Program Type:
Off the Page Literary CelebrationProgram Description
Off the Page Literary Celebration
The Off the Page Literary Celebration, hosted by Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources, features bestselling authors, writing workshops, book signings, and more during the month of November. All Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources locations participate. Events are also held at partner locations like Ringling College of Art and Design, or other offsite locations.
Join us for a poetry writing workshop with Laura Shoemaker, a poet and writer based in Sarasota. She loves creating a warm, welcoming space where workshop participants can explore new ideas, discover more about themselves, and build meaningful connections through writing.
Her poetry has been featured in Poetry Northwest, The Bellingham Review, FIELD, and other literary journals. Her chapbook, For Want, was published by Finishing Line Press. She is now working on a new collection of poems and essays about complicated mothers, herself included.
Laura holds an MFA in poetry from the University of Washington and has shared her passion for writing with students at the University of Washington, Ringling College of Art + Design, and the State College of Florida. She’s currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida in Tampa, where she continues to inspire creativity and community through the written word.