Renée M. Sgroi
AWA Affiliate and Workshop Facilitator, Poet, Editor
Author photo
by Elle Marie Photography
Write with Renée
My goal as a certified Amherst Writers and Artists (AWA) affiliate and workshop facilitator is to guide you to discover your creative voice in a safe and inclusive environment that provides you with the space to explore, experiment and play with your writing.
Participant numbers in workshops are limited to 8, to support meaningful engagement. Workshops run online via Zoom, from 10am to 12noon EST (unless otherwise specified). Cost for individual workshops is $45 CDN, or $120 for a bundle of three. For more details, check out my 2026 offerings below.
Everyone is a writer. I hope you'll come explore your writing voice with me!
Read my mission statement here.
2026 Workshops
This year's workshops are creativity-themed! All workshops run ONLINE, from 10am-12pm EST. Cost is $45 CDN, or $120 for a bundle of three. To register or for more information about workshops, please contact me
Spring 2026
April 26: Poetry
In this free National Poetry Month
Workshop, we'll explore different
poetic forms to generate new
poems. Participant spots are
limited. Please contact me to request
your free spot!
May/June: Accepting Failure
In this 6-week workshop, we'll learn to accept writing 'failures'. How can we learn from failure? What is failure?
We'll meet for three, two-hour synchronous sessions in weeks 1, 3, and 5, plus a wrap-up session in week 6 (see below). You'll receive offline materials and prompts in weeks 2 and 4, plus a 30-minute one-on-one consultation with me, in which you'll have the opportunity to discuss new or old work that has 'failed'.
When: Saturday May 9 - Saturday June 13, as follows:
Week 1, Failure: What it is and What it Isn't
10am - 12noon EDT, Saturday May 9
Week 2, "Good Enough Writing": Offline Materials & Prompts
Week 3, "Risk It"
10am - 12noon EDT, Saturday May 23
Week 4, "Break, Bend, Blend": Offline Materials & Prompts
Week 5, "Learning From Past Mistakes"
10am - 12noon EDT, Saturday June 6
Week 6, "Resilience"
10am - 11am EDT, Saturday June 13
Where: Online, via Zoom
Cost for this 6 week course is $220 CDN.
2 spots left!
5 spots left!
WHAT WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS SAY
Love the energy you bring to the online format!
-- Danielle M.
This was a great workshop!
-- Workshop Participant
Enjoyable
-- Workshop Participant
intriguing prompts
-- Workshop Participant
A friendly workshop
-- Workshop Participant
Thank you so much for the fabulous workshop ... the material was so accessible, and your prompts were pitch perfect. I'm so happy with the work I did ... What a great experience.
-- Sue Reynolds,
Past President, AWA
Renée is skillful at creating a warm and supportive learning environment.
-- Dianne P.
I learned a lot of different ways to approach writing
-- Workshop Participant
I have one poem and the beginnings of 2 more. This seldom happens to me at a workshop.
-- F.S.R.
"I would definitely take the opportunity to do another workshop with Renée"
-- R. M.
Inspiring
-- Workshop Participant
Great Ides to provide time to write out and explore your creativity.
-- Workshop Participant
About
Renée M. Sgroi (she/her) edited the poetry anthology, Written Tenfold (Poetry Friendly Press, 2018), and has published two poetry collections, life print, in points (erbacce-press, 2020) and In a Tension of Leaves and Binding (Guernica Editions, 2024), shortlisted for an International Rubery Award, and a CBC Books 2024 fall poetry book preview list and CBC Books 2024 November anticipated book. Renée's poems have most recently been published in such literary journals as Room Magazine, FreeFall Magazine, yolk literary magazine, Augur Magazine, Funicular Magazine, Parentheses Journal, Literary Review of Canada, and Pinhole Poetry.
Renée is a certified Amherst Writers and Artists (AWA) affiliate, and offers writing workshops to emerging writers using the Amherst method. She holds a PhD in Education from the University of Toronto, and a Master of Science degree in Creativity and Change Leadership from SUNY Buffalo State University, and has taught adult learners for more than 25 years. A member of The Writers’ Union of Canada, the League of Canadian Poets, Canadian Authors Association, the Association of Italian-Canadian Writers, and The Ontario Poetry Society, Renée is also a contributing editor for Arc Poetry Magazine.