Mini-Lesson & Revision Hacks

Making & Breaking the Line

Hi, Friend.

Let’s close out the week by talking a little more about line and stanza. I think the key ingredient of a free-verse poem is surprise, and one of the best ways to surprise your reader—to give them a sense of discovery—is via line breaks. Experimenting with line breaks is also one of the most fun parts of the writing process. Yes, fun—as in challenging, engaging, illuminating.

This post, a bonus for paid subscribers, builds on the craft tip all Dear Lifers received earlier this week. It includes a mini-lesson on line breaks and punctuation, a few revision strategies that focus on line and sentence, and some further reading if you want to do a deep dive.

Heads up: Next week I’ll be sending out a free post to all, and I’ll also be taking questions from paid subscribers. I love a pick-my-brain, ask-me-anything Q&A, so keep an eye out for that discussion thread.

Now, the fun part.