All writers, no matter how accomplished, feel the pressure of finding the right words to invigorate their prose and bring their stories to life. The right word choice and arrangement can surprise and astonish readers, or entice editors and agents to keep reading well after the first page. Think of the power that wordplay, (rhyme, alliteration, lyricism, connotation) holds for you as a reader when you are transported by an author! Join poet (and self-described etymological obsessive) Michael Mercurio (Poetry, January 2017) for this three-hour workshop, and you’ll come away with the tools to punch up your writing, astound your readers, and make your work truly stand out. The workshop includes a brief history lesson on the peculiarities of the English language, an opportunity to discuss some tried-and-true strategies for using words as springboards for inspiration, and plenty of time to explore the power of language.