Oft when on my vacant couch I lie (to borrow from Wordsworth) I visualize three diverse voices chart thoughts about my favorite art form. In his verse dedicated to the exemplary W.B. Yeats, a mercurial, nuanced position was taken by W.H. Auden, "Poetry makes nothing happen". I hear […]
I write in both genres, and have often wondered what impels me toward each type of expression. Time lapse is one element that seems to convince me that a subject should find its place in a poem: if a specific, momentary observation moves me, that seems less appropriate […]
Poets write because we have ideas, passions, and impulses inside of us that demand expression. We are artists. That said, when placing your work you have to be a little more practical--one part artist, one part real estate agent. Finding a lasting home for your poetry can be […]
As a poet, you are probably looking for support, suggestions, and some advice about getting your work published. When you decide you're ready to share your work and join a writing group, keep a few points in mind. Poets can be a sensitive lot so try to put […]
In a writer's life, persistence is as important as talent When I began sending my first book out to publishers and it was rejected, I was devastated. I had received an MFA from Columbia for my manuscript, and I expected success that would immediately change me from a […]
I used to be terrified of hope. Well, I was actually terrified of disappointment. But I saw hope as a seductive and deceptive force that enticed me to climb higher, making the inevitable fall hurt that much more. I started writing novels when I was twelve years old, […]
Poets notoriously have a hard time gaining traction and establishing themselves; we're called starving artists for a reason. Even wildly successful writers rarely have their name recognized outside of literary circles. School curriculums have also taken a nosedive when it comes to poetic appreciation; my daughter brought Katy […]
Today I am preparing submissions for two local venues -- an online journal and a quarterly print magazine. Each publication asks for a brief cover letter: Introduce yourself and describe your publication history. Introducing myself is easy. I’m Emily, a college writing instructor and local musician. I sing. […]
Every poet has, at some time, experienced those woeful lulls in writing; those days or months or sometimes even years when life seems to offer little poetic inspiration. When we're so stuck in the banal routine of daily life: driving kids to and from school, making dinner, doing […]
I was the only first-grader to use plunge in my response to Ms. Hill-Rounds' prompt: Write a story about a time you learned how to do something. I could swim almost as soon as I could walk – my dad says I should have been born a fish […]
