Welcome to the FWG Poetry Workshop and Primer, first in a series of such workshops to be conducted here by FWG members.
The way this will work is that every two weeks, I will make a post giving an overview of an essential aspect of poetry. This post will include at least one suggested writing exercise, and perhaps a recommendation for further reading.
The furry writing community includes authors of all different skill levels. For some of you, these lessons will be old news, and I’m not here to tell Blind Willie how to play the blues.
This isn’t a class in the traditional sense. No one is grading you. The information will be presented, it’s for you to respond to it.
Rules:
- All the usual FWG guidelines apply.
- You are expected to behave in a courteous manner, but especially during critique, whether bestowing or receiving.
- You need not show your poems publicly, although it is recommended.
- Intercommunication is encouraged.
Useful things:
“Sound and Sense: An Introduction to Poetry” (Used paperbacks available very cheap, and worth the price for the poetry alone)
http://www.dictionary.com/ (Which also toggles to thesaurus.com)
A rhyming dictionary
Absinthe with Pez in
About your humble instructor:
Some of you know me, but for those who don’t, I’m Dwale and I’ve been writing poetry since I was eleven years old. I had my first poem published when I was fourteen and have appeared in various collections since then, both in print and online. That’s twenty-six years writing poetry, and I’ve very nearly gotten the hang of it.