Read

We as writers don't live in a vacum either. With that said read. Read often.

On the poetry side I am reading 'Call Me Ishmael Tonight' by Agha Shahid Ali and 'The First Hay (na)ku Anthology' edited by Jean Vengua and Mark Young.

On the sci-fi side I am reading 'The Phoenix Exultant' by John C. Wright.

Make sure that you keep reading because that extra stimuli opens up new channels in your thinking and can cause you to go in direction that you wouldn't have thought of on your own.

Poetry Links

I added a new list dealing with links connecting to poetry forms to the right. I will update the list everytime I overview a new form in my blog. At present I have a link to THE Hay(na)ku blog (the blog of the creator of the form) and a link to a great Haibun journal. Enjoy.

Another Poetry Form: The Haibun

The Haibun is a Japanese form often used in a travelogue form. It is another brief form (lately I've been experimenting with brief forms). It consists of one or more paragraphs with one or more embedded haiku. The prose is often poetic in and of itself. It lends itself to reveal a special moment. The haiku amplify the prose by illustrating a direct or subtle relationship to the moment. Basho, a traveling zen monk is the originator of this form circa 1650. As he wrote them while he was traveling the same subject matter permeates modern Haibun.

I have a lot of travels that I have taken (and continue to take). I find it a great meditative form to use in my travel journals. I also lean toward poetic prose so this form allows me to explore that particular strength. Try it out.

*Poets and Writers has just updated their contests and residencies area. Check it out.
*In the future I will link some poetry form sites to my blog. Stay tuned

You are not an island

Writers are a community. We do not exist on an island nowadays. Make sure that you are a part of this community. There are so many ways that youu can become a part. You can join a writer's workshop in your area. You can join one of the the billions of online writer's forums out there. You can subscribe to one of the many magazines or journals. It is just important that you become a part so that you first have a group of people supporting you who respect the written word. For me, this group was essential in getting me through the 'dark night of the soul' that many of us go through in terms of judging our own work.

Being around other writers also enables you to recieve new stiumuli in the form of their writings. When I am writing I tend to shut my self off to mine the resources within my own self. It is important to stay organically connected to the world though. The works of other writers is a great way to do this.

So don't flee the people who probably understand you the most.

Get an Editor

Get an Editor

If you are working on a large project like a novel or a book of poetry or even a short story get an editor. In terms of your shorter pieces you should always have someone look them over. You should get use to someone critiquing your work. A once read over with a fresh eye will bring out the luster of your piece, clean up any loose ends, and make sure that your works are always presented in the best light.

Use all of the benefits of computer writing programs such as grammar/spelling check. If you have a friend who is an English major let them take a crack at your work. Editing is part of the process of writing. It is the final polish. In some cases editing may cause you to smash the whole project and start over again. That's alright. Don't become attatched to a single point in time of your creation. Allow your creation to grow and develop. Be in tune with every stage.

You may be perfect, yet your piece is not ;-) Let others point you toward perfection

Writer Write

You have to keep writing.

It seems the most simple element yet it is the one that people ignore all of the time. Writers write. Runners don't get better by sitting around. Musicians don't get better by staying in bed all day. That 'i'm not inspired' is some porkshit that needs to be dismissed. You don't write always to turn out masterpieces. You write to become better at your craft. Even if you are inspired if you haven't perfected your skill then it isn't going to come out or it will come out as crap or you'll just be damn constipated.

*You will become better at grammar

*You will start to produce a volume of work to select from

*You will start to see things clearer

*You will be productive

*You will REALLY be a writer.

Don't set out to always write a whole poem, essay, book, short story, etc. Sometimes you just need to skroodle (skribble+doodle). That tightens up those writer muscles and every so often a beautiful piece emerges.

What is unique about you?

That is the most important jewel that you can discover. What sets you apart from 101 other writers out there? Why should I listen to you vs the next guy? Do you have anything important to say? Do you have a unique way of saying the same thing that everyone else is saying? Where are your works? What are you known for? Who is paying attention to you? What are you trying to do with your words?



When writing you have to sell yourself. The key is to get in the door. It isn't easy in this day of every type of media. Once you are in though you have to continue to make noise. You have to continue to innovate.



I haven't fully laid out what makes me unique yet I won't be content until the whole world knows my name.