At Writer’s Relief we are very tuned in to trends in the publishing industry, and we’ve noticed that some poetry formatting choices act as red flags to editors of literary journals. These red flags tend to make editors view poets as new or amateur. If you’d like to get your poems published in literary magazines, consider these tips before making your submission.

Rhyming Poetry And Contemporary Publishing
As disappointing as the news may be for some poets, very few literary journals are accepting rhyming poems or formal verse poems. From the lack of popular interest in rhyming poetry, it seems that many modern readers have come to regard rhyme as naive, outdated, and contrived. Literary editors of well-known journals are simply not banging down poets’ doors to publish rhyming poetry.

That said, some editors love and publish rhyme. Poets who excel in traditional verse may well find an outlet in literary journals; however, the writing must be exceptional in order to overcome the apparent editorial disinterest in rhyme.

Poetry Format: Double-Spaced Lines
One of the tell tale signs that a writer is new to the craft is unnecessary double-spacing of free verse or rhyming poems. Many double-spaced poems can easily become single-spaced poems without doing significant damage. The new writer may feel uncomfortable changing from double spaces to single spaces, but if you leaf through the pages of a literary magazine, you’ll find that most poems are single-spaced.

That said, some poems simply must be double-spaced. The writer selects double-spacing not just because it “looks nice” but because that format supports the meaning of the poem in some way. You can double-space your poems; just be sure you’re doing it deliberately, with sensitivity and awareness. If you can remove the double spacing without doing damage to the poem, it might be a good idea to do so. The format change will also help you keep the page count down.

Poetry Format: Centering Lines
There is a perception among some newer poets (or at least, there is a perception among literary editors about newer poets) that centering the text of a poem somehow makes it look and feel more poetic. Few editors fall for that ruse, and some have been known to be dismissive of centered poems.

If your poem can be left justified without doing damage to the meaning of the poem, you may want to consider ditching the center justification if it helps your work get published in a well-known literary journal. That said, as with spacing, if there is a reason other than "it looks nice" that your poem must be centered, then by all means, stick to your guns. Hopefully, you’ll be able to connect with an editor who gets your work and will not dismiss your poem simply because of the center justification.

The Best Length For Poems
As the page count of your poems goes up, the chances of your seeing them published go down. One-page poems have the best shot at being placed. And poems that have long lines of text may not be eligible for publication in narrow literary magazines. For more on this issue, read Why Length Matters When Submitting Your Stories And Poems For Publication.

One Final Note About Poetry Format
The above tips are based on the experiences of Writer’s Relief in helping poets publish their poems in literary magazines since 1994. However, we do not advocate writing poetry only for the market. If the muse moves you to write a certain way, you should do what makes you happy, consequences be damned. Writing poetry is a very personal matter, and the decisions you make about your poems should be made with care and authority—regardless of the market.

If you find you are relying too heavily on any of the above, we recommend familiarizing yourself with the kinds of things that editors are publishing in your favorite literary journals. Being familiar with the work of contemporary poets is important to your craft, your muse, and your career. Read more: Seven Techniques You Must Know To Make Editors Notice Your Poetry (in a good way!).

Because poetry tends to be an especially musical form of writing, there are a number of words that poets use to talk about their particular techniques. Here is some vocabulary to help you discuss the music of your poetry. Enjoy!

Alliteration
Repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the beginning of words.
 
Anapest
Two unaccented syllables followed by an accented one, as in un-der-STAND.

Assonance
Repetition of similar vowel sounds.
 
Caesura
A pause within a line.

Dactyl
A stressed syllable followed by two unstressed ones, as in SHUD-der-ing.

Diction
The selection of words in a literary work—for example, if a narrator says blood-red, that selection has different connotations than rose-red, even though the colors may be similar. 
 
Elision
The omission of an unstressed vowel or syllable—such as o’er for over.

Falling meter
Meters that move (or fall) from stressed syllables to unstressed syllables.

Foot
A unit of measure in a metrical line; syllables included in a kind of musical bar or measure.

Iamb (as in Iambic)
An unstressed syllable followed by a stressed one, as in at-TEMPT.

Meter
The pattern of accents in poems.

Onomatopoeia
Words that imitate the sounds they describe.

Pyrrhic
A metrical foot composed of two unstressed syllables (as in for the).

Rhyme
Matching sounds in two or more words.
 
Rhythm
The repetition of accents or stresses.

Rising meter
Poetic meters that move (or ascend) from unstressed to stressed.

Spondee
A metrical foot represented by two stressed syllables.
 
Style
The way an author selects and arranges words, and develops ideas using literary techniques.

Syntax
The order of words.
 
Tone
The writer’s attitude implicitly conveyed through diction, syntax, etc.
 
Trochee
Accented syllable followed by an unaccented one, as in MAY-be.

Want to write better poems? Why not try a different technique to become a better poet?:

Stop trying to write better poems.

Because most good poetry comes from a place deep in the subconscious, judging your poems as you’re writing them can be problematic. If you’re worried that your poetry isn’t strong, that your metaphors are wobbly, that no one will be interested in your subject matter, then you’re clipping your poem’s wings at the same time that you’re asking it to take flight.

Here is one way of writing that works for some poets. Feel free to expand and alter this as you please to suit your own writing needs!

1. To write better poems, turn off the part of your brain that is conscious of what other readers might think of your poetry. Let your subconscious do the writing. Don’t go chasing after the words you want to write; instead, follow the words as they come from within you. Don’t censor, second-guess, or hesitate. Just open your mind so that it can make connections that you might not consciously see.

One way of “turning off your inner critic” is to set an intention before you sit down to write. Take a few deep breaths and gently tell yourself that you’re open to whatever it is that your mind is about to do. Consciously allow your subconscious to take over. Intend to follow where the muse leads—even if what you end up with is messy, garbled, clumsy, and unfocused. Embrace that lack of control as part of the process.

2. After you’ve done the brainstorming portion of your poem-writing, put it all down for a while. Don’t rush yourself into creating a masterpiece. Like good food, good writing takes time. When your poem sits quietly for a while, the various flavors of it will mingle and recombine in new ways. You open your poem up to new levels when you leave it alone for a while.

(However, if you’re worried that you’ll lose the “fire” behind your poem, start the revisions right away. You can always put down the revised poem for a while and come back to it later on.)

3. Finally, after you’ve taken the time you need to get a little perspective on your own writing, go back to your poem with your “editing hat” on. Because the creative act is generative and the act of editing is critical, it can help to break those two processes apart and tackle them one at a time. Edit carefully and without judging your own creativity. When critiquing your own writing, always strive to be the generous and sensitive editor that you would be for someone else.

Sometimes writing better poems isn’t a matter of learning more technique or doing more thinking. It’s a matter of NOT thinking. Dig deep to let your subconscious do some writing, and your poetry will grow.

Writer’s Relief helps poets place their poems in literary magazines and journals. For more information on how Writer’s Relief can help you, visit www.WritersRelief.com.

Do you remember the poetry you wrote as a teenager? Many poets would rather eat paint chips than share their teen-angst poetry with the world. Teenage poetry is often raw, drippy, sloppy, histrionic, self-centered, and overdone. But there are valuable lessons to be learned in remembering the way we used to write before we ever dreamed of getting a poem published.

The type of poetry most often associated with a poet’s personal emotional journey is confessional poetry. This style is a particular favorite among editors of literary journals and magazines, because it demonstrates intimacy and reflection.

Writing confessional poetry is important to a poet’s personal journey toward self-improvement. Before you cared about poetic technique, you probably just cared about the act of writing. Writing a poem when you’re feeling a strong emotion is often a great way to make sense of your feelings. Poetry can be therapeutic and cathartic, allowing writers to discover their true feelings in a safe space.

When you’re feeling troubled, grab a pen. Writing heals. When you write, you make time for yourself—and that’s important. Confessional poetry can get you through the biggest hurdles in your life, and you should not be afraid of plunging into intimate, meaningful confession.

BUT before you go pulling your old, high school confessional poems out of the attic so you can get them published—or before you start thinking that every confessional poem you write is genius—think again. They are important to the writer but can come off as self-indulgent to the reader. To be published, they need to demonstrate that the writer is self-aware and has great insight and technique.

Apart from being overly emotional, the other problem with confessional poems is that they run the risk of being unruly. Although poetic verse can be free form, it must always be carefully wrought. Poems that spill on to the page and are done in a single draft are poems that you as a writer may want to consider putting away for a while. Better to judge your poems once you’re a bit distant from them—so you can see them for what they really are.

At Writer’s Relief we believe in the power of the pen. But be sure to learn the difference between when a poem is necessary emotional spewing and when it is true, carefully crafted art.

Writer’s Relief would be pleased to help you submit your poems for publication. We can target your poems to the editors of literary magazines and journals who will be most likely to appreciate your writing. Learn more about our services at www.WritersRelief.com.

For more articles about poetry, read:

Seven Techniques You Must Know To Make Editors Notice Your Poetry

How To Get Your Poetry Published

Spotlight on Poetry

Free Verse: The Hidden Rules Of Free Verse Poetry

The Seduction of Poetry Contest Scams

The poetry below was written by a client, Rynn Williams, who recently passed away. Since joining Writer’s Relief in 2003, Rynn published over 100 of her wonderful poems. We feel so lucky to have been able to work with her, and we share some of her poems (with the permission of her estate) here.

*
Now I feel safe: I’ve got my cardigan back again.
I’m leaning against a bank of warm dryers,
holding the golden cloth to my cheek.

I’m not biting the mother-of-pearl buttons,
although I know what they would taste like:
cool shell, uneven along the bottom,
the true dark pinks and sea greens showing.

There is nothing like walking down 9th Avenue
with that bundle. The hole on the right cuff
still there, and the fraying inseam.
I am impenetrable.

*
This is the card the Homecoming Queen
kept close to her bodice: Keats was right. 
There is a kind of loveliness that’s more about truth
than individual ornament—like a spray
of ficus leaves, shining countenances alive in the sunlight.

*
Every night we dreamed of The Cyclone.
Siren blues, reds of surrender.
Up from the subway, cotton candy sea-light
spun around us, Tilt-a-Whirl,
until we were sticky, captured like flies.

*
We’ve all heard the numbers: how the average teenage boy thinks of sex
five hundred times an hour. For teen girls it’s food—every little nuance
of their lunches, their dinners, how they had a poached egg when they really wanted pancakes, or had pancakes when they really wanted toast. It’s amazing
when you think of it, all the boys walking around looking at hot dogs,
skyscrapers, rolling pins and thinking: sex. And the girls looking at rolling pins
and thinking: pie dough, and hot dogs and thinking: lunchtime,
and skyscrapers and thinking: five-star restaurants.

*
Even my bathroom is papered in maps.
Medieval Paris along the far wall,
the Lone Star State curling, yellowed
from the ceiling, Steinberg’s Manhattan
behind the door. You can stand in the shower
with the weight of your life, and travel
the northward surge of the Nile
as it moves toward Khartoum, Luxor, Cairo.

1. Get the look. If you want people to take you seriously, you’ve got to present yourself in a serious way. When making your submissions to agents and editors, skip the bright-colored paper, the “clever” query letter intros (editors get sick of them fast), the thumbnail image of your face on the manuscript. Just be brief, straightforward, and businesslike. Also, follow industry standard formatting and have your work proofread. Interestingly enough, it’s often the veteran writers who are more inclined to appreciate proofreading than the newbies—but that’s probably why they earn veteran status to begin with.

2. Write to the right people. The first mistake of making submissions is taking the “blanket” approach: wallpapering the whole country with your query and cover letters. A few well-placed and specific queries truly mean much more than 50 that are almost well-placed. Queries that are almost well-targeted will almost get you published. Do the research (or hire someone who will) to make your submissions matter. (NOTE: We’ve found that writers who take this seriously tend to be more successful. Submitting selectively is a sign of a writer who knows what she or he is about. Selective writers put so much love into their manuscripts that they won’t submit to just anyone. Selectiveness is a very good sign because it demonstrates the right attitude for success.)

3. Be the tortoise, not the hare. Make submissions part of your writing habit. Submitting your work in dribbles and drabs is NOT a strategy; it’s a crapshoot. Sustainable and steady wins the race. To a certain extent, submissions are a numbers game. When you submit more regularly, it’s likely you’ll get published more often and more regularly. And the more you build up your bio, the more likely you’ll be well-received. Don’t give up on a story just because twenty places rejected it. Plan to submit to at least 100 markets. AND create a schedule to lock yourself into making submissions. When you create a calendar for your submissions (and deadlines for your writing so that you can make submissions) you will see your publication rate increase.

4. Organization is your friend. Some people are naturally well-organized but others are not. To truly make the most of your submissions, you need to keep track of who read what, who liked what (and why), who rejected what (and why), who wants to see more work from you, and who acquired what rights. It is a TON of work (that’s why Writer’s Relief takes on this burden for our clients). When the acceptance letters start coming in, you’ll thank yourself for the extra effort.

5. Chin up! Last but not least, work to maintain a good attitude. Negative thinking, getting glum about rejections, and believing yourself less than worthy... It’s easy to fall into those traps. Positive thinking takes real work when you’re getting bombarded by rejections (and you WILL get bombarded—it’s part of the process). Start looking at your rejection letters as proof of your dedication, devotion, and all-around awesomeness. Attitude is often the only difference between a nobody and a rising star. Every rejection brings you closer to acceptance, so submit regularly and chip away at those numbers. If you’d like to stay positive and motivated, we’re willing to give you a free E-book, Rejoice in Rejection (details here). We know it will help!

If you’re not able to develop a submission strategy on your own, or you just don’t have the time and patience for it, do yourself a real favor and check out Writer’s Relief. We can take on as much or as little of the submission process as you like so that you can focus on what you love: writing.

At Writer’s Relief it’s our business to work with our clients to develop a submission strategy that 1) keeps them focused on writing, 2) eases the stress and frustration of the submission process, 3) circulates manuscripts regularly (with no spamming) to generate interest, and 4) targets the BEST literary agents and editors (those most likely to enjoy the writing in question).

For more tips on making strong submissions, visit:

How To Write Cover and Query Letters That Get Attention 

Why Length Matters When Submitting Your Stories And Poems For Publication

How To Build Up Your Writing Bio Super Fast

Seven Techniques You Must Know To Make Editors Notice Your Poetry

If you want to get editors at literary magazines or publishing houses to notice and publish your poetry, there are a few key things you can do to increase your odds of having a poem accepted. At Writer’s Relief we’ve been working with poets since 1994—helping writers submit their work to literary agents, magazines, and journals—and we’ve picked up on some pretty significant trends. Our clients get published by the hundreds (thousands, if you want to get technical). Here are some of the things they do (and don’t do) to ensure their poetry has a competitive edge. 

Skip the rhyme. Rhyming poetry is difficult to place. In fact, it’s so difficult to publish rhyming poetry that we won’t work with poets who primarily focus on rhyme. If you want to rhyme, feel free. There are plenty of outlets online and even a few print journals that adore rhyme. Just be aware that at most magazines, it’s a dead end. Rhyming poetry done well is beautiful. Done poorly? Ugh.

Keep it short. Poems that are one page long tend to be more readily accepted than any other length poem. Also, watch your margins. A poem that is too many characters wide may not fit on the narrow pages of literary magazines. Tight poems are more easily publishable and more readily accepted.

Submit three to five poems per submission. Submitting more than five poems makes you look demanding and overeager. Submitting fewer than three poems implies that you don’t have a significant body of work. Also, don’t submit more than ten pages MAX (5-8 pages is best).

Avoid clichés. Money, love, and death are said to be the big three topics for writers. But be sure that you’re approaching them in a truly new way. (Tip: The only way you can be sure your writing is not cliché is by reading poetry. Lots of poetry. If you love poetry, read and support the magazines that keep poetry alive.)

Steer clear of one-word titles, unless your one-word title is truly an amazing and unique word. Titles like “Death” or “Friendship” tend to be more often overlooked by editors. Consider the wording of your title just as important as the rest of your poem.

Use eye-catching titles. After one-word titles, lackluster titles also tend to go unnoticed (as do lackluster poems). Pep up your poetry titles to get better results.

Develop a strong bio. At some point, everyone has absolutely no writing credentials. But the fact remains that the stronger your bio is, the more likely you’ll be well-received. For some tips on how to build up your bio, read these articles: Building Publication Credits and No Publishing Credits? Get Publishing Credentials: How To Build Up Your Writing Bio Super Fast.

As always, be sure that when you submit, you’ve researched the proper markets, prepared stellar cover letters, and followed all appropriate guidelines. If you’d like help submitting your poetry for publication, check us out. Our clients regularly publish poetry in hundreds of print journals.  Click here to learn more about how we can help you! We remove the pressures and frustrations of the submission process in order to improve your acceptance rate and give you more time to write. There’s something for every budget at Writer’s Relief.

Guest writer Ruth Gilbo writes in Tennessee and is the administrator of Poets Contest Corner (http://poetscontestcorner.blogspot.com), a weblog dedicated to the encouragement of poets and their craft.

Free verse is not poetry without form or rules. It is not written as an essay and then broken into lines. The final form is not what makes it a poem; it is the simultaneous collaboration of vocabulary, punctuation, and line break. Proper use of the tools of poetry helps to mold a piece to its final state. Simply brainstorming, then adding line breaks does not constitute a poem.

Free verse is a challenging form that utilizes the natural cadences of common speech to create rhythm in lieu of the strict usage of meter found in classic forms. Free verse is the breaking of some old rules and the utilization of new tools, not the elimination of any and all rules.

Free verse often uses the natural cadence of speech to determine the length of each line in order to bring each new thought to its natural end or pause. The tools used to do this are the line stop (established by punctuation) or enjambment (inserting a strategic line break). Enjambment must have purpose and is not to be arbitrarily employed. It should be used to pull the reader through a short line to the next, where the thought can end on a weighty word capable of making the reader pause to absorb what has just been said. Or it will cause the line to end on an article (so on the following line be sure to use a word with some weight that is capable of carrying the reader through to the natural stop). When used skillfully, enjambment will not only carry the reader’s attention through the poem, but will create tension in the piece that complements the connotations, imagery, or metaphors intended by the author.

The authors of 20th-century free verse supervened the use of end-of-line rhyming schemes, but employed the internally natural rhyming methods of repetitive sound, such as alliteration, assonance, consonance, and internal rhyme. If used skillfully, these tools not only give the reader the sense of the poem's music, but they have a practical purpose as well. To slow the reader down, try using S-L combinations: Sally slipped through flattened sheets. To make the writer pause and digest, try hard consonant sounds: He became Canadian bound.

One more note: Articles and conjunctions, like it and and, should always be used in proportion to their use in common speech. When read aloud a poem with too many ands sounds like a 1970s Valley Girl spewing “like” as she talks. It’s not natural; it takes away from the meat of the poem; it sounds like a “filler” for use in maintaining cadence; it feels forced; and, well, it’s just plain annoying.

Read more about poetry:

Poetics: Free vs. Formal Verse

How To Publish A Poetry Book, Chapbook, Or Collection Of Poems

Jokes About Poetry

How To Get Your Poetry Published

Spotlight on Poetry

The Seduction of Poetry Contest Scams

Fostering Originality In Poetry

Poetry: Finding Your Inspiration

REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT OUR LIST OF WRITING CONTESTS and ANTHOLOGIES! You won’t find a better list anywhere (AND IT’S FREE!) of upcoming anthologies, special-themed journals, and contests. Find it by visiting:
http://www.writersreliefblog.com/post/Anthologies-Contests.aspx 

If you’ve written so many poems that you’re interested in publishing your poetry as a book of poems, as a chapbook, or as a collection of poems, there are a number of ways you can get a book of poems published. But before we tell you how to publish your poetry book, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

First, poets approach Writer’s Relief every day asking us how we can help them make money on their poetry. The unfortunate truth is that it’s not very likely you’ll make a significant amount of money by publishing your book of poetry. Traditional publishing houses typically do not publish the work of unknown or moderately known poets because there simply isn’t a large audience that is willing to plunk down money for poetry. And because there’s no money in poetry, agents tend not to represent poets (with the exception of the very famous). So that’s the bad news.

But the good news is that poetry readers and writers have created a strong alternative market to big New York publishing houses. And if you’ve got time, talent, and luck, you may be able to get your book of poems published and maybe even make some money on your poetry. You’ll need to have a strong list of publication credits before you start asking people to publish your poems en masse. If your bio is strong, here are some ways to publish your poetry chapbook or collection of poems:

Enter chapbook contests. If you’ve amassed a collection of poems that might not be long enough for a full poetry book, you may want to consider entering a chapbook contest. Although the rules vary, chapbook contests generally want between 25 and 60 pages of poetry. Most chapbook contests are sponsored by universities or small presses, so while there may be an entry fee, there is also usually a payout for the winner in the form of publication and a monetary prize. If your poems are very strong, entering chapbook contests might be a good way to get your poetry chapbook or collection published.

Approach small presses. If your collection of poetry is too big for a chapbook, you may consider approaching small presses (independent publishers) with your poems. To do this, you’ll need to have strong publishing credentials. You can learn more about how to get publishing credentials at these links: Building Publication Credits and No Publishing Credits? Get Publishing Credentials: How To Build Up Your Writing Bio Super Fast. Universities and small presses are the heart of contemporary poetry, so do the proper research and send your queries their way.

Self-publish. If you have not had your individual poems published in reputable magazines, and you don’t have the patience that it takes to develop a good submission strategy, you might want to consider self-publishing. Just be aware that self-publishing requires you do all the legwork regarding distribution. Your book will not appear on bookshelves unless you do something to get it there. If you’d like a way to easily share your poetry with your family and friends, self-publishing may be a good option. But if you’re taking the self-publishing route because you think it’s an easier way to reach a large audience, think again. Unless you’re prepared to do lots of legwork and marketing (more than if you’d spent that time developing a strong submission strategy), your book will not reach far and wide. Before you self-publish your collection of poetry, read this: Is Self-Publishing The Easiest Way To Get Published? Decoding The Hype And The Facts.  

Many poets are competing to publish their poems as poetry collections or chapbooks. Even though there isn’t a strong mainstream market for poetry, the “underground” and independent markets are thriving. In order to keep publishing markets open to poets everywhere, consider subscribing to literary magazines and journals, or consider supporting the work of other poets who are publishing in the small-press market. To build more lucrative publishing markets for poetry, read and buy more poetry.

If you’d like help building up your poetry credentials, Writer’s Relief can help you develop a strong submission strategy to publish your individual poems. Our clients publish regularly in the literary magazine and journal markets. Visit our Overview of Services for more information.

What’s the difference between poetry and prose?

First and most obviously, poetry and prose often—though not always—look different on the printed page. A paragraph from a novel is usually distinguishable from a poem made up of couplets or individual, independent lines. Poetry is written or spoken according to a specific pattern (usually a rhythm or meter) and is often embellished with rhyme or other poetic techniques such as alliteration. Prose is written language that does not follow a formal pattern of verse. The line rules in a poem; the sentence rules in prose.

What makes poetry so powerful?

Poetry is like music—it entrances us and makes us sway to its rhythm. Sometimes literally.

Poetry is complex. A good poem can’t be summed up too easily. There are layers of meaning to be discovered and perhaps interpreted differently by different people.

It’s evocative. Poets ache to elicit a response from their readers—they want you to sit up and take notice; to cry; to laugh; to feel disgust or joy. They want you to feel. Oftentimes poems are the product of venting, whether it’s love, grief, or anger. The poet wants to translate these emotions across the page to the reader, if only for a brief moment.

Poetry is freedom. Go ahead and write a carefully metered, rhyming sonnet with the first letter of each line capitalized. Or go free-form and use complicated rhyme schemes and meters. Whatever gets the point across. Punctuation rules fly out the window, and the poet is free to create.

Poetry celebrates our culture and it can be persuasive or educational. It challenges us to think about our world in a new way. Poets can transform a mundane happening into something that makes us say, “I know just what you mean!” or “I never saw it that way before.”

Why is poetry such an attractive form?

Each word of a poem counts. Its placement on the page counts. The interaction of the words and the sounds are purposeful and important. There should be a message, a point, a kernel of truth to be uncovered, prized out like a nut from its shell.

Sometimes an emotion or a message needs to come out, but a short story isn’t the right vehicle. A two-line poem may sum it up perfectly and allow the writer to move on.

Poets also benefit from a huge array of styles, techniques, and forms to work with. There’s a great deal of room for creativity and experimentation involved in poetry, which makes it fun to write and complicated to analyze sometimes.

How do I publish my poetry?

An upcoming issue of our Writers' Newsflash will feature an article on getting your poetry out there to share with others. We’ll cover publishing individual poems, chapbooks, and full-length collections, as well as other publishing issues specific to poetry. A poem may start out as personal and private, but it needs an audience to find its true purpose of expression.

These words were written by Karen Wendy Gilbert who had been a client of Writer’s Relief for ten years. She passed away on September 30, 2008 in Beth Israel Hospice. We’d like to thank her for sharing her writing and some of her time with us. Our own words don’t seem adequate, and so we are choosing to share HER words with you (with her permission). Karen was a courageous and talented woman.

Karen: We send you love, love, love, and more love.

With appreciation of your gift,
                        Ronnie and the staff of Writer’s Relief
____

On a clear, cold, God-given morning,
the sky was the original shade of blue
before doubt or cloud or second-thoughts
were invented.
____

Words like
“Incandescent,” “entropy,” and “implicate,” thrill me.
____

Amidst the material left as the waves recede are some man-made objects.
An occasional condom, the plastic casing of a tampon, the postage stamp-sized
Ziploc baggie that once held crack. Why anyone would need the rush and crash
Of crack here beside the rush and crash of the tides I can’t imagine,
Although, one is as likely to lead a life of soul-sucking desperation here as anywhere.
I, who know my days are numbered, am at peace here,
As nowhere else. The endless repetition of the waves,
Of the tides, of the flotsam and jetsam lend a soothing sameness to my days.
I repent nothing,
and hurl myself onward,
as fast as my lead shoes allow me, into the yawning abyss
(in my new sunglasses I look just like Grace Kelly).
____

With red-rimmed eyes and dark-brown skin,
His pores smelling like sweet wine,
The rain falling on his head and face,
He asked me for a quarter.
 
While I fished in my pocket,
He said, “God, what I really need is a hug.”
I looked up—startled,
And he, afraid he’d lose his quarter
Said—to me, to the rain, to the red traffic light
That kept us both at that corner,
“Now I’ve scared you.”

But he hadn’t.
And in my pocket I found two quarters and a dime,
And gave it all to him.
As well as the hug.

Our great-grandparents might not understand, but many of us now wake up to our Yahoo! or MSN home page to get our daily news and celebrity gossip fix. While daily newspapers will continue to be an important part of our lives, there’s no denying the impact of having such an array of online reading material. According to many surveys, more and more people than ever before are using the Internet to read the news, access blogs, articles. Studies also show that people tend to access online journals more frequently than print journals. Again, print magazines and journals aren’t in danger of disappearing anytime soon, but the Internet offers an alternate source of reading material—material that is usually up-to-date, easily accessible, often free, and conveniently waiting for us in our own homes or on our laptops. And as we ease into the world of cyberspace, online magazines and literary journals are quickly earning prestige and increased readership.

Online Magazines and Journals

There is a proliferation of literary magazines popping up on the Internet, and this is changing the way literature reaches readers. Suddenly, literature is more accessible to the entire world, and E-zines are offering more selections to their readers. These online magazines are finding better ways to meet the needs of writers and their readers, becoming a defining force in literature.

Literary journals and E-zines usually publish poetry, short fiction, and essays and offer information about authors and book reviews. Much of the work is written by new writers, so beginning writers take note: The Internet offers greater opportunities than ever before to get your work published. It hosts a variety of smaller-niche publications that offer new writers a forum for their work, as well as a worldwide audience. This translates to more people seeing a writer’s work than ever before. And, as it should be, the goal of these E-zines is to feature the work of deserving writers, both experienced and inexperienced.

Suppose you’ve placed a short story in a respectable print journal. Your story will be in active circulation for a certain number of weeks, and then it will be moved to the archives. If your story appears in an online literary journal, it may be viewed by thousands, and when it is archived, a mere click of the mouse will bring it back to life. No trips to the back rooms of libraries. Plus, your story will be viewed by people all over the world who may not have access to work you’ve published in print. This long-term exposure is a definite advantage for the author. This may explain why many mid-list literary magazines are switching to both online AND print editions.

New writers who are looking to be published in a print magazine would do well to target the mid-list (or second-tier) literary magazines. Obviously, the very best placement for an author’s short fiction would be in first-tier magazines; but if this goal is unattainable, online publications are a great way for new writers to get those first credits.

The Internet also offers writers newsletters, chat rooms, and forums where they can network with fellow writers from all over the world. This is a great way to stay current and glean information about particular editors and agents or hear about new E-zines and what they are looking for.

Blogs (short for Web log) have been on the Internet since the early ’90s. Originally, blogs started as personal diaries online, but that has since evolved and expanded. Not only are blogs for personal use, but blogs are often vehicles for sharing and discussing specific subjects, such as travel, politics, entertainment, and, of course, creative writing. Some of these blogs for creative writers can serve as an online journal, publishing a new poem or short story on a daily basis. Other writer-friendly blogs, such as http://www.writersreliefblog.com, offer information and advice for improving one’s writing skills.

Editors/agents will consider your work published if it’s posted publicly on your blog. Avoid sharing your work until it’s already been published elsewhere, giving credit to where it was first printed. In addition to sharing already-published work, if you’re promoting a book you’ve written, you can have friends and loved ones comment with reviews, announce book readings/signings, etc. Start sharing your blog link—that is, the URL, the WWW to get to your blog—in your e-mails and other communications. The more people you have visiting your blog, the more likely people will spread the word. An added bonus is that your rankings in Internet searches will increase.

We challenge you, even if you're not a poet, to write a poem about whatever you want, in whatever form you want, even if you're not a poet. Write about how you're feeling right now—what makes you feel sexy, what makes you angry, what motivates you, what makes you cry. Don't be afraid to confront these feelings. Some of the best poetry comes from this buried intensity.

We've all felt it. The blank look that creeps across our face as we stare at the computer screen. The utter lack of inspiration. The lack of fire. Sometimes we can't bring forth even a scrap of creative genius, and sometimes a once-inspiring idea suddenly goes stale. It's something that happens to every writer, and everyone has his/her own way of dealing with the problem. We've put together a few ideas we hope will help get the word party started.

Coming up with fresh ideas:

Change of scenery. Yes, we know. You hear this all the time, but if it works, it's worth a try. Jump on a bike, hop a train, pull on the sneakers, and go someplace different. It may be a new coffeehouse down the street, an unexplored neighborhood, even a tropical vacation, but the change of scenery may be just what you need to get a fresh perspective.

Eavesdrop. Blatantly and unabashedly eavesdrop on interesting conversations. Take notes. If nothing develops (and you don't get caught), at least you will have honed your dialogue skills.

Carry a notebook. Sometimes our best ideas strike out of the blue, so be prepared and carry a notebook to capture them. Take notes on things you observe, capture interesting characters you encounter on the subway, or record great one-liners you overhear. Sometimes even one word can evoke an entire scene as you review your notes later.

Read. It can be an author whose style you admire or Gerbils Monthly magazine. Read something that inspires you, or check out something you've never considered reading before. If you've always been too embarrassed to buy a cheesy tabloid, do so now with the confidence of a good excuse: we'll call it research. See what ideas are generated by the outrageous headlines, and get out of your own head for a while.

Take a class. Most writers spend an ungodly amount of time in front of a computer screen. Try taking a class that has nothing to do with writing, such as tai chi or cooking. You may meet some interesting people and develop new ideas from the setting. And you'll be more relaxed as you create the perfect souffle.

Free write. Sometimes the act of writing itself can get things started. Get a blank piece of paper and just start filling it up with whatever comes to mind. Be silly, shocking, or close your eyes and try to connect with the other side. Whatever it takes.

Give yourself a deadline. Generate a false sense of panic and tell yourself you have two hours to (fill in the blank). Sometimes working under pressure creates the best product, even if you know you won't be fired if you miss the deadline.

Revitalizing old ideas:

Take a break. If you've been like a puppy and have worried an idea half to death, take a break and work on something else. If the idea is worth salvaging, it will eventually come back to life. If it doesn't work after several breaks, it might be time to start over with something new.

A new angle. Research your idea from an entirely new perspective. Writing a short story about a farmer's disastrous harvest season? Try approaching it from a new angle, such as a farmer's daughter's joyful wedding in the middle of a disastrous harvest season. Want to write about dogs? Imagine your subject from different perspectives, such as dogs from a vet's point of view versus a child's point of view. Brainstorm all possible angles surrounding your idea, and see what develops. If you're unable to revive your passion for the once-hot idea, it may be time to scrap it, either temporarily or permanently. Our world provides a rich feast of ideas for the creative mind, and when the right concept comes along, you'll know it. And write it.

REMEMBER TO CHECK OUT OUR LIST OF WRITING CONTESTS and ANTHOLOGIES! You won’t find a better list anywhere (AND IT’S FREE!) of upcoming anthologies, special-themed journals, and contests. Find it by visiting:
http://www.writersreliefblog.com/post/Anthologies-Contests.aspx 

Poetry demands originality. It is, however, unfair to expect brand-new poets to produce fresh, original work all the time—even the most seasoned poets struggle with this task. Poets often find that they must first imitate what has come before them—by reading the work of others and by imitating the work that inspires them—until their own unique voice begins to come through. And by honing the craft through dedicated practice, a poet develops his or her own style.

Finding the creativity needed to create new subject matter and imagery in poetry is easier said than done, but we’ve come up with a few tips on fostering originality. These can be applied to most other genres as well.

Read widely. By reading and absorbing the words of others, your repertoire of skills widens, building on the skills you’ve already developed. Read collections of contemporary poetry, attend readings, and subscribe to poetry journals to broaden your horizons.

Imitate. We’re not talking plagiarism here. Imitating the works you admire helps to develop your own style, and as confidence grows, so does individuality.

Avoid cliché. Images and themes that have been overused lose their power and beauty. Period.

Make each word count. Poetry is a spare form of writing, requiring each word to pack a punch. Choose your words carefully, and aim for clear and concise language. Use action verbs and concrete nouns, which require fewer modifiers and are more dynamic. Avoid the passive and the abstract. And when searching for that perfect word, keep in mind that it need not be exotic or scholarly or unpronounceable to be meaningful.

Make each line count. Each line should be an integral part of the poem and help the poem progress. A four-line poem with four powerful, original lines is better than a two-page poem with four powerful, original lines.

Imagery. Let the poem’s images appeal to the readers’ senses—sound, sight, taste, smell, touch—through metaphors, similes, or descriptive words. Avoid tired similes (free as a bird, quiet as a mouse) and overused metaphors (my love is a rose). It can be difficult for even an experienced writer to create fresh metaphors and similes, but this is what makes a poem interesting.

Don’t overexplain. If the poem is effective, your use of language is sufficient to get the message across to the reader. You don’t have to explain everything.

Take risks. Poems that tackle difficult or uncomfortable subjects make an impact on the reader. Or try using humor, satire, or irony, which can also make even dull subject matter come to life.

Write naturally. It’s not only unnecessary for a poem to rhyme, but it can sound forced or strained if not done properly. And unless you are attempting to write in a Victorian style, avoid the use of "thee," "o’er," or "’tis." While the poetry of a hundred years ago may be appealing, most poets are writing for a modern audience.

Grammar and punctuation rules need not apply. Poetry is free of the usual constraints of writing rules. Line structure provides natural breaks without commas or periods, and the author has free reign over other matters of style. If it works for the poem, the grammar police will turn the other cheek.

Form. There are many different forms of poetry that can be employed, but it is not necessary to write in couplet form, for example, in order to be taken seriously.

Enjoy yourself. Letting go and writing for the sheer pleasure of it often produces the most original and creative pieces. Embrace the joy of writing and see what happens.

A good poet is able to find the natural rhythms of everyday life and express them eloquently in words. But where do the ideas come from? There are thousands of poems out there about tired subjects like love and war; as a poet, your job is to find either a new and original take on these overused subjects or bring an original idea to life. Sometimes, however, the poetry muse takes a hike...and doesn’t return.

Here are just a few of the many ways to either discover or reclaim your wayward muse:

Look around you. Anything, anything at all can be the subject of a poem if dealt with in an original and creative matter.

Keep a notebook with you at all times and keep an eye on the people and places around you. The grocery store, the park, the bus—all can inspire new and creative ideas for poems. You might not necessarily write about what you see, but ideas may come to you in different settings.

Keep a notebook beside the bed for ideas that stem from dreams. Or write a poem about a dream you wish you’d had.

Keep a file of ideas—clippings, sketches, quotes—anything that may inspire a poem later on.

Writing prompts can often generate original thought. Try a "what if" scenario: What if children ruled the world? What if you woke up three feet taller?

Write about something "ugly" and make it beautiful through imagery.

Write a poem that consists solely of dialogue. Or create a poem from a list (i.e. the ten best pieces of advice I ever received).

Write a poem about someone from a distant place and time as if you were that person.

Write about an inanimate object—or from the object’s point of view. "Ode to a Paperclip" may not get you published, but it may spark creativity and original ideas.

Write from someone else’s point of view. Instead of yet another poem about Christmas, try writing about Christmas from the point of view of the homeless woman on the corner. Avoid using the word "Christmas" and rely on imagery instead.

Write about something you did NOT experience but wish you had (i.e. Woodstock) or an era in which you’d like to have lived.

Try writing passionately about something you passionately do NOT believe in—and make it convincing. Write about the joy of being a skinflint or how lovely it is to kill baby seals. Try this with or without the use of irony.

Go back to your childhood and write an apology in the form of a poem. Write a poem to someone you wish you had known or confront someone who did you wrong.

Scan newspaper or magazine headlines—write a poem about the woman who gave birth to six alien babies or the man who built a shrine to cockroaches. Take risks and experiment with the bizarre.

Take your personal demons and put them down on paper. If the subject is painful yet rings true, it will strike a chord with your readers. Don’t be afraid to tackle uncomfortable subjects.

Take on the cliches directly: try writing a good love poem without once using the word "love." Take it a step further and eliminate the words "joy," "desire," and "heart."

Read contemporary poets’ work. Read all you can. Identify what makes a poem call to you and analyze what makes you dislike other poems. Gain inspiration from others’ work.

Remember: all subject matter is worthy. A good poet need not have traveled the world or lived a life of tragedy. Look in your own metaphorical backyard for material.

Above all, keep writing, keep submitting, and write some more. The poems that result may not be worthy, but keep it up. It’s better to write a bad poem than to not write one at all. Eventually, even when your muse has flown the coop, the right poem will emerge.

Poems can be constructed in either free verse or formal verse. This article explains the differences between the various types of poetry and lists types of poems.  

What is free verse poetry? Most poets today write free verse, which is open to pattern and is recognized as nonconforming and rhymeless verse.

What is formal verse poetry? Formal poetry or metrical verse follows “rules” regarding stanza length and meter or rhyme patterns. There are several traditional, commonly-known types of formal poetry.

Editor’s note for writers publishing poetry: Most literary journals do not embrace traditional rhyme and form poetry, preferring the more commonly used free verse. Unless you're the Earl of Rochester or Alexander Pope, it would be best to stick with free verse if you’re trying to get your poetry published in literary magazines and journals.

A List of Some Types of Formal Verse Poetry

Haiku, a form of Japanese descent, consists of three lines of five, seven, and five syllables respectively, and traditionally deals with nature subjects.

A sonnet, whether of English or Italian rhyming scheme, is a single- or two-stanza lyric poem containing 14 lines written in iambic pentameter. Shakespeare's love sonnets are well-known.

The sestina is a six-line stanza followed by a three-line stanza. There is a predetermined pattern in that the same six words are repeated at the end of lines throughout the poem. The last word in the last line of one stanza becomes the last word of the first line in the next stanza. Then, rounding it off with the final three-line stanza, all six end words appear. You may want to read some of Sylvia Plath's sestinas to familiarize yourself with this form.

The villanelle and the pantoum are two forms that are closely related to each other. The villanelle, a nineteen-line poem, is made up of five three-line stanzas and one four-line stanza (or quatrain) at the end of the poem. Alternating between the ends of each tercet (three-line stanza), there are two refrains that eventually end up forming the last two lines of the quatrain. Dylan Thomas's "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" is an example of a villanelle. The pantoum is comprised totally of quatrains. In each stanza the second and fourth lines are repeated in the first and third lines of the following stanza until the final stanza, where the first line is the poem's first and the second line is the poem's third line. "Evening Harmony" by Charles Baudelaire is an example of a pantoum.

A List of Some Types of Free Verse Poetry
Free verse comes in various forms, the most common being driven by cadence, in which common language rhythm is substituted for regular metrical pattern. Strong cadences can be seen in the works of Walt Whitman and the King James Bible version of The Psalms and The Song of Solomon.

A second type of free verse is free iambic verse, which was used by such poets as T.S. Eliot and W.H. Auden.

A third form is the free verse proper, the most used form, where the inconsistency is at the center of the poem. There is no set metrical rhyme or patterns of meter and rhythm. Unlike traditional verse, free form is not constrained by the rules regulating syllables in stanzas.

There is often confusion as to what is meant by visual poetry. If you have written a very descriptive poem about a whale, it may be a wonderful free verse poem but not visual. If you have written the same poem and the presentation of the piece is in the shape of a whale, you have written a visual poem.

Other various forms of avant-garde poetry related to free verse are surrealism, concrete, and language poetry.

For more about poetry, read Free Verse: The Hidden Rules Of Free Verse Poetry or The Language Of Musicality In Poetry: Vocabulary For Poets.

Writer’s Relief helps poets publish all types of poetry, but mostly we work with free verse poems (since rhyming poetry is not readily accepted by most literary journals).

You’ve seen the ads in the Sunday newspaper magazines—a mass-market appeal to submit your poem, get published, and win a huge prize. "American Poetry Association Contest! Win up to $50,000!"

There’s no shortage of poetry contests out there. And in most cases, the goals of these contests are legitimate: recognizing and honoring quality poetry and beefing up membership or subscription bases. Unfortunately, there’s no dearth of scam artists in this world, and bogus poetry competitions are everywhere, luring would-be as well as established poets with seductive prizes and flattering appraisal of their poems.

Journalists have had some fun with these contests, entering intentionally awful poems, which are then accepted by the contest’s publisher and met with high praise, accolades, and, of course, invitations to purchase an anthology containing their work (only $49.95!) or invitations to attend conventions to accept their prizes (registration fee: $425.00). Writers beware!

Be on the lookout for these warning signs of a disreputable poetry contest:

Unusually large cash prizes. Especially when there’s no entry fee. Where in the world do they find such financial backing?

No prize money but a promise of "agent representation"—at a high price. Or an invitation to join "The International League of Poets"—for a pricey sum, of course.

Anthologies. Your poem was accepted, and the publisher is oozing high praise. Your stunning and highly acclaimed poem will be published in an anthology—and would you like to purchase said anthology for $49.95? How about your proud friends and family? For several hundred dollars, you and yours can each have a copy of your poem in published form...

Conventions. Again, your poem has been "accepted" and is lavishly praised. You’ve even won a prize! But you have to attend a convention to accept this prize, and naturally, the registration fee is a few hundred dollars.

Unknown contest sponsor. The name may seem familiar, but it’s a word or two away from the name of a legitimate poetry organization. Check the Web site. Is the organization associated with anything else? Other publications, societies, anything at all unrelated to this contest? If not, back away quickly. Legitimate poetry organizations focus on the writing community, and the contest is but a sideline.

Contest sponsor is difficult to contact. Is there a phone number? A contact name? Are your questions answered quickly, or is the response slow to come or evasive?

Advertisements in daily newspapers or magazines unrelated to the writing field. Legitimate organizations advertise contests in publications targeted for the writing community and do not spend gobs of money on mass-market publications.

Low standards. Each and every poem—from quality to awful—is accepted and lavishly praised.

Past winners are nowhere to be found... If it’s next to impossible to find the work of past winners, then, well . . . you get the picture. However, if you are able to find the previous winners and their work is mediocre, then obviously the standards of the contest are lukewarm as well.

Short poems preferred (or required). The better to fit into an anthology, which is what the sponsor is trying to sell anyway.

If the warning bells clanging in your head aren’t enough, do some research of your own. A Google search for "poetry scams" on the Internet will give you lists of the worst contests. And legitimate contests are out there if you’re willing to do a bit of research. Try About.com for a list of reputable contests, check the reputable market listings such as those found in Poets & Writers Magazine, Poet’s Market, Writer's Digest, or consult with your local poetry society.