As we prepare for the release of Writing Poetry in the Dark, I wanted to continue to educate and spread some more wisdom via the courtesy of our contributors, all of who have left their mark on the genre in the most sadistic and wonderful of ways.
Today's Writing Poetry in the Dark roundtable celebrates Sara Tantlinger (historical horror), Marge Simon (savage women), and Claire C. Holland (writing violence). These monstrously brilliant ladies tackled themes of violence and rage in their essays, both from contemporary and historical point-of-view.
I hope you'll enjoy our conversations and maybe consider picking up a book or two on your way out.
SMW: What is something you had to learn the hard way with writing poetry, i.e. a teachable moment in your career?
ST: When I started getting more poems and eventually collections published, I knew horror poetry would be a niche category, but it was still surprising how vehemently certain people were against the very idea of reading poetry. There’s a weird attitude some readers (and writers) have that poetry is beneath them, and it’s baffling and disappointing to encounter. We already have to fight to sell poetry for decent rates, so dealing with those attitudes where people dismiss the work we put into writing poetry was something I had to work on ignoring. It’s much more rewarding to focus on the people who love poetry and who are newer to it and willing to give it a try!
MS: I learned the hard way that in a free verse poem, it’s perfectly okay to have rhyming words in two lines of a stanza. Of course, interior rhyme enhances the reading experience even more so, IMO. Also. experimenting is encouraged; include lines of prose in as a stanza – italics can work here, for descriptive emphasis. I learned these tips the hard way, believing I was not allowed. That’s something you pick up in college English classes. Ridiculous rules are meant to be broken, in many instances.
SMW: What poetry collection would you recommend to someone interested in studying poetry? This can be speculative poetry, literary poetry, classic, contemporary, etc.
ST: William Blake is a personal favorite for me, and I recommend reading his completed works of poetry, especially Songs of Innocence and Experience. Even if someone doesn’t love classic poetry, I think Blake’s work can still reach through that wall and show writers a lot of different techniques. Beyond the literary merit of his work, there’s so much writers can take away from the images crafted within his verses. The prophetic books where Blake invented his own mythology through poetry are fascinating. He has a really rich world of poetry that I highly recommend exploring.
MS: Poetry collection for studying poetry? Bruce Boston’s Dark Matters. (Amazon). Actually, any one of Boston’s collections can provide a learning experience, if the reader applies it to that direction.
CH: “Glass, Irony and God” by Anne Carson. Her poem/lyric essay “The Glass Essay” is just brilliant, and worth studying.
SMW: One piece of advice for all our poets-to-be.
Today's Writing Poetry in the Dark roundtable celebrates Sara Tantlinger (historical horror), Marge Simon (savage women), and Claire C. Holland (writing violence). These monstrously brilliant ladies tackled themes of violence and rage in their essays, both from contemporary and historical point-of-view.
I hope you'll enjoy our conversations and maybe consider picking up a book or two on your way out.
Best,
Stephanie M. Wytovich
ST: When I started getting more poems and eventually collections published, I knew horror poetry would be a niche category, but it was still surprising how vehemently certain people were against the very idea of reading poetry. There’s a weird attitude some readers (and writers) have that poetry is beneath them, and it’s baffling and disappointing to encounter. We already have to fight to sell poetry for decent rates, so dealing with those attitudes where people dismiss the work we put into writing poetry was something I had to work on ignoring. It’s much more rewarding to focus on the people who love poetry and who are newer to it and willing to give it a try!
MS: I learned the hard way that in a free verse poem, it’s perfectly okay to have rhyming words in two lines of a stanza. Of course, interior rhyme enhances the reading experience even more so, IMO. Also. experimenting is encouraged; include lines of prose in as a stanza – italics can work here, for descriptive emphasis. I learned these tips the hard way, believing I was not allowed. That’s something you pick up in college English classes. Ridiculous rules are meant to be broken, in many instances.
SMW: What poetry collection would you recommend to someone interested in studying poetry? This can be speculative poetry, literary poetry, classic, contemporary, etc.
ST: William Blake is a personal favorite for me, and I recommend reading his completed works of poetry, especially Songs of Innocence and Experience. Even if someone doesn’t love classic poetry, I think Blake’s work can still reach through that wall and show writers a lot of different techniques. Beyond the literary merit of his work, there’s so much writers can take away from the images crafted within his verses. The prophetic books where Blake invented his own mythology through poetry are fascinating. He has a really rich world of poetry that I highly recommend exploring.
MS: Poetry collection for studying poetry? Bruce Boston’s Dark Matters. (Amazon). Actually, any one of Boston’s collections can provide a learning experience, if the reader applies it to that direction.
SMW: One piece of advice for all our poets-to-be.
ST: Remember you can write poetry just for yourself. You don’t have to try and get every poem you write published. Sometimes we need to bleed our hearts into a poem for reasons other than seeking publication, but the great thing is that even those poems you keep to yourself are still helping you learn your craft and become a stronger writer.
MS: Challenge yourself with goals--writing excellence doesn’t come easy!--and read like a fiend. Read fiction as well as poetry, to perceive the joy of words and rhythms.
CH: Let yourself enjoy every little milestone! Your writing career will be full of ups and downs, but if you celebrate each step along the way (rather than just the huge moments you might be waiting for), you’ll be a much happier writer. Find goals that are meaningful to you and your personal journey as a writer, not just the ones that feel publicly validating.
MS: Challenge yourself with goals--writing excellence doesn’t come easy!--and read like a fiend. Read fiction as well as poetry, to perceive the joy of words and rhythms.
CH: Let yourself enjoy every little milestone! Your writing career will be full of ups and downs, but if you celebrate each step along the way (rather than just the huge moments you might be waiting for), you’ll be a much happier writer. Find goals that are meaningful to you and your personal journey as a writer, not just the ones that feel publicly validating.
If you enjoyed this interview and appreciate the work we do here in The Madhouse, you can show your support for the blog by "buying a coffee" (or two!) for our madwoman in residence: me! As always, I thank you for your time and support and I look forward to serving you another dose of all things unsettling and horrifying soon.
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