Tag: poetry

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Guest Posts

Do You Know These Benefits of Writing Poetry?

Guest posts

Poetry is such a beautiful form of literature. It allows you to say so much without having to write pages and pages. Through symbolism, rhymes, rhythmic, and aesthetic language, poetry can truly express the author’s deepest emotions and wildest thoughts. And, the best thing about poetry is that it brings certain benefits to the author.

The benefits of writing poetry might be a mystery to you, but we’re here to tell you more. We’ve put together a list that will help you learn just how good poetry can be for you, mentally and physically. Let’s take a closer look.

1. Expressing Emotions

The number one benefit of writing poetry lies in expressing emotions. This is crucial for those people who have trouble dealing with how they feel.

And, one thing’s for sure- you should never swipe your emotions under the rug.

Through writing poetry, you’re able to:

  • process the emotions you’re feeling
  • use creativity to express them
  • deal with them in your poetry and let them go

That means that poetry helps you let go of certain feelings instead of constantly holding on to the past. And, this is extremely beneficial for your mental health and inner peace.

2. Escaping Reality

We all need a break from our reality every now and then. And, poetry allows us to create our own little world and escape in it whenever we like.

People who write poetry regularly report that they feel shifted away whenever they’re in this process. Here’s what that means:

  • writing poetry takes you to your happy place
  • you feel relaxed, stress-free, and inspired
  • you can rest from the daily noise and tension

Escaping your busy reality is a good idea, and poetry is one of the best ways to do it.

3. Building Self-Awareness

Learning about ourselves and getting in touch with our inner-selves is never a bad idea. This is something we should try doing for as long as we’re alive.

Why?

Because it helps us build self-awareness and grow stronger on a personal level. Here’s how poetry helps you build self-awareness:

  • you express your ideas and emotions in your poems
  • you do it intuitively, which makes it honest
  • you re-read those lines and gain new insight about yourself

Poetry allows you to learn about yourself, grow, and improve.

4. Memorizing Important Moments

When certain things happen in our lives, we like to hold on to them. Whether it’s a beautiful memory or a life-changing event, it’s good to be reminded of your past experiences.

But, holding it all inside can be potentially harmful to our mental health. This is why it’s a good idea to write it down through poetry. This way, you’ll be:

  • getting it out of your system
  • making sure it’s never forgotten
  • allowing yourself to re-live it whenever you read the poems

Angela Baker, a literary critic, and editor at Trust My Paper, says:

“Poetry is one of the best ways to preserve some of the most important moments of your life. When you turn them into poetry, they’ll forever remain alive and available for you to re-live them. That’s the beauty of poetry.”

Angela Baker

5. Remove Emotional Pain

Some of the most beautiful poems were written as a result of great emotional pain. When we suffer, we feel most inspired to write poetry because we feel the need to ease the pain we’re feeling.

Poetry helps us remove this emotional pain, and here’s how:

  • we bring it out of ourselves
  • we deal with all the emotions we’re feeling
  • we find relief and peace

Writing poetry benefits those who are struggling to heal from a recent emotional episode and need a hand to do it successfully.

6. Improving Cognition

Poetry isn’t just beneficial for our emotional side. It also has a positive impact on our brand and cognition, so we can almost say that it’s making us smarter.

Here’s why this is the case:

  • writing poetry is a complex process
  • it requires us to combine the words, hidden meaning, symbols, rhymes, and rhythmic
  • this process makes our brain active and stronger

Poetry helps us train our brain into being sharper and working smoothly. As a result, our overall cognition, memory, and focus are improved.

Final Thoughts

Writing poetry is an immensely enjoyable and beneficial process we should all try. People who write poetry experience significant benefits and improvements in their well-being.

Hopefully, the benefits listed above helped you understand just how valuable the process of writing poetry is. Use it as inspiration to start enjoying writing poetry more.

Donald Fomby is an experienced freelance writer and amateur poet. He currently works as an editor at Supreme Dissertations. Donald mainly focuses on literature-related topics and aims to provide practical advice his readers can apply easily

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Kids Lit

Don’t Commit a Rhyme Crime

Kids Lit

You might have heard that “Rhyme is a crime,” and that editors don’t like rhyming board books and picture books. That’s not exactly true. Editors just don’t like BAD rhyme. They like rhyming board books and picture books that are written well. It’s just that they have seen so much bad rhyme over the years, their hearts might be a bit hardened toward rhyme.

But if you can write good rhyme—then go for it! Most of my children’s books are written in rhyme, and I continue to sell rhyming manuscripts. But, let’s write good rhyme! Don’t be a rhyme criminal!

Let’s take a look at the top rhyme felonies I see when judging contest manuscripts.

 Felony #1: Letting rhyme dictate the story.

If your story has been kidnapped all to make a rhyme work, then you’re a rhyme criminal. In other words, if your story is about a lizard who becomes a wizard simply because the rhyme worked, then it’s probably not a very strong story and if you wrote the same storyline out in narrative, you’d soon realize that the rhyme is really the only thread holding it together, and that’s not enough.

Clever rhymes are fun to read once or twice but if the storyline is weak and the characters aren’t very strong, your story won’t be able to keep the attention of children through endless readings. It won’t have that re-readability factor that’s so needed in picture books.

Felony #2: Using odd sentence structures to make a rhyme work. #justsayno

For example, in the song you might’ve sung in Vacation Bible School, “Zacchaeus Was a Wee Little Man” (Remember that one?), the lyrics go:

Zacchaeus was a wee little man

A wee little man was he. (Why would we ever restate that he was a wee little man, and why would we say it in this odd sentence structure? Because we need it to rhyme with “see”.)

He climbed up in a sycamore tree

For the Lord he wanted to see. (Again, we would normally write, He wanted to see the Lord. But we changed the sentence structure so we could make an easier rhyme…)

If you find yourself changing around parts of speech for the sake of rhyme, your name might as well be “Felony Melanie” because you’ve committed a rhyme crime. Just say no to doing that—promise?!

Felony #3: Being a lazy rhymer and settling for near rhymes.

For example, nursery rhymes and song lyrics get away with this lazy rhyme crime a lot, but it’s not going fly with most of today’s picture book editors.

Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full.
One for the master,
One for the dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane

Though “dame” and “lane” have the same long vowel sound, they aren’t perfect rhymes. They are near rhymes. A perfect rhyme would have been to rhyme “lane” with “Jane”—see how that works?

Don’t ever settle for the easiest rhyme. Don’t name a character “Forange” simply to rhyme it with the color Orange.

Felony #4: Writing a poem and calling it a picture book.

Just because it is a nice rhyming or rhythmic poem doesn’t mean it’s a picture book. It might just be a nice poem for you to sell to a poetry anthology for children or possibly a poem you can sell to a children’s magazine that features poetry.

For example, I wrote a poetry book for kids called, “My Funny Valentine” for Ideals Children’s Books, and it has over 30 rhymes in it, but they are simply fun poems—not stand-alone picture books.

“Secret Admirer”
I see her every single day.
I think she is the bomb.
I’m making her a valentine.
But please, don’t tell my mom.
I think I’ll write: “You really rock!
You’re very, very cool.”
But if I say that mushy stuff.
She might think I’m a fool.
So I won’t sign my name to it.
She’ll never know it’s me!
I’ll tell her that she rocks my world,
And makes my heart run free.
I’ll sign it, “From your biggest fan.”
I slide it in her locker.
But if she finds out it’s from me.
I’m gonna have to sock her.

A picture book will have re-readability; it will have a need for at least 12 scenes of artwork; it will have page-turning breaks; it will have a story arc; etc. Just because it rhymes, doesn’t make it a picture book.

Also, just a series of events or a rundown of a day, no matter how well they are written in rhyme, is also not a picture book. There’s no story arc there.

Felony #5: Writing in rhyme and being the only one who can make it rhyme.

This is maybe the worst felony of all. If you can only make your story rhyme while standing on one leg and holding your head just right, it’s probably not written in good rhyme and meter.

Always read your manuscripts out loud to see where you get tripped up, but most importantly, have others read your manuscript out loud and see if they have trouble with any part.

Study other rhyming books that are published and use them as mentor texts.

Take Crystal Bowman’s class on rhythm and rhyme through the Serious Writer Academy to learn more about the various kinds of rhyme.

Love this book, “R is for Rhyme: A Poetry Alphabet” by Judy Young (Illustrated by Victor Juhasz).

Felony #6: Writing in rhyme just for the sake of it.

Sometimes stories can be told WAY better via prose, not rhyme. You’re robbing yourself if you don’t try writing your story both ways. You might be surprised which version is stronger.

 Now that you know, go forth and write crime-free!

If you want to learn more about creating GOOD rhyme, check out Michelle’s rhyming class at Serious Writer Academy.

Michelle Medlock Adams is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author of over 90 books with close to 4 million sold. Her many journalism and book awards include top honors from the Associated Press, AWSA’s Golden Scroll for Best Children’s Book, and the Selah Award for Best Children’s Book. Michelle currently serves as President of Platinum Literary Services, a premier full-service literary firm; Chairman of the Board of Advisors for Serious Writer, Inc.; and a much sought-after speaker at writers conferences and women’s retreats all over the United States.  

When not writing or teaching writing, Michelle enjoys bass fishing and cheering on the Indiana University Basketball team, the Chicago Cubbies, and the LA Kings.

Michelle is celebrating the recent release of her books, Cuddle-up Prayers; The Perfect Persimmon; I Love You Bigger Than the Sky and is anticipating the upcoming release of her book Writing & Selling Children’s Books in the Christian Market: From Board Books to YA (Iron Stream Media) with her coauthor and literary agent Cyle Young.

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History in the Making

Hospitality in Writing

History in the making

Have you ever read any books by Shel Silverstein? Since 1963, his poems and drawings have delighted countless children and adults. Even though we lost “Uncle Shelby” in 1999, new generations are still discovering and enjoying his work today.

I appreciate his wit and wisdom and simple illustrations in The Giving Tree, A Light in the Attic, and Falling Up to name a few. He is silly and sad, yet profound in his work. Few have ever done it better.

But in Where The Sidewalk Ends, Shel does something really special. He graciously invites us into his world with this poem titled, Invitation:

If you are a dreamer, come in,

If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,

A hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer …

If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire

For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.

Come in!

Come in!

I love that. The idea of showing the reader they are welcome, to invite them to come in and ‘sit a spell’ is an idea as old as Genesis, the first book to display hospitality.

The Bible teaches that acts of hospitality or inhospitality reveal the good or evil of a person or a community.

Christianity Today.

Our Christianity is on full display in our work. We willingly allow others in to observe us in our most vulnerable state, where our beliefs are vividly displayed in our prose. In the Bible, hospitality was shown in the host’s home. In the craft of writing, our readers take us into their homes when they buy our work. It would appear that we become the guest, but actually, we want them to enter the world we built and enjoy themselves. Therefore, we remain the hosts.

So how do we nurture a spirit of biblical hospitality in our work so a reader knows we love Jesus?

I believe we must come to the end of ourselves. We cannot trust or boast in our achievements, we cannot wallow in our rejections. We must find ourselves at the altar laying it all down at the feet of our Lord and Savior. We must allow the Holy Spirit to open us to the mystery of inviting others in, not just to our work, but our lives.

Come in! Come in! Sit with me in my world for a while. Let me offer you a little bit of me, let me warm your soul and make you feel welcome. And while you’re here, I pray you see Christ in me.

Grace to you and peace be multiplied,

KD Holmberg

K. D. Holmberg is an author, blogger, and freelance writer. She is a member of ACFW, Word Weavers International, and a founding member of the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild. She is represented by Hartline Literary Agency. A retired flight attendant, she has traveled and lived all over the globe. She and her husband, Keith, love to golf and live in South Carolina. You can find more about her: Facebook @authorkdholmberg, twitter @kdeniseholmberg, and website kdholmberg.com

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Mastering Middle Grade

A Conversation with Rebecca Balcárcel

I had the privilege of meeting award-winning children’s author Rebecca Balcárcel through my local chapter of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.  Her debut novel, THE OTHER HALF OF HAPPY, is an earnest, lyrical coming-of-age story about twelve-year-old Quijana’s struggle to find where she belongs.

KM: Do I remember correctly that The Other Half of Happy started as a book of poetry? Could you describe how and why it evolved into a middle grade novel?

RB: It’s hard to believe that I didn’t know I was writing a novel when this project started! With an MFA in poetry, I started writing prose poems in the voice of a bi-cultural twelve-year-old. She had a lot to say, and in one summer, I created about 40 little scenes. I wasn’t sure, though, if this was an adult looking back or a true middle-grade project. It was my agent who said, “I think this would sing as a middle-grade novel.” I decided to go for it! It took two years of revision and rewriting to turn my stack of poems into a novel. I lengthened scenes, I added a clear plot arc, and I wrote the connective material that would make this feel like a fully-realized story.

KM: Do you have a favorite place to write? What makes it your favorite?

RB: I write in many places – Starbucks, my public library, the desk in my bedroom. My favorite place is that desk, but sometimes I need to escape from laundry and lawn chores that distract me at home. Wherever I am, I use a laptop and Google docs. I listen to music that either reflects my book’s theme or inspires me.

KM: When you write, do you snack? If so, what are your go-to foods?

RB: Unfortunately, yes! I like popcorn and dark chocolate, but since I don’t want to over-do salt and sugar, I also drink tea. Peppermint, English Breakfast, and Lady Grey are my favorites. The mint works well at night when I want to avoid caffeine.

KM: You are living your debut novel year – what has been your biggest surprise? 

RB: I’ve been amazed at the generosity of the writing community! I joined a debut group, and we cheered each other as our covers were revealed or starred reviews came in. We also held each other’s hands (online) when un-starred reviews came in or our books weren’t chosen for certain year-end lists or awards. The Twitter writing community has been a joy as well. I’ve discovered chats like #LasMusas and #mglitchat. It’s such fun connecting with writers. After all the isolation of writing the book and talking about it to only my agent and editor, the open arms and support of the writing community took my breath away!

KM: If you could go back in time to the moment you began writing The Other Half of Happy and tell yourself anything, what would you say?

RB: I would say, “Keep believing in your character. The revision will be worth it. Be ready to rewrite the whole book from page one if you want a wider audience, but also stay true to the heart of the book.” And most of all, “Don’t give up!”

 Rebecca Balcárcel’s debut novel, THE OTHER HALF OF HAPPY (2019), is a Pura Belpré Honor Book, an ALSC Notable Book, and a Junior Library Guild selection that was called “a must-have for all library collections” by School Library Journal. She serves the students of Tarrant County College as Associate Professor of English.

Kell McKinney earned a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and an M.S. in documentary studies from the University of North Texas. She’s a part-time copywriter, double-time mom and wife, and spends every free minute writing and/or hunting for her car keys. Connect with her on Twitter @Kell_McK or kellmckinney.com.

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Courting the Muse Guest Posts

How Reading Poetry Collections Can Help You Plot Your Novel

Whether your novel closes on a cyclone-worthy twist, or a conclusion as warm and satisfying as homemade pie, you’ll need a solid plot to guide you as you write your way to that ending. Of course, coming up with one is easier said than done. 

You might have your major plot points all lined up, but maneuvering your cast from one scene to the next doesn’t always mean smooth sailing. You need the plot to advance, but there’s so much more to think about. Is your protagonist’s growth coming through? Are your themes subtle and multilayered, or just clear as mud? 

When you’re stuck on questions like these, it’s helpful to step beyond the world of your own manuscript and do a little outside reading for inspiration. Of course, you can look at how the greats in your genre have plotted their masterworks. But there’s another kind of book that just might give you the Eureka moment you’re seeking: poetry collections.

Poetry collections are plotless. But they’re also highly curated and intentionally ordered, without a verse out of place. Taking inspiration from their structure can help you plot a story that satisfies. Here are three crucial lessons to take away from them.

1. Think about the reader’s experience.

Poetry collections are often organized with the reader’s experience in mind, attending to their emotional and intellectual needs. That could entail interspersing two devastating pieces on grief with something more hopeful in tone. Or it might mean mixing in some lighter works with dense, allusive poems that require substantial thought to appreciate.

Let this reader-focused approach guide you as you assemble your chain of events. If you’ve placed a lot of tearjerker scenes early on, for instance, you’ll risk having your audience all cried out before the climax. Alternatively, you might be subjecting them to information overload —  forcing them to juggle too many names and too much backstory before the action kicks off. 

2. You might have to cut beautifully written scenes.

What makes a poetry collection difference from a bunch of poems bound together? Cohesion. A seasoned poet is wise enough to leave out any piece that doesn’t fit with the rest — even if it won them their latest Pushcart.

This sort of strictness will serve you well too. As writers, we’re often told to kill our darlings, setting sentiment aside and subjecting the lines we’re proudest of to revision’s red pen. That generally means excising an elegant but distracting metaphor. But it can also apply to entire scenes.

A scene might be gorgeously written, showcasing the most stylish prose in your entire book. But what if it feels out of place, or doesn’t serve a purpose beyond mere beauty? File it away and save it for a companion short story (or perhaps a sequel).

3. Give each chapter a shadow title.

Speaking of every section serving a purpose, here’s a poetry-inspired trick to make sure each chapter you write pulls its narrative weight. Each poem within a collection tends to have a title. That’s generally not the case for novel chapters (unless you’re writing for a middle-grade audience). But try to give each of your chapters a title anyway — for your eyes only.

Formulating these “shadow titles” help you distill each chapter down to its essentials: its key takeaway, its place in the overall structure of the book. It can also help you spot any outliers that should perhaps be reworked — or even removed. Say, for instance, you’ve come up with Friends-style titles for most of your chapters — “The One Where Iris Finds the Amulet”, “The One Where Jeff Dies”— but you have one that you can only call “The Sunset”. That might be a sign that it’s out of sync with the rest of the book.

By examining how every chapter works within the structure of your book, you’ll be able to deliver a satisfying story — and keep your readers hanging onto your every word. After all the work you’ve put into shaping your plot, that’s exactly what you deserve. 

Lucia Tang is a writer for Reedsy, a marketplace that connects self-publishing authors with the book industry’s best editors, designers, and marketers. To work on the site’s free historical character name generators, she draws on her knowledge of Chinese, Latin, and Old Irish —  learned as a PhD candidate in history at UC Berkeley. You can read more of her work on the Reedsy Discovery blog, or follow her on Twitter at @lqtang.

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The Poet's Pen

Poetry, Poetry Everywhere – Poetry Topics

Sometimes poets are asked, “Where do you find things to write about?” Everything is a possible subject, although there are some topics you might want to refrain from tackling. Below is a list that offers some ideas for your next poem.

Possible poetry topics

  1. Describe something. Paint a picture with words – mountains, a stream, a new vehicle, etc.
  2. A response to something – a rebuttal about something directed at you or a cause you support.
  3. The scent of something – baking cookies, cinnamon, roses, hay, etc. It could also be a bad scent such as decay or death, the smell of medicine or a hospital. Along with scent don’t forget the other senses of touch and taste. Think of the creamery coldness of ice cream or the feel of silk.
  4. A special occasion such as Christmas, a birthday, an anniversary.
  5. An emotion – love. hate, fear, excitement, joy, etc. 6
  6. Someone you love. Children make good subjects.
  7. A pet or other animal. Describe its fur, eyes, teeth, or intelligence.
  8. A color, its scent, how it makes you feel. What would the color look like if it were a person?
  9. Religion or a lack of.
  10. Personify a disease. For example, describe arthritis as an old man.
  11. Ravages of time, an age. This could be a place or a person reflecting on his life.
  12. Write about your first something – kiss, job, child, pet, etc.
  13. Look to history – select a time or historical subject to write about.
  14. Books can offer inspiration. For example, the Bible is full of great ideas.

Have fun. Use the above suggestions to spark your own poem.

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the dog pen.com

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The Poet's Pen

Just for Christmas

Do you have a favorite Christmas poem? I’ve always liked “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” I hope Mr. Moore will forgive the liberty I’ve taken with his poem.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD WRITE!

Twas the night before my deadline, while all through the house
The only creature stirring was a computer mouse;
The papers were lined up by the printer with care
In hopes that “The End” would soon be there.
The pages were covered with a hundred red marks
While in my head were visions of a soft bed in the dark.
And Pops in his recliner, and I on the couch
Had just settled our brains for a quick little nap
When out at the dog pens there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my couch to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore opened the shutters and tripped on the trash.
The moon on the crest of the new melted snow
Gave vision to the mud holes scattered below.
When what to my wondering eyes should pop up
But a mother dog and eight tiny pups
She was a little old doggy so lively and quick
I knew in a moment she was up to tricks.
More rapid than a whippet, hungrier than the hounds,
She whined and cajoled the pups until they came round
And she barked and called them by name
“Now! Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer, and Vixen,
On Comet, on Cupid, on Dunder and Blixen.
To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall!
Now come away, come away, come away all!”
Then up on the porch they came very fast
Gobbled all the dog feed, every crumb to the last
They were chubby and plump, like a jolly little elf
And I laughed when I saw them in spite of myself
With a wink of her eye and the twist of her head
She soon led them to know they has nothing to dread
As soon as they finished, she nudged them with her nose
And giving a nod, they all arose
She sprang to the ground and I heard them bark as they moved out of sight.
And I shouted “Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Write!”

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the dog pen.com

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The Poet's Pen

What Makes A Good Poem?

All writing is about “words” but poetry uses concise words in a concise order. One word in a  poem can make a drastic difference in how the poem is perceived. Sometimes changing one word can make or break a poem.

Look at the following example from THE EAGLE by Alfred Lord Tennyson

He  clasps the crag with taloned hands (my version) or–

He clasps the crag with crooked hands (the way Tennyson wrote it)

Do you see how much smoother Tennyson’s version reads?

Which of the following two poems by an anonymous writer do you think is better?

A
The spoken or written word
Should be as clean as a bone,
As clear as is the light,
As firm as is a stone.
Two words will never serve
As well as one alone.

 

B
The written word
Should be clean as bone,
Clear as light,
Firm as stone.
Two words are not
As good as one.[1]

A Good Poem:

  1. comes from the poet’s heart.
  2. touches your heart.
  3. makes you want to read it again…and again.
  4. like the Bible, each time you read it you see/learn something different.
  5. creates a new image by juxtaposing different things together.
  6. uses clear, memorable, concrete images
  7. tells a story.
  8. creates a world inside the poem

The next time you write a poem, think about how the words fit together. Try replacing a word of phrase with a different one to see which one is better.

[1] Perrine, Laurence, LITERATURE Structure, Sound, and Sense, Harcourt, Brace & World, Inc., New York, 1970. p.565.

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the dog pen.com

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The Poet's Pen

Numbered Poems

This month I thought we might do something different and fun. I want you to write an 81 word poem with one word on the first line, two words on the second line, three words on the third line and so forth. You will end up with 17 lines total. The lines can rhyme or not. It doesn’t matter. Your poem should tell a story or give us a glimpse into something.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A DOG AND CAT

Dog (1)
has fleas (2)
making him itchy (3)
causing him to bark, (4)
and bark, bark, and bark (5)
only after playing in the hay (6)
and then chasing Cat up a tree. (7)
When night comes you’ll find Dog and Cat (8)
snuggled with each other under the soft comfy covers (9)
dreaming of bones, and mice, and goodies galore. (8)
And as the new day breaks early, (7)
Dog stretches and yawns, Cat purrs (6)
both ready to go out (5)
and start everything over (4)
again and again. (3)
Dog has (2)
fleas (1)

There’s no end to the variations you can do with this: Alternating the number of words per line. 6,7,8,1,2,3,6,7,8 You get the idea.

Email me your poems. I would love to share them on my website.

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the dog pen.com

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Uncategorized

Looking for Great Writing Advice?

It’s time for another Third Anniversary Throwback Thursday. Almost an Author features a great advice on a wide variety of topics. Here are a few early posts that resonated with readers.

5 Tips on How to Write Faster  

Many writers spend years attempting to finish their stories, but they never do. Not for lack of desire, but for lack of follow-through. I know from firsthand experience that if I tried to write 2,000 words every day I’d fail. I already have, multiple times. But, if I set aside time to binge write, I can complete project after project. Is it time for you to become a binge writer? Read more.

War of Worldcraft: Two approaches to World Creation

So you want to create a storyworld? It took God six days to complete the one you’re living in, so don’t expect to make yours in one day. Worlds are complicated things, and in order to make one believable, you’ll need to take into consideration a whole host of things from politics to geography. But first, consider your philosophy of world creation: Which is true? From the story, arises the world… or From the world, arises the story… Read more.

4 Steps to Boost Blog Posts

Blog readers are scanners, their eyes skimming the page for interesting information. Problogger reports the average time spent reading a blog post is 96 seconds. With such a small window of opportunity, how do you engage your reader and communicate your message? Read more.

Why This Travel Writing Site Rocks!

Travel writing includes everything from tour guide product description to feature articles. What travel writing niche is best for you? This helpful website will inspire you. Read more.

Poetry from Odd Places

Poetry can morph out of everyday life experiences and from places you’d least expect. The challenge is to find out where your next poem is hiding. The trick is to pay attention to what inspires you even if it seems bizarre at the time. Sometimes a poem was meant to be written despite its ridiculous subject, just because it was fun to write—a break from reality. And that’s all that matters. Read more.

How A Dinosaur Can Help Your Writer’s Voice

Is it possible for a dinosaur of technology to help define your writer’s voice? I say yes and say it with gusto! Recording and listening to my writing has helped me catch many mistakes. New writers in search of their voice will benefit greatly from this practice. Read more.

Dangling Modifiers

Dangling modifiers. They cause lots of confusion. Lots of questions. Lots of laughter. When you start looking for dangling modifiers, you can find them easily, and a lot of times, they make for some funny sentences. Read more.

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The Poet's Pen

Is Your Poem in Shape?

Carmina Figurata or shaped stanza is a picture poem—a poem that forms a picture. In “CAROUSEL” by Jan D. Hodge, the poem forms the shape of a carousel horse. This is an illustration of positive shaping. A shaped poem can describe the object and is shaped like it.

When the poem fits around a shape it is negative shaping.This is illustrated by the poem, “THE VIEW FROM KHUFIT’S TONGUE” by Walter H. Kerr. the negative space form the shape of a mountain.

“CLIMBING THE TOWER AT PISA” by Richard Frost as you might guess forms the ape of the Tower of Pisa. The poem is read form the bottom up.

Create a simple shape with simple words until an idea takes shape. Play with the words. Don’t force the image. Have fun with it.

The following poem is an example of a shaped poem. For obvious reasons I call it “PAW PRINTS.”

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the dog pen.com

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The Poet's Pen

Novels in Verse – Poetry for the Reluctant Reader

Have you ever thought of taking your poetry one step further by writing an entire novel in verse?

What is a Verse Novel?

Verse novels combine poetry with story. Works such as the Iliad and the Odyssey and Vergil’s Aeneid are considered epic poems even though they are book-length. Epic poems are on a grand scale but nevertheless, they are still poems. Verse novels may consist of one long poem or shorter collections of poems but they still tell a story. Prose focuses more on story and character while poetry centers more on imagery and language.

I haven’t been ambitious enough to try a verse novel yet (except for a picture book), but since I write middle grade novels I decided to see what were the highest recommended middle grade novels in verse.

In researching, several verse novels consistently popped up on every list of suggested books. These lists included:

  1. Love that Dog – Sharon Creech

A boy finds his voice with the help of a teacher, paper, pencil and a dog.

  1. Out of the Dust – Karen Hesse

In the dustbowl of Oklahoma, a young girl must come to terms with a terrible accident that left her unable to play the piano.

  1. The Crossover (The Crossover Series) – Kwame Alexander

Follow the antics of twin basketball stars.

  1. Brown Girl Dreaming – Jacqueline Woodson

Catch a glimpse of what it was like to grow up as an African-American in the 1960’s and 1970’s.

  1. Caminar – Skila Brown

This story was inspired by true events that happened during Guatemala’s civil war.

  1. Inside Out and Back Again – Thanhha Lai

The story is inspired by the author’s experience fleeing Vietnam after the fall of Saigon when she immigrated to Alabama.

  1. The Red Pencil – Andrea Davis Pinkney

See the horror of Darfur told through the eyes of a twelve-year-old refugee.

  1. Home of the Brave – Katherine Applegate

The story of a young African boy, the only survivor of his family who is sent to America to live while he waits to find out the fate of his mother.

  1. Little Dog Lost – Marion Dane Bauer

The story of a dog who needs a new owner, a boy who need a dog, and a neighbor who need a family and how they all come together.

  1. Mountain Dog – Margarita Engle

A boy learns about unconditional love for the first time.

Parents might consider one of the above books or one of the many others available if they have a reluctant reader. Verse provides a way to entice a child to read. Try a verse novel with your reluctant reader.

Darlo Gemeinhardt writes middle grade novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. Visit her at From the D.O.G Pen.com

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A Pinch of Poetry The Poet's Pen

How Do I Love You? Let Poetry Lead the Way by Darlo Gemeinhardt

February is the month that has the honor of hosting Valentine’s Day, also called Feast of Saint Valentine, an annual holiday celebrated on February 14th. Each year over a billion Valentine cards are purchased.

The oldest known valentine still in existence is a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Love poems can be written in any form such as a sonnet, sestina, or free verse. They can be romantic, sweet, or heartfelt. Some of the most famous love poem include:

HOW I LOVE THEE by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

 A RED RED ROSE by Robert Burns

 LOVE’S PHILOSOPHY by Percy Bysshe Shelley

 THE SONNETS by William Shakespeare.

For some real inspiration turn to the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13 in The Message says,

          Love never gives up.

          Love cares more for others than for self.

          Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have.

          Love doesn’t strut,

          Doesn’t have a swelled head,

          Doesn’t force itself on others,

          Isn’t always “me first,”

          Doesn’t fly off the handle,

          Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others,

          Doesn’t revel when others grovel,

          Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

          Puts up with anything,

          Trusts God always,

          Always looks for the best,

          Never looks back,

          But keeps going to the end.

Take the time to look these and others up. Read them and be inspired. And this Valentine’s Day, instead of buying a card, why not try your hand at writing a love poem for that special person in your life.

Maybe you’ll write something profound like:

     Roses are Red
I’ll be blue
If I can’t spend
Valentine’s Day with you.

I think it needs a little work. But, you get the idea.

Darlo writes MG Novels. She believes that there is a story in every dog. In her spare time she takes care of 1 husband (of 40 years), 29 dogs and trains with TALLAO, K-9 SEARCH AND RESCUE. www.fromthedogpen.com

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Flash Fiction-Splickety

Gotcha: Remembering the Resolution After the Twist-Andrew Winch

My favorite thing about flash fiction is the artistic freedom it allows. Within its rigidity, skilled writers can find inspiration to experiment and create that would never be possible in less defined mediums. It has a unique ability to blur the lines between prose and poetry, crafting worlds and emotions not elsewhere possible. But with all this potential, beginning writers (and even accomplished veterans) are often intimidated, wondering where to start.

Splickety prides itself as a community that nourishes the art of flash fiction, not only by publishing exquisite stories, but also by instructing and mentoring talented authors in this rapidly growing genre of storytelling. And one foundational principle we encourage all beginning flashers (no, not that kind) to remember is that, even though you’re writing a story that can fit on a single page, it is still a story—one with a beginning, middle, and end. It doesn’t need to use a traditional three-act structure, but it does have to complete an arc in order to leave a reader satisfied. That arc is much quicker than with short stories or novel-length, but it’s still there.

The principles contained within this all-important fact could (and do) fill entire craft books, but I’m going to focus on one specific pitfall I’ve seen lately: the resolution. I’ve spoken many times on the importance of a satisfying climax. The easiest way to accomplish this is with some sort of big reveal or twist (NOT a deus ex machina, for the love of Deus) that ties into the beginning and subtle clues/nuances throughout the story. Of course, that’s not the only way (thank Deus), but it tends to be a great place to start.

The thing is, this type of climax has a major pitfall in flash fiction because authors seldom know where to put the final punctuation mark. Most of the time, they are afraid of writing too much, and thus diluting the impact of their climax (not to mention going over the word limit). So instead, they clip the story off right at the apex. BOOM. The End. Consider the following line:

“Good thing he chambered a single live round with all those treacherous blanks.”

Not bad, huh? But if it was the last line you read after going on a literary journey (no matter how short), it would leave you with a raised eyebrow, like seeing a magician disappearing in a cloud of smoke. It’s a great one-liner, but it leaves the reader feeling a bit cheated. Compare that with the following:

“Good thing he chambered a single live round with all those treacherous blanks.

As he squeezed the trigger, he couldn’t help noticing a pair of red squirrels flitting around in the trees over Sam’s shoulder.”

Take a second to really dissect the structure. In the first example, the fact that there was a live round in the chamber is the huge reveal. It really doesn’t matter what else the story is about. The lethal bullet is the punch line. In the second example, the line about the squirrels could be significant, or not. It could reveal some minor foreshadowing earlier in the story, it could reinforce a theme, or it could be completely ambiguous. It really doesn’t matter, because its job is to give us a half second to digest the climax without taking away from it.

In some ways, this final line may actually be more important than the climax because it gives us a chance to appreciate the big reveal before turning the page. And more importantly, it actually enhances the climax by giving us a poignant scene to weigh it against.

Striking that balance between, “Gotcha!” and, “Blah, blah, blah,” can be a challenging one. Just remember, flash fiction is founded on this principle: give the reader everything they need, and not a word more. It takes practice and patience, but we’re writers. If it were easy, everyone would do it.

 

AUTHOR BIO: Andrew Winch, Splickety’s executive editor, writes backyard adventures with an otherworldly twist. Check out his weekly adventures at raisingsupergirl.com, follow him on Twitter @andrewjwinch, and like him on facebook.com/andrewjameswinch.

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A Pinch of Poetry

Haiku: Poetic Forms II

We’re going to explore a very short Japanese form of poetry known as haiku. This type of poem reflects a simpler side of Japanese culture.

And you know me. Simple is just my style.

A haiku poem consists of 3 lines with a pattern of syllables arranged in 5, 7, 5. Usually the lines don’t rhyme, but in this type of poetry, sounds are not as important as the imagery anyway. Typically the subjects of these poems are about nature but not always.

When I write haiku, I personally focus on a natural scene that touches me in a unique way. Nature has a way of speaking to a poet’s soul without using words.

So how do we take those impressions and translate them into poetry?

[bctt tweet=”Nature has a way of speaking to a poet’s soul without using words. #poets #poetry”]

First, when writing haiku, it’s always important to use vivid figurative language (such as a simile or metaphor) to paint a picture of whatever scene or object you are observing. And you should always use concrete imagery to describe your subject, meaning you need to use language that appeals to the five senses.

I suggest you jot down words and phrases about your subject using the above techniques. Then begin to arrange the words and phrases into lines.

Because the form limits you on lines and syllables, you have to choose your words very carefully. It might appear an easy poem to write, but don’t be fooled. You may find that it takes some extra thinking to arrange the right words in an order that will speak poetically.

The point is that you want to show the reader what impacted you in order to let them experience that same feeling or emotion. You don’t want to tell them. Hence the golden rule of writing in general.

There’s a great description and examples of haiku poetry on www.literarydevices.net and Shadow Poetry.com.

If you need a little more guidance, Creative Writing Now also has excellent tips for writing haiku poetry.

You should probably take note that because haiku came from Japanese culture and language, it may be perceived and written a little differently in English. I am only conveying the accepted English guidelines for writing this type of poetry.

However, if you’re interested, Shadow Poetry also covers some of the cultural and language differences. As a bonus, they offer a host of resources for writing many other kinds of poetry as well.

 [bctt tweet=”Simple is just my style. Learn to write haiku poems. #poetry #poets”]

Now it’s your turn.

Take a walk or find a quiet place to sit and observe an area outside. What inspires you? Do you notice anything that creates a unique impression? See you if can jot a few observations and create a haiku.

Feel free to post your poems or questions in the comments below!

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A Pinch of Poetry

10 Tips for Beginning (and Expert) Poets

Are you interested in trying to write poetry for the first time? Or maybe you’ve been writing poetry but haven’t totally committed yourself to it.

To help you sharpen your poetic skills, I’ve compiled a list of 10 tips (including links to helpful resources) that every beginning and expert poet needs to consider. Because writing is a continuous learning process, you can always build on your skill level whatever it may be.

  1. Read poetry. A golden rule of any kind of writing is that you should become an avid reader, especially of the genre that you write. You will learn more about conventions, style and structure simply by reading the published works of others.
  2. Learn techniques. Poetry is a unique genre that utilizes special techniques. If you pay attention to my blog, I occasionally do mini-lessons on poetic techniques and devices. You also can find a plethora of information on the web.
  3. Practice poetry. You’ll never learn to write poetry (or any art) if you don’t practice. Don’t let fear hold you back from releasing your creativity.
  4. Connect with other poets. Surrounding yourself with people who enjoy poetry, and particularly those who write it, will encourage you. You’ll learn things about the craft simply from mingling with them. Even in the writing community, a poet can feel isolated at times because poetry is that exceptional. Just like artists and musicians, poets need to connect with other poets.

[bctt tweet=”Just like any artists, poets need to connect with other poets. #poetry #poets”]

  1. Get feedback. As scary as it can be, feedback is the foundation of a growing writer. Don’t be afraid to share your poetry with others. Join a critique group. Then buckle up and ask for honest feedback. You’ll find that every bit of advice will help strengthen your skill.
  2. Take a class. Check with the local library for poetry events and classes. Most of these are free for members. Also, writing conferences and workshops happen throughout the year, and some offer sessions on poetry. Occasionally you can find free online classes for creative writing as well.
  3. Attend a poetry event. Poetry readings happen in various places locally: schools, libraries, coffee shops, churches and more. Be on the lookout for these types of happenings. Again, immersing yourself in a community of poets will stimulate creativity and inspire you.
  4. Use a model. Poetry takes on many forms, such as haiku and sonnet. Find a form you feel comfortable trying and do a little search to find examples or steps to follow. Free verse is the most flexible, but trying a new form will broaden your expertise.
  5. Listen to music. Song lyrics are poetry in musical form. By studying some of your favorite songs, you will learn more about poetic techniques.
  6. Read poetry. No it’s not a typo. In order to be a poet, you have to read poetry. You’ll learn a lot just by reading others’ works. The nice thing about poetry is that it’s readable over a lunch break or during extended waits at the doctor’s office.

[bctt tweet=”If you want to write poetry, you have to read it! #poets #poetry”]

Regrettably, I can only offer a limited lifetime guarantee on my tips. Simply know that each of these things has made a difference in my own poetic journey. My hope is that they will help you on yours too.

If you have any additional tips, I’d love to hear them! Please share them in the comment section below.

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A Pinch of Poetry

Alliteration: The Sound of Poetry I

One unique attribute of poetry is the way it sounds. Using special techniques, such as alliteration, can bring your poems to life and add musical beauty.

In this series I’m going to explain the different ways you can create sound effects in your poems and why you might want to do that. I’ll be using Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem “The Raven” as an example. This piece contains multiple sound devices that work harmoniously together to create a musical masterpiece.

Sweet Sounds of Similarity

Alliteration is the repetition of initial consonant sounds.  In other words, the beginning sounds of certain words close together are the same. Note that the sound of the word’s first letter is important, not the letter itself. For instance, salad and celery are examples of this sound device even though they don’t start with the same letter.

Note: Typically this device is recognized as the repetition of consonant sounds only. Yet some sources may disagree as to whether alliteration also includes words that begin with the same vowel sound.

Regardless, Alliteration is important because it creates rhythm and is pleasing to the ear. In other words, it adds a musical element to poetry and even helps with memorization.

Consider your favorite song on the radio. I’ll bet you will find alliteration all over the lyrics if you listen closely next time.

The Difference One Device Can Make

Paying attention to the sounds you use in your poetry is essential.  You should always select every word with a purpose in mind.

Read the following line from “The Raven” and my revised version. Listen to the difference in each:

“While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping” (original)

Or

“While I rested, almost asleep, suddenly there came a tapping” (revised)

The first sentence is the way Poe originally wrote the line. Notice how the repeated “n” sounds add a pleasant sound as they roll out of your mouth. It’s actually more difficult on your tongue to read the second sentence. And it doesn’t sound nearly as nice as the original.

Here’s another example:

“Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken” (original)

Or

“Upset at the quiet broken by reply so aptly expressed” (revised)

In both of these examples, the meaning is approximately the same, but the effect is dramatically different. Again, the alliterated words in the original line create a beautiful, memorable sound by adding a smooth rhythm to the poem.

And did you notice that alliteration is not used in isolation?

Generally sound devices enhance each other to create the ultimate effect on the reader. Throughout his poem, Poe uses alliteration along with multiple other techniques and devices, which we will explore in future posts.

[bctt tweet=”Paying attention to the sounds you use in your poetry is essential. #poets #poetry”]

Can You Use It?

Now, find a poem you’ve already written, or challenge yourself to write a new one. Examine each line carefully and try to see where you could use alliteration. A thesaurus is very helpful for finding synonyms. Just be sure to only use words that you know well and fit the context of your poem.

Do you have any questions or suggestions for using this sound device? Share them below.

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A Pinch of Poetry

Poet Snapshot: Langston Hughes

I fell in love with Langston Hughes’ poetry when only a teenager in high school. Still today, I enjoy reading and re-reading his beautiful word pictures. This talented African-American poet’s work contributed greatly to the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920’s.

One thing I admire about his work is that he wrote in simple, everyday language. Yet his poetry exhibits creativity and beauty that examines the struggles of everyday life, especially of black Americans. Although his poems are usually easy to understand (and some are quite short) the complexity is between the layers of figurative language he uses.

I connect with his poetry personally because the themes touch on our common experiences: disappointments, love, sorrow, hopes, etc…

As you read through five of my favorite poems below, note his simple, elegant style and the depth of his messages. We can learn from this poet that powerful imagery, figurative language and themes are more important than word count.

[bctt tweet=”Powerful imagery, figurative language and themes are more important than word count. #poetry #poets”]

“Dreams,” probably one his shortest poems, examines the effect of disappointment. Take a look at the metaphors and the imagery. Did you also notice the sound devices of alliteration and rhyme?

“Theme for English B” addresses the issue of race on the surface. Underneath it reveals the power of poetry to break the barriers between people and find common ground. Yet even with the complex theme, he still uses simple language and imagery to communicate his message.

“Mother to Son” is a brilliant poem in which he takes on the persona of a mother encouraging her son. He reveals the darkness we encounter in life but leaves us with encouragement to press on. The extended metaphor of the broken down staircase paints a detailed picture of the speaker’s struggles. Each attribute of the staircase can symbolize a different kind of difficulty.

“Dream Deferred” is another short poem that paints a distinct image of disappointment through the use of metaphor. The message poignantly comes through his use of rather disgusting images. His technique shows that it’s not the number of words you use for the effect, but it’s how you use them.

“Dream Keeper” is probably my top favorite Langston Hughes poem. In a succinct way, the poet describes the delicate nature of dreams. His metaphors of “heart melodies” and “blue cloud-cloth” are such unique, amazing images that leave a deep impression on the reader.

Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed reading just a few of the many poems Langston Hughes penned. If you want to read more poetry by this poet, click here.

Did any of these poems resonate with you? Tell me below.

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A Pinch of Poetry

Understanding Poetry: 5 Questions to Ask

Many people are discouraged from enjoying poetry because they claim it’s too difficult. Trust me. I’ve had those moments when faced with an enigma of words on the page.

One way I hope to lessen the fear of reading poetry is to show you how to read it—especially for more complex poems. These five questions will help you crack the code of many poems you might come across.

What is the imagery in the poem?

Understanding poetry begins with visualizing the central images in the poem. What do you see, taste, smell, hear, and feel?

Then figure out what those images have in common. For instance, in Langston Hughes’ “Mother to Son” the imagery centers around a broken down staircase and reflects personal brokenness and hardship.

What is the mood of the poem? (Or How does it make me feel?)

The imagery can help you determine whether the mood or feeling of the poem is positive or negative. In the poem above, the negative imagery conveys a negative, or somber mood. Yet the speaker shows her determination to overcome life’s hardships by saying things such as “For I’se still going honey” which in turn allows the poem to end on a more positive note rather than desperation.

Who is the speaker of the poem?

The speaker is the voice of the poem, and it’s not necessarily the poet. In Hughes’ poem, the speaker is a mother speaking to her son, while the poet is a man. You should identify the speaker by describing him or her as “someone who…” and fill in the blank. Does the person admire nature? Or does she have a message for someone? Maybe the speaker is complaining about something or questioning his life. In this poem, the speaker is a mother who is encouraging her son not to give up just because life is difficult.

What structural or stylistic techniques does the poet use?

Notice the punctuation, informal language and repetition in the poem.

Usually poets use structure and style to emphasize the message or reflect the meaning of the poem. In Hughes’ poem, the repeated line “And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair” is a big key to the message he’s trying to convey. Also, the poem is written in dialect which makes it sound more like we’re overhearing part of a conversation. This makes it more personal.

What is the message of the poem?

All of the above questions point to the message the poet wants to convey. Consider the negative imagery that represents the hardships of life and the negative mood that contrasts with the speaker’s words of encouragement. Her words emphasize that she’s not given up and kept going despite the hardships. So we can guess the message the poet means to share is to persevere through hard times no matter what.

Now I know you’re probably thinking that was too easy. And yes, for teaching purposes I picked a simpler poem. However, if you get in the habit of looking for these things when reading any level of poetry, you will find it much more understandable and enjoyable.

[bctt tweet=”Crack the code of poetry with just 5 questions! #poets #poetry”]

Do you have a special technique you use to uncover the messages in the poetry you read? Tell me below.

 

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A Pinch of Poetry

Poetry Contests: Where to Find Them

Since there is not a high demand for poetry in the publishing industry, one way to get your poems out there is by submitting to contests. And winning contests can lead to hidden doors of opportunity.

[bctt tweet=”Winning contests can lead to hidden doors of opportunity. #poets #poetry #writers”]

Below are places I recommend you research to find the right competition to match your style.

Winning Writers

With a database full of free contests in every genre, Winning Writers actually seems to emphasize poetry. Currently they are offering their own Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest, which is also completely free to enter. Once you sign up, you can browse the site for more opportunities. Additionally, they offer articles on tips for submitting poetry to contests and how to avoid scams.

Poetry Society of South Carolina

Poetry societies can be found across the nation. I am a member of the one based in the South Carolina low country, which allows me to enter both the fall and spring contests for free. Otherwise they do offer most of their contests to anyone for a small fee of $5 per entry. Not bad when you consider the cash prizes are between $50-$500.

Blue Mountain Arts Poetry Card Contest

This is a free biannual contest. They do favor a particular style of poetry so be sure to check out their guidelines and previous winners before submitting. They offer a cash prize for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

Fresh Voices Writing Contest

Our very own Almost an Author website sponsors the Fresh Voices Writing Contest for multiple genres, including poetry. The fee is $10 per entry and one entry for poetry can be up to 3 poems. Currently there is no cash prize, but don’t let that stop you from submitting. Winning contests builds your writing resume. The more accolades you can bring home, the better.

[bctt tweet=”Winning contests builds your writing resume. #poets #poetry #writers”]

Local poetry contests

Another place to look for contests is locally. Find out where poetry happenings take place near your town. In Columbia, S.C., the poet laureate organized a poetry event recently through the arts initiative. I had the opportunity to have one of my poems published in the chapbook and participate in the event poetry reading. So be on the look-out in your area for happenings such as that.

Conference contests

If you plan to go to a conference, see if they sponsor any contests. Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers’ Conference sponsors their own competition each year, and the money from the fees provides for scholarships for conferees who couldn’t attend without assistance. There is no cash prize, but you receive a very nice award at fine banquet and ceremony. The experience is highly worthwhile. I happened to win 1st place for poetry this past year, which encouraged me in so many ways. It also contributed to the opportunity to write this very blog!

Beware of Scams

Unfortunately some companies thrive on tricking writers into purchasing publication which is deceptively masked as a contest. Winning Writers offers great information on how to avoid scams that are disguised as poetry contests. If you’re not sure if a contest is legit, it’s better to stay away from it. Any “contest” charging a high fee and guaranteeing publication is probably not a true contest.

So now, it’s time to get it out there.

Research contests, study previous winners, and submit your work.

Know any decent poetry contests you could share with us? Tell me below.

 

 

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A Pinch of Poetry

Poetry From Odd Places

I don’t know about you, but once in awhile my poetry springs from the oddest of inspirations.

Not too long ago I was driving home from judging a high school poetry competition, and I was in a very poetic mood.

As I came around a curve in our neighborhood, I noticed someone had placed an old toilet by the road. For some reason I thought it sad and humorous at the same time to see the commode on the curb.

Don’t ask me why.  I’m not making this up.

[bctt tweet=”Sometimes poetry springs from the oddest of places. #poets #poetry”]

And then I realized so many words rhymed with commode and road that it kept going from there.

By the time I pulled into my driveway, I had “Ode to a Throne” rambling through my brain.

I highly doubt it will ever get published anywhere else, but for your entertainment, I’ve decided to share it below.

 

Ode to a Throne

 

Against the green, green grass you sit,

abandoned and alone—

a symbol of our progress

thrown beside the road.

Maybe you malfunctioned

and coughed up a filthy load,

or maybe you refused to swallow

the refuse that you bemoaned.

Throne of Plain White Porcelain,

how you long for a loving home,

But never shall you have one—

Oh woeful commode, dethroned!

 

I’d never claim that this is my next award-winning poem, but it was fun to write—a break from reality. And that’s all that matters.

A note on rhyming

Rhyming is not a technique I use often because to make it work effectively, you have to have patience, an extensive vocabulary and a good sense of syntax (word order). The exception would be children’s poetry which lends itself to rhyming much more easily.

A challenge of rhyming is that many beginning poets make the mistake of forcing rhyme which makes it sound contrived rather than natural.  You’ll see when you try to use rhyme.  It’s really not that easy.  And it will give you a new respect for William Shakespeare, Emily Dickenson, and Robert Frost.

Also note that I use approximate rhyme to make it work. No, that’s not cheating. Poets have done it throughout history, including the ones listed above.

Assonance is another technique I used for the purposes of rhythm and rhyme. So many words have the long “o” sound. And conveniently, a number of those words related to my subject.

Despite the Oddity

This poem was meant to be written despite its ridiculous subject.

Therefore, the point is that you don’t have to look far for inspiration. Poetry can morph out of everyday life experiences and from places you’d least expect.

So the challenge is to find out where your next poem is hiding. The trick is to pay attention to what inspires you even if it seems bizarre at the time.

[bctt tweet=”Poetry can morph out of everyday experiences and from places you’d least expect. #poetry #poets”]

Have you ever been inspired to write a poem or story by an absurd object or event? Tell me below.

 

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A Pinch of Poetry

5 Ways to Keep Your Poetry Simple

Simplicity is extremely valuable when it comes to communicating through poetry. I’ve always wanted my poems to positively impact the reader rather than turn them away.

From my experience, here are five things to keep in mind as you craft your own poems that will allow readers to appreciate them fully.

1: Relatable Subject

First, choose a recognizable subject that will resonate with your audience. If the reader can relate to the subject, he or she will appreciate the poem that much more. Many poets, if not all, write from the unique inspirations of everyday life. Example

2 : Simple Language

You might be tempted to use academic words or jargon in poetry, but I recommend that you do this sparingly and only for a certain effect, such as humor or reverence. Your ideas can still be complex, and you should use unique words and phrases. Just make sure your poem on the whole is decipherable. Example

3: Comprehensible Message

What meaning do you want to convey through your poetry? Whatever it is, try to make sure that it fits our common experience. People understand themes such as beauty, death, joy and disappointment. Choosing a simple message will make sure that the reader “gets it.” Example

4: Clear Imagery

Every poet should use figurative language and poetic devices to create imagery and mood in their poetry. That’s where the true complexity and skill comes into play. Whatever techniques you use should create easily visualized images that touch one or more of the five senses. Example

5: Familiar References

Allusion is a powerful poetic tool, but it can often leave the reader confused. If you make references, try to allude to people, places, events, etc… for which most of your readers will have some knowledge. If you make an obscure reference, the readers might miss the entire point. Example

Knowing Your Audience

Most of these suggestions have to do with knowing your audience. As you consider these ideas, also keep in mind your readers. If they will understand academic vocabulary, obscure subjects and references and extraordinary topics, then by all means use them.

Warning: Simplicity Doesn’t Mean Easy

[bctt tweet=”If it’s too easy to write, then you probably didn’t try hard enough. #writers #poets”]

I want to be very clear about what I mean by keeping poetry simple.

When writing poetry using my suggestions, you may be tempted to simplify the techniques. For example, forcing rhyme in a poem at the expense of your diction (word choice). Or using clichés instead of coming up with original similes, metaphors, etc…

Be reminded that writing poetry shouldn’t be an easy task for you, the poet. It takes much skill to craft a commendable poem that resonates with a reader. If it’s too easy to write, then you probably didn’t try hard enough.

Just saying.

Because poetry is an art, we want it to be worthy of appreciation as well as accessible to the world. We want our readers to understand it, but not oversimplify it so it loses its aesthetic value.

And I’m not suggesting that you should never write poems that have mystery and depth—both add value to poetry.

I simply believe that the complexity should mostly challenge the poet rather than the reader.

Do you have any other suggestions for writing understandable poetry? Tell me below.

[bctt tweet=”Let the complexity of poetry challenge the poet rather than the reader. #poets #poetry “]

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Have Words, Will Travel....Travel Writing 101 Uncategorized

Making Your Travel Writing More Memorable

Landscape

glasses-431376_640Andrew McCarthy, guest editor of The Best American Travel Writing 2015, says that the best travel writing is “the anonymous and solitary traveler capturing a moment in time and place, giving meaning to his or her travels.”

Capturing a moment in time—and sharing it in a way that captures the very imagination of the reader—is the goal of every writer. Below are four tips to consider in making your next project a memorable one:

  • Make your prose sing. Read a little poetry every day. Yes, poetry! Read it aloud. Feel the cadence and you’re sure to gain a new understanding, as well as a fresh appreciation, for the value poetry can bring to your prose.
  • Make it impossible for readers to turn away. Engage a person’s five senses and you’ll go straight for the emotional jugular. Include as many of the senses as your piece will sensibly allow—especially where the sensory of scent is concerned. It’s a powerhouse player on the sensory team and unfortunately, often overlooked.
  • Make your point. If you don’t know the focal point of your travel story, chances are your reader won’t either and who wants to ride a merry-go-round of endless details? Most of us enjoy the scenery but we all expect to land at a particular destination.
  • Make continual learning a must. Howard Hendricks once said, “I’d rather have my students drink from a running stream than a stagnant pool.” When we as writers hone our skills by furthering our education through classes, increasing our time between the pages of quality travel books, or joining a local or online writer’s group, our readers will drink from a running stream, leaving them refreshed… and wanting more.

Is there one tip, either from above or from another source, that you plan to integrate into your writing to make it more memorable?

 

 

photo credit: <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/35740357@N03/4727573694″>Tricycle Club of the Century Village Retirement Community Meets Each Morning.</a> via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a> <a href=”https://www.flickr.com/commons/usage/”>(license)</a>

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A Pinch of Poetry

Keeping Poetry Simple

One of my goals as a poet is to make poetry practical and less intimidating for writers while respecting it as an art form. Maybe that’s why I get a little irritable when I see poets going to great lengths to make their poetry enigmatic.

I’m not saying that we should write greeting card poetry or Mother Goose poems. And I’m not implying that poetry should be an easy craft.

What I mean is that in the very act of writing a poem, an artist is trying to convey a message to a reader. If the reader walks away baffled and frustrated, what purpose has been accomplished?

Complexity and mystery have a crucial role in crafting the poem, but they shouldn’t be the reason people avoid it.

Of course, part of the enjoyment of poetry is figuring out the artistic secrets hidden within the words. But it shouldn’t take a doctorate in linguistics to excavate the meaning.

Because poetic trends come and go kind of like the style and color of jeans that’s in for the year, I have a proposition.

Let’s make poetry simple again.[bctt tweet=”Let’s make poetry simple again. #poets #poetry”]

Yes, I’m swimming against the complicated wave that contemporary poetry seems to be surfing. Maybe I’m kind of like my hero William Wordsworth when he started writing British poetry that everyday people could understand to rebel against the sophisticated language and concepts of his predecessors.

I, too, believe poets need to write so that people can experience it and understand it at the same time.

Poetry should always push your writing and creativity to its limits. Since poetry is an art, we have to keep in mind that it should be approached with respect and effort.

Consider William Carlos Williams “The Red Wheelbarrow.”  This  unusually short poem is recognized as a brilliant work of poetic art.

Isn’t the simple beautiful?

The poet intricately paints the image of a rain-glazed, red wheelbarrow, sitting near some chickens. The first words “so much depends” along with the imagery of rain creates a solemn mood so you know someone’s very life is affected by this simple everyday object.

Williams’ renowned piece proves that a uncomplicated poem can create a powerful image and mood.

Another one of my favorites is John Updike’s “January.”

In four succinctly crafted stanzas, the poem captures the beauty of a snowy winter day. Everyone can relate to the short gray days of winter when the sun seems distant.  The poet’s language invites us to imagine the artifacts of winter, such as the lacey, barren trees and a frozen landscape.

What I’d really like writers to realize about poetry is that a simple poem can be just as moving as a more complicated one.  Complexity definitely has it’s place in structuring the poem and creating powerful imagery and mood, but it shouldn’t rise through the surface to create confusion.

Just remember that simplistic poetry–like a piece of art– can still radiate with sophistication if you use your words and techniques effectively.

Disclaimer: you might not get a book contract by taking my advice on keeping your poetry simple. But maybe together we can turn the tide.

I’d love to hear your opinion. Do you prefer complexity or simplicity when it comes to poetry? Tell me below.

[bctt tweet=”Simple poetry–like art–can radiate with sophistication if you use words and techniques effectively. #poetry”]

 

Categories
A Pinch of Poetry

5 Tips to Jump-Start a Poem

Have you ever struggled with blank page disorder?  I have.  Most writers face this issue at one time or another.

Sometimes we just need a little inspiration.  Here are five tips you can use to jump-start a poem today.

Find a spot where you can sit and observe. Observation is an effective tool for any writer. You might want to visit a coffee shop and listen to the conversations stirring around you. Or you may need to find a quiet place outside to experience nature. Regardless of where you choose to observe, be sure to find a place that will take you away from your normal routine. Take notes on everything you observe in that location, using all five senses.

Skim the recent news headlines for anything that catches your attention. Scientific discoveries, world news, and even weather reports can inspire a poet. Look for extreme events, rare occurrences, strange happenings, or moving stories that capture some unique aspect of life. Skim the article(s) for key words about the subject and then add a few of your own thoughts.

[bctt tweet=”Find inspiration for poetry everywhere–the news, Facebook, or your local coffee shop. #poetry #writing “]

Check your social networks for interesting conversations. Find a news topic or conversation that strikes your interest. Write down key words, phrases, descriptions, images, and personality traits that you observe through the interactions. Next, start writing a poem in response to that topic or conversation. For example, you could begin with “So, you went to Hawaii for a vacation…” Continue writing in a voice that is commenting on or responding to whatever people are discussing on the social network.

Try to find an unlikely comparison, also known as metaphor. If you already have an idea in mind, write down everything you can about the subject of the poem. Then think of a concrete object (one that appeals to your five senses) that is dissimilar to your subject. Write down attributes of the differing object. Once you have all of the ideas out on the page, look for connections. Is there a way to describe your subject as if it were the other object? I recently wrote a poem where I compared automobiles to snail shells—two very unlike items until you are caught in horrendous 5:00 traffic on your way home.

Get in touch with your emotions. Over the past week, have you experienced any joy? Or maybe you encountered someone who angered you. Capture the details of your experience on paper and either write about it or focus on how the emotion affected you most. For example, if you had a fearful moment, describe what fear did to you. Was it like a monster ripping you to shreds, or was it more like a cockroach scuttling about your feet? When you use personification or metaphor to characterize emotions, they become very powerful characters in poetry.

Now it’s time to get writing.  After you take notes, simply start writing on that white page.  I know it’s difficult, but once you start writing the poem out, it will begin to take form.

[bctt tweet=”Combat blank page disorder with 5 Tips to Jump-Start A Poem.  #poetry  #writertips”]

Do you have any other creative tips to jump-start poetry that you can share? I’d love to hear them below.