Writing contests provide the perfect avenue to hone our writing skills and produce quality pieces. These contests come with a range of genres and topics that you can cover. This means that you are bound to find a contest that meets your needs and will help you improve […]
These tips include the basics as well as links to several articles and posts to help even the most seasoned poet/writer, including terminology you need to know, things to do before you submit, general tips, and links to posts on my site and other sites related to submitting, […]
Maybe, like me, you’ve had productive stretches as a writer, but for whatever reason—boredom, changed circumstances, lost confidence —you’ve hit a fallow period. You’re not writing, and the longer you go without writing, the harder it is to start again. In graduate school, I wrote prolifically, but from […]
I found transformation through poetry. I remember reading poems that literally changed my life. Like, after reading them, I could breathe again. I found self-acceptance, worth, and hope in the breathtaking sadness of Kim Addonizio’s “To the Woman Crying Uncontrollably in the Next Stall”. I went on to […]
Ever hear someone say, “People can do just about anything if he or she can read but they can get along well without math”? Reality check. Imagine your frustration if you couldn’t do something as simple as balance a checkbook on a regular basis, make change, deal with […]
Recently an interviewer asked me about how I use the element of surprise in my poems. You can check it out, scan down, and read her whole question and my answer if you’d like to, but right now I want to tell you what I didn’t say. The […]
In 2017, I decided to start a newsletter. I named it Sticks & Stones after the childhood chant “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Of course, words can and do hurt, and are far more powerful than mere sticks and stones, but […]
Memoir workshops are ideal for introducing the beautiful art of poetry writing. Many of my students have not yet experienced the joys of writing free verse. This blog post illustrates how I teach this workshop. Free verse is not just another vehicle to tell your story. It’s so […]
Rob Carney is known for his origin story poems, poems of the Northwest, and talking about myths and progress in his essays and poems, which have often been featured on Terrain.org and other publications. Recently, two more of his current-event themed essays and corresponding poems have been published […]
Not everyone in modern times truly appreciates poetry. It's often linked to old sonnets and pretty love rhymes. But as a poet, you know there's much more to it than meets the eye. Just like short stories, novellas, and books, poetry has different genres, styles, and rules. Marketing […]
