Thank you for sharing this, I’ve wondered what I would do if I ever have enough completed poems to think about a book. Many of mine are in some sort of (maybe eternal?) state of revision. The poems are of two major themes, nature or women’s bodies, sometimes both. And when I’m feeling like a Writer (as opposed to all the other labels that chase me throughout a day) I wonder: is this two collections or one? I guess we’ll see how many ever escape their revision era :/
“Escape their revision era” made me smile. You know, sometimes very different pieces want to live together, to be in conversation, to spark off one another. Wait and see!
Thank you for this. I also see book compilation as a puzzle. Doing that puzzle is my favourite part of writing books. I firmly believe, and teach, that there are many ways to put something together but often just one way that truly lands in our bodies as 'right' ❤️
I've noticed that when I do ms consultations, the poet who seems most prepared is the one who already has looked at a number of recent releases, especially by poets just starting out, or presses they admire. Not that everything must be cookie cutter, but it is so helpful to have a "target" number of pages, and about how many lines fit on a page. It means that when we begin shaping the ms, it already has a "ghost" outline of a kindred spirit's work, or an aspirational home.
I ❤️ that you are sharing your thoughts on how to write effectively. I write poetry almost daily. Working on a memoir and hope to use both poems and prose. Organization is a difficult one for me. I’m hopeful though. Have a great Labor Day.
I am both a person who loves writing (even if I've only published a very few small pieces) and a librarian, and this post spoke to my librarian identity even more than my writerly one. I am asked quite often why I like reading poetry and where a person should begin if they want to start reading (and loving) poetry. This essay helped me understand more specifically what I intrinsically look for when I'm reading a poetry book by a single author (as opposed to a poetry anthology, which is a different reading experience). Including why some poetry books have left me feeling like...hmmm, I loved many of those poems but I didn't get the "book" aspect of it. Also made me think about Ted Hughes rearranging the poems in Ariel after Plath died and the arrogance of that act. Anyway, thank you for a piece that helped me get to an ah-ha moment as a reader!
Thank you, Maggie! I’m researching an online ebook self-publishing website called Smashwords. I made a promise to myself I’d publish/self-publish this year.
I’m also working on kind of short mosaic memoir prose poems. We shall see. The puzzlement of poem structure and manuscript organization actually sounds fun. I really appreciate your generosity here. Thanks for dropping the knowledge. :) enjoy the afternoon.
Dream editor xo
Thank you for sharing this, I’ve wondered what I would do if I ever have enough completed poems to think about a book. Many of mine are in some sort of (maybe eternal?) state of revision. The poems are of two major themes, nature or women’s bodies, sometimes both. And when I’m feeling like a Writer (as opposed to all the other labels that chase me throughout a day) I wonder: is this two collections or one? I guess we’ll see how many ever escape their revision era :/
“Escape their revision era” made me smile. You know, sometimes very different pieces want to live together, to be in conversation, to spark off one another. Wait and see!
Thank you for this. I also see book compilation as a puzzle. Doing that puzzle is my favourite part of writing books. I firmly believe, and teach, that there are many ways to put something together but often just one way that truly lands in our bodies as 'right' ❤️
Yes! And my “right” might not be someone else’s. I seek input, but in the end I trust my gut.
Totally yes. There are no magic secrets in this work. Just intuitions.
I've noticed that when I do ms consultations, the poet who seems most prepared is the one who already has looked at a number of recent releases, especially by poets just starting out, or presses they admire. Not that everything must be cookie cutter, but it is so helpful to have a "target" number of pages, and about how many lines fit on a page. It means that when we begin shaping the ms, it already has a "ghost" outline of a kindred spirit's work, or an aspirational home.
I agree—having a wide variety of models is so important. Reading poems shows us what’s possible in poems. Same with reading collections!
I ❤️ that you are sharing your thoughts on how to write effectively. I write poetry almost daily. Working on a memoir and hope to use both poems and prose. Organization is a difficult one for me. I’m hopeful though. Have a great Labor Day.
I love a hybrid manuscript! Wishing you a wonderful holiday, too.
I am both a person who loves writing (even if I've only published a very few small pieces) and a librarian, and this post spoke to my librarian identity even more than my writerly one. I am asked quite often why I like reading poetry and where a person should begin if they want to start reading (and loving) poetry. This essay helped me understand more specifically what I intrinsically look for when I'm reading a poetry book by a single author (as opposed to a poetry anthology, which is a different reading experience). Including why some poetry books have left me feeling like...hmmm, I loved many of those poems but I didn't get the "book" aspect of it. Also made me think about Ted Hughes rearranging the poems in Ariel after Plath died and the arrogance of that act. Anyway, thank you for a piece that helped me get to an ah-ha moment as a reader!
Thank you, Maggie! I’m researching an online ebook self-publishing website called Smashwords. I made a promise to myself I’d publish/self-publish this year.
I’m also working on kind of short mosaic memoir prose poems. We shall see. The puzzlement of poem structure and manuscript organization actually sounds fun. I really appreciate your generosity here. Thanks for dropping the knowledge. :) enjoy the afternoon.