“I wholeheartedly recommend Jennifer Franklin’s Year of Your Book workshop. My debut chapbook and full-length manuscripts were transformed from a bunch of pretty good poems into two strong manuscripts that I just had accepted for publication. This workshop examines manuscripts on a micro level to make each poem as strong as possible and on a macro level to make the collection well-structured and cohesive. Jennifer also offers suggestions of which journals may be interested in the individual poems and which publishers may be interested in particular manuscripts. I chose to register for Jennifer’s class because I’ve long admired her work and thought she could help me get to the next level. I was in no way disappointed. Jennifer is a knowledgeable, kind, attentive, and encouraging workshop leader, teacher, and mentor. She is the perfect blend of supportive and scrupulous. She not only cares as much about her students’ writing and goals as she does her own, but also creates a supportive workshop community that cares about its members’ successes and has a lot of fun in the process.”—Luisa Caycedo-Kimura, MFA Boston University, author of All Were Limones (The Word Works, 2025)
“The goal of Jennifer Franklin is to give her students the skills they need to publish their work. Franklin’s insight and special attention has been invaluable to me as a writer. My collection I wrote in YoYB was accepted for publication and was published in 2024.” —Roxanne Cardona, long-time YoYB Student & author of Caught in the Principal’s Lens (Pine Row Press, 2024)
I am so lucky to have found Jennifer Franklin for a teacher and mentor. Her workshops are productive sessions, honing the poem to its sharpest edge, and I feel I have grown tremendously over time as poet and editor by drawing upon her expertise. Jennifer’s classes foster community, a safe space where students support each other and help each other navigate the often-competitive field of poetry. —Paula Colangelo, MFA Drew, YoYB student since 2013
While earning my MFA from the Sewanee School of Letters, I also began taking workshops at HVWC. Since earning my degree in 2013, I have continued to study with Jennifer Franklin. Her manuscript review class helped me select a subset of poems from my MFA thesis for a chapbook published by Kattywompus Press. Subsequent work with Franklinsupported the creation of a full-length collection Afterimage, published by Pine Row Press (2023) and a second manuscript still in development. I have learned so much from Jennifer Franklin about editing: at the individual poem level I now always look at what would happen if the poem unfolded in a different linear order. At the manuscript level I have learned to think about narrative arc, sequencing of poems in the manuscript. Finally, I should add that these classes, I have met many fine local poets – fellow work-shoppers --that I now find myself part of a community of poets who continue to support my work. —Kathryn Weld, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, Manhattan College. Author of Waking Light (Kattywompus Press. 2019) and Afterimage (Pine Row Press 2023). www.Kathrynweld.com
My collection STERILE FIELD (Free Lines Press, 2022) and chapbook JANE ALMOST ALWAYS SMILES (Moonstone Arts Center Press, 2022) were both workshopped in theYear of the Book class taught by Jennifer Franklin. This class was invaluable to the process of developing, editing, and refining these manuscripts and my current collection-in-progress—H. E. Fisher, long-time YoYB student
Jennifer Franklin’s Year of the Book: Poetry lives up to its name. I joined the class one July with the idea of seeing what I could fit into a sonnet. I submitted a new poem each class and received excellent feedback from Jennifer and my classmates. In December, I presented a 30-poem chapbook of American sonnets. The class helped me cut it to 20, offered edits for the rest, found a focus in love and aging and a title in Still Love. After six more months of insightful feedback on poems each week, I presented a 54-page manuscript the next June. The group cut a few poems, suggested a more effective order and discussed submission destinations. One year, one book. And a year after that, I had a contract to publish. All thanks to Jennifer's great support and insight and to the wonderful Friday class of Year of the Book: Poetry. —Jack Powers, long-time YoYB student
Jennifer Franklin's poetry manuscript workshop was a boost to morale. She leads discussions with a professional, knowledgeable, and discerning eye. As I work toward building a manuscript, individual poems workshopped under her direction have been accepted for publication. —Amy Gordon, YoYB student & MFA Drew
Jennifer Franklin is an incredible poet and an astute editor. As director and teacher, she builds a supportive community that nurtures artistic productivity. Jennifer inspires each student to take risks, and to find their unique voice. She empowers emerging writers to publish, and to realize lifelong literary dreams. —Anne Mesquita, YoYB student
I have been a student of Jennifer Franklin’s for over eleven years. In that time I have become a published poet (many individual poems in journals and a chapbook). Franklin has taught and mentored us with skill and compassion in her Year of the Book class. In addition to honing my craft I have become part of a community of poets.—Vera Salter, long time YoYB student, author of In Lewy’s Body (FLP, 2024)
I have been in Jennifer Franklin’s workshop for over ten years. Her memory is unbelievable remembering poems I have written which I have forgotten. She encourages us to try new forms of poetry and gives tips on places to submit to. Most of all she is a positive force in the workshop and gives informed suggestions on changes.—Aubrey Moncrieffe, YoYB student since 2013
“I have been writing my entire life, but the courses with Jennifer Franklin have made me a much better writer and have enabled me to publish two poetry collections.” —Vincent M. Bell, author, most recently, of The Leading Edge of Nothing (Broadstone Books, 2024