Moneta hosted its first-ever writing workshop this past Sunday, February 7th. The drawing room above Auxiliary Services, where the event was held, was decked out with string lights, cut-out hearts, and print-outs of writing prompts. The prompts were posted around the room, including gems such as “Love Sucks, You Suck” and a “Will You Be Mine or People are Not Possessions.” I took a comedic spin on a boyfriend/girlfriend resume prompt and wrote a poem about an application for potential boyfriends. Here is a snippet of my first draft of the poem: “Please list celebrities you’ve been compared to / from most hot to least hot … Do you have a Reddit? / If yes, are you a meninist?” After I finished my masterpiece, I thought it was the perfect time to make Valentines for my friends with the pre-made hearts!
The workshop was an incidental alternative to the Super Bowl, a collaborative space enveloped in student art from the classes in the drawing rather than chicken wings and sports jerseys. Students had a chance to discuss their work, be inspired by prompts surrounding the exciting prospect or impending doom of Valentine’s Day, and relax with fellow creative types. With the stress of the new semester and abrupt intensity of the winter, the workshop was a welcome escape. It also was encouraging to those who had not previously submitted to Moneta to do so.
Moneta plans to host more workshops in the future. Like them on Facebook for updates so you can catch the next event! If you are interested in submitting to the spring issue of Moneta, the deadline is February 25th. You can submit up to seven pages of prose, four poems, and/or four works of art/photography (art will likely be printed in black and white). Email submissions to moneta.mhc@gmail.com. Specify in your email which section(s) you would like your work considered: Art, Fiction, Nonfiction, or Poetry. Written pieces should be sent in a Word document.
If you want to read more about Moneta and one of its founding members, check out this interview with Hattie McLean.