How does your work first enter the world? Do you have a social group or writers group that you work ideas and poems with?
I have developed a co-dependent rhythm to my writing. I try to finish a solid draft solo. I don’t like workshopping things that are incomplete. I know the work will need improvement but I want to hand off a draft that has a clear direction. Once that is together, I have a small group of people who read my work. Amy Penne sees everything and pushes me without remorse. Moriah Cohen, Troy Wennet and Rachael Combe meet with me weekly for a zoom session that we started after participating in a Poet’s House workshop last summer in the middle of the pandemic. We share one poem each and give feedback live on zoom. The hardest part is working around our kids’ schedules or through the slog of our week, but it is wonderful to see this group of friends weekly. If I need feedback more quickly from multiple eyes, I will go to the lit community on twitter (you can’t find a more generous and encouraging corner of the twitterverse) and send out a tweet that asks for help: Lindsey Heatherly, Elizabeth M. Castillo, Nicole Tallman, Jay Parr and Louise Mather will usually take a look. I try to return the favor or pass it forward for other poets who need someone to give feedback. You can learn a lot this way.
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