TESTIMONIALS

“Sarah’s classes are different from any instructor I’ve ever encountered, packed full of knowledge, insight, and many poets to set the creative mind in motion. She has inspired me to dig deeper into my own writing, embrace and nurture the world we live in. Well-organized, she fosters a positive atmosphere, allowing for the growth of students at different skill levels. I always look forward to classes she may be teaching. Sarah’s material is always engaging, thoughtful, and I often find my inspiration in numerous areas, central material and small side-trips–mind-expanding!”

– ELLEN LAGER

“As a teacher of writing myself, I know how much energy and intention it takes to build community, especially online. Sarah has truly done it, offering a range of inspiring opportunities to allow writers of all genres, skill levels, and financial abilities to participate. She’s cultivated a community of creatives who come together and welcome new members as though they’ve always been there.”

– TARA CAMPBELL

“Poet Camp’s Witchy Cozy Writing Retreat was such a lifeline in the midst of a scary and dark time in the outer world. Sarah, through well-structured prompts, led us deep into ourselves to explore with words our inner lives as human beings living in the natural world. We gathered all we observed and discovered and wove that knowledge into poems of the season. And how wonderful it was to write in a strong community of fellow writers and share our poems at the end of the evening. Thank you, Sarah!”

– NANCY HUGHES

“The Cozy Writing Retreat was exactly what I needed to rekindle the flame in my writing. The invitations to remember, notice, and write were the perfect fodder to get the words glowing and Sarah’s gentle, genuine tending of the group and the way she wove community throughout the evening made me feel supported during our time together. I’ve already marked my calendar for the next Cozy Writing Retreat and am counting down the days!”

– TERRY LYNN SIMPSON

“Sarah did a beautiful job creating community in this fall camp. Thank you for creating a shared and sacred place on that special evening!”

– ALLISON DEFREESE

“The Cozy Writing Retreat was an amazing way to spend a Friday night! Nothing feels better than starting off the weekend with five new drafts. Great people, great energy, great time management, fun prompts, and many visual and auditory delights (photos, videos, songs). Not to mention an abundance of breaks! It truly was cozy and I left it feeling energized.”

– ANNA KEGLER

“I always leave Poet Camp classes with six to eight new poems that I’m proud to send out in the world. The readings from classes and Cozy Writes are inspiring. I’ve discovered new poets and other artists and dived deeper into old favorites. Poet Camp has given me a community of like-minded poets. We’ve continued to share our work and news after classes end. With Poet Camp, I’ve grown as a poet and had publications and opportunities I wouldn’t have otherwise experienced.”

– ELIZABETH SHACK

“Thanks for the structure, inspiration, encouragement, and welcome. Sarah is a gifted teacher. I write a fair amount about place here in the South, which is so fraught with layers of memory, pain, and (yes) tenderness. Sarah’s exercises and models were really helpful in getting me to make more of an organic weave of the strata, so to speak.”

– JENNIFER DRACOS-TICE

“I took my first workshop with Sarah during the early days of COVID, and was so impressed by how she created a sense of community, even as we were all figuring out how to use the remote access. Her workshops are more than a class; they’re an invitation to join a group of poets dedicated to improving their writing and supporting each other.”

-KATE POWELL SHINE

“Joy filled and Value Added! Poet Camp is the perfect come-away treat for any poet. Sarah Ann Winn comes prepared with a stellar presentation oriented to the season or a particular holiday, a carefully-crafted schedule, beautiful example poems and abundant prompts. She is friendly, encouraging and gets everyone conversing and sharing. It’s a whole lot of fun! A great gift to give yourself or another poet in your life.”

-KRISTEN BAUM DEBEASI

“The cozy writing retreat reset my writing this October. It was the perfect way to welcome the full moon, share in sisterhood, and be inspired by Sarah’s brilliance. Sarah thoughtfully put together a program that blew me away. I’ve been to a lot of workshops and this one definitely stretched my writing muscle. Thank you thank you thank you! I’ll be back again for another witchy poet camp next year for sure!”

-LAUREN VILLA

“Thanks for another class that got me to think in new ways and see beautiful work from classmates and insightful comments from you. You go above and beyond in your close reading of our work; I really see and appreciate your time and care for us!”

-LISA ANGELELLA

“I love camping with Sarah! I’ve participated in Cozy Writes, Witchy Hallows Workshops, and I had the pleasure of working one-on-one with Sarah for a chapbook manuscript consultation. Thanks to her guidance and supportive feedback, I found a publisher, and more importantly, a place in a welcoming community. Sarah works hard, and she’s playful. With her, you can expect to learn about poetry and prose, and also music, visual art, nature-love, history, herstory, and cultural connection. Sarah balances delightful giggles with thoughtful, focused study. She is an excellent teacher, beautiful poet, a true collaborative, kindred spirit. Poet Camp is an inspiring, supportive and fun place to be!”

-MICHELLE SEAMAN

“Sarah is this multi-faceted magician who creates extraordinary spaces for everyday people, (who may not think of themselves as poets or writers), to make contact with their muse. Every aspect of the way I learn and tap into my creativity is tantalized by her words, her images, music, and general love of all things poetry. I seek out the purists to learn from and Sarah is definitely that. Her desire to make beautiful and provocative experiences is possible because she is so authentically committed and delighted by the same. I hope she is discovered by everyone who wants more connection with their own creative life force.”

-SANDRA PAROTTA

“The week one Muse as Dryad lesson left me in tears. Sarah’s thoughtfulness and skill in the curation of the poems and creation of the prompts astounds me. As a student this lesson brought the best out in me. As a teacher (different field) I feel like I am learning so much from Sarah about how I can be better at what I do. I also want to say that this class feels so necessary to our world right now. Really, I am so grateful.”

-JANET CHWALIBOG

“No matter if you are a novice or experienced poet, these cozy writing retreats are amazing! Sarah provides a variety of prompts that will surely get your muse going! The prompts are always new, so you are always able to come back again and again! I love how these retreats provide model texts to help challenge me and get me to practice my poetry writing skills.”

-STEPHANIE MACDONALD

“I’ve found myself returning time and again to Sarah’s workshops. Her classes aren’t only places to draft new work, though I do, or to read wonderfully curated texts, though she offers that as well. The real magic comes from the way that she builds community alongside these elements. Signing up to study with Sarah means joining a society of like souls, artists who hold each other’s work with respect and care under her steady guidance.”

-JACQUELYN BENGFORT

“Robert Frost said, I am not a teacher, but an awakener. I have experienced this brand of transformation as the student of Sarah Ann Winn. She not only chooses the perfect materials to inspire poetry, but her prompts offer extraordinary challenges. She delves into many mediums to spark imagination; her knowledge of literature, art, music, and pop culture enhance the coursework immeasurably. I explored topics that I never would have approached without her guidance, and her encouragement to go beyond the ordinary pushed me to stretch and improve. Her feedback, constructive and honest, enabled me to revise with direction. The amount of time she invested in my work left me stunned and thankful. Aside from her stellar teaching skills, she is an empathetic person who truly listens to understand. For anyone who wishes to abandon everyday writing habits and awaken to new possibilities, I highly recommend seeking Sarah Ann Winn.”

-DANA KINSEY

“A class with Sarah reawakened my interest in reading and writing poetry. I have since taken four classes and two retreats with her and every time I feel the exciting rush of learning new things, making connections, and watching my writing develop. Sarah’s critiques and guidance have helped me hone my poems and become a better self-editor. She is a gifted “writing guide” who not only creates beautiful poetry but helps draw out the best in her participants. I am so thankful I found her.”

-ARIEL BOSWELL

“I have taken several of Sarah Winn’s online classes, and in each one I have found her to be an inspiring guide to poetry. Her teaching method is to use various media to spark creativity, including music, visual art, videos, and even the occasional fascinating podcast. Sarah introduces students to poets with diverse backgrounds and writing styles. She has an ear for sound and is quick to pick up on the gist of what writers are truly getting at in their poems. Her prompts and writing exercises are unique and often surprising, and have allowed me to write poems I would never have come up with on my own. She is gentle in her criticism of student work, but will point out where rewriting is needed. Her feedback has been valuable to me when revising my work. ”

-LISA KOSOW

“I am glad to be part of Sarah’s poetry family– and to be welcomed as such– and to have found such a wonderful teacher who is both safe and nurturing but also willing to be clear (especially once we know each other) in the service of the poem and what we are capable of if we push just a bit harder.”

-PETER STURTEVANT

“It was a delight to work with Sarah on my manuscript in progress. She provided thoughtful, insightful feedback at the poem, section and book level and provided me with practical advice about naming, poem placement, publication outlets and publishing strategy. Most importantly, she treated my work with kindness and respect, even when giving me tough advice about pieces of the manuscript that were not ready yet or not right for this particular collection. ”

– PATRICIA DAVIS-MUFFET

“Sarah’s poetry classes are my favorite kind of literary adventure. The content she designs is inspiring, relevant, and diverse – I find myself revisiting writers, podcasts, and music she referenced in a lesson even a year or more after the class. Sarah’s honest responses to my drafts have helped me hone my poetic voice and her affirmations encourage me to try new experiments. In each of her classes Sarah fosters a deep sense of community, so that when the course is over friendships remain.”

-SARAH CLARK

“Sarah’s classes brought me into so much new writing. She chooses unique themes to teach on, and her selected readings, songs and videos are such a pleasure to discover. Her writing exercises generate poems I would not have reached on my own, and her critique is supportive and enlightening. The community that develops in Sarah’s classes is really special–classmates are encouraging and their work is instructive, too. Don’t miss the chance to study with Sarah!”

– MELANIE HUSTON

“Each week of class, Sarah provides abundant resources—poetry, essays, visual art, audio and video recordings—which stimulate me to write. I have been journaling and / or drafting poems daily since the class began, impelled to create fresh worlds in response to the lives and work of other creators.”

– CHRISTINE SIKORSKI

“I’ve taken a ton of online classes and I’ve gotta say I was absolutely dazzled by Sarah’s preparation, and her presentation of things to read and watch and interact with. I’m so appreciative of the obvious time and care she puts into her classes. She’s a mix of smart and caring, and has a lovely way of telling me what isn’t working, what’s mundane, what could be better. That’s what I need to know.”

– VICTORIA MELEKIAN