With experience as a writer comes certainty about clichés (and their exceptions). Don’t use ’em exclamation point period. These worn-out formulas add nothing to the writing. Setting aside characters like Hamlet’s Polonius who spout clichés as a way of demonstrating that very fact. Yet I have students in upper level creative writing classes who willContinue reading “On trying to teach students not to use clichés”
Tag Archives: teaching creative writing
Listen to an amazing poem by Gwendolyn Brooks
If you’re into poetry, then you’ll love this series celebrating the 110th Anniversary of the Poetry Society of America. Here’s Major Jackson reading a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks. Check out the series of readings here: poetrysociety.org/features/reading-through-the-decades. Enjoy the reading of a wonderful poem (I’m going to add it to my classes).
A little advice on poem titles
I think poets should avoid certain kinds of titles. Particularly one-word titles such as, for example, “Claustrophobia” or “Illness.” Now, not all one-word titles are a problem. I mean the kind that explain or broadcast the poem’s “theme” to the reader. By “theme” in this case I don’t mean literary theme, a general statement aboutContinue reading “A little advice on poem titles”
Purpose of a Poem
Absolutely the hardest habit to get students to break is thinking of poems like little papers, whose purpose is to create meaning decorated with pretty, poetic language. No! The purpose of a poem is to convey experiences and emotions, which carry possible meanings on their backs. Related Posts:
Teaching Poetry as Music: An Audio Assignment
This assignment has students engage with poems as sound. By recording poems students explore a poem’s rhythm, word sounds, and other musical qualities.
Poetry: Six Essential Principles
Here are six essential principles for writing lyric poetry. They are based on my many years of writing and studying “ars poetica,” the art of poetry. Keep these principles in mind when drafting and revising. 1. Poetry is Music A poem isn’t just words in a certain order. A poem is also made up ofContinue reading “Poetry: Six Essential Principles”
How to Succeed in an Online Course
Dear Students and Teachers: With many of us transitioning to teaching and taking courses online, we are learning that we need new ways to approach these courses. This tip sheet is one I present my students at the beginning of the semester, based on issues that come up in my courses. Though some tips specificallyContinue reading “How to Succeed in an Online Course”