I took a poetry class to fulfill one of my workshop requirements for my master’s in Writing and Publishing. Although I didn’t have much prior experience with poetry beyond some teenage scribbles, I discovered a new way of playing with language.
And in the process, I also realized writing poetry helped me to write better, stronger prose. Here are four things I learned about poetry that apply to writing prose:
We discussed purple prose a few weeks ago, and as Newton’s Third Law of Motion states, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Or something like that; my college Practical Physics class involved making ice cream with liquid nitrogen. And the equal and opposite reaction to purple prose is beige prose.
Have you ever felt purposeless? Most people do at some point in life (e.g. teenage years, teenage wandering, mid-life crisis), and as a rule, it is generally considered to be a down point. But what if there’s good to be drawn out of purposelessness?
Today, I’m thrilled to be talking to Seth Godin, bestselling author of Permission Marketing, Tribes, and many others. Forbes calls Seth a “demigod on the web,” and when I’m feeling uninspired and creatively drained, I often read through Seth’s blog and come away feeling refreshed and ready to create.
Seth Godin’s most recent book, The Icarus Project, is a dare to make art and share it with the world. I personally found The Icarus Project a challenge to finish because I got so many new ideas for how to approach my writing that I had trouble sitting still to read.
Enjoy the interview!
Every once in a while, I hear a writer say something like, “I don’t need to read. I’m too busy writing to read.” Stephen King would have something to say to this, but I keep quiet. Writing is hard enough. I don’t want to make it harder.
For me, though, reading inspires, instructs, and helps me connect with other authors more than any other habit.
In short stories and novels, fantasy in particular, readers want to be present or transported to the scenes of the story. One of the best ways to do such a feat is to ‘Evoke the Emotions and Employ the Senses.’
Poetry should be no different.
