I'm responding to your "agree or disagree?" after "3 rules for writing great poems." I disagree with the third rule: "Write for a reader." I believe a poem should come through the poet and be written without even thinking of the reader. After a poem has appeared, maybe it is one to be cleaned up and shared with readers, but that is definitely not in the initial experience of writing. My view, of course. To each her/his own.
Thanks for your always intriguing "curated selection of discoveries."
I was hoping someone would take issue with "Write for a reader." It's not the common stance; in fact, it's almost the opposite. Sometimes, I hear poets/writers say they write for one particular reader in mind (often a spouse or good friend or first reader). It's almost universally agreed (so far as I understand) that writers should not write to a perceived audience. This is even true for someone famous / best-selling who has data (sales/readership/followers) indicating that their readers like what their doing.
I'm with you, Susan, that it often makes the most sense to not think about audience at all until the revision/editing phase. That's when you need to take into account a public audience. At that point, you might decide that what you've written is really just for yourself.
I've been waiting and hoping for heavyweights in niche styles of poetics to get serious about vetting/platforming/celebrating work that is truly exceptional rather than simply boosting poets on metrics that are not merit-based.
I'm responding to your "agree or disagree?" after "3 rules for writing great poems." I disagree with the third rule: "Write for a reader." I believe a poem should come through the poet and be written without even thinking of the reader. After a poem has appeared, maybe it is one to be cleaned up and shared with readers, but that is definitely not in the initial experience of writing. My view, of course. To each her/his own.
Thanks for your always intriguing "curated selection of discoveries."
I was hoping someone would take issue with "Write for a reader." It's not the common stance; in fact, it's almost the opposite. Sometimes, I hear poets/writers say they write for one particular reader in mind (often a spouse or good friend or first reader). It's almost universally agreed (so far as I understand) that writers should not write to a perceived audience. This is even true for someone famous / best-selling who has data (sales/readership/followers) indicating that their readers like what their doing.
I'm with you, Susan, that it often makes the most sense to not think about audience at all until the revision/editing phase. That's when you need to take into account a public audience. At that point, you might decide that what you've written is really just for yourself.
Yes, exactly. Thanks!
Found so many things I needed to read, hear, think about in this week's curation. Thanks Mark!
So glad to hear this!!
> Agree? Disagree? Share in the comments.
Agree, but I’d add a fourth rule, from Max Roland Ekstrom’s An Elemental Guide to Poetry and the Workshop:
4. Accept that you can find bad poetry celebrated at every level, from the high school lit mag to the most selective poetry press.
Struggling with this today.
I've been waiting and hoping for heavyweights in niche styles of poetics to get serious about vetting/platforming/celebrating work that is truly exceptional rather than simply boosting poets on metrics that are not merit-based.
Thank you for the mention, Mark! And again, I am always grateful for your interesting curated list of links.
Thank YOU!