Hosted by Chris Arvidson
Ever just feel like you want to write, but getting those first words on the page eludes you? Or, you feel like you’ve got a jumble of words in your head, but they just aren’t organizing themselves. How about that nagging “I’ve got something to say…” but can’t quite get it out of your head? Or, maybe just sick of working on the stuff you’re working on and want to begin anew? This workshop is designed to get words out of your brain and onto the page. We’ll work with imaginative, and maybe even whacky-seeming prompts, to get you jumpstarted on your writing. The aim will be to fill your writing notebook with a handful of starts worthy of further work. We’ll sprint our way to new poems or prose. Participants should bring paper, writing utensils, and an adventurous open mind. I promise it will be fun, and that you’ll sprint your way into new writing.
Chris Arvidson was born and grew up in Michigan. She has worked in national politics in Washington, D.C., and as a nonprofit communications and development professional at Habitat for Humanity, in higher education, and with two land conservancies. She holds a B.A. from Olivet College, an M.A. from UNC Charlotte, and an M.F.A. from Goucher College. Chris has been an adjunct instructor at Robert Morris University and at UNC Charlotte. She has co-edited three anthologies in which her own work also appears: Mountain Memoirs: An Ashe County Anthology (Main Street Rag), Reflections on the New River: New Essays, Poems and Personal Stories (McFarland), and The Love of Baseball: Essays by Lifelong Fans(McFarland).
Her poetry chapbook The House Inside My Head was published in May, 2022. In January 2025, Finishing Line Press will publish her poetry collection, Nobody Cares What You Think, which is currently in pre-sale at finishinglinepress.com. Chris maintains an art studio at the Charlotte Art League, where she mounted a show composed of her composed of her poetry and paintings.

Workshop Refund Policy:
If circumstances force the CWC to cancel a workshop or move it to an alternative date, the CWC will issue a full refund or credit for a future workshop if asked to do so within 2 weeks. If a workshop is held according to schedule and an enrollee cannot attend, the CWC will issue a full refund or credit for a future workshop if notified 48 hours before the workshop begins. Any credit issued must be used within 12 months.