Have you got into a habit with the length and shape of your haibun? This course encourages us to think more about the possibilities for both longer and shorter haibun, and the amount and positioning of haibun within them.

What is Haibun? Haibun is a form of writing originating in Japan where prose writing is interspersed with haiku.

Start Date: Thursday 9th January 2025

End Date:  Thursday 12th June 2025

Level:  Advanced. Participants will already have some experience of writing haibun.

Number of Assignments: 6

Group Size:  up to 5  (3 places left)

Haibun Length:  The assignments vary in length from the shortest haibun to longer ones, but will average around two-thirds of a page.

Course Description:

At the outset of this course, participants will be encouraged and supported to think about their haibun practice and how they want to move forward as they increase their body of work. Over the course, there will be six assignments, with a choice of templates each time, encouraging experimentation within different boundaries of length and shape. There will be tutor feedback on each assignment. As with most Call of the Page courses, assignments and tutor feedback will be shared out in a single document to participants, in order to learn from each other's work as well as their own. 

Participants will be supported in thinking about and choosing their own haibun subjects, but short prompts will also be offered for inspiration.

Cost: £320.00 (approx US$414)

Early Bird Cost: £300.00 (approx US$388) if booked by end of  2nd January 2025

What our students say about this course...

It's been a privilege to read your haibun and I appreciate your openness and honesty. That and Alan's generosity have made it a safe place for me to experiment.
Fokkina (2024)

I have thoroughly enjoyed this class. I think it's my favorite but I say that every time we are at the end. Reading all of your haibun and feedback has strengthened my work as well.... Thanks again to Alan, Karen, and Alison for the opportunity to learn here. I am always sad when it's the last assignment and keep hoping for just one more...one more...one more! :) I would like to be a full-time haibun author and become rich and famous and give the credit to Call of the Page.
Lafcadio (2024)

I have thoroughly enjoyed this course. Alan, I will be in touch about a follow-up session to refine some of these. Many thanks to you and Karen for your excellent, thought-provoking, instruction.

Margaret (2024)

It has been an honor for me to participate in this class with so many fabulous writers. I enjoyed reading all your work immensely and learned from all of you. Many thanks to Alan for his meticulous and creative feedback. I learn more and more with each class.
Martha (2024)

I have really enjoyed being part of this group and it has been fascinating to read the very different treatments everyone has submitted when exploring the themes and ways of formatting Haibun. The course has given me a lot to think about and experiment with in the future. Thank you Alan and team for your valuable and detailed feedback.
Olive (2024)

By booking on to this course you are agreeing to our terms and conditions.

Do the poem elements need to be three-line haiku, or can they also be one-line, or tanka?

Yes, any of these poems are fine to include, and there will be room for them in the templates.

Do the haibun have to be non-fiction?

Haibun most often are, but you are welcome to experiment and write fiction here too.

Instead of the prose section(s) of haibun, can I write freefrom poetry instead?

Yes, we have had students write in this way before, with "long" poetry where the prose would normally be, and then punctuated with haibun.