Poetry takes the lead...

-

This week I had my third meeting with my poetry editor. We have now gone through the entire manuscript. Some poems have been scrapped - others have been polished - others are still undergoing editing. The whole ms is now back in my hands and I have to go through it all section by section: adding, subtracting and basically refining. It's daunting, but I'm finding my way through.

I'm also reading a lot of poetry. Just read Denise Levertov's collection, The Sorrow Dance. I loved it - read it in one sitting. Now I'm reading Lorna Crozier's collection, The Blue Hour of the Day. If you open her book to a random page - you never know what you're going to get. She uses a variety of styles and voices. I stumbled upon her poem entitled, "Why I love Pumpkins." I was curious to see what she could do with pumpkins. As it turns out, she can do a lot with them. It's my new favourite poem.

This weekend I took some time to work on a flash fiction piece for Moosemeat. I err on the side of saying too little in my fiction and people always want to know more. For example, with the story I've just written, I have this woman stalking someone - but I never say why. Maybe that's okay. I did try to include the "why" - but it didn't work - so I'm sticking with the original version.

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently gave a talk at WriteNow@King. Over the next little while, I'll be sharing some of the tips I've come across about writing and publishing.

Here's my first tip: If you're looking for writers' resources check this link out: The Book and Periodical Council (BPC) is the umbrella organization for associations involved in the writing and editing, publishing and manufacturing, distribution, and selling and lending of books and periodicals in Canada. It lists awards, festivals and much more. I can search forever on the net and not find the information that's all listed on this site.

Happy Mother's Day!


Popular posts from this blog

Guest Blogger Mike Lummis Reviews Heart Strings, a New Canadian Musical

-
Image
Heart Strings , written by Reynold Nathaniel, is essentially a love story. Love is the prevailing emotion. Love of family, love of friends, romantic love and love of music. Set in Ireland in the summer of 1908, the majority of the cast are called upon to perform with an Irish brogue. The actors do well with the accents and there are plenty of Irish references from whiskey to stew. The costumes create a sense of the period. It is inspiring to see a cast give their all to a new piece of Canadian theatre. The play is directed by David Ludwig, a seasoned actor who has appeared at Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Heart Strings is Ludwig’s first directing job and he directs with skill and ease. The play flows smoothly, the blocking is crisp and the actors are clearly guided by a sure hand. Lead actor Garth Wigle re-located all the way from Cornwall to perform in the show. He did so out of his love for the theatre. Wigle plays Sir William, who orders the prized Phonolistz Vi
Read more

Q&A with poet Robin Richardson

-
Image
“ The truth, and the vulnerability of sharing it, is liberation. ” Robin Richardson is the author of two full-length collections of poetry, and is Editor-in-Chief at   Minola Review, a Journal of Women’s Arts & Letters .    Her work has been shortlisted for the Walrus Poetry Prize, CBC Poetry Award, Lemon Hound Poetry Prize, and ReLit Award and has won the John B. Santorini Award and the Joan T. Baldwin Award. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in many journals including POETRY , Tin House , Arc , The North American Review , and Hazlitt of Random House. She holds an MFA in Poetry from Sarah Lawrence College and BA in Design from OCAD University. Richardson’s latest collection, Sit How You Want , is forthcoming with V é hicule Press. She is represented by Samantha Haywood at Transatlantic Agency, who is working with her debut memoir this year.  A couple of weeks ago, Robin Richardson featured at the Art B
Read more

The Ins and Outs of Submitting to Literary Magazines

-
Image
Ten questions to keep in mind Choosing which Magazines to Submit to There are so many journals that it can be hard to choose. Here are some key questions to ask yourself to narrow them down: 1. What literary magazines do you like that match your writing style? It’s important to get a sense of the publications you’re going to submit to. Read a recent issue. You’ll have a better idea of what pieces you have that match the editorial aesthetic of the magazine and vice versa, not to mention that it’s worthwhile to read as much as you can in your genre.  2. Are you looking for a print magazine? An online magazine? Both? These days, writers are seeing the value of online magazines, which are readily accessible to readers. However, print magazines are still coveted by many writers, especially if they’re available in bookstores and newsstands. Some publications have their issues both online and in print—a decided advantage. Where would you ideally like to see your wo
Read more