Explore the craft of contemporary poetry through reading, writing, and shared discussion.

This interactive workshop invites participants into the world of contemporary poetry through close reading, conversation, and generative writing. As a class, you’ll explore a carefully selected packet of poems and engage in a roundtable discussion on how they work, focussing on key craft elements that can be applied to your own practice. Participants will then be guided through a series of writing prompts, with dedicated time to work on your own poems followed by a supportive feedback session.

Learning outcomes

As part of this workshop, you will:

Develop an understanding of key craft elements in contemporary poetry.
Explore new approaches to generating poetic work.
Engage with close reading and discussion of poetic technique.
Build confidence in sharing your work and providing feedback to others.

Format

This is an in-person workshop with a focus on writing craft; it will be held at State Library of Queensland. This workshop is suitable for poets of all levels and backgrounds.

About Mindy

Mindy Gill is a recipient of the Queensland Premier’s Young Writers and Publishers Award and has received fellowships from the CMI Arts Initiative in Chennai and the Australian Poetry/NAHR Poetry Fellowship in the Val Taleggio, amongst others. Her poetry has most recently appeared in Australian Book Review, Griffith Review, and The Penguin Book of Indian Poets. She is Australian Book Review’s fifth Rising Star, and has also written essays and criticism for Griffith Review, Sydney Review of Books and Meanjin. In 2025, she was shortlisted for the Glendower Award for an Emerging Queensland Writer. She received the Thomas Shapcott Poetry Prize for her manuscript of poems, which is forthcoming with UQP in 2027.

For more information about Queensland Writers Centre’s Program of Events and answers to FAQs, please visit: www.queenslandwriters.org.au/program-info

Contact the host of Contemporary Poetry: Finding the Line with Mindy Gill