A crucial step in becoming a better writer is getting and reflecting on seasoned advice. At the suggestion of David Jibson, we’ve decided to post a craft/writing article every other month except for April and October, our conference months. Our hope is that these articles motivate you and provide new ideas for writing.
Our first article comes from Florida writer Shutta Crum (www.shutta.com). She’s published twenty-one books for children and poetry for adults, and we appreciate her letting us re-post her article from the Florida Writers Blog site. Please enjoy “Getting Started: Even with a Not-so-great Idea.”
Our craft article for March is from PSM board member, Dave Jibson, who takes us on a dive into Korean Sijo. First appearing in 14th century Korea, Sijo is longer than Haiku and goes beyond imagery into story telling. We think you’ll like playing around with this one. Read the article HERE.
In our craft article for May, 2025, David James writes, “There is a confidence or belief I’ve had to cultivate as a writer. The risk of writing lies in trusting and listening, not to my conscience, but to my imagination. Camus puts it more eloquently: “On the ridge where the great artist moves forward, every step is an adventure, an extreme risk. In that risk, however, and only there, lies the freedom of art.” If I steer a poem in a certain direction, then I’m legislating. If I prevent a poem from moving toward a particular end, then I’m censoring. The goal is to allow my imagination to wander wherever it wants without limits.”
Read the full essay, Speak Out or Remain Silent HERE.
In her article, Nailing the Landing, member poet, Shutta Crum writes, “Perhaps the most egregious crime of bad poetry is when the poet tries to summarize the poem for the reader. This usually happens at endings. But the writer must bear in mind that readers bring to the table their own histories. Readers take away what is needful at the moment—to them. And it may be something entirely other than what the writer had in mind while writing the poem.” Read the full article HERE.
Poetry Society of Michigan 