Participants:
Bradley Galimore (host), Ingrid, Lysz Flo, Jonathan Koven, Chris, Elizabeth Holland, Jericho Brown, Mitch Bensel, Maria Johnson, Kathleen Marple Kalb, Bex Pinckney, Eve Koguce, Mordecai P Martin, Gerald Hornsby, Julie Chang, Deborah Klée
Hello Everyone! Introduce yourself, tell us what style of poetry you write in (or if you are interested in writing poetry) and an example of your work with your reply. (Please limit links/images/examples to one tweet. Show off what you want us to see!)
- (Bradley Galimore @bradleygalimore): My name is Bradley. I write in narrative free verse and mix in various genres to tell stories. Currently I write a weekly poetry column for @poetryquestion called “ #LENNY” Which you can see here: https://thepoetryquestion.com/category/lenny/
- (Experiments In Fiction – @experimentsinfic): Hi, I’m Ingrid. I write a variety of styles but I do have a fondness for lyric poetry. Here’s an example: https://t.co/9erC3ASJgQ
- (Otherworldly Big 5D Energy – @lyszflo): 👋🏾 I’m Lysz Flo and I write all kinds of poetry most times multilingual and lately speculative. My most recent poem. https://t.co/ky4gJqxGAj
- (Jonathan Koven – @jonathankoven): I’m Jonathan Koven, head fic editor of @tohojournal and author + poet. I write lit fiction tinged in magic realism & a dash of stream-of-consciousness / modernism. My poetry tends toward dreamlike, natural, confessional stuff. Read me here! https://linktr.ee/jonathankoven
- (The Poetry Question – @poetryquestion): My name is Chris, Editor for TPQ. I stick mainly to reviews, but I enjoy writing Prose Poetry. http://thepoetryquestion.com
What makes you consider something as poetry? Do you have a favorite poet? If so, who?
- (Elizabeth Holland – @ehollandauthor): For me, poetry is a piece of writing with rhythm that makes me feeling something. Good poetry has to elicit emotions from me. I haven’t read much poetry but I recently read @DavidMiddleham’s and adored every word.
- (Jonathan Koven – @jonathankoven): I like to think life as a poem unfurling. “Poetry,” then, is transcription. How strange/uncomfortable it is to hear sounds from elsewhere or within and have nowhere to set them? A poem is a destination, or a bridge, to the indescribable.
- (Chris is still missing $1400 @clbpoetry): poetry is the delivery of someone’s authentic voice, a glimpse of their soul. A collection is an invitation to piece those snap shots together. My favorite poet is the wonderful Dr. @jerichobrown ❤️
- (Maria Johnson (pen name) – @mariajauthor): It’s telling a story in a different way. Rather than giving an account of the characters & what happened, it’s reflecting on a slice of that story, often using lots of symbology, metaphor and/or emotion. I don’t really have a favourite poet but I do enjoy poetry.😊
- (Bradley Galimore – @bradleygalimore): Wow. That’s, extremely accurate to how I’d consider poetry! Spot on Maria!
Do you self-edit your poetry, or do you work with an editor prior to submitting to literary magazines, agents and publishers?
- (Experiments in Fiction – @experimentsinfic): Good question! I don’t do a lot of editing, because my poems tend to get worse rather than better with the editing… I never considered using an editor!
- (The Poetry Question – @poetryquestion): I tend to be a first draft writer. It’s rare that I will do more than a momentary scan and edit.
- (Elizabeth Holland – @ehollandauthor): Would you find having your poetry edited by someone difficult? I only have experience with editing books but with poetry each and every word is carefully chosen and comes from the soul. Letting someone edit that must be difficult.
- (Deborah Klee – @deborahklee): I agree Elizabeth it must feel very different to having a story edited.
- (Jonathan Koven – @jonathankoven): You have to find the right editors, people who share in your vision. Sean Hanrahan did an amazing job in terms of developmental direction, helped me see how PL’s (Palm Lines) poems spoke to each other. He’s an amazing poet himself. Check out his collection: https://t.co/P8HHDtlk7V
How do you choose poems to submit? If you have put together a chapter book (pamphlet), collection, and/or anthology how do you pick which poems to use?
- (Bradley Galimore – @bradleygalimore): I typically look to see what a #Litmag is requesting and see if it plays into the larger story I’m telling. If those two things align, I SUBMIT and never look back! Lol
- (Experiments In Fiction – @experimentsinfic): I am putting together an anthology and I am currently gathering contributions from many talented poets. If anyone is interested they can take a look at my pinned Tweet. (https://twitter.com/experimentsinfc/status/1363054401619775489?s=21)
- (The Poetry Question – @poetryquestion): I’m actually new to submitting my own poetry. I read everything, so it’s all about which lit rag I think might take a gamble on it.
- (Bradley Galimore – @bradleygalimore): I would’ve never guessed. Poetry is for everyone. The key is to hone your writing skills through various submissions and revisions.
Do you do any research before submitting to publications? #LitMags, do you prefer people read older issues before they submit?
- (The Poetry Question – @poetryquestion): Okay, so this #FriSalon question comes up so often. YES. Before you submit to any lit mag or open call, you MUST read the guidelines and previous issues or publications.
- (Experiments in Fiction – @experimentsinfic): I do now! I learned the hard way that this is a must…some literary magazines won’t go near my style of poetry, so I have to choose carefully where I submit.
If a poem that is submitted is rejected, what usually happens to that poem? Is it submitted elsewhere? Do you give up on it or rework it?
- (Bradley Galimore – @bradleygalimore): If a poem is rejected, I take a moment and remember: Just like I edit poems and remove lines, Sometimes a GREAT line doesn’t fit with the poem. Maybe my poem was that great line that didn’t fit the mag’s idea. I still review and reuse it though. 😅
- (The Poetry Question – @poetryquestion): Hold it. Revise it. Think about why that mag may have passed and what one word might change it. Where should that line break really go? Do I need that phrase? Does anyone need to hear this today?
- (Experiments in Fiction – @experimentsinfic): I have a blog so I normally post them there to see how they are received. Sometimes I edit them first, but not always.
Do you have any short term or long term goals as a poet? If so, what are they? (let’s manifest some dreams) Is there generally more focus on magazine publications or completing chapter books (pamphlets)/poetry collections?
- (Jonathan Koven – @jonathankoven): short term—continue working on this batch of stranger poems that didn’t fit into PL (Palm Lines). Maybe they deserve their own chapbook, but some aren’t quite ready. I’ve submitted a few to mags tho. I’d LOVE to get my fic novella(s) published. Longterm goals—more books & readers!
- (Bradley Galimore – @bradleygalimore): A @PulitzerPrizes or a New Book Award would be awesome 😂(seriously though). I want to make people question the genre. I want to push the pen on what we consider poetry. I want to be remembered for challenging the market when poetry wasn’t in cycle.
- (Jonathan Koven – @jonathankoven): In terms of impact, I’d like my words to be true. To challenge convention, literary, cultural, emotional. To pull back the curtain for heartbroken people. For who can’t see their hearts need healing. To comfort the disturbed, to disturb the comfortable. To awaken, to put to rest.
- (Experiments in Fiction – @experimentsinfic): For me it is firstly to put together and publish my anthology, then to publish my own work and further collaborative projects. Magazine submissions are more of a sideline for me to gain more exposure.
- (Bradley Galimore – @bradleygalimore): That’s what I’m talking about! Let’s speak these things into existence!
- (Experiments in Fiction – @experimentsinfic): Absolutely! I think poetry can be popular again if we take it back to the people 💪
- (The Poetry Question – @poetryquestion): Building an Empire with #TPQ. Too many amazing Small Press voices left to be heard!
- (Bradley Galimore – @bradleygalimore): We love small press poetry books/pamphlets at The Poetry Question. If you have one you’d like reviewed or discussed, contact us!
Is there any advice you would give to a new poet? Or, is there anything (poetry related) you would like advice on?
- (Experiments in Fiction – @experimentsinfic): my advice to a new poet would be ‘don’t be put off by rejection, take criticism constructively but believe in yourself and listen to your heart.’
- (The Poetry Question – @poetryquestion): write more.
- (Bradley Galimore – @bradleygalimore): A rejection email is for inclusion in a selection. Nothing more. Nothing less. Your work is valid. Make sure you didn’t have any spelling or grammar errors though. They tend to say “hi” months later 🤣. ALSO: Keep writing and you’ll find your community.
I’d like to thank everyone for joining us today and for sharing your thoughts on #poetry.
Again, a HUGE thanks to @DeborahKlee for the opportunity to co-host this week’s #FriSalon
Many thanks to Bradley for hosting this week’s chat.
While you are here you might like to browse my blogs or find out about my books.
Deborah Klee 