polecat-pondering

[polecat-pondering]

Blog 10 - Back on the Table

Taking this class scared me more than anything else I have taken (ok, except for math…) I haven’t written much poetry since high school when I gave it up because of a horrid teacher who thought ridicule was motivational. In fact, every semester, I choose one “hard” class and make sure the rest are easier so I can focus on the hard one. This semester, I was wrong. Yes, this class was challenging and drug me kicking and screaming outside my comfort zone (thank you Dr. Byrd for taking the time to discuss one of the daily poems with me…even though it still doesn’t make sense to me).

This class reminded me what I used to love about poetry. Reading “The True Account of Myself as a Bird” by Wrigley was wonderful. I used to save my babysitting money to buy poetry books – Rod McKuen and Shakespeare were always top of my list (I never knew McKuen did music - he was always a poet to me). Of course, that stopped after my terrible teacher. Now, I think it will change. We were required to attend two poetry readings. So far, I have attended five. Admittedly, I didn’t enjoy all five, and might have left early during one, but the important thing is that I don’t just pass those emails alerting me to a reading.

I may never go back to writing a lot of poetry, but it is nice to feel it is an option now. Poetry is back on the table.

Merci beaucoup for returning a lost part of my life, Dr. Byrd.

[polecat-pondering]

Blog 9 - the Great Hunter

Putting together a list of literary magazines is a challenge. I feel like I had a leg up since I had to do this exercise in a previous semester. I found several additional magazines this time that look very interesting. I submitted a book review in the creative non-fiction class, so I have a submittable account and have walked through the fire once. (It wasn't accepted). I feel better prepared this time and have high hopes.

I think this is why most of us are here...we want to capture the elusive brass ring. I believe I can do it - and that you can too!

[polecat-pondering]

Blog 8 - Let's get formal

Writing formal poetry is always difficult for me. Organizing what I want to say inside a rigid framework is a challenge. It can limit your word choices. I find this the most frustrating part of working in a frame. I may have a perfect word in my head that is just right to describe what I am trying to convey – BUT – it doesn’t rhyme, or it has the wrong number of syllables. It makes me want to bang my head on the desk. And it certainly makes free verse poetry appealing.

On the flip side, it demands that you be creative. So, you can’t use that perfect word. Now you have to think up another perfect word that does work. Or maybe you have to rewrite the entire sentence in a new way. It forces you to consider every word you put on your paper. I find it helps to have a big vocabulary (thank you Grandma!)

I find it helps to think about what I want to say with my poem. I consider this the “big picture” or the message. I begin by writing lines in my notebook for several days. They might be ideas or pictures in my head (like most people, I think in pictures). Sometimes, it is just a list of words that relate to my topic. Often during this note period, I end up with secondary meanings to my message. For example, I wrote a poem about recycling that had a subtext about starting a new life after loss. This is all just thinking on paper, so I don’t have to remember everything.

Finally, I sit at the computer and begin organizing my notes into a poem. I keep two pages open: the one I am writing my poem on and a second page for deleted lines. I keep deleted lines because sometimes that can be useful; if not for this poem, then for another. I find this second page to be critical when I am writing inside a formal framework. As I struggle to restructure a line or find a perfect word, sometimes it is sitting right there on the “junk” page. I am embarrassed to admit how many times I have added and deleted a single line.

Another odd challenge with formal poetry is language. It is such an old format that it can be easy to fall into old language. (Admit it – who doesn’t hear Shakespeare in their head when writing a sonnet?) We have mental images associated with certain rhyme schemes and structures that can influence our word choices. Dr. Seuss has a particular hold on my brain when I write rhyming poetry. And no one takes pity on you when you say you are fighting with Dr. Seuss…

[polecat-pondering]

Interesting article about how to use Tumblr effectively!

HOW TO: WRITEBLR;

so youve migrated from writing twt to writeblr -> what now?

the following is my masterpost on the ins and outs of navigating the writeblr landscape! while it can be scary to deep-dive into the world of writing on tumblr for the first time, there are a few actions you can take to make it a lot easier to interact and share your writing.

psa: this is neither an extensive nor complete list of writeblr tips! but i hope it can help :)

INTERACTION;

interacting with others is one of the most important aspects of writeblr. im going to be splitting this section into a number of sub-sections because there are several topics relevant to creating a system of communication with other writers on here.

likes and reblogs; unlike twitter or other social media sites, likes do not hold the same weight on tumblr. as well as liking a post, the most important step you can take is to REBLOG. reblogging will share a post to your blog and thus your feed. in doing this, your followers and anyone who checks out your blog are going to see the post, rather than if you just like or comment. reblogging allows more people to interact with a post. content creators (including writers) can be motivated to continue posting when their posts are reblogged because it shows there are enough people interested in their works. the same goes for you! the more you reblog other people's works, the more likely your own posts will be reblogged, thus gaining more traction for all your hard-earned efforts.

taglists; you might be asking: what is a taglist? a taglist is usually featured at the bottom of your post when you share your writing. it includes people who have shown interest in your works - all you do is simply @ them. it means that people who are keen won't miss out on seeing the things you post about your wips! it is essentially an opt-in type deal, where people can choose to be added or removed from being notified about updates, excerpts, and the like.

don't abuse your taglist. don't tag them for every little thing you post about your wips - try to keep it to major posts like excerpts or new art, etc.

**** A HANDY HINT: writeblr etiquette states that you should never just add people to your taglist. only add them if they specifically ask.

tumblr tagging system; the tumblr tagging system is going to be your best friend as a writer. tags allow you to manage your posts + can act as a navigation system for your blog.

when tagging, make sure to not replace characters if it's for a trigger warning. 'assault', for example, should never be replaced with '@ssault'.

if posting an excerpt from your wip, i would suggest the following tags as the bare minimum: 'WIP NAME', 'WIP NAME EXCERPT'. if you're posting it as part of an event, you may also wish to include 'EVENT NAME'. you can also have a specific tag for things your friends write, for resources you may find helpful, etc. the possibilities are endless. a hint: the first five tags are the only tracked tags. the most important tags you want to add should be your FIRST FIVE TAGS on a post. furthermore, only the first twenty will show up in the search function.

tags are a good way for you to interact with other writers! when you reblog a post, OP will be able to read your tags where you can add how much you loved their work, etc.

POST FORMATTING;

do; - add trigger warnings to your posts if they contain sensitive topics. - add a plot, characters, etc. other writeblrs want context for your wip beyond just a number of dot points about tropes. - put your post under a 'read more' if it is a long post. - tag any nsfw content. - add a transcript of any photos/images under a 'read more'.

don't; - use any sort of fonts beyond the regular when writing a general post. using the 'chat' font, for example, reduces accessibility to your posts and makes it difficult for people to read. - just post dot points of your wip. - plagiarise. - use other people's posts as a place to self promote.

PINTEREST IS NOT AN ART SOURCE;

this is one of the biggest differences between tumblr and other social media sites: pinterest is. not. an. art. source. the truth is that people aren't going to care if you post a moodboard with nothing beyond a few random photos of a castle and a knife, etc. sure, they may look pretty, but don't do it for a number of reasons.

first, you should always post art directly from a credited source (e.g. unsplash or picrew).

second, it doesn't show enough about your wip! people want context! not just random photos!

thirdly, most photos or art on pinterest do not CREDIT their sources. this is theft and this is bad. which leads me onto the next topic.

CREDIT YOUR ARTISTS;

CREDIT ALL ARTISTS. if you use any sort of artwork, i swear to all things holy, give credit to the ORIGINAL sources. pinterest, as mentioned, is not an art source. most artwork on that site is stolen or posted without credit, which, funnily enough, is a form of theft. if you're going to post any form of photo or art, please give credit. it doesn't matter what form it takes; link to the original artist or photographer in a way that is not hidden.

MOODBOARDS AND GRAPHICS, OH MY;

one sad truth about being on tumblr, as with a lot of social media sites, is that your posts will gain a lot more interaction if you use some form of graphic or photo along with your writing. graphic making may seem daunting but it doesn't have to be! they don't have to be complicated or anything more than a few photos - as long as they have relevance to your wip. moodboards are not necessarily a bad form to take when making graphics for your posts. however, if it just features a random collection of photos that tell your audience nothing about your work, they're not going to care. writeblr is all about actually imparting information about your wips, rather than just vibes. ****as mentioned, any form of artwork or photography needs to be credited to the original source. however, etiquette is also to not repost art without express permission from the artist. if you don't have permission to use someone's art, DO NOT put it in your moodboard or graphic.

BLOG AND BLOG THEMES;

tumblr is a really great site for expressing yourself through your blog, especially if you use custom themes! if (like me) you're terrible at javascript and any form of http coding, there are a number of blogs you can search for to find custom made themes that are easily adaptable for your needs.

but why use a theme beyond expression?

one of the best aspects of using themes is the navigation aspect. most writeblrs have some form of navigation page (beyond just simply using the tumblr tagging system) to allow their audience to find information about their wips, writing resources, and the like! it makes going through your blog easier for both you and others.

also: make sure to include information about yourself on the blog (but of course, not to the point of doxxing yourself). most tumblr users, especially those on writeblr, will think you're most likely a bot if you dont include at least some things about yourself. the most common things to add are name, age and pronouns! also a dni can be used.

WRITING TIPS AND TRICKS;

titling your wips by @crtalley

plot structure by @nouveauweird

how to blurb by @yvesdot

notion templates for writers by @atelierwriting

the tropes guide by yours truly

so you're missing a plot by @seasteading

novel length by @serpentarii

thank you to everyone who helped me in writing this post! love you all <3

[polecat-pondering]

Blog 7 - Listing challenge

I had never seen a list poem before, so this was a challenge. I read several examples trying to sort out the difference between a list poem and just a list. And there is the rub….

Beginning to work on a list poem is the easy part. Pick a topic and start of list of things that pop into your head related to that topic. I started with several list ideas and played with all of them. I made dozens of lists and added to them as words or phrases came to me. I finally found a topic I liked, and I liked the list that accompanied it: Things that waste my time. (I was annoyed by a meeting I really didn’t need to attend and didn’t want to attend.)

Turning those words and phrases into a list that sort of sounded poetic was tough. I had to sort through my idea list and pull out the items that seemed to work. But even then, it didn’t sound like a poem to me. It just sounded like a list. I focused on sound and rhythm as well as beats to build something like a poem.

I spent a lot of time revising that list – moving lines, changing words, throwing one idea out and adding another. I finally found something that works for me. It feels like a poem. A weird poem by my measure, but a poem none the less.

It was an interesting experiment turning a bullet point list into a poem. Not something I would want to do everyday but interesting. I think it will make writing more traditional poems seem easy by comparison!

[polecat-pondering]

Vincent's Lament

Vincent’s Lament

I gave all for my art.

Alone.

Ignored.

                        Homeless.

I painted.

When you mocked me cruelly,

I painted.

When you locked me away,

I painted.

When you called me insane,

            I painted.

I see the common world.

Potatoes,

Sunflowers,

                        Cherry Blooms,          

            I painted.

Irises,

            Peasantry,

                        Yellow Boats.

            I painted.

Night cafe.

            Dr. Gachet.                 

  Starry Night.

            I painted.

Captured in precious oil.

Canvases so tiny

I couldn’t afford more.

All money goes to paint.

No food.

            No boots.

                        No home.

I gave all for my art.

            I painted.

I lost an ear for love,

            But gave my life for art.

Now, thrown food on my work.

            Starving.

                        Soul caught

                                    in paint.

Borrowed fame. Stolen light.

            Life ignored me. Not you.

Will the sadness last forever?

            I painted.

[polecat-pondering]

Blog 6 - Vincent

I have always loved the art of Vincent Van Gogh – like the rest of the world. As a former art major, of course I have read about Van Gogh. And because I found him so intriguing, I have continued to read about him throughout my life. I read “Letters to Theo”. I would like to say I enjoyed it, but honestly, that isn’t the right word. You can feel the pain in every word. Don McLean’s song, Vincent, caught the artist perfectly in my opinion. Recently some new information has come out about Van Gogh’s life that is very interesting. It sheds new light on his life. He is still relevant 100 years after his death.

For several years, his paintings held the record for most ever paid at auction. I believe the only reason they don’t have the current record is because they haven’t come on the market for a few years. During his lifetime, he sold only a single painting:

Red Vineyard at Arles Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow

His brother, Theo, supported him for most of his life and even arranged an art show in his home to promote Vincent’s paintings. But Vincent did not become famous until well after his death; and then only thanks to the dogged perseverance of Theo’s wife, who continued to promote his work. Possibly to recover some of what Theo had spent. Or perhaps to create an income because Theo died soon after Vincent did.

Vincent was obsessed with painting. Every dime he got was spent on canvases, brushes, and paint. For a time, he lived with a prostitute who supported them with her work. She finally booted him out because every time she gave him money to buy food, he spent it all on paint.

He was obsessed.

Last week, a couple of knuckleheads decided to get attention for their cause by throwing tomato soup on Van Gogh’s painting, Sunflowers. (And then of course, glued their hands to the wall.)

I was furious.

This is not a question of whether their cause is righteous. This was pure viciousness. Or stupidity. Take your pick. They threw food on a painting that a man starved to create! I can’t imagine anything much lower.

Regardless of my opinion. Their actions forced me to think about how Vincent would feel about what happened. Good Lord, the man cut off his ear because he had an argument with his roommate! This is a man of extremes. For someone to destroy (or attempt to destroy) his work would have evoked either great anger or extreme depression. I chose to end my poem with his final words in life: “Will the sadness last forever?”

[polecat-pondering]

Blog 5 - I got Rhythm!

The material on music and rhythm this week really speaks to me. I like thinking about poetry this way. For me, it makes poetry distinct from prose and allows me to think differently when I write because I can let go of some of the "rules" I apply to myself with prose.

According to our text, Rhythm comes from the Greek for "measured motion". It implies more than just the beat that comes from rhyming words (that cadence we experience with children's poems growing up). Measured motion means the writer is in the driver's seat. Our choice of words and how they relate to each other, controls how the reader moves through our poem. We can slow them down or speed them up. We control the emphasis. We control the travel. I had never looked at rhythm this way.

The "music" of poetry is closely related to rhythm. Poems are made to cross the boundary and exist as both visual and audio creations. That means rhythm is great, but the music of the words matters. The music is how the words sound together - or even look together. The words themselves become the music. It may be that a letter is repeated or a sound. Perhaps a rhyme is hidden in the beginning syllable of the words - or the middle.

I like the music in the opening line of David Kirby's Teacher of the Year: "This year last year's Teacher of the Year..." It is fun to say. It is music.

When I write poetry, I find myself tapping on my desk so I can "hear" the rhythm of my work. Sometimes I find the word I want doesn't pass my "tap test" and I have to find a replacement. I like the idea of writing "music".

[polecat-pondering]

Blog 4 - Image and Metaphor

“Language itself is metaphor.” 

Poetry: A Writer’s Guide and Anthology, edited by Amorak Huey & Todd Kaneko

This simple statement stopped me in my tracks. Sometimes the blatant truth is so obvious that I don’t see it. Of course, language is a metaphor! After years of sitting in English classes and learning about metaphors, I had not seen this simple fact. I suspect it is so obvious that no teacher thought they needed to say it. Apparently, for me, they did.

Image and metaphor are the hammer and screwdriver in a writer’s toolbox. They bring text to life in the reader’s mind. I find image easiest. Concrete images that can be experienced through the senses make sense to me. The perfect color to describe a winter sky. The lingering smell of a scented candle. The tinkling noise of a tray of glasses. I think these are things we all share and so I find them logical to include in my writing.

But metaphor… metaphor is harder. Creating the right metaphor requires the author to sit down and give some serious thought to their writing. Finding the right link to your topic that will take the reader to a deeper level is a challenge.

“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”–Shakespeare

wikipedia.com

Our text encourages us to avoid the obvious comparisons and instead reach for something new. Something that only we can think of. To share our unique view with the reader. Shakespeare went on to say she is “more lovely and more temperate”. While this is beautiful and probably original in it’s time, today it is too obvious. Today’s musicians might say she is “hot and makes me sweat”. Not nearly as beautiful, but again, obvious. What if instead we say she is “a promise fulfilled after the cold winter”.  

Metaphors are tools that allow the writer to compare one thing to another to help the reader understand more. In the last example, the reader could assume the writer had experienced loss or heartache in the past and that this new girl is a ray of sunshine in their life (yup, another metaphor. In fact, an extended metaphor!)

I love metaphors and use them every day. They help me explain difficult concepts to my clients. (I am an estate planner.) Nothing in life is so complex that it cannot be understood with the right metaphor (or simile). I have worked hard over the years to find the right metaphors to explain some of the products or processes. This might mean that I should work harder on my metaphors in my poetry….

[polecat-pondering]

[polecat-pondering]

Blog 3 - Word Substitution

Writing a word substitution poem makes me feel the same as when I had to reproduce a master painting in art class – frustrated! While I understand the lessons to be gained in copying someone else’s work, it is confining. Everyone’s brain is different. We see things differently and our path to the same destination varies. This exercise feels like we were all given the same size pair of shoes and told to start marching.

ownarmy.org

So, I march.

And I arrive.

The shoes don’t fit, and they rub in the wrong places.

My feet have blisters and hurt like the dickens.

But I arrive.

schultzmuseum.org

This exercise forces you to consider every word you put on paper. They aren’t totally words of your choice. Instead of having a huge, beautiful dictionary of words, you have a small notebook of words to choose from. With so few choices, you have to be picky. I developed a large vocabulary early thanks to my grandmother (who I mentioned before). My dictionary is literally 6 inches thick. I feel the pain when I can’t use the words I want, in the way that I want. I want big shoes!

For me, this exercise highlights how differently other people think. I see choices made that I wouldn’t make. I would go in a different direction. I make notes of the lessons learned in case I want to go down that road in the future. I’m not sure my way is better, but it feels better. It feels normal. At least for me.

And the shoes fit.

[polecat-pondering]

Yup! This is me...

[polecat-pondering]

Blog 2 - Meaning and Talent

My Grandma said that everything has its place. She wasn't just talking about keeping my room clean. My Grandma was a deep thinker and worked very hard to encourage us to do so as well. (Yes, this is really my Grandma.)

Poetry has its place. It is useless if you are giving directions or want to place an order in a restaurant. But, if you want to tap into human emotion and share common experiences, poetry is a go to option. It seems that although poems have meaning, they are nuanced. The book says poems are always about two things (at least) - again, explaining why they are terrible for placing a food order - but perfect for communicating complicated reactions. Poems can help us share that conflict we feel when we see our ex with a new partner. Sure, we broke up with them, but the feelings aren't completely dead. We don't want them back, but we don't want them gone. Only a poem can truly capture this conflict.

I liked the way the book redefined "talent". I don't believe writing is a gift that only the lucky can excel in. It isn't something you are born with. It is effort and hard work. To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, "The harder I work, the luckier I get." I think some people learn quicker than others. And I think everyone's brain works differently. We can all see the same thing, but we can each interpret it differently. And the more you know, the more connections and relationships you can see in everything.

A poet works at seeing those connections and points them out for us. I think that is why some poems seem to speak directly to me. The poet is pointing at something I know in my heart, but never found a way to express. Maybe that means a poet is a translator of the universe....

[polecat-pondering]

Blog 1 - Introduction

For some reason, the Ray Stevens line "It's me again, Margaret" keeps popping into my head. This will be my third introduction on this blog - and I am still me. I am working on my Masters in Liberal Studies and I keep coming back to writing because I love it. I am a "senior" student and find it a challenge to incorporate my life's experiences with the information in the classroom. It is fun and sometimes frustrating.

This introduction challenges me to consider my relationship with poetry. I used to write a lot of poetry. Now, I don't. I read poetry almost every day. Now I don't. I was lucky enough to have teachers who loved poetry when I was in middle and high school. Mrs. Zeller taught me to love Shakespeare - as poetry. Mrs. Miller taught me to love local Native American poetry when I was in third grade. Mr. Gumper taught us African American poetry in high school contemporary history. (I graduated soon after the "Summer of Love", so we got a lot of diversity in our reading. :)

I am not surprised that I wrote so much poetry. It was a major influence. And it seemed to embody my teenage angst...

I gave poetry up when I moved into prose. My focus shifted to clarity. Painting a picture with words so clear that the reader would see exactly the picture in my head.

Poetry isn't like that.

Poetry is more like abstract art. I think of it like a Mark Rothko painting. It isn't "something". It is a feeling. And maybe the reader experiences a different emotion than the author.

Untitled by Mark Rothko, Guggenheim Museum

It is time to revisit the power of poetry and harness the magic so I can use it in my prose.

[polecat-pondering]

I am committed...

Today I committed to the path to complete my Masters. I have chosen to take the internship route and have confirmed my "boss" for the journey. She is tough and extremely smart. We are working on the internship outline now. Based on our phone call, my knees are shaking a bit. My vision wasn't *quite* as sweeping as hers... I guess I was thinking footrace and she is thinking Indy 500!

What is life without a challenge? I am committed, so I am putting on my helmet and plan to enjoy the ride!!

[polecat-pondering]

Lots of resources :)

Grand List of Writing Resources

I will link each category post here as I add more and I will continue to update it.

Outlining

Point of View

Character Development

Villains and Antagonists

Story/Character Arcs

Romance

Dialogue (new)

...

[polecat-pondering]

Blog #10 - I pushed the button!

humortimes.com

This entire semester we have been learning to be better writers. We have practiced, we have edited, we have reviewed, and we have received feedback.

And it all culminates in one final act: Push the Send Button

wordandpics.org

Today I pushed the button. This is the first time in my life I have submitted anything under my own name (been a ghost writer in the past) and I am surprised how scary it is! The bio was no problem and even the cover letter was no big deal. Pushing the button was the big deal for me. Until I pushed the button, I could still make changes. It was till a work in progress. Now it is done. (yes, I know, I could still make changes before submitting somewhere else...but, yikes! One version is out in the wild!) My book review is now in the hands of the editor at Southeast Review and I wish it well.

This is what I have been dreading all semester. I knew I would have to push the button - and my husband has been laughing all semester about it (vengeance will be had!) He has been waiting a long time for me to push the button and was starting to believe it would never happen. Dr. Byrd, you might get a thank you note from him...

Thank you to everyone! I have learned from all of you via these tumblr posts and our discussion board. You have all helped me think in new ways. I wish each of you the best of luck as you move forward in school and life - and I suspect we will all see each other again in future classes!

Next? Polish my short story and push the button again...