Making Sense Together: Inside the Gut Instinct Poetry Workshop

By Bella Kovar

A writer is popularly depicted as alone. At a desk somewhere, solemnly. Perhaps in a coffee shop, watching people instead of interacting with them. However, one of the many beautiful things about poetry is that it can be a solitary act or a communal one. It takes courage to share a poem with anyone—loved ones or strangers. A poem is an extension of one’s soul. The sentiment sounds dramatic and obnoxious, but it’s a simple truth. Poetry has been and always will be the act of making sense of one’s feelings and how these complexities exist in the first place. 

One way I’ve found poetry to thrive is through a group setting, but the smaller the better. The act itself is already so intimate—it’s you, a pen, and paper. Poetry doesn’t beg for theatrics and only demands attention from you, the writer. While it is an amazing and ineffable power that poets have to touch masses of people with their work, the initial catalyst is always the same— for you in 2026 and for William Shakespeare in 1556. You wonder, scribble it down, and then hope it all makes sense. 

I’ve been in and out of writing workshops since I was sixteen years old. All of these were in school, and each teacher I had utilized various organizational tactics–some felt useful while others didn’t quite feel right. After graduating, I yearned to be in a space with fellow poets again. After writing my second and third chapbooks, Is it Over Yet? and I’m Still Awake, I had no workshop group to turn to. It was a strange process to navigate without the voices of other aspiring poets affirming or criticizing my attempt at conveying my torment or joy, or my tormented contentment. Garnering all of this previous experience in workshops together, I got to work. This September, I was lucky enough to host my very own poetry workshop with the help of Gut Instinct Media Company. 

There were seven of us altogether. We met every two weeks remotely, and with each session, we got closer and gained a deeper understanding of one another. Each voice in the room was different, and what made this workshop the most special outside of school was the apparent passion that each person had. In school, your classmates–even if endlessly talented–have a quiet notion of needing to be present for a course credit. Outside of school, there’s an authentic desire to carry deep-ended written expression into adulthood. As the proctor of the workshop, I also participated. This was something I hadn’t seen before; my teachers never shared work of their own. I think that doing this was beneficial for my own poetic journey, but also created a newfound trust between the other participants. Instead of a voice on the sidelines leading the group, I become even more intertwined in the process. Each person’s poetry translated well with who they were, and although each individual’s area of strengths or emotions conveyed varied, there was a consistent air of understanding and inspiration.

I’ve come to find that whenever a poem is bad, it typically means it’s just confusing. The mere desire to simply write a poem already invites success. You wondered, you scribbled it down, and you hope it makes sense. I wanted this workshop to be fellow lost souls helping you make it make sense. The biweekly Zoom calls sometimes turned into fits of laughter or pools of questions or–my personal favorite–impromptu poetic therapy sessions. Any and all moments were welcome. 

I’d like that cliche image of a brooding writer by himself in a dark room to be changed, or expanded at least. It makes much more sense for writers yearning to be understood to share their work with others. Even if it’s only a few people. Even if it’s a couple of times a month in a group call with strangers. They’ll become your friends eventually. 

I feel so lucky to have had such a wonderful first group of poets! Thank you for your time and for sharing your talent, Andrew, Alivia, Luke, Alisha, Kendrah, and Arianna!

I will be hosting another small group of poets for more workshopping this winter. I encourage anyone with even an inkling of interest to apply! More details to come soon.

The full collection of poems can be found on our socials: @gutinsinctmediaco on Instagram & @gutinstinctmedia on TikTok