People have been telling me that I must get some of my poetry in book form. This video is full of practical advice which I have found very helpful and will spur me on towards my first publication. Thank you.
My chapbook was the first method too, which I think is really common for chapbooks! A friend of mine was the first one to stress that the order would be important, and I'm really thankful they did because I hadn't considered it before I got started.
I like the idea of setting out to do a themed collection, which I am trying at the moment (but keep going back to whatever I fancy anyway), but I find it can feel like it is somewhat forced somewhat to always set out to write a poem with a certain theme in mind.
I personally agree because that doesn't come naturally to me, but so many people absolutely master it and work best in that style. It's probably similar to the difference between being a plotter or pantser when it comes to novels. :)
Hi, I’ve recently been watching your poetry videos, your insights and thoughts are very helpful and inspiring to me. As an aspiring writer that’s still in high school, I am attempting to self publish my work on my own and it’s been stressful and I’ve been struggling to find help. Thank you for offering your advice, listening to your experience with writing motivates me to improve upon my own writing :)
I'm so glad my videos have been helping you! Good luck publishing your poetry! It can be a difficult process and I know the information online is mainly outdated or hard to find, but as long as you do all the research you can and don't rush yourself so that you're putting out a product you're completely proud of, you'll be successful. Good luck! If you have any specific questions I'll do my best to help!
For me this has got to be the most agonizing part of writing poetry. I'm working on my first book and can't seem to find my overall theme. I will probably have to write more poems. My subject matter is all over the place.
Honestly I had the same problem. I don't write toward a collection the way someone would write a novel, I just write the poems as they come to me and look back at them later when I want to finally share. My one recommendation would be to look closely at what it is you like to focus on when you write. Are most of your poems observational? Are they mainly about grief or love? Do you over use rain metaphors? You probably have a tendency toward some subject or another that you could spin a theme out of and pile around it those poems who match up, even tangentially.
@@KayeSpivey I have about 35 poems that deal with family; the home I was raised in and the family I shared with my ex-wife. I have about 25 poems that deal with my relationships with women. I then have about 15 poems that deal with things like race, politics, religion, being a poet. 50 poems will make a nice collection but which ones? I'll figure it out.
@@rievans57 Hi Richard, I hope you have continued working on your collection. Although it’s been a year since your comment, I wonder if you’d consider it an honest ear from a stranger.. Try to find you an overarching theme or aid with organizational structure.
People have been telling me that I must get some of my poetry in book form. This video is full of practical advice which I have found very helpful and will spur me on towards my first publication. Thank you.
I did the first method with my chapbook. From the feedback I’ve received, it seems that the order of the poems was key in the enjoyment.
My chapbook was the first method too, which I think is really common for chapbooks! A friend of mine was the first one to stress that the order would be important, and I'm really thankful they did because I hadn't considered it before I got started.
I like the idea of setting out to do a themed collection, which I am trying at the moment (but keep going back to whatever I fancy anyway), but I find it can feel like it is somewhat forced somewhat to always set out to write a poem with a certain theme in mind.
I personally agree because that doesn't come naturally to me, but so many people absolutely master it and work best in that style. It's probably similar to the difference between being a plotter or pantser when it comes to novels. :)
Hi, I’ve recently been watching your poetry videos, your insights and thoughts are very helpful and inspiring to me. As an aspiring writer that’s still in high school, I am attempting to self publish my work on my own and it’s been stressful and I’ve been struggling to find help. Thank you for offering your advice, listening to your experience with writing motivates me to improve upon my own writing :)
I'm so glad my videos have been helping you! Good luck publishing your poetry! It can be a difficult process and I know the information online is mainly outdated or hard to find, but as long as you do all the research you can and don't rush yourself so that you're putting out a product you're completely proud of, you'll be successful. Good luck! If you have any specific questions I'll do my best to help!
For me this has got to be the most agonizing part of writing poetry. I'm working on my first book and can't seem to find my overall theme. I will probably have to write more poems. My subject matter is all over the place.
Honestly I had the same problem. I don't write toward a collection the way someone would write a novel, I just write the poems as they come to me and look back at them later when I want to finally share. My one recommendation would be to look closely at what it is you like to focus on when you write. Are most of your poems observational? Are they mainly about grief or love? Do you over use rain metaphors? You probably have a tendency toward some subject or another that you could spin a theme out of and pile around it those poems who match up, even tangentially.
@@KayeSpivey I have about 35 poems that deal with family; the home I was raised in and the family I shared with my ex-wife. I have about 25 poems that deal with my relationships with women. I then have about 15 poems that deal with things like race, politics, religion, being a poet. 50 poems will make a nice collection but which ones? I'll figure it out.
@@rievans57 Hi Richard, I hope you have continued working on your collection. Although it’s been a year since your comment, I wonder if you’d consider it an honest ear from a stranger..
Try to find you an overarching theme or aid with organizational structure.