This wonderful new INTRODUCTION to POETRY
WRITING comes from Dale Harcombe, multi award winning
poet - sign up for the rest of this FREE e-course here:
Dear Fellow Writer,
Welcome to this journey as together we discover the joys
of writing poetry. This course has been developed not
only to help you write poetry, but to have fun while
you're learning.
In
some ways it seems poetry has always been part of my
life. I started writing poems as a child, back in the
days of Jason and the Argonauts club on the radio and
Charlie Chuckles in the newspapers. With the absolute
confidence of a child I sent my poems off, delighting
when one was read and accepted on radio and I received
whatever the payment was, which I have now forgotten.
Like
many people poetry disappeared from my life for quite a
long while but it reared its head again a little over 26
years ago. Since then I have had a number of poems
published in magazines and newspapers in Australia and
overseas. In 2005 Ginninderra Pres published Kaleidoscope
a collection of my poems.
I
have conducted a number of poetry workshops and
participated in various writing groups. A number of those
who have been involved in my courses and workshops have
gone on to have work published. Given the instruction and
input from this course, there is no reason why the same
cannot be true for you.
What
is Poetry?
Poetry
is the music of words or, as poet A.D. Hope described it,
‘the dance of language.’ It is also a dense yet
condensed form of literature. Poetry allows for no excess
baggage. Every word must count and must do its work.
Perhaps
the only comparable form of literature, where every word
needs to do its work, is the children's picture book. But
then, picture books have a lot in common with poetry.
Like poetry, a good picture book often uses poetic
techniques and is meant to be read aloud, as well as work
on the page.
Why
Write Poetry?
Poetry
in one form or another holds a special palace in the
lives of many people. There's something about poetry that
speaks right to the heart of human experience. I’m
sure you feel that way too, since you are here, wanting
to learn more about writing poetry.
There
can be many reasons why a person wants to write poetry.
You might simply like playing with words and arranging
them in pleasing patterns. You might want to be able to
express your thoughts and views on life and this seems
the most natural way for you to do so. You might want to
use poetry to encourage and challenge others or even to
make them laugh. Or to use it to convey the emotions that
others feel but can't find the words for. The reason why
you want to write poetry will influence the type of
poetry you write.
Think
now about why you want to write and the type of poetry
that you want to write.
And
then we'll get on with fulfilling that dream.
If
you aspire to write poetry that sings, poetry that people
remember and think about after they've finished reading,
you have come to the right place.
If
you expect to make a fortune out of writing poetry, you
might want to rethink your motives and your aim. It is
unlikely you will make a fortune out of writing solely
poetry. Having said that, it does not mean it is
impossible to make money out of it. And I will help you
with ideas about that.
However,
more important than the financial side of it, is the
personal satisfaction you will receive from writing a
well crafted poem.
Some
people aspire to write for the proliferation of literary
magazines and online journals that pop up like mushrooms
and often disappear just as quickly. Others are aiming at
poems more accessible for the ordinary person. These
might be poems which could be read at a wedding, a
funeral, a party, or some other special occasion.
You
might want to write verses for greeting cards. Or you
might want to write poetry that children will enjoy. Each
of these is a different market with different
requirements.
So,
think about what type of poetry interests you most. If
you are thinking of poetry for special occasions or
greeting card verse these are likely to be either more
sentimental or more humorous than poetry written for a
literary magazine or newspaper.
Poetry
for children needs to focus on those subjects that would
interest a child. Humour, in particular, works well for
children's poetry. Rhyme, though not used exclusively, is
certainly used more in poetry for children than it is in
poetry for the literary magazines.
As
you think about poetry for children, don't discount the
educational market. Educational publishers are always on
the look out for well written, concrete, child- focused,
poetry to include in the Big Books used in classrooms as
part of the curriculum and covering topics such as
Shopping, Celebrations, Family, Health, and Friends etc.
Of
course there is nothing wrong with diversifying and
writing several different types of poetry. I have had
poems published in literary magazines and newspapers,
educational markets, as well as greeting card verse and
poems for special occasions, and I make no apology for
flitting from one area to the other. It's all about
writing what you want to write and then knowing where to
submit what you have written. In this I can help you.
Some
subjects, topics and stories seem to lend themselves more
to poetry than any other form. For example, a poem might
be topical, written to address a perceived current social
problem. Although I write fiction as well as poetry, I
often find if I want to address some social issue it is
more likely to crop up in a poem. Newspapers are often a
good outlet for poems along these lines.
The
main thing is making sure it works as a piece of poetry
and does not come across as simply as a piece of
propaganda or a forum for your own political or strongly
held views.
Most
writers at some stage have an urge to write poetry. For
me it was the starting point. When I started writing as
an adult, I gravitated towards poetry. After a time I
wandered away from the poetry path for a while into the
realm of children's and young adult fiction before coming
full circle back to where I started.
Two
aspects of poetry that are particularly important are
rhythm and imagery. If you like playing with words and
different forms, then you will enjoy this course.
Poetry
has been around in one form or another almost since the
beginning of time. Many early civilisations were based on
an oral tradition. To make it easier for people to
remember their history, myths, stories and legends were
often told in rhyme. Even today children find it easier
to remember poems that rhyme.
My
guess is you want to lean how to write poetry or to write
better poetry and in this I can help you. In this E book
we will uncover the various tools available to the poet
and how you can use those tools to improve and enrich
your writing as well as to generate ideas that will give
birth to new poems..
This
course will help you unlock writer's block and find ideas
in the world around you. Each lesson in the course will
focus on a specific aspect of poetry and then show you
how to use those tools and how to build those tools into
your poetry writing repertoire.
By
the end of this course you will been introduced to
various methods of beginning a poem, taken through the
aspects that make up a poem and been encouraged to build
several of those initial ideas into poems ready to submit
for publication.
A
lot of people think poetry, in particular, is one form of
writing where you wait for inspiration and for the muse
to strike before sitting down and write a poem. It may
happen that way occasionally and such poems are a joy.
But let me assure you that if you sit around and wait for
inspiration to come and find you, you could end up
waiting a long time.
Sometimes
a poem will arrive like an unexpected gift, but more
often that not the art of writing poetry needs to be
tackled in the same way as any other form of writing.
If
you expect inspiration to strike, you need to apply
yourself and show up at the computer, desk, armchair or
wherever you write on a regular basis. Like all forms of
writing you need to make sure your posterior is attached
to a chair and you are ready to write, not noodling the
hours away thinking about writing, planning to write,
talking about writing, but never actually doing any.
The
world is filled with people who claim to want to write
but never actually get around to setting pen to paper or
fingers to keyboard, because they are waiting for
inspiration to strike. Trust me, the more you train
yourself to apply your seat to a chair and train yourself
to write, the more inspiration and ideas will play their
part by showing up.
PRACTICE
WRITING
A
lot of the information in this course will not only talk
about writing poetry but writing in general. You will
receive a great deal of information, tips, advice and
exercises to help you.
Please
remember that material in this course is copyright, which
means you can't pass it on to anyone else or lend it or
post it on a website without permission from me. Writing,
as well as conducting workshops, is how I make my living.
However I may agree to some reproduction of my material
for specific purposes provided you do two things. Firstly
that you contact me and enquire first, get my permission
and then credit me as the author of the material,
Practice,
practice, practice
The
first, and perhaps most important thing, about writing
poetry is that like any skill or craft it takes practice.
You wouldn't expect to become a world class violinist
without lessons and without practice. Or become a
craftsman of fine furniture without serving an
apprenticeship. Writing is the same.
You
need to practice it – to serve your apprenticeship.
It doesn't matter whether your practice writing is
poetry, dialogue, prose, a letter, whatever, as long as
you are putting words on paper every day.
I
remember when my son was young he desperately wanted a
bike. He seemed to think once he got the bike, his life
would be complete. He would hop on and ride around on it.
Of course it didn't work that way. For a time we had to
support him until he got used to it. ‘Let go.’
He said after a while. We did. The bike wobbled a bit but
then he straightened it up. After a time of practice he
got stronger and more confident in his ability. We let
him go but hovered near enough to catch him if it started
to fall.
Just
as you wouldn't expect to ride a bike without practice,
you shouldn't expect to write poetry without practice.
But people do.
As
well as practice, you will require a certain talent and
love of words. Talent is not enough. Neither is practice.
And a love of words is not enough. You need all three.
Even together these three are not enough to make you into
a great poet. The other requirements are a willingness to
read, to learn and to experiment.
Poetry
is about experimentation.
For
this reason the course will include a number of
exercises. These will focus on different ways of
approaching a poem or combining words, of breaking out of
the rut we sometimes find ourselves in. My main aim will
be to get you used to playing with words and
investigating the sound of them.
I’m
sure you will find the exercises fun, helpful, sometimes
challenging, but most of all a good source of ideas so
that you will never find yourself at a loss to have
something to write.
Poets
learn from others who have travelled the road before
them. So good access to your local library or bookshop
from which you can acquire poetry books or magazines that
publish poetry is essential.
Added
to reading other poets, I would stress that you need to
cultivate a habit of reading. A habit of reading, not
simply for enjoyment, but to study what others have done
and how they have achieved the effect in their poems
through word choice, imagery, line breaks, rhythm etc.
Copying some of the great poets can be a starting point.
But ultimately you have to find your own voice and style
and you won't come to that without a lot of practice.
Like the old saying ‘practice makes perfect.’
I’ve
had people tell me they don't read the work of other
writers in case it influences their own. I guess it
depends how serious you are about writing and wanting to
be published. Writing poetry is a craft like another. The
more you practice it the better you will become at it.
The better you will become ultimately at discovering what
works and what doesn't.
For
the poet, near enough is not good enough. Poets
experiment and change. You will need these qualities as
well as a determination to persevere till you get it
right.
Exercises
Obviously
you will gain more from this course if you complete the
exercises suggested. For now:
Make a
list of four or five poets you like and try and
decide what it is about the work of these poets
that appeals to you.
Spend
some time each day reading poetry.
Spend
time each day on your own, without the noise of
TV, radio or music. Use this quiet time simply to
contemplate and relax. Allow you mind to drift
where it will, perhaps to your favourite place.
Then
after this quiet time of say, ten minutes, write
for half an hour.
If half an hour sounds a lot to you, think
of this time as an investment towards your life as a
poet. You'd spend a lot more time watching TV or involved
in other activities. And you'll be surprised how
beneficial this time of quiet, then writing, will be
firstly to you and also to your work.
Welcome aboard. Enjoy the journey.
Course
Contents
Introduction
Lesson
1: Starting points
Lesson
2: Generating vital images to benefit your poetry.
Lesson
3: Developing the image
Lesson
4: The poet's tools
Lesson
5: More techniques for poetry
Lesson
6: Point of View
Lesson
7: Polishing the poem
Lesson
8: Forms of poetry
Lesson
9: More forms of poetry
Lesson
10: Poetry readings and ideas
Lesson
11: What now? Last words of advice
Lesson
12: Reading and feeding - Suggested markets
Included
in the course will be hints that work, examples of and
links to current poetry, ways of using a poem or other
piece of writing to inspire further writing, as well as
issues such as leaving room for the reader's input.
As
well as practical advice about the craft of writing
poetry, the course includes information about poetry
markets and online journals.
Instructor
Poet and freelance writer, Dale
Harcombe, has been writing poetry for around 26 years.
She has had poems published in many literary magazines
and newspapers and has been published in anthologies and
won prizes for her poetry. ‘Kaleidoscope’ a
collection of her poems, published by Ginninderra Press
in March 2005, is available through her website. This
collection included many poems that have been previously
published in magazines and newspapers.
As well as being a writer, Dale
is an experienced tutor who has taught English as well as
creative writing workshops through evening and community
colleges over a number of years. Much of the time spent
in these classes was dedicated to editing and making
suggestions of ways aspiring writers could improve their
work. Many of those enrolled in her classes and workshops
kept coming back because they knew Dale could be trusted
to help them with honest but sensitive feedback.
Dale is also a book reviewer and
freelance manuscript assessor, who works for several
manuscript assessment companies. She holds a Bachelor of
Arts majoring in literary studies from Deakin University.
Because
people learn most effectively by doing as well as
reading, each module will contain exercises or
assignments for you to complete. Sometimes several
shorter ones.
As
well as these assignments I will give examples and
technique tips on various aspects of writing poetry.
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