Live Free: Writing & the Art of Free Styling with Shayla Lawson

Written By Awais Raza

🎤 Course Overview: What to Expect

  • Break free from perfectionism and embrace writing as embodied expression

  • Experiment with:

    • Facial expressions

    • Echolation

    • Grounding techniques

  • Unlock your “flower brain” — your raw, creative subconscious

  • Reimagine free writing as a liberatory, playful practice

  • Step beyond genre rules into the body’s natural storytelling rhythm

  • Return to orality:

    • Write as you speak

    • Speak as you feel

    • Feel as you are

  • This course isn’t about perfection — it’s about presence, freedom, and flow

This Class Is For You If:

You’re tired of overthinking every sentence

  • You want to tap into your natural rhythm and voice

  • You crave a BIPOC-centered creative space

  • You’re ready to drop rigid craft rules and reclaim joy

  • You want to write from your body — not just your brain

🕰️ Schedule + Format

  • Dates: Fall 2025 (Exact dates TBA)

  • Duration: 4 Saturdays

  • Time: 11am–2pm PST / 2–5pm EST

  • Location: Online via Zoom

  • Community: BIPOC-only space for creative trust and care

  • Participation: Camera-on required for full presence and flow

About Shayla Lawson

Acclaimed author of:

  • How to Live Free in a Dangerous World

  • This is Major

  • I Think I’m Ready to See Frank Ocean

  • Pantone, A Speed Education in Human Being

  • Published in NYT, NPR, Vulture & more

  • Recognized by National Book Critics’ Circle, LAMBDA Literary, Yaddo, MacDowell

  • Genre-bending artist blending movement, poetry, and cultural insight

  • Creates spaces where writing is healing, embodied, and revolutionary

💵 Sliding Scale Pricing (JEDI-Inspired)

  • $500 — You’re financially secure and can help support others

  • $400 — You’re employed with some stability

  • $300 — You’re navigating financial hardship

  • Need support?

    • Payment plans, scholarships, and work exchange available

    • No one turned away for lack of funds

🧡 Why This Space Matters

  • Created by We Are Urban Haiku, this course holds space for BIPOC writers

  • A space to write, riff, and rise without shrinking, censoring, or code-switching

  • Here, writing isn’t just craft — it’s liberation

  • When we live free, we write worlds worth reading

🛒 Secure Your Spot Now

  • Spots are limited

  • Come as you are — messy, brilliant, bold

  • Let’s get silly, get loose… and LIVE FREE 💫

❓FAQs

  • Do I need performance experience?
    Nope — this is for everyone. Come to explore and play.

  • Do I have to keep my camera on?
    Yes. This is a fully embodied course; presence matters.

  • Is this just for poets?
    Not at all. All genres welcome: fiction, memoir, essay, spoken word, and more.

  • Will sessions be recorded?
    Likely not — to honor the vulnerability and safety of the space.

  • What if I can’t afford it?
    Reach out. We believe in access over income.

Awais Raza
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