Over decades of running and participating in writing workshops, I’ve found that the best workshops happen when they include simple but effective guidelines for responding. This Four Points of Good Workshopping handout has served me well for creating a community of writers. It helps authors take in critiques and it...
In today’s video podcast, I show you where I’m at so far in the process of arranging the Who’s rock classic “Won’t Get Fooled Again” to a more Americana/Roots style. Check out my progress, as I explain and play through the decisions I’m making for working up this tune to...
Hearing a poem is often stronger and more enjoyable than reading one. I’ve placed audio files of me reading eight of my poems on Soundcloud. Enjoy these. Pick an opening line: “When spring began to breed mosquitos…” Listen (“DDT(Or, a psalm to dichloro-diphenyl tri-chloroethane)”‘ “Jim writes, ‘I feel like the designated...
Music is so important to poetry, that not developing it is equivalent to being tone deaf and trying to create a song. Remember, Sonnet means “Little Song” in Italian, and lyric poetry is so named for its musical qualities. Yet so many poets omit taking the time to train the...
In 2002, I was a frequent guest writer and columnist for a Louisville, KY magazine called The Snitch. With the rise of concern about prison education reform, I’m reprinting this article, which is still relevant. It first appeared in The Snitch of Louisville, August 15, 2002, under the title, “Teaching...
I still own a 2007 Honda Fit Sport, a fun, lovely little car that’s versatile, has good milage for a gas-burner, and a rabid fanbase. Believe it or not, it was my first new car purchase, and I was so crazy about it I wanted to write about my experience....
In FINDING THE WORDS 1: BLACKOUT/ERASURE POETRY I presented a lesson on how to get out of your word rut and discover new vocabulary through that form. In this lesson, you’ll discover new words by playing the “Eight Words Game.” The game also works as a poetry generative exercise.