Clare L. Martin

Unique Techniques to Poem-Making (6–8) Through several unique and fun exercises, poet Clare L. Martin will help students find and trust their poetic voice. Most of the session will be spent actually writing. Some time will be dedicated to sharing what has been written with constructive advice given by Clare. Guidance will be given also to introduce new writers to the revision process—which is essential to making language art. (Single session or short-term residency)

A World of Words: Express Yourself! (9–12) You have something to say. Poetry can be the "out” for what is "in.” Poet Clare L. Martin presents a brief, appropriate and relevant "poetry reading” of her own work and offers specific writing challenges that are designed to help teens trust their voice and value it.  Art is made of the stuff of life. Teens are uniquely challenged to share something honest through the written word which may actually change lives. (Single session or short-term residency)

Clare L. Martin is a poet, a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and lifelong Louisiana resident. Clare’s creative writing has appeared in Avatar Review, Poets and Artists, Blue Fifth Review, Blood Lotus, Referential Magazine, Scythe, and Literary Mama, among others. Her poems have been included in the anthologies: The Red Room: Writings from Press 1, Best of Farmhouse Magazine Vol. 1, and Beyond Katrina.  Her work has been nominated for Dzanc Books’ Best of the Web for 2011, and previously for Best New Poets and Sundress Publication’s Best of the Net. Her poems appear in the 2011 Press 53 Spotlight anthology which features a select group of emerging poets and writers.

Clare has written for theatre and recently served as a writer for Play. Music. Heal: a multi-disciplined collaborative theatre project of the company Acting Up (in Acadiana) which brought together actors, musicians and writers in creating a contemporary story revolving around the potential for music to heal.

Clare is a member of the Festival of Words Cultural Arts Collective, Inc. and has presented creative writing workshops in schools in conjunction with the Festival of Words, and independently in other school settings.