Contemplation of Sorrow

Jan 30 & Feb 26, 2025 6:30-8:30pm
Must be 18+ to participate

There are many events in the world that have impacted us both on personal and global levels. We wake up every day expected to cope with wars, violence, natural disasters, and the polaristic divide that recent and ongoing events have brought about. 

In this two-session virtual workshop we will focus on ways to explore giving a voice to our sorrow. 

By the end of this workshop, you will:

• Be able to address areas of sorrow that you needed to address but were not sure how to write about. 
• Understand how other authors address challenging topics, and what they used in their writing that may help to motivate you to read more on those topics and write more. (It's recommended to use a journal and take notes while reading and after attending the workshops).
• Have had the opportunity to give and receive constructive feedback from the instructor and group members with suggestions for expansion and revision with positive yet helpful encouragement.

Due to the unlimited number of topics that may be triggering for some, you may decide not to share your work or take a time out if needed. This is a safe space, and your information will not be shared outside of this workshop.

About the Facilitator:

Nina Padolf specializes in creative writing and has edited several anthologies; her poems are published in the United States and Internationally. Her recent book of poems, Uprooted, (Kelsay Books, 2021) explores being adopted and caring for her elderly mother who suffered from Alzheimer’s. Her upcoming picture book, Samantha, The Peanut Butter Detective, (Pegasus Publishers, U,K.), is estimated to be released in 2025. She currently instructs college writing and literature courses at Duquesne University and has been instructing college level courses since 2005. She is the curator of a monthly local reading and open mic at Cider and Plants Greenhouse Co-op, which features local poets and writers. She is currently collaborating on another anthology with a group of writers that will explore current events such as the election results, poverty, global warming, and more. She holds a Doctorate in Higher Educational Leadership from Argosy University, an MFA in Creative Writing from Carlow University, and a MAT from Chatham University.

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Note: All workshop participants will have the opportunity to publish at least one work with Write Pittsburgh during the year in which the workshop was taken. Workshop participants will also be invited to share their work publicly either in-person or online at Write Pittsburgh events hosted throughout the year.