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Alumni Spotlight: From Poet Laureate to Poets.org - Pramila Venkateswaran's Mastery of Scene and Character
by Writing Workshops Staff
A month ago
When an accomplished poet and former Suffolk County Poet Laureate decides to explore the craft of fiction, the results can be extraordinary. Pramila Venkateswaran, whose poem "Body Language" was recently featured on Poets.org, exemplifies how established writers can deepen their craft through targeted master class instruction. Her work with National Book Award finalist Karen E. Bender in our specialized workshops has informed both her ongoing novel revision and her continued excellence in poetry.
A Distinguished Literary Voice
Pramila Venkateswaran brings an impressive literary background to her continued learning journey. As poet laureate of Suffolk County, Long Island from 2013-15, she has established herself as a significant voice in contemporary American poetry. Her recent publications include Exile is Not a Foreign Word (Copper Coin 2024) and Tamil Dalit Feminist Poetics (Rowman and Littlefield 2024). Her collection We are Not a Museum (Finishing Line, 2022) won the New York Book Festival award in the poetry category.
Her extensive bibliography includes Thirtha (Yuganta 2002), Behind Dark Waters (Plain View 2008), Draw Me Inmost (Stockport Flats 2009), Trace (Finishing Line 2011), Thirteen Days to Let Go (Aldrich, 2015), Slow Ripening (Local Gems, 2016), and The Singer of Alleppey (Shanti Arts, 2018). She was the 2011 Walt Whitman Birthplace Association Long Island Poet of the Year and co-directs Matwaala: South Asian Diaspora Poetry Collective.
Poetry Featured on Poets.org
Pramila's recent poem "Body Language" appeared on Poets.org as a Poem-a-Day feature on May 24, 2025. The poem beautifully captures the experience of being a "language refugee," navigating conversations in unfamiliar tongues while drawing on the universal language of gesture and expression.
The piece demonstrates her mastery of sensory detail and emotional layering—skills that translate beautifully between poetry and prose. Lines like "I reach for words I recognize— / 'kitap' book, 'café,' brand names" and "use abhinaya, throw open the nine gates of emotion" showcase her ability to weave cultural specificity with universal human experience, grounding abstract concepts in concrete, embodied detail.
Expanding Into Fiction with Master Class Instruction
Despite her established success in poetry, Pramila continues to challenge herself as a writer. Currently, she's "working on revising my novel," a project that has benefited significantly from her participation in Karen E. Bender's specialized master classes.
Pramila participated in two key workshops: Deep Dive Into Dialogue: A Master Class on the Art of What People Say and Building Interiority in Characters: Writing Memory. Both courses address crucial skills for fiction writers, and working with Karen E. Bender—a National Book Award finalist and acclaimed New Yorker contributor—provided access to the highest level of craft instruction.
The Art of Scene Layering
The most valuable skill Pramila gained from her workshop experience was "layering of a scene"—a technique crucial for creating the kind of rich, multi-dimensional narrative moments that distinguish excellent fiction. This skill involves weaving together dialogue, action, internal thought, sensory detail, and subtext to create scenes that work on multiple levels simultaneously.
For a poet of Pramila's caliber, who already understands compression and metaphor, learning to layer scenes represents an expansion into the different rhythms and requirements of prose narrative. Karen E. Bender's approach to scene construction, informed by her experience with acclaimed works, provided Pramila with new tools for her novel revision process.
The Value of Community and Feedback
What Pramila enjoyed most about her Writing Workshops experience was "time to share and get feedback." This highlights a crucial aspect of our master class format—even accomplished writers benefit enormously from structured opportunities to receive informed response to their work in progress.
The workshop environment provides something that even successful independent writers often lack: dedicated time and space for constructive dialogue about craft. Pramila's appreciation for this aspect of the workshop experience demonstrates how community remains essential at every level of artistic development.
A Methodical Approach to Revision
Pramila's current writing practice reflects the disciplined approach that has made her such a prolific and successful poet. "I have been working on revising my chapters, focusing on single vignettes every couple of days," she shares. This methodical approach—breaking larger projects into manageable daily tasks—exemplifies the kind of sustainable writing practice that leads to completed manuscripts.
This approach also suggests how she's applying the scene layering techniques learned in Karen E. Bender's workshops, treating each vignette as an opportunity to practice and refine the craft elements that make prose fiction compelling.
Cross-Pollination Between Forms
Pramila's simultaneous work in poetry and fiction creates fascinating opportunities for cross-pollination between forms. Her poem "Body Language," with its vivid scene-setting and character consciousness, demonstrates how fiction techniques can enhance poetry. Conversely, her poet's ear for rhythm and compression undoubtedly serves her prose revision work.
The experience of studying scene layering and character interiority in her fiction workshops may well inform her future poetry, just as her decades of experience with poetic compression and metaphor bring unique strengths to her prose writing.
International Recognition and Community Building
Beyond her individual writing achievements, Pramila has performed her poetry internationally and authored numerous essays on poetics. Her critical essays on Dalit poetry appear in journals such as the International Women's Studies Journal, and she leads writing workshops at many writing and holistic health organizations.
As co-director of Matwaala: South Asian Diaspora Poetry Collective, she actively works to build community and platform for other writers, demonstrating the kind of literary citizenship that enriches the entire writing ecosystem.
You can follow Pramila's work on Instagram @pramilavenk, read her Substack newsletter, and visit her website.
A Model of Lifelong Learning
Pramila Venkateswaran's story exemplifies the value of continued learning, regardless of one's level of achievement. Her willingness to approach fiction with the humility of a student, while drawing on her strengths as an accomplished poet, demonstrates how master class instruction can serve writers at every stage of their careers.
Her success—from Poet Laureate to Poets.org feature to ongoing novel revision—shows how targeted, high-level instruction can help even established writers expand their range and deepen their craft. The combination of Karen E. Bender's expertise and Pramila's dedication to methodical practice has created conditions for continued artistic growth.
As she continues revising her novel, focusing on single vignettes with the layering techniques she's learned, Pramila represents the best of what our master class program offers: the opportunity for accomplished writers to push their boundaries and explore new territories of expression.
Ready to deepen your own craft? Explore our Master Classes with Karen E. Bender and discover how expert instruction can enhance your writing, regardless of your current level.
Read Pramila's featured poem "Body Language" at Poets.org and follow her continued literary journey.
