I have a question for you today: how important do you feel personal identity is to a poem? 

If you suddenly found out, for example, that a great poem like Frost's "Nothing Gold Can Stay" was secretly written, not by Frost, but by a ten year old girl who immigrated illegally to the United States, would it matter?

A casual brush with any contemporary literary journal -- print or online -- will show you quite quickly that identity is the driving force behind most of the poetry currently being published and ostensibly read among the academic crowds.

Similarly, if you check Spillwords, Facebook, or virtually any other content-platform where poets drop poems, you'll see a heavy preponderance of identity poetry. Race. Sexual orientation. Political affiliation.  Religious affiliation. These are predominant themes in contemporary American poetry, with a very strong emphasis on gender and race.

Most submissions guidelines nowadays stipulate that they are specifically seeking poems that focus on identity and diversity.

For all intents and purposes, the current cultural trend is most definitely geared toward celebration of identity and even more focused on a culturally-driven form of Confessionalism. In other words, rather than anthems, most culturally identified poets are, in general, writing deeply personal poems.

To be clear, I think these are all really good things. I celebrate them right along with everyone else.  But I think it does bring up a fascinating point for discussion, which is: how crucial is personal identity to poetry, actually.

Right now, in painting, artists like Jacqueline Humphries, Laura Owens, Amy Sillman, and Charline Von He are working to dissolve notions of painterly identity --  a conscious aesthetic built around the notion that by intentionally obscuring brushstroke identity, modern painters have, in effect, developed a form of expression that is new and difficult to fully categorize. In fact, the elimination of identity categories may be the only unifying factor in their works. 

Which is better for art? For poetry?

I, of course, have many thoughts and they will be forthcoming in a proper essay on the painters mentioned above so stay tuned...

Your thoughts?

Love to hear them!

Meanwhile, check out my Seven Secrets of Poetry pdf!!!  Get your easy-to-follow  guide to making your poems stronger, more memorable, and truer to your original vision.

Order it now by clicking the button below!!   

 Consider helping me out at Patreon -- and follow me at Twitter  ​@BlackstonDan  

My Seven Secrets of Poetry pdf dropped today and, like anyone who finishes up a project, I thought of something I should have added to it!

Well, on second thought, I guess I'm rather glad that I left it  out! It's an important, if often bitter, aspect of art and poetry. Yes, I'm talking about envy. Jealousy. And competition.

And the reason I'm glad that I left this topic out of the Seven Secrets of Poetry pdf is because, even though it's a super important topic, it's not something that you can easily deal with or edit away, even figuratively speaking. There's no secret for beating it on either side.

Most of us will face some form of envy or jealousy on a regular basis throughout our careers as poets. The envy can be a feeling we have for others or it can be a feeling others have for us. In either case, there some  general points to keep in mind, that seem to hold true regardless of particulars:

• Envy is an animating emotion. People who feel it, seldom do so passively. If someone envies you, one indication might be that they are frequently an influence in your life even if you don't expect them to be.
• Envy isn't actually about wanting to be like someone else; it's about wanting to be more than them. There's a desire involved that doesn't stop at equality.
• Envy combined with love and respect is where true learning and wisdom begin.
• Envy without love and respect usually leads to bitterness and sometimes much worse.
• Envy requires massive investments of time. If you put a clock on your own feelings of intense envy and kept a careful count, you'd find that even envying one person can take up hours of your day. 
• Envy is ultimately based on yourself, not others.  What you're feeling when you envy someone is actually recognition of your own unrealized potential.

Notice that I didn't say much about how to deal with people who envy you. That's because it's a lot easier than dealing with your own feelings of envy.

If people envy you, make them feel like kings and queens in your presence and truly be an inspiration.

But, you know, watch your back.

When you envy others, try to use it as a light to your own potential. Fight to be the best poet you can be. 

Yes, poets seems to trigger a lot of envy, among themselves and among non-poets. it's a truly strange phenomenon. If you have any thoughts about it, drop me a line...

Meanwhile, check out my Seven Secrets of Poetry pdf!!!   Consider helping me out at Patreon -- and follow me at Twitter  ​@BlackstonDan  

In many ways, poetry is about sharing your secrets. Most poets know this, but few are willing to let the fuse burn to its logical explosion: full personal disclosure.

You don't have to use vertical pronouns to set the dynamite; you just have to dare to out that part of you that means most to you because it's secret. It's not the "I" that does it, it's the "you."

Poe claimed to have  had an epiphany about what would make the world's greatest book: a book called My Heart Laid Bare . But it would only be the greatest book ever written provided that the title was absolutely true.

Would you do this? Could you if you so desired?

It's not as easy as you may think. Most of us treasure our secrets. We treasure them more than we want to create great art, win fans, or express our inner-life. We'll give up "safe" secrets, but most of us would never think of parting  with our most valuable private emotions and thoughts.

But as long as you don't put everything on the table, you're not fully realizing your potential as a poet. So, if you want to make progress, but have been stymied about just what direction to take next, try following Poe's advice, and remember, if it doesn't make you tremble, blush, or cry, it's probably not the deep enough.

My forthcoming PDF Seven Secrets of Poetry is coming out on August 1st!!!  You can get a free copy of this excellent guide simply by using one of my Poetry Services. Repeat customers get a free copy of the PDF, plus deep discounts on services.

So, consider getting feedback, or a quick polish (or both) through one of the buttons below.

Inquiries to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com

You can also pre-order the Seven Secrets of Poetry PDF right now by using the form below.  If you pre-order now, you'll only pay $10.00 -- instead of the $20.00 post-publication list price. Fill out the form below and pay nothing now. I'll send you a request for payment on August 1st.  

Those who support me over at Patreon are also eligible for a free copy of the Seven Secrets of Poetry PDF. I've  posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at Patreon. There's also unique pictures and  access to my flash-fiction and occult writings.

​Please help me out by supporting me at Patreon!!! 

​ Thanks so much!! 
​@BlackstonDan

A lot of poets, including myself, use secret weapons in their poems. These are better than tips and secrets; they're like super powerful, but largely unseen, strategies to really make a poem sing.

You can do it, too, but you won't have a lot of luck getting other poets to tell you their super secret weapons. You'll see the results when you read their work, count their readers, and find their poems being published, winning contest, awards and so forth.

In today's post I'm going to give you two really powerful secret weapons that many successful poets use, but pretty much don't broadcast. 

Here we go.

Poetry Secret Weapon #1:  Find a first-reader that honestly responds. It can be anyone. It doesn't have to be another writer. It doesn't have to be the same person every time; in fact it's better if it's not. Just find any person that you can bounce your first draft off of and really listen to their reaction. Don't assume you're right. If they offer an edit, or a line, or even a new title seriously consider their input. 

Poetry Secret Weapon #2:  Find an editor. Get someone to fine-tune your poems. It's virtually impossible to do it yourself. You can spend months trying to spot tiny flaws and imperfections, or you can find someone who's willing to look over your poems and see all the things you're bound to miss.  Again, it doesn't have to be the same person each time, but do yourself a favor and find one or more people willing to serve as extra eyes before you release your work to the world.

Don't use the same person as your first-reader and editor. if possible, get more than one of each.

These two tools are basically what takes place in a poetry workshop or writer's group. For many of us, this isn't an option for whatever reason, but we should still find ways to get feedback, editing, and polishing for our work.

As it happens, I offer services form interested poets. Consider getting feedback, or a quick polish (or both) through one of the buttons below.

Or simply send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com

I've also posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at my Patreon page. There's also unique pictures and  access to my flash-fiction and occult writings. Please help me out by supporting me at Patreon!!! 

​ Thanks so much!! 
​@BlackstonDan

In my last post I mentioned some reasons why I think it's still a good idea for poets to submit poems for publication. In this post, I'm going to list three big perils of publishing. Of course, there are more than three!  But these will get us started.

1) Long response times. It's worse for poetry than in any other sector. I know because I submit (or have submitted) everything from flash fiction to novels. Go back and read that first sentence again. Underline it. Bold it. I can't overstate this. I've waited years to hear from journals. It's not unusual to wait six to eight months just to get a form letter. In fact, this is what happens most of the time for most people who submit.

2) Rejections.  No  matter how talented you are, or how thorough, expect to get far more rejections than acceptances. Also, don't try to read anything into your rejections. We all get the same notices. If an editor specifically requests you to send again, that means something, but if it's a generic "feel free to try again" that's not the same thing. You can increase your chances by sending your best, most fully polished poems, and targeting them to the right places.

3)  Ambivalence. It can be tough to  fight your way through long response times, grueling competition, and long lead times before publication only to find out no-one really cares that your poem's in a journal. How many people do you know who've even read a single poetry journal in their lives? You may find that even your closest friends and family just can't work up much excitement for your triumph. It's not like you won a sports trophy or got a bunch of money.

With these perils in mind, it's still definitely worth your time and energy to submit your poems. I'll get back to talking about why in a future post. 

And remember: the best way to avoid rejection is to send your best, fully polished work to journals you want to publish in with a simple, short cover letter (or email).

If you'd like some feedback on your poems, or want to get an edge in submitting to publications or contests, consider getting feedback, or a quick polish (or both) through one of the buttons below.

Or simply send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com

I've also posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at my Patreon page. There's also unique pictures and  access to my flash-fiction and occult writings. Please help me out by supporting me at Patreon!!! 

​ Thanks so much!! 
​@BlackstonDan

Somebody asked me the other day if I thought there was really any point to trying to get your poems published. This is a good question, particularly nowadays when you can just upload anything you want to social media. 

I think there's a point to trying to publish your poems. In fact, several points. Here's some of them:

• Published poems will be seen by people outside of your social media bubble.
• Published poems are edited. Many poems that are posted up online have grammatical errors, punctuation errors, and other issues that make them look a bit sloppy.  It's essential to get more than one set of eyes on a  poem before you release it to the public.
• Published poems go out to a subscriber base that wants poetry.
• Published poems appear alongside other notable works and poets.
• Published poems pass through an intense process of competition. This process can be very good for a working poet who wants to hone their craft and get better.
• Published poems are eligible for awards like the Pushcart Prize and the Best of the Net awards.
• Published poems are sometimes paid for. That's right, you can make money for writing poetry. 
• Published poems are sometimes still put out in print journals. It's is a great feeling to hold a paper journal in your hands that contains your poetry and bio.

There are other reasons, but this should do for now. My advice is: submit your poems for publication! But be prepared for long response times and and unavoidable rejections. 

The best way to avoid rejection is to send your best, fully polished work to journals you want to publish in with a simple, short cover letter (or email).

If you'd like some feedback on your poems, or want to get an edge in submitting to publications or contests, consider getting feedback, or a quick polish (or both) through one of the buttons below.

Or simply send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com

I've also posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at my Patreon page. There's also unique pictures and  access to my flash-fiction and occult writings. Please help me out by supporting me at Patreon!!! 

​ Thanks so much!!

Your poems need to do more than survive out there in the harsh harsh world. You're not writing them just to get them done. You're making art and aiming to touch people deeply, possibly forever, with your work.

Unfortunately many poets shoot themselves in the foot. They walk way out into the wilderness of publication and social media without taking along so much as a bottled water. And you need much more than that to simply survive, let alone become an influencer, a true artist of words.

Here's three simple things you can do to prepare a survival kit for every poem:

​Get the rest of the tip by clicking the button below!!!!

If you're not getting the kind of response you'd hoped for with your poems, or you want an edge in submitting to publications or contests, consider getting a quick polish through the button below or simply send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com

I've also posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at my Patreon page. There's also unique pictures and  access to my flash-fiction and occult writings.

Think of the farthest place you've ever been...

Now try to express that place in a  single sentence or image. Think of who might be there right now, think of who might be there later. What's the essence of this farthest place?

​Get the rest of the tip by clicking the button below!!!!

If you're not getting the kind of response you'd hoped for with your poems, or you want an edge in submitting to publications or contests, consider getting a quick polish through the button below or simply send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com

I've also posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at my Patreon page. There's also unique pictures and  access to my flash-fiction and occult writings.

Poets nowadays have a new objective: stop the scroll. 

It's not as easy as you might think. If you're using sexy pictures, crazy gifs, or exploding anythings to get attention for your poems, I've got news for you: it's not your poems people are looking at!

Here's what you'll hear if people are truly reading your poems:

•  I can't believe you wrote this!
•  This is incredible!
•  How did you think of this??
• Why aren't you famous?

You'll also get a lot of shares, not just likes. You'll know in your bones when you've really touched people. You'll also know when you haven't.

But here's the real problem: you might be capable of getting people's attention with your poems, but you've yet to master the art of stopping the scroll. This art is slightly different than the art of writing poetry. 

It's based on simple elements, but these elements are really hard to see and smooth out in your own poems because you're too close to them. Just like you often need another person's opinion about your outfit, hair, or overall look, it can really help to get outside insight into your poetry.

If you're not getting the kind of response you'd hoped for with your poems, or you want an edge in submitting to publications or contests, consider getting a quick polish through the button below or simply send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com

I've also posted a lot of poetry tips, ideas, and exclusive access to my own poems over at my Patreon page. There's also unique pictures and  access to my flash-fiction and occult writings.

Whether you're planning to submit your poems for publication, share them on social media, self-publish them, or enter them in a contest, you need to make sure you've taken care of three basic elements:

1) Grammar. A poem with even a single grammar mistake looks weak. People expect a lot from poems. One of the things they expect is that the poetry has a solid grip on basic grammar and spelling. If your poems even have minor mistakes in punctuation or spelling, the content and meaning  of your poem may be wasted.

2) Attention Grabbing Title. You only have about 6 to 8 seconds to grab the reader's attention and keep it. Everything starts with your poem's title. Most unpublished poems I've read could use a title tweak. 

3) Strong verbs. If you use dull action words in your poem, you'll bore the reader. On the other hand, if you're inventive, they'll keep reading to the last line.

These are three of the most critical elements of your poems, but they're far from the only elements. There are dozens of other ways to polish your poems and make them stand out from the crowd. 

If you'd like some help with making sure your poems are on point before your post, publish, or submit them, use my Poem Polisher service. I can help you with fast, expert service!

I've been averaging a less than 24 hour turnaround time for polishes. Your order includes a full polish for your poem plus a full work order detailing exactly what was done with your poem and evaluating specific areas. You'll also receive a personalized tip with every polish!! 

Send an inquiry to pitchblackpoet@yahoo.com 

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​You can also support me over at Patreon and get a lot of poetry tips and personal services....