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Private Writing Coaches: 9 Tips to Find a Writing Coach

Sean Glatch  |  October 15, 2021  |  2 Comments

Whether you’re working on a book-length project or want to improve your writing skills, a private writing coach can transform your writing journey. The best writing coaches have an excitement for language, expertise in the writing world, and compassion for your work as a budding writer.

That said, there are plenty of book writing coaches that aren’t worth your time and money. Additionally, every writer has their own needs, and it’s important to address those needs as you try to find a writing coach.

What does a writing coach do? Let’s answer this question and look at 9 things to know so you can find the best private writing coach for your work.

What Does a Writing Coach Do?

A private writing coach works to improve both your writing and your writing journey, and the best writing coaches wear many different hats to make this possible.

A private writing coach is more than just an editor. The best writing coaches also nurture your literary career, giving you books to read, communities to join, and advice on the publishing world at large.

First and foremost, a writing coach works as an editor for your writing. They will give you different types of feedback, including global feedback and in-line feedback . “Global feedback” is commentary on the work as a whole: is it convincing, well-written, compelling, unique, and enjoyable? “In-line feedback,” by contrast, is feedback line-by-line, looking at the specifics of grammar, word choice, structure, and style.

At the same time, a private writing coach is more than just an editor. The best writing coaches also nurture your literary career, giving you books to read, communities to join, and advice on the publishing world at large.

Finally, your book writing coach is also your friend. Writing can be a solitary journey, unearthing powerful emotions and personal struggles. A great writing coach will be there for you through whatever writing challenges you face, guiding you through the toughest parts of becoming a writer .

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9 Tips for Finding the Right Private Writing Coach

Now that we’ve answered the question “what does a writing coach do?”, here are 9 tips for finding the right coach that will transform your writing journey.

1. Know Where to Find a Writing Coach

Knowing where to find a writing coach is essential. You want to know that your coach is a well-respected member of their literary community and that they have the professional credentials to give you expert coaching.

Do some research on professional associations for your specific writing genre, and you may find coaching and mentorship opportunities.

So, where can you find a writing coach? For starters, you may be interested in coaching at Writers.com. Our instructors have the experience, degrees, and qualities that make for the best writing coaches, and they’re excited about offering their expertise to fuel your writing journey. If you’re interested in one-to-one coaching with us, or you want to learn more about an instructor and their writing coach rates, send us an email !

That said, there are plenty of other professional organizations and websites dedicated to connecting writers with coaches. Here are a handful of websites you can peruse to find a writing coach:

• writers.com
• Gotham Writers
• Author Accelerator
• New York Writing Room
• National Association of Memoir Writers

Additionally, do some research on professional associations for your specific writing genre, and you may find coaching and mentorship opportunities. You can also search for coaches using sites like Facebook, Craigslist, and Meetup, though always be cautious about the people you meet from those sites, and do careful research about the potential coaches you meet from there. Check if they have a personal website, and make sure they have the below qualifications.

2. Research the Writing Coach’s Credentials and Experience

Who is your potential writing coach? What degrees did they earn, what books have they published, and what prior teaching experience do they have? For your private writing coach to help you, it’s best that they have the credentials and experience to back up their teaching.

Having a terminal degree ensures that your coach knows how to properly teach creative writing.

Generally, it’s best if your coach has a terminal degree in English or Creative Writing. This means they have an M.A., M.F.A., Ph.D., or some other post-baccalaureate diploma.

Now, not all coaches need terminal degrees, and some of the best writing coaches have published bestselling books without ever studying English! That said, most Masters and Doctorate programs require their students to take courses on teaching English, so having a terminal degree ensures that your coach knows how to properly teach creative writing.

Additionally, your coach should definitely have a strong publication history. Naturally, a book writing coach will have published books themselves, but it also helps if they’ve published work in literary journals or magazines. You, too, might try to publish in those same journals!

3. Know Your Budget and the Writing Coach Rates

Writing coach rates are rarely lower than $50/hr.

A private writing coach can cost a lot of money, but that shouldn’t surprise you. If you take a look at any other industry, you’ll find that private advisors and personal coaches always charge high hourly rates—after all, they provide high-level expertise in a field they’ve been studying for years.

If you’re considering a book writing coach, be sure to budget accordingly. Writing coach rates vary, but most coaches won’t charge an hourly rate that’s below $50. If an author has a lot of publications and high-level credentials, their writing coach rates might scale as high as $200 an hour or more.

At Writers.com, our writing coach rates vary between $55 and $240, depending on the instructor and the type of work the student looks for.

With enough research, you are sure to find a coach that fits within your budget, just be aware how much you’re willing to spend, and how much work you want your coach to do for you each week.

4. Look For Examples of the Writing Coach’s Work

Before you agree to work with a private writing coach, spend some time researching their writing and getting to know their work. You want to know that this potential coach is the right match for your work, and reading their own writing will help you gauge if they’re a good fit.

To put it simply: if you vibe with their work, you’ll likely vibe with their coaching.

Some things to ask yourself as you read the work of a potential coach:

• Do they write in a similar genre as me?
• Do they write about similar topics as me?
• Does their writing demonstrate techniques like storytelling or literary devices ?
• Do I like their writing style?
• Does their work interest and inspire me? Does it compel me to read more?

You can learn a lot about an author simply by paying attention to the work they write, the words they use, and the overall style of their writing. To put it simply: if you vibe with their work, you’ll likely vibe with their coaching.

5. Work With a Writing Coach Experienced in Your Genre

You wouldn’t train for a soccer match with a football coach, and you shouldn’t write your memoir alongside a novel writing coach, either. It’s essential that you work with a coach who has extensive experience in the genre of your own work.

It’s essential that you work with a coach who has extensive experience in the genre of your own work.

You might see a private writing coach say that they work with authors of all genres—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and even copywriting or journalism. While they can likely help in any genre, they won’t be the best fit for you if they haven’t written extensively in your genre.

Every genre has its own conventions, rules, archetypes, and dos and don’ts. Just look at the wide diversity between literary fiction and genre fiction , and how there’s so much difference between two types of genre fiction as well.

If you write fantasy, a sci-fi coach might not be the best fit. If you need a nonfiction writing coach, you shouldn’t work with someone who hasn’t even published an essay. Make sure you know the publication history of your coach before you commit to working with them.

6. Know the Help You’re Looking For

Having a sense of direction and purpose will help guide your relationship with your coach.

To make the most of your relationship with a private writing coach, think about the goals you want to accomplish with them. Having a sense of direction and purpose will help guide your relationship with your coach.

What are some things you can seek help with? It depends on what form of literature you’re writing, but consider the following topics as starting points:

• Making your writing compelling and engaging.
• Honing your style as a poet or storyteller.
• Developing convincing characters, plots, or settings.
• Perfecting the structure of your story or poem.
• Expanding your vocabulary and word choice.
• Practicing different literary devices.
• Finding the right literary journals, book publishers, or agents.
• Refining your query letter or book pitch.

Of course, you might not know what exactly you need help with, you just know you want to write and get better at it. That’s okay too! The best writing coaches will be flexible to your needs, working with you to figure out the best trajectory for your work.

As a writer, you are your own best advocate for your writing. Any work you do considering the help you need as a writer will be time well spent.

7. Make Sure Your Schedules are Compatible

How often do you want to meet with your coach? Do you want a Zoom or phone call with them once a week or two? When are you available for meetings? These are questions you should think about and address with your coach before you get to work.

Have a clear sense of your schedule and your needs, and make sure those needs will be met when you first consult with a potential coach.

The best writing coaches will have flexible schedules, though of course, nobody’s calendar is easy to work with. What matters is that your coach makes the time to work with your calendar and is flexible with your scheduling needs.

For example, if you know you need a lot of accountability and encouragement, your private writing coach should be available to meet more frequently and help keep you inspired. Or, if you have a contest you want to submit your writing to and the deadline is fast approaching, you want to know your coach can give you generous feedback with enough time to edit your work.

Bottom line: have a clear sense of your schedule and your needs, and make sure those needs will be met when you first consult with a potential coach.

8. Don’t Just Seek Professional Help

The best writing coaches are more than just professional editors—they’re also your advisor, your guide through the literary world, and your friend.

In other words, don’t just seek a private writing coach who publishes good books. You also want your coach to inspire and motivate you, as well as teach you about the publishing industry and the writing world at large.

If you were to hire a personal trainer, you wouldn’t choose one based on who has the largest biceps or the most athletic awards. Those things are valuable, but you want someone who will motivate you to go to the gym, understand your body’s needs, and work with you to achieve your desired fitness.

A book writing coach is the same way. It doesn’t matter how big their literary biceps are or how many awards they’ve received, it matters that they care about your needs and are actively invested in your growth.

When you first start meeting with a potential coach, gauge how well the two of you will get along. You’re not just seeking professional help, you’re fostering a relationship, so foster one that works for you!

9. Remember: The Best Writing Coaches Meet You Halfway

Your writing coach will offer you books to read, advice to inspire, edits to make, and journals to publish in, but it’s your job to actually improve as a writer.

Lastly, remember that the best writing coaches will meet you in the middle. They’ll offer you books to read, advice to inspire, edits to make, and journals to publish in, but it’s your job to actually improve as a writer.

Your private writing coach will do a lot of work to help you grow as a writer. In addition to giving thoughtful and constructive feedback on your work, your coach might also find great journals to submit your work to, recommend helpful books and authors, and perhaps even connect you with other writers in your community.

That said, you can’t just receive this help and not do anything with it. Don’t just passively absorb the coach’s instruction or input: read the books they recommend, follow their advice, consider all of their edits, and submit to the journals they send you. Be prepared for all of these opportunities—a successful literary career requires a lot of work!

Qualities of the Best Writing Coaches

Every writer will have different needs that they want their private writing coach to meet. But regardless of experience, degrees, or writing genre, the best writing coaches share these same qualities:

• Accommodating: Our day-to-day lives are busy, and it’s rarely easy to develop a consistent writing habit with all our daily responsibilities. While you should try to be as committed to your writing as you can, sometimes you’ll need to reschedule meetings or push back on due dates. Your coach should be understanding of this, while also pushing you back on the right writing track.
• Communicative: A good private writing coach will be easy to talk to. You should feel comfortable talking about your work with them, and they should make it easy for you to ask questions and seek the help you need.
• Empathetic: Your coach should work to understand your needs, your writing, and your experiences. The best teachers understand exactly where their students are coming from.
• Encouraging: As you explore the possibilities of creative writing, new doorways will open. You might discover a new form you want to try or a writing technique you haven’t heard of before—your coach should encourage you to explore those doorways, as all creative work will help you grow as a writer.
• Invested: The best writing coaches are interested in your work and invested in your success. When you do well, the writing community at large should celebrate!

Find a Writing Coach at Writers.com!

Are you looking for a private writing coach to edit your work, teach you new skills, and help you get published? The instructors at Writers.com can help! Learn more about coaching with us here , and let’s set up your first session with your new writing coach.

Sean Glatch

[…] Private Writing Coaches: 9 Tips to Find a Writing Coach […]

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Hire a writing coach: write better, finish your book, and get published.

A writing coach is a professional mentor who works directly with writers to improve their skills and create a book that deserves to be read. With extensive experience in the publishing industry as writers and editors, they offer one-to-one mentorship to writers from all backgrounds.

Whether you’re a first-time memoirist looking to share your stories with friends or an experienced writer looking to crack the market with an unputdownable novel, a writing coach can help you confidently achieve your goals in record time.

From developmental editors, who give advice on story and structure, to copy editors and proofreaders, who hone the mechanics of your work, a strong team of literary editors is vital to your book’s success. But where can you find professionals with the right experience in your genre?

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Editor and pitch writer for fiction and personal memoir. I will shape your manuscript and offer guidance on how to get it published.

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Write a book with the help of a publishing professional

Almost anyone can write better just through practice and reading. Becoming a great writer, however, can feel like an uphill climb if you don’t have access to the education, community, and mentorship often found in two-year university MFA programs.

Writing coaches offer a great alternative to the traditional academic approach to becoming a writer. Think of it as an apprenticeship in creative writing . You’re out of the classroom and on the job, creating something while learning new skills from a seasoned professional.

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• Video-call sessions to discuss your needs, develop your ideas, and build concepts in a creative environment;
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• Practical feedback on your writing; and
• Accountability to keep you on track.

A writing coach will not directly edit your manuscript, but they will provide guidance to help you get it ready for the final editing stages. If your coach also offers editing on Reedsy, you can discuss continuing your work together after you finish drafting.

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Writing Coach: What Are They, Rates, and Tips on Hiring One

Hannah Yang

If you’re hoping to take your writing to the next level, it might be time to look for a writing coach.

So, what exactly is a writing coach, and how do you hire one?

The short answer is that a writing coach is a professional who can give you feedback and guidance to help you along your writing journey.

Read on to learn more about how much it costs to hire a writing coach and how one can help you improve your writing.

What Is a Writing Coach?

Benefits of hiring a book coach, cost of hiring a writing coach, top 5 tips on finding the best writing coach for you, writing coach vs writing tool, why prowritingaid is a great ai writing coach.

A writing coach is a professional who helps people improve their writing skills and reach their writing goals.

Writing coaches can work with writers at any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming and idea generation to editing and publishing.

You can hire a writing coach for any large writing project, whether it’s a novel, a nonfiction book, or something else. If you don’t need help with a single specific project, you can also ask a coach to help you achieve your writing career goals in a broader sense.

What Does a Writing Coach Do?

Writing coaches use a variety of different techniques to help writers improve their skills. Some common techniques include:

• Offering guidance on early aspects of the writing process, such as brainstorming and idea generation, research, and outlining
• Providing feedback and big-picture critiques about a written work, such as its content, structure, and overall effectiveness
• Editing and proofreading a piece of writing to make sure it has no grammar and spelling mistakes
• Teaching writing techniques and strategies, such as how to craft a compelling narrative or how to write for a specific audience
• Helping you develop a personalized writing plan that includes specific goals, strategies, and timelines for achieving those goals
• Helping you identify your fears so you can face them and overcome them
• Offering support and motivation to encourage writers to continue their writing journeys

Many people confuse writing coaches with editors, ghostwriters, or agents, but these are all different jobs.

Editors provide big-picture critiques of your work, or line-by-line feedback on your writing. A writing coach often provides feedback, but that’s not their only role.

Ghostwriters write the actual words for you based on your ideas or outlines. A writing coach doesn’t do the writing for you—that part’s your job!

Finally, agents represent your work to publishers and other publishing industry professionals in exchange for a commission on your earnings. A writing coach won’t represent you or negotiate with publishers for you.

A writing coach’s job can overlap with the jobs provided by editors, ghostwriters, and agents, but they all serve different roles. The primary focus of a writing coach is to work collaboratively with you on the process of writing your project and achieving your writing goals.

If you’ve ever been stuck on a book project, you probably know how hard it is to get yourself unstuck.

There are so many reasons why writers get stuck. Here are a few common ones:

• You haven’t figured out the right writing process for you
• You’ve lost the spark that inspired the story
• You’ve written yourself into a hole and don’t know what to write next
• You’ve finished a draft, but you know it needs a lot of improvement
• You don’t have support from others around you

Regardless of the reason you’re stuck, it often takes help from someone else to get writing again.

A book writing coach can provide that help. They can offer the emotional support and encouragement you need to keep going, but on a more technical level, they also have the literary know-how to help you improve your book.

Because they’ve worked with many writers before, book writing coaches can help you diagnose the weaknesses in your writing process and see things from a broader perspective.

Writing coaches are a valuable resource for any writer who hopes to take their writing to the next level. A great writing coach can’t write your book for you, but they can certainly make the entire process easier.

Do Writing Coaches Specialize in Genres Such As Fiction?

Not all writing coaches are the same. Many specialize in specific genres and specific types of coaching.

Here are some examples of broad genres that writing coaches might specialize in:

• Fiction genres (e.g., literary fiction, fantasy, or romance)
• Nonfiction genres (e.g., history, biography, or self-help)
• Screenwriting
• PhD dissertations
• Grant applications
• Workplace communications

Also, different writing coaches come from different backgrounds that might influence their coaching styles.

For example, if you choose a writing coach with an editorial background, they might be more skilled at critiquing your work and offering you specific feedback on your prose. They might assign you exercises to help improve your writing craft.

On the other hand, if you choose a writing coach who’s also a successful author, they might have firsthand career experience to share that can help you achieve similar success.

Alternatively, you could choose a writing coach who has training as a life coach. In that case, they might be better at helping you face your fears and solve problems that are preventing your writing success.

Writing coaches have built up years of writing skills and career expertise, so their time is valuable.

Different writing coaches charge different rates. Their hourly rate depends on their level of coaching experience, their specific writing credentials, and other similar factors.

At the lower end of the scale, you should expect to pay at least $50 per hour for a private writing coach.

If you’re hiring a coach with a proven track record of coaching success and top-tier writing credentials, such as New York Times bestseller status, they might charge over $200 an hour.

You can also look for a writing coach who’s willing to work with a group of writers, which usually costs less than a private coach. The downside is that the guidance you receive will be less personalized to you and your own writing journey.

So, where do you start if you’re looking for a writing coach?

Tip 1: Figure Out What Type of Help You Need

Before you start looking for a writing coach, you need to know what you want.

Do you want help improving your writing style? Help building a sustainable writing schedule? Help revising a first draft of an existing project?

Not all writing coaches provide the same services. Knowing why you need a writing coach can help you narrow down your parameters.

Tip 2: Research Options From Multiple Sources

There are lots of ways to find a writing coach.

One great way is by joining a writing community, such as an online writing workshop or a local writers group. You can ask other members of the community if they’ve worked with writing coaches before, which can help you gain insight into what different coaching styles are like.

Another way is by looking up your favorite professional writer, blogger, or editor to see if they offer coaching services. There’s a chance you can work with someone you already admire.

Finally, you can read through online resources to look for coaches. Many writing blogs and articles offer coaching recommendations.

Tip 3: Choose the Right Coaching Style for You

You have to establish a lot of trust to successfully work with a writing coach. In order to get the best results, you’ll need to be able to show your coach work you’re not proud of, admit your weaknesses, and confess your fears.

It will be hard to establish that level of trust if your coach’s style isn’t compatible with your personality.

For example, maybe you need someone who will tell you the harsh truth, even if it hurts to hear, because that fuels your writing. Or maybe you need someone who cushions their critiques with praise because you need to feel good about your writing to stay motivated.

If you know what kind of style you’re looking for, you’ll be able to pick a coach who’s a good fit for you.

Tip 4: Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

When you’ve found a potential writing coach, don’t jump right into signing a contract with them. Start by asking them different questions about their coaching style and what you can expect if you work together.

Ask about their availability to make sure their schedule is compatible with yours. Ask about their preferred communication channels, such as phone calls, Zoom meetings, or email.

You can also ask if you can watch how they coach another author or if you can speak to one of the authors they’ve worked with. Some coaches will say no to respect their clients’ privacy, but others will say yes if the client gives their permission.

The more questions you ask, the more you’ll be setting yourself up for success.

Tip 5: Utilize Multiple Resources

Even after you’ve hired a good writing coach, the journey isn’t over—far from it. There are many more resources and tools you can use, even with a coach helping you.

Many writers hire multiple people to help them work on their project. A writing coach can be a great complement to other writing professionals, such as ghostwriters and editors.

If you choose to hire multiple professionals, it’s important to clearly establish what you’re hoping each person will help you with.

You can also use editing software and AI-powered writing tools in conjunction with your coach’s advice. Feedback from multiple sources will ensure you give your writing a strong chance of success.

Many writers wonder whether to invest in a writing coach or a writing tool. The answer comes down to what you’re looking for.

Both human coaches and digital tools can provide useful practical advice but in different ways.

There are some services only a human coach can provide, such as life experience, a genuine connection, and an empathetic perspective. If you want someone you can talk to about your writing problems, a writing tool might not be the best choice for you.

But there are many ways in which an AI-powered tool can serve as a fantastic writing coach as well.

For example, if your primary goal is to get feedback on your writing, a writing software can give you great personalized suggestions. Or, if you want to learn more about ways to improve your writing skills, an online tool can give you a treasure trove of resources.

Another important factor to consider is price. Most private writing coaches charge at least $50 an hour, which is a prohibitive cost to many aspiring writers. Most writing tools, on the other hand, can provide an entire month of personalized guidance for less money than an hour with a private coach.

If there’s room in your budget, you can always hire a human writing coach and use an AI tool at the same time. That way, you can reap the benefits of both options.

If you’re looking for an AI writing coach, ProWritingAid is a great option.

ProWritingAid is an editing software that will check your work for grammar and spelling mistakes, as well as suggest ways to improve the style and readability of your writing.

You can also access a wealth of educational materials through ProWritingAid, including in-app explanations, video lessons, and interviews with famous writers. With these resources, you can develop your innate writing abilities while using the tool.

Finally, ProWritingAid includes a community of other writers who are all hoping to improve their skills as well. Joining the community can be a great resource for improving your writing trajectory by learning from one another.

Good luck, and happy writing!

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

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“I had always wanted to learn something about writing poetry but was intimidated. I contacted Robert and explained my hopes and anxieties around exploring the world of writing poetry. Robert was responsive, kind and encouraging. Meeting Robert via zoom was easy and immediately comfortable. What was so incredibly lovely and exciting to me was that he understood who I was and directed me to poets that would resonate with me. He introduced me to poets I might never have discovered and have continued to enjoy their work. That is the gift of an excellent teacher. Happily, I have had some poems published and I thank Robert for that.”  -Elizabeth

Writing Coaching for Poets:

I can offer you the  support you need as a poet to stay organized, focused, and able to meet your writing goals.

Both new and experienced poets can benefit from professional coaching around writing poetry.  For new poets, education, a bit of strength-based critique, and assistance can lead to a better sense of mastery of writing. For the seasoned poet, we can discuss ideas, bounce around the actual poem or poems, all the while staying organized and aiding you to complete your writing projects.  An individual poem or a book can be a lot to surmount, and poetry coaching offers you the tools toward project completion and publication of your work.

Think of a writing coach the way you’d think of a sports coach, motivating you to run that extra 1/2 mile, to lift that final weight, to use your skills to meet your goals directly and with your full self.  That fuller sense of who you are as a poet leads to stronger, clearer poetry.

If you’d like to see if we’ll work well together, let’s meet on Zoom for 10 minutes at no cost or expectation from you. We can see if there’s a good fit.  Contact me at [email protected] to schedule your free session.

Fees:  $40 for 45 minutes + some brief email interaction between meetings if needed.  I accept payment by check, Paypal, or Venmo.

“What makes you a poet is a gift for language, and ability to see into the heart of things, and an ability to deal with the important unconscious material. When all these things come together, you’re a poet.”  -Erica Jong

You’ve got it in you.  I look forward to working together.

“It has been wonderful working with Robert as my coach. I used to write poetry as an angsty teenager and after experiencing some difficulties I decided to try poetry again as a way to find my voice. With Robert’s expert guidance and strength based approach, I have been able to find my voice, my style, and process some of my experiences in a kind and supportive environment.”   -Samantha

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The Writing Coach

Literary Consultancy and Coaching for Writers from Jacqui Lofthouse

Coaching for Poets

Our poetry coaches, Heidi Williamson and Julia Webb are ideally placed to guide you, whether you are a beginner to poetry writing or a published poet seeking career development and help with your latest collection. They can support you with feedback on the work, but also offer coaching on the broader aspects of the writing life.

Heidi Williamson writes:

“Poets like to write ‘into’ what they’re working on, but starting each new poem can be difficult. Having an aim, a deadline, and an experienced reader can be a great boost to poets at all stages, especially in the ongoing atmosphere of creative discussion that the coaching and mentoring fosters.”

Our Unique Offering:

We offer a tailored version of our ‘Full Mentor’ programme for poets and have designed a version of the programme specifically to suit the needs of those writing poetry.

This programme includes reading and full annotation of up to 20 pages of poetry. This can be submitted at the beginning or at any time during the coaching period for the three-month package. Our six month and one-year programmes include feedback on up to four extra poems a month, in addition to the initial 20 pages.

Your coach will make notes, consider your work, and give you in-depth editorial feedback during your calls. They will also return your manuscript with detailed notes. Coaching and mentoring is conducted by telephone or Zoom and includes ongoing email support between sessions. After each coaching session, you are invited to submit a Review Form to confirm your action plan.

In the one-year programme, we also build in a unique extra layer of work, not included in our other coaching programmes: an opportunity to resubmit the reworked 20 pages at the end of the process for further editorial feedback – all for the same price.

Our coaching can also address many areas of your life and your writing, including inspiration, motivation, writer’s block, productivity, time management, working methods, self-marketing, confidence, submissions and publishing.

About Heidi Williamson:

Having been coached or mentored at key stages in her writing life, Heidi understands the enriching experience and significance of both. Her latest poetry collection, The Print Museum (Bloodaxe, 2016), won the 2016 East Anglian Book Award for Poetry and the Book by the Cover Award 2016. Her first, Electric Shadow (Bloodaxe, 2011), was a Poetry Book Society Recommendation and shortlisted for the Seamus Heaney Centre Prize for Poetry.

Her work has appeared in journals across the UK, America and Australia and she has been translated into Polish, German, and Turkish. In 2008 and 2009 she was Writer-in-Residence for the London Science Museum’s Dana Centre. From 2011 to 2014 she was Poet-in-Residence at the John Jarrold Printing Museum.

Heidi studied poetry and prose at UEA. She qualified as a Writing Coach through the National Association of Writers in Education and the Arvon Foundation, and is a professional member of the Association of Coaching (AMAC), specialising in Writing Coaching.

Books by Heidi Williamson

Her playful experiments with form uncover the mechanics at work behind language itself … documenting a contemporary world in which the very ‘substance of a Tweet’ is potentially radioactive – Poetry Book Society Spring Bulletin, 2016 on The Print Museum by Heidi Williamson.

About Julia Webb:

Julia Webb is a poet, creative writing tutor, artist and editor based in Norwich.  She has three poetry collections published by Nine Arches Press: Bird Sisters (2016), Threat (2019) and The Telling (2022). In 2011 she won the Poetry Society’s Stanza competition. Her poem “Sisters” was highly commended in the 2016 Forward Prize and in 2018 she won the Battered Moons poetry competition with her poem “We is in the bank”. Her work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies.

Julia has masses of poetry industry experience – she runs Norwich Stanza group, works for Gatehouse Press and Café Writers, and is a poetry editor for Lighthouse (a journal for new writing). She has a first class honours degree in Creative Writing from Norwich University College of the Arts and an MA (poetry) from the University of East Anglia. She teaches creative writing, mentors poets and runs online poetry courses. She also writes poetry book reviews for Under the Radar.

Julia believes in the value of mentoring and has had mentoring herself at key points in her writing career, which she found invaluable. She believes it is never too late to start writing.

Books by Julia Webb

Our coaching programmes include the opportunity for feedback on collections of work. We offer the opportunity to look at a larger volume of poetry than usual and this means that you can focus on building a body of work with the support of our coach/mentor.

All of our programmes include:

• Editorial feedback on a single batch of up to 20 pages of poetry (may be written over the 3 month period for the three month programme)
• One one-hour coaching session per month, taken by telephone or Zoom
• Email support between sessions
• Membership of The Writing Coach clients-only Facebook group

A six month programme includes:

All of the above plus:

• Your 20 poems read upfront prior to our first call
• Editorial feedback on 4 additional poems a month
• Additional half hour per month for editorial feedback discussions
• This equates to reading and annotation of around 44 pages of poetry

A twelve month programme includes:

All of the above, plus:

• The opportunity to resubmit 20 pages for editorial feedback at the end of the mentoring period
• This equates to reading and annotation of around 88 pages of poetry

All our prices are fully inclusive of VAT.

Three Month Programme

Paid in full

When paid in full in advance.

Monthly instalments

In monthly instalments (for three months).

Six Month Programme

In monthly instalments   (for six months).

Twelve Month Programme

Via one advance instalment of  £950  followed by eleven monthly payments of  £200 (in monthly instalments   for six months).

Via monthly instalments of  £265 for twelve months.

If you are interested in the programme or have any questions, please contact us to arrange a time to speak to Jacqui Lofthouse, Heidi Williamson or Julia Webb. We are very happy to speak with you to explain what the programme entails and to find out whether we are a good ‘match’ with you.

Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach

September 7, 2022 2 Comments

Poetry as a Playful and Pleasurable Creative Practice, with Mark McGuinness

With inspiration from Mark McGuinness, you’ll integrate poetry into your writing life as a pleasurable practice that elevates your prose.

In this interview, Mark describes the vision for his podcast and his own poetic beginnings, and he urges writers (and readers) to simply enjoy poetry.

You’ll see ways poetry intersects with and impacts prose—you can even play a literary game he describes at the end.

Learn from Mark:

• How a mouthful of air is a perfect image for poetry and podcasts
• How can we translate metaphor into our other forms of writing (without being weird)
• The metaphor that comes to his mind when describing himself and his writing
• How poems “mug” Mark and he drops everything to chase them like leprechauns
• The importance of getting input on your work and finding a writing mentor
• Plus, play his writing game (bring your prose)!

Listen to episode 245 and check out excerpts in the transcript below. You’ll be inspired by his warm, encouraging advice. If his subtle persuasion succeeds, you may embrace poetry as the next step in your literary journey.

Meet Mark McGuinness

Mark McGuinness is a poet based in Bristol, UK. On his poetry podcast A Mouthful of Air he interviews contemporary poets about their writing practice and draws out insights that can help any writer become more creative, expressive and memorable.

Mark also takes classic poems apart to show us how they work and what we as writers can learn from the examples of poets including Yeats, Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, Chaucer and Edward Lear.

• Visit amouthfulofair.fm
• Listen to A Mouthful of Air on Apple Podcasts
• Twitter: @amouthfulofair
• Instagram: @airpoets

Mark McGuinness Interview

This is a lightly edited transcript.

[00] – Ann Kroeker

With inspiration from my guest Mark McGuinness, you may find yourself integrating poetry into your writing life as both a pleasure and a practice. I’m Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach. If you’re tuning in for the first time, welcome. If you’re a regular, welcome back. I’m sharing my best tips and training skills and strategies to help writers improve their craft, pursue publishing and achieve their writing goals. Today I have Mark McGuinness on the show, a poet from Bristol, UK.

On his poetry podcast, A Mouthful of Air, Mark interviews contemporary poets to discover their writing practice and draws out insights that can help any writer become more creative, expressive and memorable. Mark also takes classic poems apart to show us how they work and what we as writers can learn from the examples of poets like Yates, Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, Chaucer and Edward Lear.

Listen in on our conversation.

[00:54] – Ann Kroeker

I am so excited to have Mark McGuinness on the call today on our show and we are going to talk about a lot of different things related to the creative life, the writing life, even the poetry life. Mark, thanks for being on the call.

[01:09] – Mark McGuinness

Thank you. It’s lovely to be here, Ann.

[01:12] – Ann Kroeker

I am looking forward to learning more about how you approach your own creative life and how you use and enable poetry to be part of what feeds your creative life, how you inspire others with poetry, because that seems to be a big part of your life.

Can you tell the listeners and viewers, can you tell us a little bit more about who you are and what you do?

[01:37] – Mark McGuinness

Sure. I am a poet living in Bristol, in the southwest of England, in the UK. I’ve been writing poetry quite a while and in my typical group of friends, I’m usually the one who reads poetry. I’ve always been quite aware that most people don’t read poetry most of the time.

There are a lot of people who are very literate, very well read, very avid readers, but who will generally read anything but poetry. And to my point of view, it’s not that hard. I think a lot of people get put off at school, they have a bad experience or they think it’s this thing up on a pedestal that they don’t understand or that isn’t going to speak to them in their lives.

And I got this urge about two years ago when I first got the idea for the show that I would really like to take some of these books behind me down from the shelf and just read a poem and just share it with people and say, “Isn’t that great? And notice what’s happening in the third line here. Isn’t it marvelous what she’s done with the rhyme or whatever?” And just to share the magic that I feel that I don’t think it’s that hard for other people to tune into.

[03:00] – Mark McGuinness

And then following on from that, I thought, “Well, actually, I know quite a few poets I’ve been to their readings. I’ve read their books. I’ve sat next to them in workshops. Why don’t I invite them on the show, too? And then they can read it.”

And so the way the show works is that every episode is focused on one poem, and the first thing you hear is the poem. Because if it’s a good poem, you don’t need an introduction. You don’t need to be told why you should like it or all the footnotes and stuff. You either like it or you don’t, or you feel something or you don’t. But you’ve really got to listen and put your kind of assumptions aside about it.

So we hear the poem read by either me, if it’s a dead poet, if they’re alive, I get them on the show and they read it themselves. And then we have a little bit of context, a little bit of, well, what’s going on in the poem? And again, if they’re alive and they’re on the show, I’ll ask them, where did the poem come from? How did you get the idea?

[03:59] – Mark McGuinness

How did you work it up? What process did you go through from the initial idea to what we have on the page or on the screen or in the ear. And quite often that journey is really surprising. I mean, as a writer, I’m fascinated by how things evolve. And if the poet is sadly no longer with us, then I will share my thoughts on why I think the poem is worthy of our attention and what I think is going on.

And then the end of the show, we hear the poem again. And even though it’s the same poem and the same recording, it should sound different. In fact, listeners tell me it sounds different because it’s a bit like a magic eye, because they can see things or they can hear things in it that they weren’t aware of the first time rounds. So that’s it. It’s all quite self contained.

[04:51] – Ann Kroeker

That is a wonderful concept. I took an online course in years past where we did these close readings, and it just opened my mind up. It took me back in time. I actually studied poetry and creative writing as an undergraduate at Big Ten University here in the States. And so I have a little exposure to poetry, and it was my entree into writing and building a writing life.

So tell us what the name of the show is and why you chose it.

[05:23] – Mark McGuinness

Okay. It is called A Mouthful of Air. And I know it’s a good title because I nicked it from W. B. Yeats in a little poem that he wrote, an early love poem. Would you like to hear it? It’s really short. It’s easier than me describing, of course.

Okay, so it’s called He Thinks of Those Who Have Spoken Evil of His Beloved.

And it’s not hard for us to guess that his beloved was like to be moored gone. Famously he was in love with her. She was a significant figure in the Irish political independence movement in the late 19th century. So it begins.

It’s just six lines, so blinking, you miss it, but it goes:

Half close your eyelids, loosen your hair, And dream about the great and their pride; They have spoken against you everywhere, But weigh this song with the great and their pride; I made it out of a mouthful of air, Their children’s children shall say they have lied.

And I love the fact that Yeats, he emphasizes a poem, in which case a song. He was a very lyric poet. He emphasizes how light, how insubstantial it is. It’s almost nothing.

[06:56] – Mark McGuinness

“Weigh this song.” She’s being criticized by people. He doesn’t like “the great and their pride.” And he’s saying, but you can’t—don’t respond to the criticism. Just “weigh this song” with it almost as though he’s saying that poetry can balance the scales of this injustice.

And he says, “I made it out of a mouthful of air.” So that’s what the poem is made of. It’s made of speech, it’s made of breath.

And of course, this takes us back to the origins of poetry, which is even older than writing. So it would have been spoken or maybe sung way back before people thought of writing poems down.

And I think this is something for me, something quite magical about poetry, that insubstantial thing. You’re making it out of nothing, really. A mouthful of air that still survives into the 21st century. And I thought, Isn’t that a lovely way of thinking about a poem?

And it’s perfect for a podcast, because what you get on the podcast, of course, is the spoken poem. Again, we’ve gone from the text back to speech. So that’s where I got it.

[08:02] – Ann Kroeker

It’s both literal and metaphor. And metaphor is a big part of poetry, and we can grab it.

Most of the people, I think, listening to my show are writing prose or novels or short stories or essays or articles, and probably fewer writing poetry. Tell me how you feel like this. We can translate things like metaphor used commonly in poetry.

How can we translate metaphor into our other forms of writing without being weird?

[08:34] – Mark McGuinness

I mean, I’m thinking I can tell you about how to do it as a poet. And I use it a lot. I think I use it quite a lot in my nonfiction writing.

So I write about the creative process sometimes. But I think it’s probably basically the same process, which is on some level, the question you’re asking yourself is, “What does this remind me of?” Or, “What is this like?”

And you’re just allowing that thought to come maybe from the back of the mind to the front of the mind. If you have an image, I would say pay attention to the imagery in your mind .

If you’re picturing a character, say, and there’s an image of a waterfall in your mind, just trust that and say, you know, “She was like a waterfall.”

That’s a simile, technically, rather than metaphor, but you know what I mean. It’s the same kind of figurative language I would say or listen and take seriously the words on the tip of your tongue.

If you start to say, I’m feeling really heavy today, then just go with that heavy feeling. Or “He was feeling heavy. He felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.”

[09:47] – Mark McGuinness

I know that’s a cliche, but you can just go with that kind of language, I think. And the other thing I would say, of course, is read lots of poems, because you get loads and loads of metaphors and they just lodge in your mind and get you into that way of thinking.

[10:04] – Ann Kroeker

I appreciated how you modeled that close reading of the Yeats poem for us. And I think just with that alone, you’ve given us a powerful tool to do that, to pull a poetry book off the shelf or look one up online, read it, and then pause and look for those.

That would be a great place to start, I think, with metaphor. I agree.

I have a question for you.

What comes to mind when you think about your own writing life? What metaphor comes to mind for yourself?

[10:40] – Mark McGuinness

The image that came to mind then was kind of almost like a river bank, but it’s going up there’s the river down below, but then there’s the bank leading up, and there’s kind of trees and branches and hedges up there, and there’s all the life going on up there.

I’m waving my hand about for anyone listening to the audio version.

And I guess it feels if I’m writing, I’m going to go down here down by the river, and I’m just going to be out of sight for a little while. I can hear the world is still within earshot. I can listen to that. I can tune into that. But I can also listening to the river that is going in my other ear.

And I feel quite earth and I don’t know, you can’t quite say water, can you? Connection for water. But there’s a connection to the earth and water, which feels quite true to the spirit, I guess.

Well, that was the image that came to mind. I could run with that, plenty into that.

[11:47] – Ann Kroeker

Exactly. My mind was going, I’m imagining you dipping into that river that’s always flowing. And you do that with poetry you’re dipping in.

[11:56] – Mark McGuinness

Yeah, absolutely. And maybe take some back up over the hedge.

[12:01] – Ann Kroeker

Yeah. “Hey, drink this. Taste this.”

[12:04] – Mark McGuinness

That’s it. Yeah, maybe that’s it. That’s good.

[12:09] – Ann Kroeker

Has your writing life evolved in a dramatic way, a subtle way, from your origins?

Which…maybe tell us about those origins and then walk us through?

[12:19] – Mark McGuinness

That’s a good question. I would say my poetry, in one sense has stayed the same, which is that…so I remember the first time I really got excited about writing poetry.

We were at school and my English teacher, Jeff Reilly—wonderful guy, great teacher—he sets the task of writing a ballad based on the novel that we were reading.

And we got started in the class and then we had to go into the next class. It was probably chemistry or something deathly boring like that. And I found myself at the back of the class with my jotter, which I don’t know if your lot of us are familiar with that term it’s basically the rough notebook that we have with really awful paper that would probably take your skin off if you rubbed against it too hard. And I was writing in my jotter and I kept going with it…

I sat at the back of the class and kind of hid it behind my bag. And really I should have been doing chemistry but I couldn’t get the rhythm of this ballad—which a ballad’s is very strong rhythm—out of my mind.

[13:29] – Mark McGuinness

And I kept going through chemistry and history and goodness knows what and normally was the boringly good student who would be paying attention due to fully but I couldn’t. There was this mischievous thing in the poem.

Years later I interviewed the poet Paul Farley, who’s one of our foremost poets here, and he said to me something that really resonated because I was asking him about his writing life and he said, “I feel like I have to be skiving off to write.”

So skiving off is British slang for maybe you call it playing hooky, running away from school. Yes, he said, “I feel I have to be skiving off from something else.”

Like maybe he was supposed to be writing a review or a lecture or whatever and he would be scribbling in the margin. And I could really relate to that.

And I think, coming back to your question, my poetry writing life is not a million miles away from that. The poem is something that will come along and interrupt or tap me on the shoulder when I’m doing something else or even when I’m trying to sleep . Three o’clock in the morning is quite inconvenient sometimes.

[14:37] – Mark McGuinness

But I do have a rule with myself, with whatever else I’m doing, unless I’m in front of a client, I am allowed to go with the poem.

Even if I’ve said to myself I’ll be writing a podcast episode or something this morning. I’m allowed to write that poem because it’s a bit like a leprechaun, the Irish leprechaun. The little spirit’s supposed to appear in front of you, and you mustn’t take your eyes off him because he’s got a pot of gold at the end of his rainbow.

And if you make him, he has to give you the pot of gold. But if you look away and he will use all his tricks to get you to look away, he’ll disappear.

I think the poem is a bit like that, at least the initial idea. You’ve got to grab it before it vanishes.

And then there will be endless tweakings and revisions and rewriting over and over again. So I guess as far as poetry goes, it’s like that. It’s still quite feral, quite wild.

For prose, I’ve got a pretty well established routine, which is I write in the mornings and I do all my other stuff in the afternoon.

[15:47] – Ann Kroeker

No, go ahead. I love hearing about your process.

[15:50] – Mark McGuinness

Well, that was a decision I made about 15 years ago when I realized that my email inbox and my phone and running around after other people was running my schedule, my day. And I thought, “No, you’ve got to draw a line in the sand. You’ve got to actually start the day by writing and making something, not just reacting.”

And at that stage, I was so busy, I got up at 6:00 in the morning to write this blog. I had an idea for launching a blog, but to have it stuck with me.

Unfortunately, I’ve now managed to move the date further forward into the day, partly due to having children, when I capture every ounce of sleep I possibly could when they were small. But I still like that intentionality that that gives my day, that I’m starting off, I’m going to create something.

Later on, there’s plenty of things that I need and want to do for other people. But this is the thing I do that feeds me. First thing.

[16:55] – Ann Kroeker

As a writer, do you identify first and foremost as a poet who writes prose, or someone who writes prose and uses poetry…which comes first?

[17:04] – Mark McGuinness

Oh, poetry comes first. That’s much more exciting, at least in my mind, because to me, that is the most exciting form of reading or writing. And I love prose as well, don’t get me wrong. But what poetry gives me is that it’s even more concentrated, even more magical.

[17:25] – Ann Kroeker

What do you think is the biggest gift that a poem gives?

Is it the play with words? Is it conveying an idea slant? Is it something else?

[17:39] – Mark McGuinness

There’s a lot of pleasure in poetry, and I think that’s something that’s easily overlooked.

Like, we listen to music. We listen to songs because they’re fun. It’s not because we feel we ought to understand figurative language and Bob Dylan’s use of the metaphor, whatever. It’s because it’s a great tune and we like the sound of it and it sticks in our head.

And to me, first and foremost, poetry is like that, or rather, and also because I had to really think about this when I was launching the poetry podcast. Well, what does it do? And to me, it helps me make sense of the world, and that’s reading and writing.

And of course, Robert Frost put it much better than I did when he said, “a poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom.” It becomes “a momentary stay against confusion.”

And I just think that’s so beautifully and precisely put because it’s momentary. It’s not like this is the Truth, capital letters, and it will always be, but a momentary. You go, “Actually, yeah, I’ve got that.” When you read the poem or writing it, “Yes, I captured that.” And then, of course, we’re back in the flow of confusion.

But yeah, that delight and wisdom that will do me for poetry.

[19:01] – Ann Kroeker

Where is that? I want to know the source of that quote.

[19:05] – Mark McGuinness

I think he made it like an offhand remark, maybe in one of his interviews or talks. I’d like to think he sat down and considered it because it’s pretty good, isn’t it?

[19:15] – Ann Kroeker

It’s like you’ve prepared that for this.

[19:17] – Mark McGuinness

It’s a prepared line. That’s right.

[19:21] – Ann Kroeker

When you think back to all the things that you have done and achieved as a writer, what are you most proud of?

[19:32] – Mark McGuinness

The poems that sing to me. And also I’ve heard they sing to…they sing or they speak to other people.

And I won’t lie, if a poet I really admire says, “I like that one,” that means a lot.

I think when you’ve got a fellow practitioner who’s further down the path than you, who says, “Okay, there’s something there,” ego aside and validation and aside, I think it’s a sense of “Yes, at least I captured that. At least I managed to kind of make sense of that little corner of the universe.” That’s quite satisfying.

[20:20] – Ann Kroeker

And that input that you’re getting that you know it sang to somebody, and it landed right, is that happening because it got accepted to a journal and it’s been read or available to the public? Or does this happen privately?

I’m asking because I’m thinking about all the people who are working so hard privately at their computers, at their notebooks, writing poems, writing other things, essays or whatever, and they’re hearing no from the gatekeepers.

So I’m just curious if some of this input that you’re getting…how are you getting it?

[21:00] – Mark McGuinness

Well, first of all, I’ll say if you want to get a lot more no’s, then write poetry.

Because the amazing thing is you walk down the street, you never meet a poet, and you submit to a poetry magazine and suddenly there’s hundreds of them in the inbox next to you. And I know this because I edited a poetry magazine once, and I saw what mind-boggling number of poems come in.

So I’m there with you. If you’re getting the no’s, I get more no’s than yeses. Most people do just because of the numbers. But the yeses outweigh the no’s.

And going back to the original question, which I think is a really good one, it’s interesting because the ones that come to mind aren’t publications or prizes.

When you asked the question, it was times when I’ve sat down when poet is tutoring me, because that’s when you actually see the real response, the one that they can’t fake. Either they frown or their face lights up and you can see even before they said something, “Oh, that one connected.” And then they will say something.

Because when you get accepted, generally you don’t get a lot of feedback.

[22:18] – Mark McGuinness

It’s just, “Hey, great poem, thanks. We’re pleased to have it.”

Whereas in a tuition situation or mentoring situation, I think you’re more likely to get a) the emotional response, and b) the more fulsome, detailed feedback.

So I would say if anybody is in that situation, get great feedback, find a tutor, find a mentor, somebody who really knows your genre.

And they’re not just going to give you general praise, but they can give you really specific praise or be open to the criticism if it’s not there yet. But that can really help you calibrate.

Because I think another thing I would say based on the experience of having edited a magazine is when we submit, I think there’s always a little frightened part of us that’s thinking, “Oh, will I be good enough?”

And if you get rejected it’s, “I wasn’t good enough. My poem wasn’t good enough. I’m not good enough.”

But rest assured, when I edited, it was Magma Poetry magazine. There were plenty of poems that weren’t of a great quality, that’s true. But there were also far more poems that were good enough—in other words, well written enough—than I had room for in the magazine.

[23:38] – Mark McGuinness

And so at that point it came down to my taste. It came down to the kind of context.

There were several sometimes that would form little constellations together. They would be on the same topic or around they seem to speak to each other. They kind of looked out for each other. And then the poor poem about a subject completely different wasn’t left on its own. It was harder to justify leaving that in.

Ever since then I’ve realized it’s not just about being “good enough,” whatever that means. Maybe think about that before you submit.

They always say read the magazine or read the books published by whatever. You really should because that will give you an idea of the kind of stuff that gets published there. Sometimes it helps to get an idea of if there’s a judge for a competition, sometimes, I’ve entered because I thought, “Oh, I like their stuff, I wonder what they think of mine?” So that can be interesting.

But the other thing is to just keep at it. And always have always have more submissions out.

Never have one submission at a time because when that comes back as a no, then you’ve got nothing to look forward to.

[24:56] – Mark McGuinness

But if you’ve got another two or three, then there’s a part of you that can go, “Yeah, but, well, maybe next month I’ll get a yes.” And then you rotate.

So the game is to always have more submissions always out there so there’s always, “Well, but maybe the next one.”

[25:13] – Ann Kroeker

So much good advice. And so reassuring.

Mark, I can’t tell you what a relief this is going to be for those who are in the trenches doing the work, submitting, to hear from someone who’s been an editor—and someone who has submitted their work and had to grapple with both sides.

That helps us get a vision for what these editors are trying to do with their work and how they honestly react and respond to pieces. And that there are many good poems that end up hearing no simply because it didn’t fit the theme that emerged organically. I loved that part.

I think that’s just one example of why we need to just turn around and resubmit.

Keep finding the right home for your work.

[25:57] – Mark McGuinness

That’s it. That’s the phrase. Find the right home for it.

Because if you go with the idea that, well, I mean…sometimes it’s been rejected enough. There are poems I’ve taken to Mimi Khalvati, my longterm mentor, and she said, “Well, you know what, Mark? Maybe it’s time to retire that one.” And that’s fine.

But sometimes it is a case of…I’ve had plenty of poems accepted by good publications that have been rejected several times by others, and it’s about: you could find the right home for it. I think there’s a lovely phrase to use.

[26:31] – Ann Kroeker

Is there a number we should keep in mind? Like when Mimi would tell us what’s the number of rejections where….yeah, maybe…?

[26:42] – Mark McGuinness

I don’t know, because famously, if J. K. Rowling had given up after, was it 29, 30 rejections, she wouldn’t have sent it to the next one.

[26:51] – Ann Kroeker

True. Yeah.

You said a couple of things that were interesting that I wanted to explore with you. One was early in the discussion with me today. You’ve talked about just start reading poetry. Then later here, we’re talking about creating poems.

So we’ve got sort of the person who’s taking it in and maybe for the first time, starting to integrate that as part of their writing and creative process. And then you have people who are actually trying to write poetry.

And you’ve suggested getting mentors, getting some sort of input with genre-specific, feedback, so that you can really learn and grow.

When would a person who’s just starting to read poetry know when they’re ready to start getting that kind of education and input? And where can they find it?

[27:40] – Mark McGuinness

I would say, if you really want to get going, then go and look for a course.

Obviously, look for a beginners’ course, but as well as the actual tuition and feedback you get, there’s nothing like being in a room full of people who want to do the same thing.

You know, I did a writer’s retreat a few years ago and we had to go round the table on the first evening and, “What does everybody want? What does everybody want from the week?”

And I just said, “I want a week where writing poetry is normal.” And there were a few smiles around the table because people recognize that normally, it’s not. Normally, they’re the odd one out. Normally, they’re fighting for that time or trying to sneak it away from other things in terms of where to go.

I mean, I’m in the UK, so to me the obvious place would be the Arvin Foundation, which does all kinds of different genres. It does poetry, screenwriting, fiction, nonfiction and so on.

There’s also the Poetry School in London, which is a wonderful—well, they’re based in London, but they have courses online and they have courses around the UK.

[28:50] – Mark McGuinness

Arvin and Poetry School have been doing a lot more online since the pandemic came along. So that’s one benefit from somebody like me who doesn’t live in London anymore, or indeed, if you’re in the States or elsewhere in the world. I think those are my main recommendations. So it might depend on time zones and online availability, but I’m sure wherever you are, they will be.

If you Google fiction for beginners or poetry for beginners or nonfiction or whatever it is.

Ann Kroeker

How did you find Mimi?

Mark McGuinness

Good question. I found Mimi…I can’t entirely remember. I’ve got a feeling that I was in the Poetry Cafe in London in Covent Garden, which is a lovely space. It’s a cafe for poets and poetry. They do readings and drinks and stuff, and the Poetry Society is upstairs where it used to be. And there was a notice board.

I think maybe I saw her advertised for doing, because Mimi did a course for the Poetry School years ago called Versification, where she took all the major types of meter and verse form and we had to write them every week. I think we started with Anglo Saxon, and that was quite demanding course, but also a really amazing one, because at that point I’d done an English degree, so I kind of knew all of this stuff.

[30:25] – Mark McGuinness

But Mimi showed us how the craft of it works. “Okay, this is the result, and this is what it looks like when it’s finished. But how do you write a Petrarchan sonnet? How do you write terza rima? How do you write heroic couplets or blank verse or a villanelle? And how did it evolve and what does it do that other forms don’t do?”

So she really conveyed the magic of the form, really. And that was a lot of the traditional forms in poetry.

They’re not exactly endangered species, but they’re not the mainstream anymore. Most poets these days will write what’s called free verse, which basically means it doesn’t have a regular meter, it doesn’t have a regular rhythm, and it quite often doesn’t rhyme. And that’s great. But it turns out that’s not predominantly the kind of poet I am.

I really like the pulse, as I call it, of the rhythm of the meter, and I like the rhyme. To me, there’s a magical quality to those old forms.

And Mimi really showed us how to tap into that and use it in our own voice. So that’s how I met her. And I just kept going to different classes, and she’s currently mentoring me one to one.

[31:53] – Ann Kroeker

So you must have just asked and she said yes? I love it.

[31:58] – Mark McGuinness

Yeah. I would say again, if there’s a writer that you really admire and you think, “If I could write a bit more like them,” or “I’d really love to get their view on my work,” or just to learn more about how they do it, just Google to see:

Are they giving a talk? Are they being interviewed? I mean, there’s loads of interviews on podcasts, for example. Are they offering classes? Is there any way that you can get into that person’s orbit? And you can learn a lot.

[32:30] – Ann Kroeker

When you are working on a poem or any creative project, how do you get started?

Like, where do you start with an idea, with a phrase? Tell us a little bit about your process.

[32:41] – Mark McGuinness

A lot of the time it kind of mugs me.

There’s another thing that Paul Farley said. He said, “I want the poem to mug me when I’m doing something else.”

So it’s the line that pops into your mind, which is quite a well established phenomenon for a poet. Paul Valéry called it le vers donner , and le vers calculer.

Le vers donner is the given line. This is the line that the muse or the unconscious or whatever we want to call it, pops into your head.

And then le vers calculer is the line that you make yourself.

So I was once on getting on my children on the Tube, and…I remember just setting them into their seat on the Tube and then the line “terminate the human race” came into my mind and I thought, “What is that? “

And it was the start of a poem. And it was interesting. As soon as I heard that line, I knew what shape and size poem it was and how it related to another poem that I knew.

And it had nothing to do with children, so don’t worry about that. But it just shows how inconvenient and how completely unconnected it can be with whatever’s going on in the rest of your life, it will pop into your mind.

[34:08] – Mark McGuinness

I think actually it’s possible to kind of prime the pump, so to speak.

So a few months ago, I had an idea that I wanted to have a ballad in my poetry collection, because I had a few times that were kind of almost ballads or next door to ballads, and I thought, “Oh, come on, you know you could do the actual thing.” But I had no idea what I would write about. And then—let me show you.

[34:35] – Ann Kroeker

You pulled out your notebook from childhood and the ballad that you are hiding.

[34:40] – Mark McGuinness

It’s interesting because that’s probably the last time I’d written about it.

No. Maybe I wrote one in Mimi’s class, but I went on the internet and I ordered this. Which is the Faber Book of Ballads, from the ’60s. And it’s all lots of old traditional ballads. Irish. Scots. English. Nearly all anonymous.

And I just read it from cover to cover, and then sure enough: A few days later I wake up at three in the morning and there’s my ballad starting to write itself.

And it was a topic I would never have guessed. So that can happen.

If you can kind of say that I’m going to mark out the ground and invite the spirit of the form in, then sometimes they answer the call.

[35:28] – Ann Kroeker

It reminds me of two things, and the first is just that you seem to have like, that invitation—that openness to whatever might come, whenever it might come, and then trusting it when it comes. That is one thing that strikes me about how you approach what enters your orbit, to use your phrase from before.

The other thing that strikes me, too, with that story in particular is I’m a big Sting fan.

[Oh, right.] There was this era where he says that he was creatively blocked and it was old music that had kind of been lost and forgotten. I think there’s a TED Talk that he gave about it, but that’s where he went when he needed to reignite his creativity—it’s going back to the older music and letting that stir something up in him.

I’m not trying to quote him or anything, but it seems like that you pulling that book off the shelf, revisiting what was long ago, allowed you to bring that into your own contemporary life and something came.

What was the theme of that ballad?

[36:35] – Mark McGuinness

I can’t tell you. Literally. Well, actually, I can tell you it was about the pandemic. I can’t quote it because I’ve sent it out on submission, so I don’t want to jinx it, okay? But it was about the pandemic, and I never thought I’d be writing about the pandemic because it’s a big theme to explore and there is quite a lot of pandemic poetry out there.

But anyway, sometimes you’ve got to do what the poem tells you you’re going to do.

[37:01] – Ann Kroeker

There you go. There’s a line. Yeah, “You’ve got to do what the poem tells you to do.”

[37:05] – Mark McGuinness

But to your question about the traditional, I do think it’s important to know whatever genre you’re writing it.

I mean, for me it’s poetry, but different types of fiction, it will have begun at some point. And there’s a backstory, there’s a history, there’s a tradition, and it’s your job to know that and read that because it’s evolved and you learn so much. And there’s a sense that you’re carrying that torch forward for the next generation.

We love to think we’re so individual, particularly poets. Goodness me, we love that. But at the same time we’re kind of part of a procession or part of a team, even. And I think it’s important to know what people further down the line have done.

I think my experience of writing the ballad was I wanted to tap into that whole very old oral ballad tradition.

A lot of people who “wrote” ballads were illiterate. They were songs, they were sung, and they were recited orally and changed. They went through many hands.

And just to pick up a kind of a wave, the metaphor that’s come out like a rippling wave from that and just to go, “Okay, that energy can flow into my poem.”

[38:31] – Ann Kroeker

Where do you see…so you’re entering the conversation now.

You’re entering that with your own energy, adding to that pulse of poetry, that pulse of ideas. Where do you see yourself headed?

As a creative person, I guess? You can broaden it if you want to.

[38:52] – Mark McGuinness

Yeah. So the image that’s coming to mind now, which is one that comes up quite a lot when I think about poetry, is because I think it’s like a big group writing project. And the image I have is a Persian carpet and all the poets throughout history and all the different languages, they’re all weaving it together simultaneously throughout time and space.

And of course, in the middle you’ve got Shakespeare and Homer and Dante doing the big flourishes and whatever.

But even if I could just do a little Bird on the Border or I could do a bit of the trellis work or whatever, I’d be happy because I’m connected up to that grid.

So it comes back to that. It’s not to say I’m not ambitious to do the best I can, but it’s more and more that phrase you used earlier, just find a home. Just write the work that I feel I want to write and find a home for that and just pass it on to the next.

What a beautiful image.

That’s not to say I don’t have ego and ambition and all of that, but there’s a time and a place for that, and that’s not really where the real writing comes from.

[40:07] – Ann Kroeker

Mark, that’s so beautiful, the image you’ve given us, the desire to be one color, one thread woven into that carpet, into that tapestry. I’d be happy to be part of the fringe. I don’t mind.

[40:21] – Mark McGuinness

[40:22] – Ann Kroeker

Just straighten it out a little bit.

[40:24] – Mark McGuinness

[40:25] – Ann Kroeker

Because that adds to it. Right? We’re all adding to it.

And when it comes to ideas, I think there’s a common word that people use, which is this ecosystem of ideas that we’re all connected to. This giant pond area.

But I love your image. It’s so much more beautiful and a much stronger metaphor, and one that I think we could all dream of to add color to this world. Yeah.

Any parting words that can inspire us and leave us ready to go do the work?

[40:56] – Mark McGuinness

Well, I’ve got a little suggestion for a little game you could play with some writing if you’re remotely curious about writing poetry or just using poetry as a way to look more closely at the words that you use.

So for instance, if you’re a novelist, then you will know far more about plot and story and narrative structure than I will ever know. But what poetry can help you do is to really hone in on the words and that close reading that you were talking about.

So I would say you don’t even need to write anything new for this little game. I would say take a piece of writing of yours that you pretty well like that doesn’t make you cringe when you look at it, that you think, “Okay, I like that.”

And then I want you to copy-paste it and get about one page, a fourth’s worth, or maybe half a page is probably better.

Then I want you to play the game of chopping it up into lines. Because that’s really the only difference between verse and prose—it’s that the verse means a turn. Somebody once said it’s writing that doesn’t meet the right hand margin.

And it’s debatable whether that—and it’s not the same as poetry, which we could argue all day about what the definition of that is—

[42:12] – Mark McGuinness

but for verse, it’s divided up into lines.

So take your poem and divide it up into lines. And don’t get too…try to do them kind of much of a muchness, roughly the same length.

And just look at it on the page, and read it like that and see what difference that makes. And see if it changes the way you see the words or the way you might try speaking it aloud. That would be really interesting. Read the prose aloud and then read that aloud.

Then take that same text and divide it up into stanzas of four lines each. And don’t play with it, just chop it up and just put an extra line space in, and then have a look and see what difference that makes.

And you can keep playing. You can try it with two-line, three-line, five-line stanzas.

You can try longer or shorter lines.

You could try it with what they call verse paragraphs, where you have one section is altogether as a block and then you break it up and there’s another section.

And copy all the different versions of this and maybe print them out and you can just see.

[43:23] – Mark McGuinness

That will teach you a load about poetic form and about the effect of it without anyone having to explain it to you because you will see and feel and sense the difference between the same words in different arrangements.

So that’s the game I invite you to play.

[43:41] – Ann Kroeker

I like that game. I will play it this afternoon. Thank you, Mark. How can people get to know you better? Where do you want to send them?

[43:50] – Mark McGuinness

If you listen to podcasts, wherever you listen to podcasts, search for A Mouthful of Air, and you will find us.

Or online, AMouthfulofAir.FM. Now, the great thing about the website is, remember, poetry is what I call an amphibious art, which means it can live in two different elements. It’s not water and air, but it can live on the page and it can live in your ear.

So if you go to the website, you will find the text of all the poems. And it can be interesting. You listen to the audio and you look at the text and there’s also a transcript of every episode with links to all the technical terms I mentioned. I do try and explain them as we go, but if you want to know more about it, then go there and there will be a link to explain all of that.

And you can sign up and you can get it delivered via email. You get the audio and the email, or you can just subscribe and listen to the podcast. And I do have some people who only read it because they just prefer to read and that’s cool, too.

[44:50] – Mark McGuinness

So that’s where to go. I think on Twitter, it’s @amouthfulofair. And on Instagram, I’m putting the poems on Instagram, it’s @airpoets.

[45:00] – Ann Kroeker

You are investing in writers so generously. This is incredible. I think we talked about finding a class, finding a mentor. You can be our first mentor, I believe, with all of this.

[45:13] – Mark McGuinness

[45:13] – Ann Kroeker

Yeah, thank you. Well, thank you for your time, too, and it’s been a pleasure to get to know you better, to get to your work and to introduce you to listeners of “Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.”

[45:23] – Mark McGuinness

Well, thank you. With a coach and a podcast, you ask great questions and it was a real delight to talk to you. So thank you.

[45:31] – Ann Kroeker

Are you ready to make poetry part of your writing routine? You can let Mark continue to guide and inspire you through his podcast, A Mouthful of Air. I’ll link to that and all things related to Mark at annkroeker.com/amouthfulofair. That’s annkroeker.com/amouthfulofair. I can’t wait to hear your best takeaway from this interview. Thank you for being here. I’m Ann Kroeker, Writing Coach.

September 29, 2022 at 7:29 pm

What an enjoyable interview! Loved the idea of being connected—even on the fringes—to an extensive and intricate tapestry of poetry and poets. And a great reference to Sting (!), who goes “back to the beginning” when he seeks creative inspiration!

September 29, 2022 at 8:09 pm

You were the one who reminded me of his TED talk, which I’d watched when it was released back i 2014, but had forgotten about. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy25A7vnigg

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• Writing Samples

My Writing Coaching Background

A Poet's Perspective

As a poet, I know the precise word to create emphasis, clarity and even an emotional reaction; as a public speaker, I intuitively play with the sounds of words and phrases, using the musicality of English to communicate a memorable written or spoken experience.  

An Editor's Precision

An experienced editor, I have worked on projects of every kind --   collaborative ventures such as the  International Commission on English in the Liturgy's Subcommittee on the Liturgical Psalter (ICEL) ; auditing reports for the  USDA ; poetry and fiction manuscripts; brochures and websites; speeches; sermons;  research papers; literary magazines, etc. My approach is to stay faithful to the content and style of the author while making the text more readable, expanding underdeveloped passages, deleting extraneous material, correcting basic grammar errors and placing ideas in a logical sequence. My task  as a Writing Coach is to "enhance" the original, not rewrite it. I will bring out the best of your work, either working with the manuscript directly or else meeting with you to go through the text word by word, line by line. In this way, you retain full control over the end product, while I simply offer the guidance that will let YOUR work shine! 

Professional Experience

Degrees, certificates and professional memberships.

40+ years of teaching English/Humanities/Writing Coaching at Roosevelt University, Columbia College, St. Xavier University & DePaul University 

40+ years of writing coaching / editing / consulting for private clients such as the USDA and the Archdiocese of Chicago , as well as for individual authors and public speakers. 

40+ years of motivat

40+ years of motivational seminars and workshops (160+ presentations).

40+ years of teaching creative writing in community settings such as The Writer’s Desk , a not- for- profit organization offering writing resources to Chicago schools and neighborhoods (founder/ director, 1979-1986); The Madison Centre for Spirituality & the Arts (founder/ director, 2004-2007) etc.

40+ years of writing poetry and prose

(3 collections of poetry; a memoir; 3 books on Jungian healing with imagery; 2 collections of scripture reflections; an archetypal study of the gospel Jesus; 2 novels for children; 80+ articles, etc.)

PhD in Theology, University of Malta , Europe, 1999

Doctor of Ministry in Poetry , Graduate Theological Foundation , Indiana, 1989

M.A. in English & Linguistics, DePaul University , 1976

B.A. (Hons) in English & Linguistics, University of Malta , 1973

Dip. (TN) TESOL and Dip. CoT (TESOL) , Eurolink , Sheffield, UK, 2010.

A Board-Certified Life Coach

A Board-Certified Life Coach (BCC), I'm a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and am a Professional  Certified Coach. I'm also a member of   Spiritual Directors International (SDI), and Professional Photographers of America (PPA ).

Currently, I serve on faculty at Roosevelt University, St. Xavier University, The Catholic Theological Union and the Institute for Life Coach Training (ILCT)

On a More Personal Note....

Born in England, raised in England and on the Mediterranean island of Malta, I have always been a wordsmith and lover of the English Language. Even as a child, I read voraciously and wrote poems and plays; by the time I was in high school, I edited the school magazine, ran both the drama club and the debating society, and, as "Head Girl" 

Born in England, raised in England and on the Mediterranean island of Malta, I have always been a wordsmith and lover of the English Language. Even as a child, I read voraciously and wrote poems and plays; by the time I was in high school, I edited the school magazine, ran both the drama club and the debating society, and, as "Head Girl" (School Captain) was often called upon to deliver speeches to visiting dignitaries. Not surprisingly, I chose to study English at the University of Malta, with a minor in Classical Literature. Later, as a graduate assistant at DePaul University , Chicago, I worked in the Writing Program as a tutor; that's when I discovered my love of teaching and came to be known as "The Great Motivator."  As a Writing Coach, nothing gives me greater pleasure than to help clients develop their voice and to use their language skills to communicate more effectively. 

For Life Coaching, visit

www.elizabeth-annestewart.com

Copyright © 2018 Chicago Writing Coach - All Rights Reserved.

Tweetspeak Poetry

Writing Coach Podcast Series – I Am From

By Ann Kroeker 25 Comments

To begin exploring identity issues, consider a simple list poem known as “Where I’m From” or “I Am From.” As you remember people and places, smells and sounds, you start to see what shaped you and formed your values and beliefs.

The more deeply you know yourself, the more you are equipped to say what you alone can say, in a voice uniquely yours. You bring your perspective, point of view, background, stories, and passions to your work, offering a window into your corner of the world.

It’s writing to connect.

Whether with one person, or ten, or ten thousand, a writer builds bridges through stories and observations, ideas and interviews. Writers create connections. And connections can bring about change.

This podcast episode, the last in our four-part writing coach series— originally recorded and published in July 2016 with the title “Your Writing Can Change the World.” —offers a simple exercise to help you know yourself better. If you write one, publish it somewhere—on Google+, Facebook (mark it “public”), or at your website—and link to it in the comments. We’d love to learn where you’re from.

Click on the podcast player below and listen to this short episode (7:29), re-released especially for you here at Tweetspeak, from your own writing coach, encouraging you to do the work of a writer.

Writing Coach Podcast Series – Fill the Gap

Writing to Change the World , by Mary Pipher

Original “Where I’m From” poem , by George Ella Lyon

Printable template from SheLoves Magazine

Similar template and sample poem

Photo by Sharon Mollerus ,  Creative Commons license via Flickr. Post by  Ann Kroeker , podcaster , Tweetspeak editor,   writing coach ,  and co-author of  On Being a Writer: 12 Simple Habits for a Writing Life that Lasts.

_________________________

Is your writing life all it can be?

Let this book act as your personal coach, to explore the writing life you already have and the writing life you wish for, and close the gap between the two.

BUY ON BEING A WRITER NOW

• Recent Posts

• Life Notes: Tea is Necessary - February 3, 2017
• Interview with an English Teacher, Pt 2: The Heroic in Literature - January 27, 2017
• Interview with an English Teacher, Pt 1: Texts and Teaching - January 20, 2017

Try Every Day Poems...

About ann kroeker.

Ann is a writing coach, author, speaker, and podcaster helping writers achieve their writing goals (and have fun!). She is also the co-author of On Being a Writer: 12 Simple Habits for a Writing Life That Lasts.

Donna Falcone says

August 25, 2016 at 9:53 am

Ann Kroeker says

August 25, 2016 at 8:57 pm

August 25, 2016 at 10:27 am

Writing several with intentional shift in temporal focus, location, circumstances might create a really interesting picture, too.

August 25, 2016 at 8:58 pm

Yes, what a great idea! Have you done this yet? Have you picked an era and written some images?

August 25, 2016 at 10:37 pm

I did begin. I have one from childhood, one from treatment.

August 26, 2016 at 8:43 am

Well, you know I’m curious about them!

August 26, 2016 at 9:41 am

I thought you might be. 😉

August 26, 2016 at 7:59 am

PS I love how you said that … “written some images”

I’m guessing that’s particularly interesting to a writer-artist like you. 🙂

August 26, 2016 at 10:40 am

I’m from the aches and pains of everyday life. I am from blood tests, from Holter Monitors, echoes, MRIs and Wechsler scales. I’m from Otolaryngologists, Neurologists, Psychiatrists, Osteopaths, Naturopaths, Accupuncturists and the ER. I am from this it and that is it and nothing is wrong with you. I am from too many good-byes. I am from the blank stare against the soft yellow wall, uncountable specks on a popcorn speckled ceiling, and curtains hanging unopened on the second floor; From hands on the stairs all the way up, and white knuckled sheer-will all the way down. I am the golden sofa that held me up and carried secrets that were not mine to tell for a while. I am plastic boxes bulging with capsules, B12 the hard way, and thick yellow Mepron sliding through my throat. I am the unblooms of teasel and milk thistle, arriving in brown pharmacy glass wrapped in bubblewrap from amazon.com. I am from tea when that’s all there is to give; From checking in and waiting. I am from colder than Siberia that only sleep can warm. I am from heaven sent denial and stupid stubborn faith. I am from Three Little Birds and love notes on the bedroom mirror. I’m from seeking the light and finding it had never had gone out. I’m from Buffalo New York, and shrimp scampi every Christmas Eve. I’m from Matthew and Nathaniel cooking birthday meals of steak on the grill and Jambalaya; From Fluffy and Gruffy, the mayor and the clown; From Joe, holding my hand and breathing me into being over and over again. I’m from photos in boxes stacked high against new garage walls, poems protected by Carbonite, and journals hidden where I won’t say. I am from wishes made only in dreams and anger spoken only to a backlit screen and few memories to understand either; From photos in flash drives and songs still trapped in six steel strings. I am paint and ink and waterproof pens. I am board and tile and vellum sheets. I am mysterious mandalas and flowers forged in fire. I am freshly black coated canvas waiting for the cool white pen.

August 26, 2016 at 11:06 am

Mmmmm….look at that shift. “I am from” to “I am.” Significant.

This could serve as an excellent tool to help memoirists zero in on an era to draw up memories and tangible, concrete images that impacted them. Thank you for the creative application.

August 26, 2016 at 11:34 am

I wasn’t sure if I should switch back and forth that way,”I am from” to “I am” and back again… but it seems to convey that schizo feeling of it all – the blurring and the over identifying, the distancing and the coming back because really you can’t leave what is – that’s just the way it is… so I went for it. I put it on my blog, edited with a painting. I really found this form so helpful.

August 26, 2016 at 11:11 am

Okay… here. Tweaked, and on my blog, and linked to you all. http://www.donnazfalcone.com/poetry/i-am-from-lyme

August 28, 2016 at 4:57 pm

Wonderful! As I said over at your website, you have shared a beautiful window into your life, your struggles, your life-giving shift through the gift of art. In this succinct form you have captured and conveyed so much.

August 28, 2016 at 6:18 pm

Thank you! And as I said over where you said that… Sometimes I can’t find a way to write it in a way that feels ‘right’ … but this prompt/style – I don’t know why, but it really works for me. Maybe its simplicity is the key – and that it doesn’t ask too much from my unordered thoughts.

Even the fact that there was a template did not feel constraining – and of course I totally did what I wanted anyway! I think I will return to this style often, in various ways.

August 28, 2016 at 6:21 pm

That poem in my newlsetter was another offshoot from this.

Sandra Heska King says

August 27, 2016 at 1:46 pm

There is so much in this I love… where do I start?

August 27, 2016 at 1:52 pm

Thank you Sandra. May I suggest a fresh and succulent mist of tick repellent, applied and reapplied as directed? 😉

August 27, 2016 at 1:57 pm

I sure wish this wasn’t part of your story, but what richness we might have missed…

August 27, 2016 at 2:06 pm

October 17, 2016 at 2:54 pm

Whoa, I just realized I missed your comment, Sandy. (Donna, you deal with hard things using some humor–so refreshing and real.)

If you scroll up, Sandy, you’ll see how Donna said she might zero in on a particular era, narrowing down a time frame; in doing so, she may end up with multiple “I Am From” poems, perhaps with a subtitle to each that indicates the time in her life. I think that’s a great idea for breaking down a longer series of life stages and letting each have rich bullet points.

August 27, 2016 at 1:44 pm

This is the one I wrote in 2011. But now after hearing yours, I want to expand on it.

Horseshoe Lake

I am from black-and-white two channels,

antenna perched on a post turned

to fuzzy and not-so-fuzzy

by hand in all weather with

window open.

From always Ford, Appian Way pizza, Campbell’s soup, Evening in Paris,

and Avon lipstick samples in the mail.

From Soupy Sales, Ed Sullivan, Sky King,

Kenny Roberts the Jumping Cowboy,

and Tigers baseball.

I am from the little house,

three rooms for five,

kitchen cupboards chartreuse

and gray formica table,

hemmed by woods

and buttoned with a propane tank.

Four log cabins heated with kerosene

for company and customers,

hunters and National Guard,

and a single-seater outhouse

inhabited by snakes.

I am from the birch tree and the Juneberry,

the blueberry bog, wild strawberries, spore-spotted fern forts,

morels, and green pads with yellow bobbers

I am from one-at-a-time tinsel on the tree,

playing cards, Paul Bunyan tales, rowboats and bluegills

and Thunder Bay pike.

I am from James the shanty boy and Edwin the dulcimer player,

from William the gardener and fresh-picked rhubarb dipped in sugar.

I am from Grandma Dummer and books of the month,

crochet hooks and limburger cheese,

with old-fashioned candies, hard and cream-filled.

From paper and pencils and pages,

manual typewriters and carbon.

I am from clean-your-plate-or-no-dessert

and do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do.

I am from the Golden Rule and the Ten Commandments,

letters to Aunt Emma (Sister Mary Lucinda),

Baptist friends,

a box of scripture verses,

and Sunday funnies.

I am from unleavened pancakes, ambrosia, broiled chicken,

and tiny morsels of liver swimming in catsup

swallowed whole,

soft-boiled eggs and sour cream on everything.

I am from the scent of pipe tobacco and sawdust, coffee and cigarettes,

railroad ties and forest fragrances,

and strains of Oh, What a Beautiful Morning.

I am from the Horizontal Queen of Horseshoe Lake

with the fishhook in her lip,

a bartender with his name on a bullet,

and a wrestling-loving grandmother.

I am from albums black and white and wedding check stubs,

crocheted dresses and a gold-gilded pitcher,

an Alpine costume that no longer fits and a plastic-flowered crown.

I am from wood and earth and water,

feathers and fur and scales

and deep white snow.

When I see where I’m from,

I see where I go.

The window is open.

One at a time tinsel! Liver chunks swallowed whole! Snakes!!

Sandra you paint such a vibrant picture here! I enjoyed tagging along like the fly in the wall of this poem.

August 27, 2016 at 1:58 pm

August 28, 2016 at 4:58 pm

Yes, yes, yes! I agree with Donna. Through these details you’ve selected–through the power of specificity–we can see it all!

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Hi, I'm Nadia! Writer and Founder of Align Your Story School.

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"Colburn connects words to earth, body to family, and family to nature. Here, language is sacred; uttering a word, composing a line, writing a stanza is a prayer of joy even if the context is loss; even loss can be an occasion to be grateful. Colburn has given poetry a breath that revives it, that urges others to see deeper and reclaim their humanity. "—Jimmy Santiago Baca

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Colburn's brilliant second book charts a journey to meet the self. From girlhood to parenthood, loss to discovery, in poems that sing, the book explores how meaning is made. Claiming the female voice from silence, the poems find their grounding in the body and achieve rootedness and hope.

I Say the Sky is a meditative and ultimately inspiring book that will be savored by seasoned readers as well as those new to poetry." See more about the book here.

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In my own writing, I explore questions of the body, motherhood, trauma, healing, social and environmental justice, and the power of narrative.

My full-length poetry collection, The High Shelf , was published in the fall of 2019. Chase Twichell wrote of the collection: “Spare, brilliant, and open-hearted, these poems do what we most need art to do in this perilous age: they show how the mind invents both itself and its world, and thus where our responsibility lies. This is a book that will reward both readers of poetry and those seeking insight into suffering and resilience. An exhilarating read.”

My second poetry book, I Say the Sky , was selected as the 2022 Poetry selection in the University Press of Kentucky's New Poetry and Prose series and will be published in early 2024.

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I’m particularly interested in how the literature we read helps orient us to the world. 

My poetry and prose have won awards and been widely published in more than 80 national publications including  The New Yorker, The Kenyon Review, LA Review of Books, Lion’s Roar, Spirituality & Health,  and  Boston Globe Magazine .

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Looking for a writing coach, an editor, or personalized support throughout the writing process? The following friends of the The Writer’s Center offer private, one-on-one consultation services.

Please note that this page is a reference for writers. All services listed are offered independently of The Writer’s Center.

Eloquential

Your words. Like never before.

We’re a small team of editing and presentation coaches for veteran and aspiring writers. Coaching one-on-one or in pairs, we’re passionate about helping our clients transform their audiences through the written word. Polishing your manuscript, mastering the public reading, or preparing for storytelling or Moth-like events are just a few of our specialties. Learn more about how we can help you bring your most important story to the page, stage, or recording studio. A portion of the initial consultation fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.

Best Writers and Editors

We make the complex clear

We are a Washington, DC-based firm of internationally recognized writers and editors with extensive experience in journalism and more than 120 years on the job. We offer a full range of writing, editing, and marketing services to make your complex content clear. Our services include coaching in effective writing for individuals and organizations, selecting key ideas to sharpen your messaging, smoothing the roughest drafts with careful copy editing, and fine-tuning poetry. Explore how we can help you. A portion of our fee is donated back to The Writer’s Center.

Sara Burnett

Developmental Editing, Proofreading, Poetry Manuscript Review, High School Tutoring

Sara Burnett (MFA, MA) offers developmental editing, proofreading, poetry manuscript reviews and high school ELA tutoring services. She is a poet, writer, licensed middle school/high school educator and freelance curriculum developer. Sara has published articles on education equity and immigration, developed curriculum to those aims, as well as published several poems and a chapbook. She most enjoys working 1-1 with clients offering specific and helpful feedback to achieve their writing goals or to fulfill an assignment.

Nora Carrol

Freelance Writing/Editing, Career Communications, Creative Coaching

Nora Carrol has been a business owner, marketer, visual artist and adult educator. Her newest venture is NoraCarrol.com, providing writing/editing, career communications and creative coaching. Carrol received her B. F. A. and M. Sci. from Syracuse University and won two Teaching Innovation Grants from the University of Maryland University College, where she was an adjunct associate professor from 1995-2006. She holds three professional certificates: distance learning, nonprofit management, and public policy analysis. Since fall 2021, she has taught courses in entrepreneurship for the University of the District of Columbia, and interactive marketing, AAP graduate communications program, Johns Hopkins University. As an author, Carrol has published with PBS, Distance Learning Magazine , the International Journal of University Adult Education , and more. From 1998-2002, she was associate editor for North America, Educational Technology & Society. Learn more at her website.

Carolyn Clark, PhD Classics

Writing Coach, Editing, Business Writing

Carolyn Clark, PhD, Pushcart Nominee 2020 is a retired teacher who sometimes leads workshops at The Writer’s Center. She is the author of Watershed – new Finger Lakes poems (2023), Poet Duet: A Mother and Daughter (2019); Choosing Lethe (2017); New Found Land (2017); Mnemosyne: the Long Traverse (2013) and has four poems in the Covid-19 anthology When the Virus Came Calling .

John DeDakis

Manuscript Editing, Personal Coaching

John DeDakis is a former copyeditor on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.” DeDakis is the author of five novels in the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series. His two most recent novels have won five awards including Reviewers Choice and Feathered Quill. His editorial services include personal coaching and manuscript editing. For his manuscript editing service, DeDakis provides several options: a comprehensive deep-dive copyedit; a manuscript assessment; or a “weed whack” if your manuscript is too long but you don’t know how to cut it. For a complete breakdown of his services and fees, contact DeDakis through his website.

Manuscript Feedback, Developmental Edits, Proofreading, Author Website Evaluations and Assistance, Promotional Material Design Work

Meg Eden’s work is published or forthcoming in magazines including Prairie Schooner , Poetry Northwest , Crab Orchard Review , RHINO and CV2 . She has been teaching creative writing at the university level since 2013, and has worked individually with student novels at the University of Maryland, as well as mentoring debut authors at the small press California Coldblood Books. She is the author of five poetry chapbooks, the novel Post-High School Reality Quest (2017), and the poetry collection Drowning in the Floating World (2020). She runs the Magfest MAGES Library blog, which posts accessible academic articles about video games ( https://super.magfest.org/mages-blog ). Find her online at megedenbooks.com or on Twitter at @ConfusedNarwhal .

Melanie Figg

Certified Creativity Coaching in all genres, Private Poetry Instruction (including Chapbook Editing), Developmental Editing in all genres, College Essay Tutoring

Melanie Figg (MFA, PCC, CPCC) is a certified professional coach and an active member of the International Coaching Federation. She works 1-1 with writers on their novels, memoirs, personal essays, and poetry collections. Her award-winning book,  Trace , received a  prestigious Kirkus starred review , and named it one of the top 7 inde books of 2020. Melanie’s work has been published in dozens of literary anthologies and journals The Iowa Review, The Rumpus, Nimrod, Hippocampus, Colorado Review, and others. She’s received many awards for her writing, including fellowships from the  National Endowment for the Arts  and the Maryland State Arts Council, and grants from the McKnight and Jerome Foundations, and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County. Melanie also offers women’s writing retreats and private classes. Through her website, she offers a free 30-minute consultation to talk about how she might help you with your writing.

Nikki Frias, Book on a Budget Coaching

Writing Coach and Mentor

Nikki Frias has contributed to Forbes , The Daily Beast , and Boardroom . She is an author, writing coach and teacher specializing in comedy writing. After noticing the struggles with finishing her own book, she started “Book on a Budget” coaching to help writer’s achieve their goals with an affordable a la carte style to help at any stage. Her book is titled “Does this Divorce Make Me Look Fat?” and she currently teaches sketch and comedy writing at The Writer’s Center.

Claudia Gary

Editing & Proofreading (Nonfiction, Fiction, Poetry), One-on-One Poetry Tutorials, Developmental Poetry & Nonfiction Editing, Meter/Form/Rhyme Coaching, Complete Chapbook Editing & Production.

Claudia Gary teaches Villanelle, Sonnet, Natural Meter, Poetry vs. Trauma, and Whole-Brain Poetry workshops at writer.org (currently via Zoom). Her experience as a health/science writer, poetry editor, history magazine editor, and musician/composer all enrich her coaching, consultation, teaching, and editing. Claudia’s sonnets, villanelles, and other poems can be found online in international journals, and in anthologies including Villanelles and Extreme Sonnets . Author of Humor Me (2006) and chapbooks including Genetic Revisionism (2019) and Epicurigrams (2017), she is a three-time finalist for the Nemerov Sonnet Award and 2013 semifinalist for the Hecht award (Waywiser). Follow @claudiagary .

Jennifer Hamady

Finding your voice.

Presentation Development, Performance Coaching, Public Speaking, Vocal Training

Jennifer Hamady is an author, therapist, and performance and voice coach specializing in self-expression. She works in private practice with writers and others to help them find their voices, manage performance anxiety, and authentically share themselves and their work. Jennifer writes for Psychology Today on creative and personal expression and leads workshops on public speaking, including for The Writer’s Center.

Judith Harris

Editing, Teaching, and Coaching (in all genres, including academic writing); Submission for Publication

Judith Harris, PhD, has taught at several universities in DC including George Washington University and American University. She is the author of four poetry collections (LSU) and a critical book on psychoanalysis and literature, Signifying Pain: Constructing the Self Through Writing (SUNY). Her poetry has appeared in The Atlantic , The Nation , The New Republic , New York Times blog, Slate , Hudson Review , among others. Her articles have been published by AWP’s The Writer’s Chronicle , College English , The Washingtonian , Tikkun , The American Journal of Psychoanalysis , Midwest Quarterly and she is currently writing the book, Poetry and Grief in Romantic and Contemporary Elegies for Routledge. She is associate editor of The Psychohistory Forum. She has mentored books by authors that have been published or are forthcoming in print.

GG Renee Hill

Creative Coaching, Project Development, Platform Building

GG is a self-help memoirist and creative coach who specializes in helping writers build creative courage, resilience, and a sustainable long-term writing practice. She offers coaching services that include idea generation, process and planning strategies, and accountability. Her guidance includes insights from her experience building a writer platform through online storytelling and content creation, self-publishing and traditional publishing, and creative consulting for nonprofit and corporate clients. GG helps writers stay on track and work through blocks, and she serves as a sounding board to support with brainstorming and ideation, feedback, and process issues. In addition to working with individuals through 1:1 and group coaching, GG’s past and present clients include a diverse list of organizations including The Writer’s Center, The Recording Academy, University of Maryland, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Cornell University, and BAE Systems, Inc. to name a few. You can learn more about her work and review client testimonials on her website.

Kathryn Johnson

Developmental Editing, Critical Reads, Private Coaching, Instructional Edits, Submission Guidance

Kathryn’s à la carte services for novice and experienced writers offer gentle, comprehensive guidance in all genres of fiction, memoir, and creative nonfiction. An instructor at TWC for over 10 years, Kathryn is the author of The Extreme Novelist, inspired by her most popular course. (In print, digital and audio formats: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Novelist-No-Time-Write-Drafting/dp/0692420835/ .) She has published over 40 novels with major New York publishers including Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins—and is the winner of the American Library Association’s Heart of Excellence Award and Romance Writers of America’s Bookseller’s Best Award.

Website: KathrynJohnsonLLC.com

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Writing & Media Coach, Consultant & Editor

Private Coaching, Consulting, Copyediting, Sensitivity Reading

Shanon Lee is a contributor for Forbes and The Lily, published by The Washington Post . Her byline appears in Cosmopolitan , ELLE , Marie Claire , Playboy , Redbook , Women’s Health and Parents Magazine . Her opinion essays on misogyny and racism are widely circulated, and have been shared by notables including bestselling author J.K. Rowling, rap legend MC Lyte and political activist Kevin Powell. Shanon is an alumna of the 2019 Women’s Media Center Progressive Women’s Voices program and a mentor-editor for The OpEd Project. She is represented by the Carol Mann Agency and offers private coaching, consulting, copyediting and sensitivity reading services.

Laura J. Oliver, MFA

Story Development Editor, Manuscript Evaluation, Writing Mentor (all genres), Publishing Guidance

Laura J. Oliver, MFA, is a story development editor, newspaper columnist, NPR contributor, and writing mentor who has taught at the University of Maryland and St. John’s College. The author of The Story Within (Penguin Random House), Oliver teaches others to write successful short stories, novels, memoirs, and personal essays. Oliver’s work appears in national publications such as The Washington Post, Country Living Magazine, The Writer Magazine, and The Sun Magazine . Her editing clients have landed book contracts with publishers such as Simon and Schuster. Oliver won a Maryland Arts Council Award in Fiction, is an Anne Arundel County Literary Arts Award winner, and her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

Katherine Pickett

Pop editorial services, llc.

Copyediting, Proofreading, Developmental Editing, Self-Publishing Consultation

Katherine Pickett is the owner of POP Editorial Services LLC, where she provides copyediting, proofreading, and developmental editing to authors and publishers across the country. A strong believer in the collaborative approach to editing, she adapts her style to fit the needs of her clients. She has been involved in the publishing industry since 1999 and has professional training in both fiction and nonfiction editing. She is also the author of the award-winning book Perfect Bound: How to Navigate the Book Publishing Process Like a Pro . Her articles have appeared on Publishing Perspectives, JaneFriedman.com, Writer Beware, IBPA Independent , and others. Find her blog at thePOPnewsletter.com .

Poetry Mentoring, Manuscript Evaluation

Ann Quinn is the author of Final Deployment and Poetry is Life and winner of the 2015 Bethesda Poetry Contest. In addition to classes through The Writers Center and other venues, she works with individual poets to hone their work for publication. In the words of one student, “Ann is sensitive to the feelings of fledgling poets but doesn’t pull her punches. She has a forensic eye for detail and spells out, without a hint of scorn or dogmatism, just what works—and more importantly—doesn’t work in a poem.” Current students have won awards and had chapbooks accepted for publication.

Contact Ann through her website for a free phone consultation.

Lynn Auld Schwartz

Story Development Editing, Manuscript Assessment, Individual Instruction, Ghostwriting, Performance: Reading and Storytelling Coaching

Lynn Auld Schwartz is a story development editor and ghostwriter for fiction, memoir, and performance works. For 20 years, Lynn has provided writers with manuscript assessments, developmental editing, and instruction—preparing writing for publication submission or performance. Lynn has received two Individual Artist Awards in Fiction from the Maryland State Arts Council; her plays/staged readings have been performed, including at Lincoln Center; and she founded NYC’s Temple Bar Literary Reading Series. A graduate of The City College of NY, Columbia University, and Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater, Lynn has taught at St. John’s College and The Writer’s Center.

Marilyn W. Smith, PhD

The wordsmith.

Coaching and Consultation, Developmental Editing, Copy Editing, Group Facilitation, Encouragement

Marilyn Smith earned her Ph.D. in Education Policy/Higher Education and an M.A. in Reading Education. She took numerous writing classes from The Writer’s Center and has taught a wide variety of courses/workshops/seminars since 1969. Marilyn has published two books—her memoir, The Yin-Yang Life of a Baby Boomer , and an anthology of medical memoirs, Tales from Our Hearts and Other Body Parts: A Women’s Health Anthology . Marilyn works with writers in memoir, family history, fiction, and non-fiction including academic writing and theses. She lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and thoroughly enjoys her work as The WordSmith! References available upon request.

Katherine Hutt Scott

Writing Coaching, Message Development, Developmental Editing, Copy Editing, Proofreading

Katherine Hutt Scott is the 3rd place winner of the 2018 Bethesda Urban Partnership poetry contest and loves all forms of beautiful writing. She has coached officials at the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank in good writing practices, and taught webinars on effective writing to entrepreneurs for the SBA’s Small Business Development Center in Washington, DC. She also has edited a book of poetry and helped a retiree with cognitive difficulties write his memoir about surviving brain cancer. Ms. Scott has worked a decade as an international communications professional and two decades before that as a journalist.

Susan Sonde

Poetry Editing, Coaching, Manuscript Revision and Preparation

Experienced, widely published prize-winning poet ready to help those at any stage of their careers. Whether you have a full-length manuscript or a select few poems, Susan will help you reach a wider audience through publication.

Elaine Stromquist

Editing, Tutoring (English, French, Writing), Educational Consulting

Elaine Stromquist is an educator, editor, and tutor. She has a BA and MA in French Language and Literature. She has taught and tutored all levels of French during her professional career. In addition, she has worked as an Editor and Educational Consultant, editing educational reports and publications and assisting clients with college essays and creative writing projects. She has had a lifelong passion for language, art, and international culture.

Scott Swinney

Individual and Group Coaching, Concept Development, Ghostwriting, Research, Proofreading and Editing

I’ve taught college-level writing and research for 20 years, and I directed a university writing center for more than a decade. From the drawing board to the editing desk, I’ll be your discreet occasional collaborator or your affordable silent partner who helps you present your ideas clearly and concretely. I specialize in academic and professional writing, but I’ve worked with authors in many fields. I’ll also step in with a turn of phrase or an editor’s eye when you need it. Stop procrastinating! Let’s work together to make you a more focused, professional writer.

Sue Ellen Thompson

Sue Ellen Thompson is the author of five books of poetry and winner of the 2010 Maryland Author Award. For more than 20 years she has been working with individual poets to revise their poems and improve their chances of getting published. She provides line-by-line feedback on specific poems either in person or via email; revised poems can be re-submitted for critique at a later date. She also work with poets who are preparing chapbooks or full-length manuscripts for publication. Several of her former mentorees have gone on to win contests and publish their books.

Hank Wallace, JD

Write & Speak Like the News

“Lead with the future — not background” is the most important of 9 journalism skills hankwallace.com/agenda.html that will transform your writing and speaking. Become “concise as news, precise as law” with Hank Wallace, a Columbia Law School graduate who wrote the FCC’s plain-language newsletter. Preview how you’ll learn: hankwallace.com/PDF/TrainLiketheNews.pdf .

Sheila Wenz

Creative & Business Copywriting, SEO Marketing, Slogans/tags/headlines, Scriptwriting, Comedy & Humor Writing & Coaching

Sheila Wenz is the founder of Stand-Up Studios where she teaches and coaches in the comedy arts and comedy writing. She has a strong background in marketing communications and public relations, writing copy and online content for a variety of industries including real estate, luxury products, business, science, finance, medical, lifestyle and more. She is also versed in television and screenwriting and worked on series and films at CBS, ABC, Columbia Pictures, MGM, Warner Bros and on the writing staff of “The Tonight Show.” She writes script content for videos, tradeshows, promotions, advertising, radio, interviews and training.

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Memoir and Poetry Writing Class with Professor Donato

All day main library, 26 civic center plaza, santa ana, ca 92701.

During Poetry Month, our library invites you to join our special Memoir & Poetry Fusion class, a unique and inspiring opportunity to explore your personal memories through the lens of poetic expression. This program blends the beauty of poetry with the depth of memoir writing, providing a platform for you to tell your life’s story in verse. Contact us at  714-647-5250  for more information.

Durante el Mes de la Poesía, nuestra biblioteca lo invita a unirse a nuestra clase especial de Fusión de Memorias y Poesía, una oportunidad única e inspiradora para explorar sus recuerdos personales a través del lente de la expresión poética. Este programa combina la belleza de la poesía con la profundidad de la escritura de memo-rias, brindándole una plataforma para que cuente la historia de su vida en verso. Contáctenos al  714-647-5250  para recibir más información.

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April 1, 2024

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Microsoft 365 Life Hacks > Writing > Prose vs. poetry: what’s the difference?

Prose vs. poetry: what’s the difference?

Both prose and poetry are forms of writing; however, many people don’t fully understand the differences between the two. Learn the difference between prose versus poetry to expand your knowledge of common writing styles.

Have you ever read a beautifully written, heartfelt passage, but weren’t sure if it was considered a poem or prose? People often use the terms ‘prose’ and ‘poetry’ interchangeably, even though they’re two different forms of writing.

What is prose?

Prose is writing that doesn’t follow any meters or rhyming schemes. In fact, everyday writing is considered prose! Books, short stories, essays, and any sort of writing that doesn’t follow a specific structure is considered prose.

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Types of prose

There are a few different types of prose: Fictional prose, nonfictional prose, heroic prose, and prose poetry.

Fictional prose

Prose fiction is when an author tells a story that isn’t based on true events. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a great example of fictional prose.

Nonfictional prose

Non-fictional prose is when an author writes about real events. For example, newspapers or memoirs are examples of non-fiction prose. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi is a memoir that is considered non-fiction prose.

Heroic prose

Heroic prose is a story that is passed down orally, but it can also be written down. This form of prose isn’t as common as fictional prose, nonfictional prose, or prose poetry. Heroic prose includes parables, myths, and fables. The Odyssey by Homer is an example of heroic prose.

Prose poetry

Prose poetry is a form of writing that uses literary devices such as imagery, symbols, or alliteration. Prose poetry can be both fiction and non-fiction, and it is characterized by its poetic qualities expressed in prose form, but not necessarily by the absence of line breaks or rhyming scheme .

Here’s a sample of prose poetry from Amy Lowell’s Bath:

“The day is fresh-washed and fair, and there is a smell of tulips and narcissus in the air. The sunshine pours in at the bath-room window and bores through the water in the bath-tub in lathes and planes of greenish-white. It cleaves the water into flaws like a jewel, and cracks it to bright light.” You may have notice that Lowell does incorporate a rhyme in her poem—both white and light rhyme—but the poem itself doesn’t follow a specific rhyming scheme.

What is poetry?

There are many different forms of poetry out there, but in general, poetry focuses on rhythm. Poems also incorporate structure, patterns, and rhyming schemes. Some popular forms of poetry include:

• Lyric poetry

Here is an example from a famous poem titled I’m nobody! Who are you? by Emily Dickinson:

“How dreary to be somebody! How public like a frog To tell one’s name the livelong day To an admiring bog!”

The fundamental differences between poetry and prose

Prose is a straightforward form of writing that follows natural flow of language and doesn’t use line breaks. Poetry, on the other hand, often uses structure such as rhyme, rhythm, and intentional line breaks. While not all poems have to rhyme , it’s a signature of the form and many do.

If you’re interested in learning more about poetry, see how you can write a narrative poem or use punctuation in poetry .

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Leading poetry critic Marjorie Perloff has died at 92: “Her passion was brilliant.”

Home » Uncategorized » Leading poetry critic Marjorie Perloff has died at 92: “Her passion was brilliant.”

Marjorie Perloff, one of America’s leading poetry critics, has died at 92. At Stanford, she was the Sadie Dernham Patek Professor of Humanities emerita. There will be many tributes in the days and weeks to come. Meanwhile, a few words of an early Facebook tribute from Stanford’s Hilton Obenzinger , who interviewed her for his “How I Write” program:

She lived a full life, fleeing Vienna as a child and ending up a leading critic. She always had an acute vision of current poetics, and she could be raucous and demanding and irritating and sometimes oddly narrow-minded, racially blinded on occasion, but she cultivated new experimental directions in poetry with a passion that was brilliant. I remember she sponsored a series of readings by avant-garde poets at Stanford. There were good turnouts – but with a remarkable absence of English Department faculty. She participated in a “How I Write” conversation. All I had to do was get her going and I didn’t have to say very much, she would just roll on in brilliant and funny bursts. Here’s an excerpt from the book that came from those conversations,. How We Write: The Varieties of Writing Experience :

Marjorie Perloff finds her subjects in a serendipitous or meandering fashion. She was asked to write an “omnibus review” of a hundred books of poetry, but she veered off when she discovered the work of one poet, Frank O’Hara , in an anthology. She was completely enthralled, and was compelled to write one of the earliest critical books about O’Hara’s work. “You’re going to write about something that speaks to you,” Perloff explained. “It does not mean it’s the greatest work; it just speaks to you. Nobody could be more different from me than Frank O’Hara, an Irish-American, gay, Catholic, male poet.” But she loved his work, his sense of humor; and she knew she liked the kinds of irony that O’Hara employs—so this became her project. Perloff explained that she has had to understand her own taste, “knowing what you like and don’t like,” and consequently her subject becomes a very personal choice, one that grows from that self-knowledge. “There are going to be certain things I never do like, that are, for me, sentimental,” and O’Hara was not one of those.

But it’s not only taste; it’s what she can offer to the conversation. Poets would often ask Marjorie Perloff why she hadn’t written about them or why she hadn’t written about some other writer. “It doesn’t mean you don’t like them,” she explained; but she may not have anything particular to say that hasn’t been said already. “There are a lot of people I like that I haven’t written about because I don’t feel I have anything to say that other people haven’t said. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t find them very interesting; it just means—Let’s take somebody like Faulkner , for instance. I adore Faulkner. But I don’t have anything to say about Faulkner, particularly.” From Boris Dralyuk on Twitter: “I had this theory (ha…) that Marjorie was related to Shelley Winters. Like SW, she was a force, magnetic and grand. It was a joy to get her notes when she caught pieces of mine she liked, and it hurts to think that ’25 will arrive without one of her sumptuous New Year’s letters. “

From Derek Beaulieu on Twitter: “Rest in peace Marjorie Perloff (1931-2024); an incredible scholar, critic, and colleague … Marjorie passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family. She was herself to the end – funny, opinionated, generous, and fiercely devoted to her friends and family. “ Postscript from Peter Y. Paik of the University in Seoul, South Korea: “Ages ago when I was an undergrad interested in avant-garde poetry, it was Marjorie Perloff who made me want to pursue an academic career. I admired the clarity and grace with which she wrote on the most demanding sorts of texts, so much the inverse of much of the theory-heavy scholarship at the time. While my research interests moved in other directions, one of my fondest memories of graduate school was of getting to meet her in person at a conference in Cornell in 1995. She had an unabashed love for what she studied, which gave an invigorating and spirited quality to her conversation. Marjorie always retained the passion that drives one to study literature but which too often flags and flares out in the grind of the ivory tower. I pay my respects to a life well-lived, and offer the prayer that there will be more like her in the future. “

Postscript on March 29: There’s more. From Robert Pogue Harrison (read the whole piece here ):

“At Stanford, Perloff had a profound and lasting impact on her students and colleagues.  Robert Pogue Harrison , the Rosina Pierotti Professor of Italian Literature, Emeritus, team-taught  Introduction to the Humanities  and two graduate seminars on the French 19th century poets Charles Baudelaire and Arthur Rimbaud with Perloff in the late 1990s. ‘No one who spent an hour in Marjorie’s company could ever forget her,’ said Harrison, professor of French and Italian. ‘In addition to being the best scholar of modern poetry of her generation, she was multi-lingual, immensely articulate, and a tour de force of wit and storytelling. She gave greatly more to Stanford than she took from it. Team-teaching with her was an exhilarating experience that I will always cherish.’”   Postscript on March 26, from Polish poet Julia Fiedorczuk :

Tags: Boris Dralyuk , Helen Vendler , Hilton Obenzinger

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Bill Belichick is writing a book about his experiences as an NFL head coach

B ill Belichick, a legendary figure in the National Football League who has left an indelible mark on the football and sports industry in general as head coach of the New England Patriots for more than two decades, is close to taking another step in his personal life.

His meticulous approach and ability to adapt to circumstances made him the rival to beat for over 20 years .

As he prepares to take a year off, Belichick will write a book about his life and career— a perfect time to reflect on his legacy and impact on the sport he loves.

According to Andrew Marchand of TheAthletic.com , Belichick is beginning to write his book, and Simon & Schuster’s Avid Reader Press is considered to be in charge.

In addition to his tactical prowess, Belichick is known for his ability to identify and develop talent . He has been responsible for molding some of the greatest players the NFL has ever seen, helping them reach their full potential and contribute to the team’s success. There is no better example than Tom Brady .

His ability to evaluate talent and assign specific roles to each player is one reason the Patriots have been consistently competitive during his tenure.

Without the opportunity to put his talent on a sideline, it is expected that Belichick could be turning in his book just before the start of next season when the Chiefs hold the traditional championship team kickoff on the first Thursday in September.

Belichcik’s influence extends beyond football , and his legacy will live on long after he stops coaching. His methodical approach and winning mentality inspired a generation of coaches and players. His book promises to be a window into his brilliant mind, offering a unique insight into his thoughts, strategies, and experiences over the years .

Although the ‘Monk’ is interested in commentating on some NFL games, the proposals made to him include participation in weekly programs to analyze the gam e, something that Belichick is not very sure about doing.

With his production company Omaha, Peyton Manning would be interested in adding Belichick as a talent . Pat McAfee has also expressed public interest in having him on his show. McAfee pays his guests like Aaron Rodgers.

LSU coach Kim Mulkey's feuding with the Washington Post. Here's what we know so far

As it turns out, the madness of March extends past the confines of the court.

LSU women's head basketball coach Kim Mulkey spent four minutes of a Saturday press conference going after her next opponent: the Washington Post .

Mulkey, who led the Tigers back to the NCAA tournament one year after winning a national title, accused the Post of writing an upcoming article framed as a "hit piece" about her. According to Mulkey, the Post's reporter has been working on the piece for the last two years and contacted multiple former coaches and players.

"I’ve hired the best defamation law firm in the country, and I will sue The Washington Post if they publish a false story about me," Mulkey said. "Not many people are in a position to hold these kinds of journalists accountable but I am, and I’ll do it."

A Washington Post spokesperson declined a comment request from USA TODAY on Saturday.

FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.

On Sunday, Mulkey had more to say when asked about her team's slow start against No. 11 Middle Tennessee State Tigers. While LSU eventually won handily, 83-56, the sluggish first half begged the question of whether the team was distracted.

“No. Listen, we’re not going to let one sleazy reporter distract us from what we’re trying to do. Absolutely not,” Mulkey said.

Here's everything we know so far about the upcoming article.

March Madness picks: Our Sunday bracket predictions for 2024 NCAA women's tournament

Rumors about a Kim Mulkey article surfaced on Friday

Pat Forde, a writer for Sports Illustrated, reported via social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Friday that he heard about a "big Washington Post story in the works." According to Forde, the piece may come out as early as next week.

The Washington Post reporter has covered LSU in the past

According to Mulkey, the reporter in question, Kent Babb, had previously written an article about Brian Kelly for the Post. She "didn't appreciate" the story and refused to sit down with him as a result.

Mulkey said the writer sent LSU "more than a dozen questions" on Tuesday with a deadline to respond on Thursday, "right before we’re scheduled to tip-off." (LSU's women's basketball team played their first game of the tournament against Rice on Friday afternoon. They won, 70-60.)

She went on to say she believed the timing of the questioning and deadline were intentional, an attempt to distract her and her team from their current postseason run.

"It ain’t gonna work, buddy," Mulkey said.

"This is exactly why people don’t trust journalists and the media anymore. It’s these kinds of sleazy tactics and hatchet jobs that people are just tired of."

Women's March Madness games: Schedule, how to watch Sunday's NCAA Tournament games

Kent Babb has responded to Mulkey's comments

Though both Babb and the Post have declined most requests for comment from multiple outlets, Babb did confirm to the Associated Press he is working on a Mulkey profile. He also seemingly responded to Mulkey's press conference allegations and lawsuit threats in a Saturday post on X.

"Hit piece?" the post read with a link to Babb's aforementioned 2022 article on Brian Kelly.

It is so far unclear when the Washington Post will publish the upcoming story.