Arya Samuelson (she/her): Arya Samuelson is a queer writer, editor, educator, and somatic practitioner-in-training in Western Massachusetts. She is the winner of New Ohio Review’s 2023 Nonfiction Prize, Lascaux Review’s 2024 Nonfiction Prize, and CutBank’s Montana Prize in Nonfiction awarded by Cheryl Strayed. Recently, her essay “I Am No Beekeeper” was selected as Notable in Best American Essays 2024. Other essays and stories have been published in Fourth Genre, Bellevue Literary Review, Columbia Journal, Gertrude, and elsewhere. She has taught with a wide variety of institutions and organizations, including Middlebury College, Pioneer Valley Writers Workshop, Writers in Progress, LitReactor. As an editor and educator, Arya is passionate about helping people transform the stories of their bodies into art in the spirit of both individual healing and collective liberation. She is currently writing a memoir-in-essays about queering ecologies of family. You can learn more at aryasamuelson.com
Revision from the Inside-Out with Olivia Oguma
Begins Sunday, January 11th
Everyone can agree that revision is necessary for helping a story or book become the strongest version of itself, but how do we accomplish that? How do we see our work with fresh eyes again and again? How do we find the deeper story – the story beneath the story, longing to be revealed?
In this one-day workshop, we’ll breathe new life into your work using transformative revision practices that will help you realize the fullest, most potent expression of your work. Participants will bring in up to 5 pages of writing and together, we'll explore how to unearth the deeper story, receiving supportive and insightful reflections from the group as we go along. You can expect to emerge with new ideas and fresh perspectives on your story, a restored sense of excitement, and a multitude of revision practices to become your own best editor. This class is open to all genres.
WHEN and HOW: This collaboration will run for six weeks meeting on Zoom.
DATES: Six Sundays beginning January 11th at 1pm EST/10am PST.
1/11, 1/18, 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15
Classes run Sundays 1-3:30pm EST/10am-12:30pm PST
COST: $300-500 (sliding scale—please read below)
Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Suggested Cost:
To create intentional space and support for BIPOC attendees, we ask that you pay in light of your financial privileges and with a JEDI spirit (!)
Here are a few guidelines:
$500 – you have reliable sources of food, shelter, and transportation; are employed or financially secure; have regular access to healthcare and savings; can spend recreationally at your discretion (e.g. enjoy a concert, new clothes, a great meal). Paying the full amount also means you are able to support a BIPOC actor with limited resources who would like to join this course.
$400– you have debt that sometimes compromises stability with food, shelter, and/or transportation; are employed; have some access to healthcare and savings; can spend recreationally.
$300 – you are under- or unemployed and/or for other reasons (e.g. healthcare, shelter expenses), you have very limited resources.
Contact us anya@weareurbanhaiku.com if you cannot afford to pay full price but would like to discuss payment plans, work-exchange/trade opportunities, or other options.