Jude Nutter

Student Feedback for Jude

Jude was an excellent teacher— caring, thoughtful, helpful, perceptive, articulate, organized, highly intelligent and passionate about poetry. She helped me improve each of my poems. Marie Favorini

Jude’s knowledge of poetry, poets, materials about poetry, and the art and craft of poetry is encyclopedic. She is generous with her time and feedback on workshopped poems and has created a spirit of respect and collegiality in our writing group. Talking with Jude about one of her own poems is like experiencing a mini-master class. Lynn Slifer

Jude is an acclaimed poet, so I am honored to have worked with her as a student over the last four years. She is a master at instilling in her students the craft and tools required to write good poetry. Whether you want to improve your writing, or start writing poetry for the first time, Jude is an expert teacher. Her workshops are dynamic and never cease to make me learn something new about reading and writing poetry. She is kind, incredibly interesting, and will challenge you to write and read poems with discipline and rigor. Her feedback on my work is always detailed, helpful, and done in a spirit that shows options to improve and complete a poem in progress, while never imposing on my own creativity. It is for that reason that I will continue to study with her for years to come. Any student who selects a workshop run by Jude will be better for it. Laurie Derechin

My first instruction with Jude was a weekend workshop that was part of the Iowa Writers Summer Festival in 2016. Thankfully, I had a flexible schedule that month, because I was so impressed with what I gained from that workshop that I enrolled in her week-long workshop immediately afterward! Jude embodies an extraordinarily in-depth expertise in the scholarship and technique of poetry, which she imparts to her workshop students with the utmost clarity and grace. She is both rigorous and compassionate, intense and humorous. Not only does she encourage students to challenge themselves—she challenges herself as well, through her openness to new ideas and approaches to writing poetry. Her ability and willingness to devote attention to each workshop participant while consistently maintaining inclusiveness during workshops is exemplary. To work with her is an honor! Nancy Wright

I have been in Jude’s classes and groups for several years. She approaches each poet’s work with a skill and a curiosity which has helped me to further find my voice and my own style. Through Jude’s example, I am learning to bring that same curiosity to other’s work as well. Mary Greene

It is obvious how much time and thought Jude puts into her students’ poetry writing. Jude goes into great depth with feedback to each poem a student brings to class. She encourages each student to discover what their poem is saying and to go deeper. In addition, she directs her students to poems, essays, and poetry-craft books by accomplished poets, all of which are discussed in class. I learn so much from Jude and deeply appreciate her dedication to her students. Andrea Johnson

Jude is an extraordinary instructor who gets to the heart of poetry and shares it with her students. As an award-winning poet, she helps me write more compellingly with her detailed supportive and helpful critiques of draft poems. She also digs into poems by established writers to explore issues of craft—it can be illuminating—how X poet got that effect. Can I do it too? Jude offers a cracking course. Carrie Bassett

I’ve studied with Jude for more than four years, and from the very first class, I was gob smacked by her knowledge, insight, and pedagogy. I came to poetry later in life and working with Jude helped fill in huge gaps in my knowledge. Her feedback on student writing is astonishing and thorough. From Jude, I’ve discovered where to break lines for astonishing effect, how to build tension to give the poem muscle, the surprise and power of enjambment, how to set up from the beginning of the poem a close that reaches and opens up and creates a lasting impression. Jude sets high standards, and her students aim for them and succeed. Kathleen Kimball-Baker

Jude is an incredible teacher, exuding humor and warmth. She notices the small things, the nuances of poetry. She is an incredibly accomplished poet yet meets every student at the place that benefits each one’s work. Susan Spindler

An excellent listener, Jude is sensitive and interested. She is inclusive. I had read about her, and her dedication to poetry and the teaching of poetry shines through…she has the voice and knowledge of worlds of poets and poetry that mesmerize. I felt that I was learning and being inspired at the same time. Her appreciation for other poets and her understanding of lines and syntax and sensibilities of poems, the readings and links she suggested, as well as her own shared experiences—well, it all went straight to my heart with no resistance. I found this incredible. Susan Minyard

Jude’s work is exemplary: rigorous, gentle, exacting, accommodating, inspiring and grit-filled! This was my third adventure with her. If our time with her were a card game named “Relevance,” we would all be winners! She is Imaginative, Sensitive, Skillful and Authentic. Gosh, her knowledge of literature and history is protean…a masterful teacher. John Langfeld

Years ago, I read one of Jude’s poems in a journal and I was blown away. I searched her out, took a couple poetry classes with her, and I’ve been lucky enough to study privately with her for ten years. Jude has had a profound effect on my work. I’ve had other teachers who look at a poem and give snippets of feedback—but Jude takes an in-depth approach to poetry critique. I’ve never had a teacher who takes so much time and care, who comments on everything from form to meaning to line breaks and punctuation. Her knowledge and expertise are evident at every turn. Jude addresses the nuts and bolts of poetry writing, but then goes so much deeper into the work. Jude understands the vulnerability inherent in writing poetry, with a genuine respect for the poet’s work. Barbara Reynolds

I have been in poetry classes and workshops with Jude for the past five years, and she has led me through all the major and minor (and subtle and advanced) aspects of poetry – using superlative texts, articles, prompts, discussions, and examples. And she has done this utilizing the most friendly, personal, exciting, humorous, and inclusive approach – her critiques of my attempts, and suggestions for improvement, have resulted in a positive leveling-up and betterment of my work. I truly do not know where I would be as a writer without her mentorship, teaching, and help. gil olson

I’ve had the pleasure of taking 3 different poetry writing classes (1 in person, 2 virtual) from Jude. In each setting, Jude assigned readings about poetry craft and provided unique writing prompts, in addition to giving each of us detailed and insightful feedback on our creative work. What a privilege it’s been to learn from such a renowned poet and skilled teacher. Having trained in science, it’s been wonderful for me to “switch gears,” to become enthralled and confident with reading and writing poems, thanks to Jude. Nancy Baker, MD

Taking class with Jude has opened my eyes to so many aspects of poetry that were hidden to me before. And her keen attention to my own writing and the suggestions she makes have immeasurably sharpened my instincts and my work. I couldn’t recommend a teacher any more highly. Paul de Cordova

Jude has a passion for poetry that is woven into every aspect of her classes. She is both a stunning poet and an amazing instructor. Through her generous feedback, she inspired me to keep learning, working, and pushing beyond the limits of what I thought I could do. Betty Benson

I’ve taken several writing courses with Jude and found her leadership to be consistently excellent, both in-person and online. She chooses her materials with careful attention to the needs of the class. Of special value are Jude’s skills as a leader of workshopping events. Not only is her own feedback on my writing substantive and helpful, but she also teaches her workshopping skills to other participants so that we all improve together. Jude is an excellent mentor. Michael Taylor

Whether you are an experienced poet, or just beginning to work seriously at the craft, Jude is deeply committed to help you shape, clarify, and heighten the effectiveness of the words you put on the page: she has such knowledge of the natural world and the literary world, and there is no better a teacher of metaphor and the “sequencing” of what you say and how to say it. Sandra Larson

Jude is so very generous of spirit when it comes to supporting students at all levels of skill. I have taken many classes with her and been in a writing group that she leads for over three years. In addition to being a fantastic teacher of the craft, she is also kind, warm and exceptionally gifted in her ability to provide meaningful feedback on student’s work. Clover Earl

Jude is a superb teacher and her insights have made me a better poet. She has helped me devise strategies for getting rid of excess poetic scaffolding (especially at the beginning of my poems); and taught me that most difficult of tasks: how to successfully “close” a poem. Since working with Jude, I have published two collections of poems, which I could not have done without her expertise and guidance. LeRoy Sorenson