This special writing workshop, inspired by Blakeley’s rich history and unique habitat, will help aspiring writers practice their skills at creative expression through words. A variety of short forms of composition—including non-fiction, poetry, narrative, and lyric formats may be explored as a way to observe, record, contemplate, and conceptualize the wonder of Blakeley’s distinctive environment.

The program will showcase the work of the very popular naturalist poet Mary Oliver, using her pieces as a springboard to explore themes and topics of interest to workshop participants. Workshops will be conducted outdoors within the park, using the Mary Grice Pavilion in the heart of the ghost town of Blakeley as a base of operations. Each workshop will begin with an anchor poem from Mary Oliver’s work, followed by creative exercises and ample time for participants to make observations in and around the area of our outdoor classroom. 

Participants may be accomplished writers or embarking for the first time.  All are welcome!

Our instructor, Angela Crawford, teaches at Pensacola State College and Coastal Alabama Community College.  She received her M.A. in English from Western Kentucky University before returning home to Alabama in 2002 to help lead the Mobile Bay Writing Project as co-director for a number of years. In addition to a thirty-year teaching career, she has published professionally and been awarded numerous fellowships, including the Grosvenor fellowship with National Geographic in 2014 which took her to the arctic. She recently returned from Ecuador with National Geographic and Lindblad Expeditions as a teacher in the field and is at work on several writing projects.

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