This is so, so, so needed!! I'm sitting with over 10 years of poems and having visions of my book(s?!) in the world...while feeling overwhelmed thinking of the number of steps involved.
(In addition to Lao Tzu's quote: "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step", I'm realizing that the journey *is* a single step. One after one. I deliberately avoided typing one after another to convey the singularity of each new step in each new moment.)
I also have faith that each poem and book will happen in right timing, that I'm intuitive enough know when and where to step on my journey...or at least, that I'll be guided toward that knowing.
Super helpful Alix, I've been sitting on a collection for a while now like something was missing but I think it's simply another step in the process you've written about here, the forming or allowing it to take on a life of its own. Thank you 😊
This is such a helpful article! It would’ve been lovely to have when I started my poetry book journey, but I sleuthed, figured it out, self-published, and now I’m waiting on the proof copy of my first book! It’s called Lollipop Boy: Poems Vomited From Deep Within a Soul, and I’ll be talking about it on my profile a little bit more in the coming weeks.
Hi Alice, thank you so much for this! Do you know any proofreaders / editors I could contact? I’m in Switzerland so have no contact with anglophone book clubs or book shops, agents, nothing. Best wishes, Francesca
I love the idea of using Pinterest. I'm very visual too. I didn't print my manuscript out but I did view each page on my big screen and move them around in word. I used post it notes with the titles and reordered them a lot. I think I will print my next manuscript out; do the tactile thing.
This is so, so, so needed!! I'm sitting with over 10 years of poems and having visions of my book(s?!) in the world...while feeling overwhelmed thinking of the number of steps involved.
(In addition to Lao Tzu's quote: "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step", I'm realizing that the journey *is* a single step. One after one. I deliberately avoided typing one after another to convey the singularity of each new step in each new moment.)
I also have faith that each poem and book will happen in right timing, that I'm intuitive enough know when and where to step on my journey...or at least, that I'll be guided toward that knowing.
Thanks so much for your support, Alix!
This is so encouraging and practically helpful! Thank you
My pleasure!
Super helpful Alix, I've been sitting on a collection for a while now like something was missing but I think it's simply another step in the process you've written about here, the forming or allowing it to take on a life of its own. Thank you 😊
thank you Alix! grateful for this clear description of a very complex and challenging process
One of my goals is to complete a poetry chapbook this year. I've never done this before. This is SO helpful. Thank you.
Yay!
Love this! I'm currently working on my 3rd manuscript
Nice!! That’s incredible
This is the dream, thanks for making it seem a little less scary
you've got this - honestly, it's kind of fun once you're in the flow
Thank you! This has given me hope. I will keep this & use it! (also looked up the Ada Limon article - thanks for the link!) :)
My pleasure!!
Thank you for this guidance
Some great pointers as I attempt to put together a second collection (or: procrastinate heavily) 😬 Thanks, Alix x
Thank you for sharing! I love the idea of the manuscript becoming its own entity :)
yes!
This is such a helpful article! It would’ve been lovely to have when I started my poetry book journey, but I sleuthed, figured it out, self-published, and now I’m waiting on the proof copy of my first book! It’s called Lollipop Boy: Poems Vomited From Deep Within a Soul, and I’ll be talking about it on my profile a little bit more in the coming weeks.
Amazing!
Hi Alice, thank you so much for this! Do you know any proofreaders / editors I could contact? I’m in Switzerland so have no contact with anglophone book clubs or book shops, agents, nothing. Best wishes, Francesca
I’m sorry, I don’t really. But this is a great question to pose as a note here on Substack! I’m sure you’ll get lots of great suggestions :)
Also, are there editors who specialise in poetry?
Thank you, Alix. I love your poetry. Where are you based?
Very interesting! Never thought it about it this way. And very helpful too, thanks for this 💖
I love the idea of using Pinterest. I'm very visual too. I didn't print my manuscript out but I did view each page on my big screen and move them around in word. I used post it notes with the titles and reordered them a lot. I think I will print my next manuscript out; do the tactile thing.
I always find really different things when I move them around physically! I’ll be curious to see what you think!
This is beautiful!
Thank you!