brings tools and techniques to workshops designed to help you feel excited about writing (and teaching) poetry. Susan has found that in a safe, free setting, surrounded with words, most everyone can write poems that bring delight and discovery.
Susan starts us off playing with language. First we create “wordpools” that help us see we’re all immersed in an ocean of words we largely ignore. We begin with images, practice close observation, develop metaphor, and gradually move into “dreamsense,” where we can explore who we are, where we come from and where we’re going.
Music, paintings and “word tickets” are all used to help us enter the realm where we begin to write poems that express more than words can say, an act Allen Ginsberg called “ordinary magic.”
Susan offers workshops ranging from two hours to two days for people of all ages–at conferences, in schools, businesses and homes. In longer workshops we may gather objects, write invocations and meet with our shadows. To schedule an event, contact Susan at suegwool@gmail.com
Susan’s book poemcrazy: freeing your life with words, published in May 1996 (Clarkson Potter/Random House) was selected by Quality Paperback Book Club and Writer’s Digest Book Club. The paper back edition (April 1997 Three Rivers/Random House) is now in a thirty-second printing. poemcrazy is a Book Sense Pick (Independent Bookstores) and though loved by adults, is on the New York Public Library List of Outstanding Books for teens. It was recently listed #7 on a Signature (Penguin/Random House) list of the 28 best books on writing.
Foolsgold: Making Something from Nothing (and freeing your creative process) about writing and collage boxes, was published by Harmony/Random House in 2007. It was selected by Quality Paperback Book Club and One Spirit Book Club.
Bathing with Ants, a chapbook of Susan’s poems, was published in 2004 by Bear Star Press.
Gather a group together and Susan will visit for a workshop. Susan does a yearly series of workshops in public libraries throughout California sponsored by Poets and Writers Org. and The California Center for the Book. Talk to your local librarian about scheduling a library event with Susan.
suegwool@gmail.com
SCHEDULE
Hello everyone. Thanks for checking in. Keep your eye on the schedule because more workshops will be added soon.
All ages welcome
2022 EVENTS
Podcast interview with Susan, replay on
TheMorningGloryProject.com
April 28, 2022, 5-7 pm, Nevada City Winery
Sierra Nevada Poetry Festival
Free in-person Workshop
Redreaming the World, Nevada City Ca.
Contact Judy Crowe, jude27@sbcglobal.net
www.sierrapoetryfestival.org
April 21, 2022, 5-7 pm
Tehama County Library,
Free in-person Workshop on redreaming the world
Contact Todd Deck, todd@tehamacountylibrary.org
April 8, 2022, 1-3 pm Zoom
Zoom session, free
National Poetry Month Celebration at Rianda Hous
Contact elizabeth@riandahouse.org
April 2, 2022 1-3 pm, in person
Eldorado County Library, Georgetown Branch
Free in-person workshop
Contact Sharai Smith, sharai.smith@edcgov.
2021 EVENTS
October 26 2021 Peter Coyote in Conversation with Susan Wooldridge, Book Passage. Tongue of Crow
Replay on Youtube
October 16/17 2021. Oakland poemcrazy writing and collage
IN PERSON RETREAT outdoors in a beautiful garden
Contact TaraLinda22@gmail.com
October 9/10 2021 Join us for a 2 day in-person writing retreat in Santa Barbara, Freeing your Life with words. Contact Darcy Ritzau for details. dritzau1010@gmail.com
August 21 and 22 Cal Poets in the Schools Virtual Symposium. Susan will present the Closing at 3:30, Sunday August 22.
April 30- May 2, Zoom Vocali Music Camp. Journalwild, Poemcrazy, and Sing Words Sessions.
April 23 -23 2020 Belize Writer’s Conference opening
April 8, Wild Remembering with Words, Zoom workshop for Sierra Poetry Festival.
Several Poets & Writers and California Center for the Book Zoom Sessions with libraries.
Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, 3-5 pm
Mendocino County Round Valley Branch
2395 Howard St. Covelo, CA
(Ca. Center for the Book & Poets and
Writers Org. Rural Libraries Tour)
contact: Josh Bennett, bennettj@mendocinocounty.
707-983-6736 FREE
UPCOMING ZOOM SESSIONS more coming soon xoxoxo
Thursday, June 12, 2020, 4:00-6:00 pm
FREE ZOOM session
Nevada County Library, Truckee
Truckee, CA 96161
(Ca. Center for the Book & Poets and
Writers Org. Rural Libraries Tour)
Contact: Megan Lloyd, 530-470-2677 megan.lloyd@co.nevada.ca.us
Tuesday, June 16, 2020, 5:30-7:00 pm
FREE ZOOM session
(1100 Parkview Avenue)
Redding Branch, Shasta Public Library
(Ca. Center for the Book & Poets and
Writers Org. Rural Libraries Tour)
contact: Bradley Shackleford, bradley.shackleford@lsslibraries.com
530-245-7254 FREE
Thursday June 18, 2020, 7 to 9 pm
FREE ZOOM session
(44 South Second Street)
Rio Vista Branch, Solano County Library
(Ca. Center for the Book & Poets and
Writers Org. Rural Libraries Tour)
Contact: Kevin Tolley, KMTolley@solanocounty.co
707-784-1528 FREE
Saturday, August 15, 2020, 1-3 pm
FREE session
El Dorado County Library, Georgetown Branch
(6680 Orleans St.)
(Ca. Center for the Book & Poets and
Writers Org. Rural Libraries Tour)
Contact: Sharai Smith, sharai.smith@edcgov.
530-333-4724 FREE
Monday Nov. 2 to Thursday Nov. 5, 2020
BELIZE WRITERS CONFERENCE (let’s pray!)
Vacation with Susan & other authors, writers and literary agents
www.joeygarcia.com/events
COMING SOON
SoulCollage and poemcrazy workshop
Nimbus Arts, St. Helena CA
Contact Lisa Hinz: ldhinz@gmai
for info on fee and location.
2019 Events
Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019
Presenter, Poets & Writers, Inc.
9th Annual Los Angeles Workshop Leaders Retreat
826LA East
1714 W. Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
12:30 to 4:30 pm
for info contact Jamie Asaye FitzGerald
jfitzgerald@pw.org
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Presenter, Poets & Writers, Inc
3rd Annual Bay Area Workshop Leaders Retreat
826Valencia Tenderloin Cente
180 Golden Gate Av
San Francisco, CA 94102
11:00 am to 3:30 pm
FREE to workshop leaders who work with underserved groups
for info contact Jamie Asaye Fitzgerald
jfitzgerald@pw.org
March 27-31, 2019
Two creative writing workshops
UCLA Expressive Therapies Summit
LA Airport Hilton.
To register,
google 2019 Expressive Therapies Summit
Thurs. April 18, 2019, 4-6 pm
St. Helena, Ca. Public Librar
Contact Mariah@shpl.org
FREE
Thurs. April 25 to Sun. April 28, 2019
VOCALI Music Camp with Joe Craven et al
song writing and music making
Contact Joe Craven, playjoecraven@gmail.com
Thurs. May 4, 2019, 12-2 pm
Chester, Ca
Contact LindsayFuchs@countyofplumas.com
FREE
Tues. May 21, 2019, 6-8 pm
Mt. Shasta, Ca., Siskiyou Public Librar
Contact Michael Perry, mperry@siskiyou.ca.u
FREE
Friday June 21, 2019, 6-8 pm
Reading and workshop
Crescent City Library
Contact Phoebe Lenhart
Phoebe@delnortecountylibrary.org
PAST WORKSHOPS
2018
Tues. Feb. 13, 2018 5:30-7:30
Red Bluff Public Library
545 Diamond Ave. FREE
contact Todd@tehamacountylibrary.org
Saturday April 28, 2018
BUTTE COLLEGE WORDSPRING festival
JournalWild workshop
Check Butte College wordspring calendar
Saturday May 12, 2018 11am – 1 pm
Plumas County Library
445 Jackson St.
Quincy, Ca. FREE
contact: LindsayFuchs@countyofplumas.com
Thurs. May 17, 2018 4-6 pm
Willows Public Library
201 N. Lassen St.
Willows, Ca. FREE
Contact: jodymeza@gmail.com
Tuesday June 12, 2018 5:30-7:30 pm
Shasta Public Library
1100 Parkview Ave.
Redding, Ca. 96001 FREE
contact: bradleys@shasta
Sept. 20, 2018 7 pm
Point Arena Reading FREE
Contact Blake More bmore@mcn.org
Sept. 18, 2018, 5pm
ZOOM Webinar
An Evening with Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge
Tweetspeak Poetry event with L.L. Barkat
Contact llbarkat@yahoo.com for replay info
Saturday Nov. 10, 10am-3 pm
Workshop/retreat, $40-$50.00
Oz Farm, Point Arena Ca.,
Contact abby@ozfarm.com (707-882-3046)
2017
Sat. April 29, 2017 10 am – 1 pm
workshop in Roseville, Ca.
Contact Maureen Reismann, mo.artsygirl@gmail.com
Thursday April 27, 2017 5:30-7:00 pm
Yuba City Public Library, 750 Forbes Ave.
Contact James Ochsner, JOchsner@co.sutter.ca.us
Tuesday May 2, 2017, 6-8 pm
Red Bluff Public Library, 645 Madison St.
Contact Todd Deck, todd@tehamacountylibrary.org
Tuesday June 20, 2017, 5:30-8 pm
Redding Public Library, 1100 Parkview Ave.
Contact Bradley Shackleford, bradleys@shastalibraries.org
SUMMER and Fall FREE library workshops being planned in
Quincy, Etna (Siskiyou County) and Crescent City (Del Norte)
March/April 2017
4 sessions with 30 students visiting CSUChico from a military academy in Ecuador, a marvelous experience!
February 4, 2017 DayLong Modesto Poetry Festival
Terrific.
2016
Sat. April 23, 2016
Wordspring at Butte College
Join Susan in a Journal Wild workshop.
Contact Butte College,
Wordspring, for details.
Sat. April 30, 2016
Daylong workshop (10 to 4) with Susan
at Running with Scissors Gallery
in Sacramento. Contact Karen Brooks (alteredartist@sbcglobal.net)
for details.
FOUR “Your Mind Matters” Butte County Library workshops below, all are welcome, FREE:
May 11, 2016 FREE
4- 6 pm, Chico Public Library
Contact Brenda Crotts
May 17, 2016 FREE
2-3:30 pm, OROVILLE Library
1820 Mitchell
Contact Sarah Van Trease, 530-282-2352
May 18, 2016 FREE
7 -8:30 pm. Gridley Library
299 Spruce Street, Gridley Ca.
Contact Cynthia Pustejovsky
530-846-332
May 25, 2016 FREE
6:30- 8 pm, Paradise Library
Paradise, CA.
Contact Susie Serrano or Rhoda Boyd
530-353-1160
Sat. June 25, 2016
Freeing Your Life with Words
workshop in Port Townsend at Imprint Books.
Contact annaquinn@writersworkshoppe.com
for more information
2015
Thursday, January 22, 2015 (free)
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Oroville Branch, Butte County Library
1820 Mitchell Ave. Oroville, CA 95969
Contact SARAH:
OrovilleBCLibrary@buttecounty.net, 530-538-7642
April 2015
Plumas County Library Workshop (free)
Quincy, CA
contact:
Bianca Harrison dragonfly54b@gmail.com
Saturday May 16 2015
Etna Ca. Public library workshop (free)
contact Donna May donnamaymft@hotmail.com
May 2015
McKinleyville and one other Humboldt
County Public Library
Contact Kehrnman@co.humboldt.ca.usMay 2015
2014
August 2014
Summer Seminar for Women
Michigan, Camp Miniwanca
Saturday April 13, 2013
2 pm to 4 pm
Lassen Library
Susanville, California
contact: Jeff Hawkins, lassenlibrary@citlink.net
October 9, 2 pm
Writers on Writing presentation
at SF State University
contact Susan for more info
at suegwool@gmail.com
November 8
10 am to 1 pm,
poemcrazy workshop, $40.00
at Susan’s home in Chico, CA
Contact: Joan Goodreau <jmgoodreau@yahoo.com>