Anne Marie Wells's Blog, page 2

ACTUALLY, a WOMAN wrote the “I Am a Liberal” Essay — NOT Ron Howard

I originally wrote this article on Medium in May 2020. Five years later, this misinformation is making its rounds again. A post by some A-hole named Dan Walters has amassed over 77,000 shares attributing this essay to Ron Howard. [Insert face palm emoji here]. Here it is again… my essay about the essay (with some edits now that I have acquired better writing skills in the last five years).

I am infuriated at the amount of misinformation being spread on liberal social media pages. Liberals love to shout “Fake News” back at the conservative right for sharing memes and Breitbart stories that have as much truth to them as the cover of The Sun. BUT LIBERALS ARE DOING THE SAME THING WITH THE “I AM A LIBERAL” ESSAY!

Source: “Tabloid Journalism.” Wikipedia.

Liberal: “I really like this essay. I really like Ron Howard. Share!”

Without actually fact-checking that shit.

Writer Lori Gallagher Witt wrote the “I Am a Liberal” essay and posted it to her Facebook page in 2018!

(Full text below)

Here’s the story… Lori posted her essay. A person named “Ron Howard” copied and pasted her essay into his Facebook without giving her credit. (Idiot) This Ron Howard’s friends liked it and shared it. Those friends of friends thought Ron Howard was THE Ron Howard (idiots), and started attaching his photo to the essay and making tributes to how smart and politically savvy Ron Howard is… and it continued to spread like the Obamagate tweet.

And you would think that when presented with the Snopes article outlining the misattribution, the so-called liberal individuals who posted it, claiming they believe in social responsibility, would want to clarify their mistake, to give credit to a lesser-known female writer as to not perpetuate the marginalization of women… but instead many responded with (and these are actual copy and pasted quotes):

“Who cares!”
“No matter who wrote this, politics has no part in being a decent, caring, kind and compassionate person.”
“Personally I don’t care who said it, it’s the truth. Attributing it to Ron Howard only facilitated it being shared.”
“Look, it doesn’t matter if Ron Howard is the one that said this or not. It’s still a great description of what it means to be a liberal and I like it!”
“Personally, I don’t care who wrote it. I agree with what it says.”
“Sorry, if that is the case, but as a liberal myself, I do agree with the statements anyhow, independently of who wrote it.”

In fact, the individual who posted the essay along with the tagline “For me this is just what it means to ‘be a good person’ — thanks Ron Howard” along with this photo

has not yet taken down the post or re-attributed the author to the rightful one. (Update: He added an edit saying “I guess maybe some woman named Lori Gallagher Witt might have written this essay.” And didn’t take down his original comments about Ron Howard and didn’t change the photo attached with the post.)

Point 13 of the essay states

“I believe the systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think, and desperately needs to be addressed. Which means those with privilege — white, straight, male, economic, etc. — need to start listening, even if you don’t like what you’re hearing, so we can start dismantling everything that’s causing people to be marginalized.”

And yet the unapologetic liberal crowd continue to openly and willingly marginalize a lesser-known woman by attributing her work to a well-known man.

I DON’T GET IT, FOLX!

One woman wrote “It certainly got more shares to inboxes than it would have without his name. Please don’t jump on that. I was a liberal before you were a gleam in your father’s eye and have the credentials.”

I responded with: “Yes, and men getting credit for work that women do has existed long before YOU were a gleam in your father’s eye… and it continues.”

Why are people blind to their blatant HYPOCRISY?

Claiming that you believe in the values outlined in the essay, but then not acting out the values that you claim to have… and then saying that you don’t care that you’re doing that… is the definition of hypocrisy, and gives conservatives more fodder to discredit liberals with. So WHY be a hypocrite? WHY!? Because you’re too proud to admit you made a mistake? You’re too lazy to change it? I don’t get it! I really don’t. Explain it to me.

Why does it matter who wrote the essay?

This misinformation is the equivalent of Walmart claiming credit for the products made by a small business or original artist. They don’t need the credit! And it’s stealing!

A quick google search says that Ron Howard is worth about $160M.

I don’t want to insult you, Lori, but Ima go ahead and say you’re not worth $160M.

This kind of exposure and credit is key to writers moving forward in their careers.

Lori writes under the pen name L.A. Witt (as well as other pen names) and has over 150 distinct works! If her essay were actually attributed to her, perhaps those millions of people seeing her essay would want to read her other writing or would want to support her and contribute to her success as an author. This opportunity is stolen from her every time someone posts the essay and attributes it to a multi-millionaire MAN. [insert vomit emoji here]

The act of intentionally misattributing her work is anti-liberal, anti-feminist, and just flat out wrong. And yet lots of people sitting on their high horses feeling all woke after they click the “share” button don’t seem to care that they’re outright hypocrites.

To support Lori:

Visit her website

Buy her books

and

If you posted this essay, CORRECT YOUR MISTAKE PUBLICLY. Let the plethora of people who saw misinformation know that you made a mistake so that THEY can correct THEIR mistake too. It’s the right thing to do.

“I Am a Liberal” written by Lori Gallagher Witt

Posted on Facebook on January 7, 2018

An open letter to friends and family who are/were shocked to discover I’m a liberal…

This is going to be VERY long, so: TL;DR: I’m a liberal, I’ve always been a liberal, but that doesn’t mean what a lot of you apparently think it does.

Some of you suspected. Some of you were shocked. Many of you have known me for years, even the majority of my life. We either steadfastly avoided political topics, or I carefully steered conversations away from the more incendiary subjects in the name of keeping the peace. “I’m a liberal” isn’t really something you broadcast in social circles where “the liberals” can’t be said without wrinkling one’s nose.

But then the 2016 election happened, and staying quiet wasn’t an option anymore. Since then, I’ve received no shortage of emails and comments from people who were shocked, horrified, disappointed, disgusted, or otherwise displeased to realize I am *wrinkles nose* a liberal. Yep. I’m one of those bleeding heart commies who hates anyone who’s white, straight, or conservative, and who wants the government to dictate everything you do while taking your money and giving it to people who don’t work.

Or am I?

Let’s break it down, shall we? Because quite frankly, I’m getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. Spoiler alert: Not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think along roughly these same lines.

1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. Period.

2. I believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Somehow that’s interpreted as “I believe Obamacare is the end-all, be-all.” This is not the case. I’m fully aware that the ACA has problems, that a national healthcare system would require everyone to chip in, and that it’s impossible to create one that is devoid of flaws, but I have yet to hear an argument against it that makes “let people die because they can’t afford healthcare” a better alternative. I believe healthcare should be far cheaper than it is, and that everyone should have access to it. And no, I’m not opposed to paying higher taxes in the name of making that happen.

3. I believe education should be affordable and accessible to everyone. It doesn’t necessarily have to be free (though it works in other countries so I’m mystified as to why it can’t work in the US), but at the end of the day, there is no excuse for students graduating college saddled with five- or six-figure debt.

4. I don’t believe your money should be taken from you and given to people who don’t want to work. I have literally never encountered anyone who believes this. Ever. I just have a massive moral problem with a society where a handful of people can possess the majority of the wealth while there are people literally starving to death, freezing to death, or dying because they can’t afford to go to the doctor. Fair wages, lower housing costs, universal healthcare, affordable education, and the wealthy actually paying their share would go a long way toward alleviating this. Somehow believing that makes me a communist.

5. I don’t throw around “I’m willing to pay higher taxes” lightly. I’m self-employed, so I already pay a shitload of taxes. If I’m suggesting something that involves paying more, that means increasing my already eye-watering tax bill. I’m fine with paying my share as long as it’s actually going to something besides lining corporate pockets or bombing other countries while Americans die without healthcare.

6. I believe companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, livable wage. Somehow this is always interpreted as me wanting burger flippers to be able to afford a penthouse apartment and a Mercedes. What it actually means is that no one should have to work three full-time jobs just to keep their head above water. Restaurant servers should not have to rely on tips, multibillion dollar companies should not have employees on food stamps, workers shouldn’t have to work themselves into the ground just to barely make ends meet, and minimum wage should be enough for someone to work 40 hours and live.

7. I am not anti-Christian. I have no desire to stop Christians from being Christians, to close churches, to ban the Bible, to forbid prayer in school, etc. (BTW, prayer in school is NOT illegal; *compulsory* prayer in school is — and should be — illegal) All I ask is that Christians recognize *my* right to live according to *my* beliefs. When I get pissed off that a politician is trying to legislate Scripture into law, I’m not “offended by Christianity” — I’m offended that you’re trying to force me to live by your religion’s rules. You know how you get really upset at the thought of Muslims imposing Sharia on you? That’s how I feel about Christians trying to impose biblical law on me. Be a Christian. Do your thing. Just don’t force it on me or mine.

8. I don’t believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe we should have the *same* rights as you.

9. I don’t believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN’T WHAT THEY DO (spoiler: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they’re supposed to be abusing, and if they’re “stealing” your job it’s because your employer is hiring illegally.). I’m not opposed to deporting people who are here illegally, but I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).

10. I believe we should take in refugees, or at the very least not turn them away without due consideration. Turning thousands of people away because a terrorist might slip through is inhumane, especially when we consider what has happened historically to refugees who were turned away (see: MS St. Louis). If we’re so opposed to taking in refugees, maybe we should consider not causing them to become refugees in the first place. Because we’re fooling ourselves if we think that somewhere in the chain of events leading to these people becoming refugees, there isn’t a line describing something the US did.

11. I don’t believe the government should regulate everything, but since greed is such a driving force in our country, we NEED regulations to prevent cut corners, environmental destruction, tainted food/water, unsafe materials in consumable goods or medical equipment, etc. It’s not that I want the government’s hands in everything — I just don’t trust people trying to make money to ensure that their products/practices/etc are actually SAFE. Is the government devoid of shadiness? Of course not. But with those regulations in place, consumers have recourse if they’re harmed and companies are liable for medical bills, environmental cleanup, etc. Just kind of seems like common sense when the alternative to government regulation is letting companies bring their bottom line into the equation.

12. I believe our current administration is fascist. Not because I dislike them or because I’m butthurt over an election, but because I’ve spent too many years reading and learning about the Third Reich to miss the similarities. Not because any administration I dislike must be Nazis, but because things are actually mirroring authoritarian and fascist regimes of the past.

13. I believe the systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think, and desperately needs to be addressed. Which means those with privilege — white, straight, male, economic, etc — need to start listening, even if you don’t like what you’re hearing, so we can start dismantling everything that’s causing people to be marginalized.

14. I believe in so-called political correctness. Not because everyone is a delicate snowflake, but because as Maya Angelou put it, when we know better, we do better. When someone tells you that a term or phrase is more accurate/less hurtful than the one you’re using, you now know better. So why not do better? How does it hurt you to NOT hurt another person? Your refusal to adjust your vocabulary in the name of not being an asshole kind of makes YOU the snowflake.

15. I believe in funding sustainable energy, including offering education to people currently working in coal or oil so they can change jobs. There are too many sustainable options available for us to continue with coal and oil. Sorry, billionaires. Maybe try investing in something else.

I think that about covers it. Bottom line is that I’m a liberal because I think we should take care of each other. That doesn’t mean you should work 80 hours a week so your lazy neighbor can get all your money. It just means I don’t believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable outcome as long as money is saved.

So, I’m a liberal.

For more from me, check me out in the places:

Facebook; Instagram; TikTok; Substack; Website

Or support me by buying my poetry collection, Survived By: A Memoir in Verse + Other Poems

Anne Marie Wells Poetry Newsletter February 2025

Hi again, Poets,

I can't believe that 2025 marks the TENTH ANNIVERSARY of my children’s book, Mommy, Why Am I Bird?

As a mini-celebration of my first book's 10th birthday, please enjoy the video of me reading it during the pandemic for Wyoming PBS as part of their Storytime with Wyoming Authors series.

(And then if you DO watch it, please leave a review on Goodreads here😉 xoxoxox)

Special Reading of Survived By

I also can’t believe that 2025 will mark five years without my father. It feels impossible. When I speak of my father’s death, it still feels like something I’m saying about someone else—not me, not him. That his death was a big misunderstanding. A mistake. And he was actually just somewhere else this whole time.

Those moments when I want to call him to ask him something and then remember that I can’t have passed. I miss them now. Those split seconds when I forget that he’s dead. I want those split seconds. I love those split seconds.

All of my son’s “firsts” have bittersweetness sprinkled on them. His first Christmas in particular. Our big family photo without my dad in it.

To honor my dad on February 6th, the anniversary of his death, I’m going to binge read my entire book, Survived By, live on YouTube. No registration needed. Just tune in on my YouTube page at 8 PM ET. As I read, I will also reflect on my words now five years later.

If you know someone else who lost a loved one to cancer, feel free to share this event with them. Maybe it will help them to feel less alone.

Writing Prompt

Carter G. Woodson is attributed with setting the foundations that led to National Black History Month. He is the only person whose parents had been enslaved to earn a PhD degree in American history, having earned his doctorate in history from Harvard University in 1912. He went on to found the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (which later became the Association for the Study of African American Life and History) and initiated Negro History Week on February 7, 1926, choosing this week since Black Americans had already been observing Abraham Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass’ birthdays on February 12 and 14, respectively. It wouldn’t be until 1976 — more than two decades after his death in 1950 — that National Black History Month would be recognized by the US government.

Write about Black History Month’s impact in your own life. What are your earliest memories of the celebration? Are there ways you have observed this tradition or would like to this year or in the future?

To read the list of 29 Poems by Black Poets for Black History Month I curated last year on Medium, click here.

Where I submitted/will submit work to this month (so you can, too!) Photo by Mark Fletcher-Brown on Unsplash

Golden Haiku Contest

Highlights Foundation Scholarship

Post-Election Emotional Turmoil Contest

Sijo Contest

Invent a Word Contest

Beullah Rose Poetry Prize

Phyllis Smart-Young Prize in Poetry

Happy Iceland Update :-(

Y’all. I am heartbroken. I have been working on my travel memoir Happy Iceland for eight and a half years now. This manuscript has seen countless rewrites, feedback at writer’s conferences, professional editing from an award-winning author and a professional editor, and last spring a mentorship with AWP.

Even though my mentorship ended in July, my mentor continues to advocate for me and to try and open doors for me. She is so wonderful and kind and believes in my book so much. So much so that she hand-delivered my manuscript to HER agent to read and consider for representation.

The result?

Still no.

Not because of anything having to do with my book, though. She even said I was a beautiful writer. BUT. She wrote, “I think that without a robust social media platform, e.g., Instagram, FB, a website, Substack features, and having had some of this published heretofore, I would not be successful selling this for her.”

So her no has nothing to do with my actual writing and has to do with my social media presence. So, even though I DO have all those platforms as well as a website, and even though qI have previous book publications, and even though I’ve already been on a book tour and so have established contacts already to do it again, and not to mention all of these years of working and trying and putting myself out there… they’re just not enough. They’re just… not enough.

I am so heartbroken.

I guess why I am sharing this is to encourage you? Believe it or not? That if you’re being told no over and over and over, that it’s not necessarily a reflection of the quality of writing you’re bringing to the table, it might just be capitalism, and whether or not someone in power of opening a gate for you perceives you as being sellable or not.

TL;DR Go build up your social media followings.

And if you’re so inclined, please consider following me in all of the places:

Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | Goodreads | TikTok | YouTube

I’m also on RedNote @AnneMarieWells

The Joy of Poeting

On a happier note, The Joy of Poeting has been INCREDIBLE. Hosting this show on Zoom has been such a positive change. I am surprised every week when people actually show up! Hahaha!

So far I have demo-ed the abecedarian, ekphrasis, ghazal, and haiku/lune. Previous episodes can be found on my YouTube channel and on my website.

To register for free or for a donation, click here.

**As JoP evolves and grows, I’d like to host Special Guests who have invented their own poetic forms to come on the show and demo their poetic form live. If you are a poet who has invented their own poetic form and are interested in demo-ing it live on my show, reach out to me here. (I am particularly looking for someone to host on May 25 and June 1)**REMINDER: I am currently booking events for 2025!

I am excited to have already facilitated a couple of creative writing workshops this year! I’d love to book more — both in person (within a 1-2 hour drive of Washington, D.C.) and virtual (anywhere in the world!)

So if you/your organization would like to host me and one of my workshops, please be in touch. Also, if you would love for me to partner with your local bookstore or library, I will reach out to them and try and make it happen!

Alright, that’s all folks!Love,Anne MarieCheck me out in the places (to help me get an agent!):

Instagram | Facebook | BlueSky | Goodreads | TikTok

Or support me by buying my poetry collection here (with cool swag) or here (without cool swag) or by becoming a paid subscriber. Thanks! xoxoxo!

Anne Marie Wells Poetry Newsletter January 2025

Happy New Year, Poets!

First and foremost, I want to start off with a very important announcement:

January 18, 19, and 20, I am coordinating the Poetry for Rotten Kidneys Fundraiser to benefit YaNi Davis, a fellow poet who has been struggling with kidney disease and whose life is at risk due to kidney failure. As she waits for a donor, I am raising money to help pay for her living expenses.

Register for a variety of donation-based poetry workshops (you can donate even just $1!… but also feel free to be generous…) that will take place on these three days. Each registration donation will go directly to YaNi.

So far we have:SATURDAY

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER —> 10 am PT Astrology for Poets: Kendrick Lamar with Jess Cato
Kendrick Lamar, Not Like Us, astrology and poetry. If those things excite you, please join us!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER —> 11 am PT Poemscaping: Trim. Write. Repeat with Matthew Feinstein
In this 2-hour workshop, participants will learn how to systematically revise a poem they have been struggling with. They will do this by first pointing out and letting go of details they have become attached to so they can look at the piece with a fresh perspective. Then, they will trim the poem to find what shines.
Finally, they will elaborate—turning that shiny poem into something even more radiant.

What You'll Get From This Workshop:
- A comprehensive toolkit for revising poems
- A fresh perspective on a poem you've been stuck on
- Tangible suggestions on how you can revise your poem

What You'll Need:
A poem you have been working on that you are willing to play around with.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER —> 3 pm PT Breaking Lines, Building Emotion: Harnessing Enjambment in Writing
Discover the art of using line breaks and enjambment to shape the emotional impact of your writing. In this workshop, we’ll explore how the placement of breaks can create tension, rhythm, and surprise, transforming the way your words resonate with readers. Through guided exercises and examples, you’ll learn to craft lines that evoke a range of emotions and give your writing greater depth and power. Perfect for poets and writers looking to experiment with form and elevate their work.

SUNDAY

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER —> 9 am PT Eco-Poetry and the Modern Adventurer with Anne Marie Wells

In this generative writing workshop, ecologist and poet Anne Marie Wells will introduce participants to some of today's eco-poets and artists and guide participants through a series of writing prompts that will use the outdoors and personal experience as inspiration for creative expression. No writing experience is necessary to participate.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER —> 10 am PT Self Care Sundays for Tender Hearts with Sara Beth Brooks

This guided self-care practice is meant to help us nourish ourselves in the desert of capitalism. We will reset and recharge for the coming week through grounding exercises, short writing/creative prompts, gentle movement and/or self-massage, pranayama or breathing practices, and a lovingkindness practice.

MONDAY

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER —> 11 am PT Somatic Poetry: Writing your Body Myth with Dr. Rebecca Chapman

This two-hour generative workshop welcomes all folx—new to writing, seasoned poets, just here to look around—to explore embodied storytelling using sensory somatic (that is to say, body-centered) experiencing techniques. We can think of memory as the selection of images, affect, and narrative. In this way, each image, story, or sensory experience is contained in our own, private mind-body library. This workshop will put us in the practice of remembering the stories and resources we hold inside.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER —> 3 pm PT Submission Strategies: how to submit to lit mags, orgs, and indie pubs with Camari Carter Hawkins

This immersive event is tailored for aspiring authors and writers who want to learn strategies on how to self-publish and submit their work to literary journals, magazines, contests, and publishers.

As well as…
How to Stop Holding Your Tongue: Writing Bilingual Poetry with Larissa Freitas; and

word courage: affirmation poetry with Alex Petunia

at a date/time TBD

I hope you can join us!Where I submitted work/am submitting work (so you can, too) Photo by Matt Ridley on Unsplash

The Miriam Chaikin Writing Award

10th Annual Stephen A. DiBiase Poetry Contest

Zócalo Poetry Prize

The Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award

Writing Prompt for the New Year Photo by Jamie Fenn on Unsplash

Happy New Year! Approximately 30-40% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions— that’s over one hundred million people! However, according to an article from Ohio State University, only about 9% end up keeping their resolutions, and nearly half give up by the end of January. (Do you remember my resolution from last year? I resolved to read all the books I already had before buying new ones. LOL. Didn’t last long hahaha.)

So this year, I encourage you to BE A QUITTER! That’s right, be a quitter! Not achieving a New Year’s resolution can cause unnecessary shame, self-depreciation, and/or self-loathing. Who needs that? Not you!

Instead of writing about what you would like to resolve to do this year, write about your resolution’s opposite. Are you one of the gazillions of people who resolve to lose weight?

Write about what your reality would look like if you resolved to GAIN weight, exercise LESS, or eat WORSE.

Or are you one of those people who wants to resolve to be more productive?

Write about what your reality would look like if you resolved to be LESS productive, to watch MORE Netflix, or to spend more time doing NOTHING.

Whatever it might be, write about how you might untether yourself from New Year’s resolutions.

ICYMI: The Joy of Poeting is Back!

Instead of hosting JoP as a livestream, I’m going to host JoP as a live zoom event. It will take place every Sunday at the same time — 8 PM ET.

Important FAQs:

You can register to attend through Eventbrite for FREE (or for a donation to help me navigate late-stage capitalism).

You only have to register ONCE. Then save the link to join whichever weeks you want. These will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube.

Which poetic forms will I demonstrate each week? I don’t know, and it will be up to YOU. If you attend, you can nominate a form to be demonstrated the next week. If I receive multiple nominations, I’ll put it up in a poll on my socials. I’ll try to announce the form I’ll be demonstrating by the Friday before.

I hope to see you there!

Other Upcoming Event

Sliding scale - Register here

Alright, that’s all folks! Love,Anne MarieCheck me out in the places:

Facebook; Instagram

Or support me by buying my poetry collection here or becoming a paid subscriber

How I Made Money As a Writer This Year

Photo by Jonathan Cooper on UnsplashHi Poets,

Some people are able to make their full living from writing (or writing-adjacent jobs), but most of us out there don't earn our entire living from writing. Most writers also have a “real job” that pays their rent and bills. Once at a writers conference, I was devastated to learn that one of my favorite authors from adolescence works full time as a paralegal and didn’t make her living off of the royalties she made from her novels. If she couldn’t make it as an author, could I? Well, I still don’t think I’m “making it” by any means. No, $10K doesn’t cover anyone’s living expenses in this day and age, but I’m making a lot more money from writing than I ever have before, and a lot more than other writers who are starting out. So if you’re curious about how I bring home the bacon (or the fakin’ if you’re veg)…

Here's how I earned a little over $10K from writing this year…Royalties

Most people think writers make their money from royalties. That might be true for some writers, but not me or anyone I know.

Royalties made up only 6.5% of my yearly earnings. A little bit more than $700.

Copy Editing

Almost a quarter of my yearly earnings came from copy editing.

Not exactly writing, but it's writing-adjacent.

I use my writing skills to help others write more clearly and concisely.

Half of my copy editing clients this year were repeat customers.

My new clients came from word of mouth or were connected to me already in a different way and then asked me about copy editing services.

Workshops

My next largest revenue stream was from facilitating workshops.

Half of my workshops were hosted by entities I have worked with already--repeat customers.

The other half were secured through cold emailing.

Ghostwriting

My next largest revenue stream was from ghostwriting.

Giving voice to those who have something to say, but don’t know how to say it.

(I am hoping to gain more ghostwriting clients so that ghostwriting becomes my largest revenue stream in 2025.)

Hustling

The rest of my revenue was earned in a hodge-podge of writing coaching, judging writing contests, prize money for winning contests or being published, transcription services, and copywriting. I have 11 total revenue streams. Yipes!

I hope this is helpful to other aspiring writers. If you’re not paying your rent with writing yet, fret not. Most writers I know have a “real job.” It doesn’t make you any less of a writer. Keep hustling, keep manifesting, keep writing.

Alright, that’s all folks! How did you earn money as a writer this year? Do you also have multiple revenue streams? Leave a comment so others can see how you’re making your writing dreams come true.Love,Anne MarieCheck me out in the places:

Facebook; Instagram

Or support me by buying my poetry collection

Anne Marie Wells Poetry Newsletter December 2024

2024 is coming to a close, poets!

What is in store for 2025?

One thing is for sure, I’m going to try and create as much beauty and art as possible and help as many people as possible create beauty and art too.

The Joy of Poeting is Back!

Instead of hosting JoP as a livestream, I’m going to host JoP as a live zoom event. It will take place every Sunday at the same time — 8 PM ET.

Important FAQs:

You can register to attend through EventBrite for FREE (or for a donation to help me navigate late-stage capitalism).

You only have to register ONCE. Then save the link to join whichever weeks you want. These will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube.

Which poetic forms will I demonstrate each week? I don’t know, and it will be up to YOU. If you attend, you can nominate a form to be demonstrated the next week. If I receive multiple nominations, I’ll put it up in a poll on my socials. I’ll try to announce the form I’ll be demonstrating by the Friday before.

I hope to see you there!

I want to start a virtual poetry book club! Photo by awar kurdish on Unsplash

A couple of years ago, I was in like five book clubs! Three of which were poetry-focused. Now, I’m in only one that is more novel-focused. So I want to start up a poetry book club! (Mostly because I want to read the books I already have on my shelves, and this is a good way to keep me on task! Haha!)

If you would like to nominate a poetry collection for my virtual poetry book club, please leave your nomination in the comments and tell me why you really loved the collection!

Where I submitted work/am submitting work (so you can, too) Photo by Ben Soyka on Unsplash

Lit Fox Award for Poetry Book

Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award

Four Quartets Prize

Whittle Micro-Press

Reminder! I MONETIZED MY SUBSTACK! Photo by Andre Taissin on Unsplash

What does this mean for you? Probably nothing, actually.

Nothing will be behind a paywall! Everyone will still get the same newsletter every month.

The added bonus of becoming a paid member is that you get thorough feedback on one poem every month. If you like my work and would appreciate my insights on your own work, become a paid subscriber for $10/month or $80/year.

If you’d like to do a little “tester” before committing to becoming a paid subscriber, you can submit a poem for feedback through my website first. Same $10 without the commitment of a month-to-month subscription.

Here’s what one real-live client had to say about my feedback:

Anne Marie Wells was an essential partner in shaping my poetry collection. Her feedback was precise and transformative, and she approached the work with a unique blend of enthusiasm and insight. She helped me see each line, break, stanza, and title in new and unexpected ways. Anne Marie doesn’t just edit—she inspires. - Trapper M.

If you’d like to read other testimonials and see my editorial credits, you can check out the services page on my website here :-)

Writing Prompt Photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash

This month I am inspired by the work of a self-help guru for whom I am editing/ ghostwriting. In her self-help book she suggests writing a love letter to yourself.

Since participating in Camari Hawkins’ 60-Day Creative Writing Challenge, I have been writing morning pages à la Julia Cameron’s The Artist Way. I have found that it is a good way to dump out all of the garbage rattling around in my brain so that I can free up that space for better stuff.

HOWEVER, I have to admit that my morning pages are nothing but self-criticizing reflections of my own internalized fatphobia and misogyny mixed together with capitalist brainwashing about my lack of productivity.

Sure it is good to get all of that nonsense out instead of letting it fester inside, but what is even better is not spending so much time focusing on all that I am not.

So, lately instead of the typical morning pages, I have been writing love letters to myself in which I give myself the kind of cheerleading and reassurance I would give one of my friends if they were expressing the same things I was feeling and experiencing.

Listen, y’all, it sounds cheesy AF, but it has been SO HEALING for me.

So this month’s prompt is to write a love letter to yourself. JUST TRY IT. JUST TRY IT. Even if you’re skeptical! JUST TRY IT. Imagine your best friend or someone you love is expressing whatever concerns you’re having about yourself, your relationship, your writing, your finances, your world, or whatever. What would you tell them? I’m going to guess it’s not, “Wow, you suck, no wonder you’re having x, y, z problem.”

Let me know if you do it! I’d love to know how it goes!

I am currently booking events for 2025!

I am excited to be facilitating a creative writing workshop in January at the Roanoke Writers Conference as well as a virtual workshop on eco-poetry in April (for Earth Day!) with the Eastern Shore Writers Association.

I’ll also be facilitating a Braintrust Workshop with The Poetry Lab on Tuesday, January 14th, so keep your eyes peeled for that registration. I’ll be exploring the concept of hermit crab poems!

And I’d love to book more — both in person (within a 1-2 hour drive of Washington, D.C.) and virtual (anywhere in the world!)

So if you/your organization would like to host me and one of my workshops, please be in touch. Also, if you would love for me to partner with your local bookstore or library, I will reach out to them and try and make it happen!

Do you live in the DMV area?

If you don’t know what that means, the answer is probably no :-)

Now through December 29th, New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt, MD is exhibiting the Ekphrastic Fantastic Art Show, and two of my poems are featured! The first I submitted to have a visual artist create a piece inspired by it, and the second I wrote inspired by a visual art piece by one of the artists in the show. If you live in the area, grab a latte and check out the artwork and poems. If you don’t live in the area, I will be posting photos of my contributions and the corresponding artwork up on my socials. Keep a look out!

Alright, that’s all folks! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Looking forward to bringing more poetry goodness to the world in 2025! Onward!Love,Anne MarieCheck me out in the places:

Facebook; Instagram

Or support me by buying my poetry collection

Anne Marie Wells Poetry Newsletter December 2023

2024 is coming to a close, poets!

What is in store for 2025?

One thing is for sure, I’m going to try and create as much beauty and art as possible and help as many people as possible create beauty and art too.

The Joy of Poeting is Back!

Instead of hosting JoP as a livestream, I’m going to host JoP as a live zoom event. It will take place every Sunday at the same time — 8 PM ET.

Important FAQs:

You can register to attend through EventBrite for FREE (or for a donation to help me navigate late-stage capitalism).

You only have to register ONCE. Then save the link to join whichever weeks you want. These will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube.

Which poetic forms will I demonstrate each week? I don’t know, and it will be up to YOU. If you attend, you can nominate a form to be demonstrated the next week. If I receive multiple nominations, I’ll put it up in a poll on my socials. I’ll try to announce the form I’ll be demonstrating by the Friday before.

I hope to see you there!

I want to start a virtual poetry book club! Photo by awar kurdish on Unsplash

A couple of years ago, I was in like five book clubs! Three of which were poetry-focused. Now, I’m in only one that is more novel-focused. So I want to start up a poetry book club! (Mostly because I want to read the books I already have on my shelves, and this is a good way to keep me on task! Haha!)

If you would like to nominate a poetry collection for my virtual poetry book club, please leave your nomination in the comments and tell me why you really loved the collection!

Where I submitted work/am submitting work (so you can, too) Photo by Ben Soyka on Unsplash

Lit Fox Award for Poetry Book

Elizabeth Alexander Creative Writing Award

Four Quartets Prize

Whittle Micro-Press

Reminder! I MONETIZED MY SUBSTACK! Photo by Andre Taissin on Unsplash

What does this mean for you? Probably nothing, actually.

Nothing will be behind a paywall! Everyone will still get the same newsletter every month.

The added bonus of becoming a paid member is that you get thorough feedback on one poem every month. If you like my work and would appreciate my insights on your own work, become a paid subscriber for $10/month or $80/year.

If you’d like to do a little “tester” before committing to becoming a paid subscriber, you can submit a poem for feedback through my website first. Same $10 without the commitment of a month-to-month subscription.

Here’s what one real-live client had to say about my feedback:

Anne Marie Wells was an essential partner in shaping my poetry collection. Her feedback was precise and transformative, and she approached the work with a unique blend of enthusiasm and insight. She helped me see each line, break, stanza, and title in new and unexpected ways. Anne Marie doesn’t just edit—she inspires. - Trapper M.

If you’d like to read other testimonials and see my editorial credits, you can check out the services page on my website here :-)

Writing Prompt Photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash

This month I am inspired by the work of a self-help guru for whom I am editing/ ghostwriting. In her self-help book she suggests writing a love letter to yourself.

Since participating in Camari Hawkins’ 60-Day Creative Writing Challenge, I have been writing morning pages à la Julia Cameron’s The Artist Way. I have found that it is a good way to dump out all of the garbage rattling around in my brain so that I can free up that space for better stuff.

HOWEVER, I have to admit that my morning pages are nothing but self-criticizing reflections of my own internalized fatphobia and misogyny mixed together with capitalist brainwashing about my lack of productivity.

Sure it is good to get all of that nonsense out instead of letting it fester inside, but what is even better is not spending so much time focusing on all that I am not.

So, lately instead of the typical morning pages, I have been writing love letters to myself in which I give myself the kind of cheerleading and reassurance I would give one of my friends if they were expressing the same things I was feeling and experiencing.

Listen, y’all, it sounds cheesy AF, but it has been SO HEALING for me.

So this month’s prompt is to write a love letter to yourself. JUST TRY IT. JUST TRY IT. Even if you’re skeptical! JUST TRY IT. Imagine your best friend or someone you love is expressing whatever concerns you’re having about yourself, your relationship, your writing, your finances, your world, or whatever. What would you tell them? I’m going to guess it’s not, “Wow, you suck, no wonder you’re having x, y, z problem.”

Let me know if you do it! I’d love to know how it goes!

I am currently booking events for 2025!

I am excited to be facilitating a creative writing workshop in January at the Roanoke Writers Conference as well as a virtual workshop on eco-poetry in April (for Earth Day!) with the Eastern Shore Writers Association.

I’ll also be facilitating a Braintrust Workshop with The Poetry Lab on Tuesday, January 14th, so keep your eyes peeled for that registration. I’ll be exploring the concept of hermit crab poems!

And I’d love to book more — both in person (within a 1-2 hour drive of Washington, D.C.) and virtual (anywhere in the world!)

So if you/your organization would like to host me and one of my workshops, please be in touch. Also, if you would love for me to partner with your local bookstore or library, I will reach out to them and try and make it happen!

Do you live in the DMV area?

If you don’t know what that means, the answer is probably no :-)

Now through December 29th, New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt, MD is exhibiting the Ekphrastic Fantastic Art Show, and two of my poems are featured! The first I submitted to have a visual artist create a piece inspired by it, and the second I wrote inspired by a visual art piece by one of the artists in the show. If you live in the area, grab a latte and check out the artwork and poems. If you don’t live in the area, I will be posting photos of my contributions and the corresponding artwork up on my socials. Keep a look out!

Alright, that’s all folks! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year! Looking forward to bringing more poetry goodness to the world in 2025! Onward!Love,Anne MarieCheck me out in the places:

Facebook; Instagram

Or support me by buying my poetry collection

Free and Easy Holiday Gift Ideas for the Author in Your Life

It’s beginning to look a lot like… uh… blind consumerism and the time when small businesses, solo entrepreneurs, and side hustlers make their most cash for the year. But you don’t have to spend any cash to support your author friends. Here are a number of ways you can support the writers in your life this holiday season for FREE.

#1. Reviews

Reviews help authors in myriad ways, but here are my top three reasons to leave a review:

Reviews provide credibility to their work. Other people are likely to make a purchase if they see that others have enjoyed it, and honestly even bad reviews can help a book. You didn’t like the way that poetry collection deviated from the left margin and you just didn’t “get it”? Well that sounds right up my alley! Here’s my money!

Reviews boost auto-populated searches. When my book Survived By first launched, it wouldn’t auto-populate in Goodreads or Amazon search bars. (What does auto-populate mean? It means when someone starts typing in “S-U-R-V-I-V-E-D” that my title would then pop up. Only after typing in “Survived By Anne Marie Wells” would my book show up. But now after several reviews and reaching the Top Ten for many of Amazon’s poetry lists, it auto-populates.

Reviews become marketing materials for authors. Every time I receive a review, I post it on my socials, but reviews can also be used on book covers, websites, and other promotional materials.

#2. Selfies

Leveling up your review game, you can post a selfie with the book. Posting a selfie with an author’s book can introduce potential readers to new authors they may not otherwise encounter.

#3. Quotes

Posting the quotes from an author’s book that particularly impacted you can significantly impact a book’s sales and commercial success. Back in August, after a TikToker posted about my book, reading passages from it aloud, my book went from 1.7 millionth on the Amazon book ranking list to 30,000th over night. This created a domino effect. Other TikTokers also purchased my book and posted about it, and my book has floated above the 500,000th rank since, fluctuating mostly between 10,000 and 100,000th ranking.

#4. Add to To-Be-Read list

Even if you haven’t and can’t afford to purchase an author’s book, you can add it to your “To-Be-Read” list. On Goodreads, StoryGraph, and other book tracking apps, adding a book to your TBR list helps with those auto-populated searches I mentioned above. If you don’t use any of those apps, you can still post a Google-searched image of the book cover on your socials saying “I can’t wait to read this book!”

#5. Suggest the book to your library

It’s easy to suggest a book to your local library. Most library websites have a tab specifically for this. If not, you can inquire by sending them an email or calling. Odds are they have a protocol for suggesting a book.

Additionally, once a book has been purchased for the library, this opens the door for the author to be able to work with that library in order to host a reading or writing workshop.

#6. Make the book your next book club read

When my book came out, my good friend Julia chose it for her book club’s next read. This encourages additional readers, particularly readers who might not otherwise read within that specific genre.

#7. Suggest the book to your local bookstore

If your local bookstore is Barnes & Noble, they may be less inclined to shelve an indie author’s book. If you love your local indie book store, though, you can let them know about the book. Better yet, if you’re ready to purchase the book yourself, you can tell your local bookstore that you would love to buy it through them instead of buying it on Amazon. (Your local bookstore will thank you!)

Just like with the libraries, if the bookstore ends up purchasing the book, this will open the door for the author to do a reading or other event there.

#8. Suggest the author for an event

Last year, a friend of mine who works for the CUNY system reached out to me saying her team was looking for speakers for their Emerging Leaders Conference, particularly on the topic of social justice. I created a pitch for a talk on the historic and modern usage of poetry in social justice movements and activism. Her team loved it, and I was booked.

A couple different friends suggested me to be a guest for two different literary podcasts.

One friend suggested me as a guest speaker for a local event on mindfulness where I created a couple of creative writing exercises to facilitate with attendees.

Another invited me to be a preliminary judge for a poetry contest.

None of this cost them any money, but it created opportunities for me to promote myself, sell my book, and build my resume.

Nothing is better for marketing and promotion than people saying your name in rooms you are not in.

#9. Like & Share

If nothing else, you can like and share their posts on the socials. Liking and sharing gives validation, adds to an author’s overall social media “performance levels,” and it makes them look good when potential publishers or collaborators are scoping them out.

Whether we like it or not, having an active social platform is definitely a plus when pitching to publishers. They want to know not only that your writing is amazing, they want to know that you have the ability to then sell that writing when the time comes. Social media engagement is visible “proof” that an author has a network of people who will be waiting, money in hand, to buy their book.

Alright, that’s all folks! Thanks for reading!Love,Anne MarieCheck me out in the places:

Facebook; Instagram

Or support me by buying my poetry collection

Anne Marie Wells Poetry Pop-Up

All day today I have been feeling many of the same feelings that I felt after my dad was first diagnosed with terminal cancer and after he passed away. I would have brief moments where I was distracted and would forget the eviscerating knowledge for just a minute... then I'd remember again... No, it wasn't a dream. This was real. This will never not be reality again. And then the grief would start all over.

When I was in acute grief after my dad died the "Five Stages" didn't really cut it. They didn't give me anything to do. I felt like I was drowning in self-pity. So, I thought it might be helpful to some of you out there to read excerpts from the "how-to guide" to grief I put together as I was experiencing it that eventually became the foundation of my book Survived By alongside some notes on how I am implementing these steps right now.

Here we go…

1. Oh my god, my heart is telling so many people to fuck off right now, and I am honoring that. The "fuck off" might not be forever, but it is what I need right now.

2. I am not only accepting help, but I am also seeking help and offering help. (Like this post—this is my small contribution.) I am accepting help from the poets. All their poetic offerings. I am even accepting help from the cosmos/god/the universe. Whatever I can get.

3. I am so fucking grateful I have my son who smiles at me because elections mean nothing to him, and who snuggles me and rubs his forehead into my collarbone, who cries "Mama" when he is upset. He allows me to stay present. He allows me to stay.

4. I am finding control in unfollowing every single news outlet and unfollowing unhelpful assholes who do nothing but add to the anguish so many people are already experiencing. I deleted the NYTimes app off my phone. I am rededicating myself to my craft and using my craft to serve others. I am not looking at the news for awhile. That is what I can control right now. I can control how I interact with my son and my partner even though I’m filled with despair. I can control calling my mom every day to make sure she’s doing okay. I can control eating a protein shake to make sure I’m nourishing myself even when I don’t feel like it. I can control going to bed early and not doom scrolling.

5. My core values are justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. My core values are bodily autonomy and consent. My core values are feminist and intersectional. My feelings are caused by a sense of betrayal to these core values. I will not numb. I will not pretend like this isn't happening.

6. I am here.

7. Someday I will be here, but I am not there just yet. Maybe I am just in the “follow your curiosities” phase. I am thinking about starting a monthly poetry book club and using my Listener Poet training to share untold stories. I haven’t followed these curiosities yet. Just exploring curiosities.

Like I said… the pain isn’t numbed away, but I am coping better than I was in 2016, and I think it’s because I have this guide to not only remind me that my feelings are valid and normal, but now I have something to put my emotions behind. I feel more empowered to do something with my rage and anguish with this guide. I hope that it can be helpful to you as well if you are currently drowning.

Lastly, let me leave you with words from Carrie Fischer: Take your broken heart, make it into art. That was how Survived By was born, and if there is any modicum of a silver lining, it’s that your goddamn beautiful hearts are going to make some goddamn beautiful art, and that will always make the world a little less terrible.

Love,

Anne Marie

Anne Marie Wells Poetry Newsletter November 2024

Thank you, Poets!

For being here and reading my newsletter and supporting my numerous endeavors. I AM GRATEFUL FOR YOU!

Exciting!

On my socials back in June I had announced I was a winner in the Luzerne County Poetry in Transit contest which meant that my winning poem would be displayed on public buses! Well! The panel with my poem on it is finally living its best life zooming around the streets of Luzerne County.

This poem can be found in my collection, Survived By.

IMPORTANT UPDATE! I MONETIZED MY SUBSTACK! Photo by Andre Taissin on Unsplash

What does this mean for you? Probably nothing, actually.

Everyone will still get the same newsletter every month. Nothing will be behind a paywall. The added bonus of becoming a paid member is that you get thorough feedback on one poem every month. If you like my work and would appreciate my insights on your own work, become a paid subscriber.

If you’d like to do a little “tester” before committing to becoming a paid subscriber, you can submit a poem for feedback through my website first. Same price without the commitment of a month-to-month subscription.

Book Recommendation

Last month I read Forest of Noise by Mosab Abu Toha and it was breathtaking. I wish that I was baller enough to have affiliate links, but alas I’m not, so this recommendation is coming to you straight from my sincere heart.

The Joy of Poeting

So, I’m pretty bummed out that The Joy of Poeting hasn’t been working out. Even when my partner is not on the internet streaming the football game on Sunday night, I just don’t have a good enough internet connection to livestream without the quality being absolute shit. I also am not in a financial position to pay more for a more premium internet connection. One person suggested I use my phone as a hotspot, which is a great idea accept I have Mint Mobile which uses T-Mobile towers and I don’t even get enough reception in my own home to make phone calls. I have to use Wi-Fi calling if I want to make calls or send texts from home. So that’s not an option either. (As I told my friend, I'm kind of in a catch 22 because I don't have enough money to upgrade my cell phone/internet/equipment/[insert literally anything] in order to do the things I want, but if I get a full-time job in order to pay for those things, then I won't have the time/energy to do the things I want to do with them.) So The Joy of Poeting is on hold for the time being until I figure out a better way to do it.

I have thought about a weekly Zoom, but if I have the link readily available for folks to join, then I am at risk of Zoom trolls joining the space. (I was once in a poetry reading event when a man start shitting on camera…) But if people have to register every single time, they’re not likely to regularly join. (I know this was a hindrance to me joining the Beyond Baroque weekly critique group.) I also thought about doing a weekly Zoom webinar during which I am the only one seen and heard, but that comes with a price tag of $690/year on top of a Zoom premium account.

I could do a pre-recorded video and upload them to YouTube, but that’s not exactly what I want to do. I’d really like the videos to be live with an audience so that I can answer questions and/or take suggestions on the spot.

So… I’m not sure what I’m going to do. If you have suggestions, please let me know what they are.

My goal is to bring The Joy of Poeting back for January 2025.

Update on 60-Day Writing Challenge

By the end of the challenge, I stopped keeping track of how often I did what task, BUT what I am taking a way is a newfound appreciation for morning pages, I read more on craft in these last sixty days than I have all year, I wrote some new poems, and I started some new projects. And none of this would have happened (or at least as often or prolifically) without participating in Camari’s challenge.

What I learned:

You don’t have to do something perfectly in order to benefit from it.

No I didn’t do every single task every single day. But just the fact that I was participating and more aware of how I was contributing to my poetry goals kept me active.

Writing Prompt Photo by Mike Tinnion on Unsplash

This month’s prompt is inspired by the 60-Day Writing Challenge…

Best-selling self-help author, Brené Brown, once referred to herself as “a recovering perfectionist and an aspiring good-enoughist.” She believes that perfectionism is rooted in a fear of shame, blame, and pain, and being able to accept a more effective, comfortable, and graceful outcome or result leads to greater happiness, less stress, and more self-compassion.

Write about an aspect of your life in which the all-the-way perfect thing might be replaced with the partially perfect, good enough thing.

Where I submitted work/am submitting work (so you can, too) Photo by Matt Ridley on Unsplash

T Paulo Urcanse Prize for Literary Excellence

2024 Ashland Poetry Broadside Contest

Poetry Society of America Awards

I am currently booking events for 2025!

I am excited to facilitate a creative writing workshop in January at the Roanoke Writers Conference as well as a virtual workshop on eco-poetry in April (for Earth Day!) with the Eastern Shore Writers Association.

And I’d love to book more — both in person (within a 1-2 hour drive of Washington, D.C.) and virtual (anywhere in the world!)

So if you/your organization would like to host me and one of my workshops, please be in touch. Also, if you would love for me to partner with your local bookstore or library, I will reach out to them and try and make it happen!

Alright, that’s all folks! Thanks for reading!Love,Anne MarieCheck me out in the places:

Facebook; Instagram

Or support me by buying my poetry collection

Anne Marie Wells Poetry Newsletter October 2024

Happy Spooky Season, Poets!Update on 60-Day Writing Challenge

Last month I wrote how I was participating in Camari Hawkins’ / Mama’s Kitchen Press’ 60-Day Writing Challenge.

The tasks are to:
- Write for 30 minutes
- Read 10 pages of a writing craft book.
- Complete a writing exercise. This can be a shared prompt or idea from the book you are reading.
- Review and edit yesterday’s work.
- Engage with the Audacious Writers Community via Accountability Chat.

Books on Writing Craft

To check off “Read 10 pages of a writing craft book”, I have re-read Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, started re-reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, and started Finger Exercises for Poets by Dorianne Laux (which I highly recommend.)

It has been a rare day that I complete every single task for the 60-day challenge, but I have been attempting Julia Cameron’s “morning pages” daily to check off “Write for 30 minutes” and I have mostly done it. I don’t think that it has had an effect on my writing quality, but what it has done is clear out all of the clutter in my brain—particularly self-doubt, internalized fatphobia, petty annoyances, considerable annoyances, and lots of “I don’t know what to write.” It is helpful to just get all of it out.

And I would say the result has been a lot of enthusiasm for….

New Projects! Photo by 2H Media on Unsplash

My brain just loves new projects, especially when I have several unfinished projects already. (The audio versions of Survived By and Mother, (v); finishing my novel; finishing the stage play adaptation of Survived By; or turning my poems into art pieces with decoupaged frames… just to name a few…)

Well! My poetry friend, Joseph, emailed me asking if I wanted to collaborate on creating a resource on poetic forms. Funny enough, I led a weekend-long workshop on poetic forms with Tiny Spoon Magazine at the end of September. Poetic forms are my jam.

So I started putting what I know into a Google sheet. I went through Stephanie Rogers’ Fat Girl Forms writing down the forms that were new to me from that.

Then I pulled out my big book of forms put together by Lewis Turco.

I looked at past presentations I had created on forms and scoured Robert Lee Brewer’s form archive on Writer’s Digest.

Joseph was hoping to find or create a 365, one-a-day type resource, and so far I have put together a list of 235 forms (including modes and genres). But this pushed me into developing an idea that I’ve had tumbling around my brain for awhile now.

I have been wanting to put together some sort of 30-for-30 workshop or a weekly Instagram live or something where I would share a how-to on a different poetic form each time. Well, finally, I am attempting to start one.

The Joy of Poeting

A play on Bob Ross’ The Joy of Painting, I started The Joy of Poeting on Twitch. Each week (ish) on Sunday at 8 PM ET, I will walk viewers through creating a poem in a specific poetic form — Ribcages, Duplexes, Dippers, Burning Haibuns, Centos. AND I am going to challenge myself to write in meter too!

I know about meter and the different kinds of stresses, but I don’t write in meter. Not ever. Not once. And I think that if I eventually want to teach at a collegiate level, that I should at least give it a try. (And maybe if viewers watch me struggle/suffer, they won’t feel so bad if they struggle/suffer too.)

The first episode aired on 9/29/24 and I learned that either I don’t have the right equipment to take on this feat and/or I need to make sure my partner isn’t watching the football game at the same time to save our wifi bandwidth. I also learned that I didn’t have the “save my broadcasts” toggle switched to on, so my first episode didn’t save to Twitch. I did record it through OBS (the software I use to stream) and uploaded it to my YouTube channel. But again… the quality is not good. The audio is fine and you can hear what I’m saying, but yeah… the whole thing didn’t go as planned, unfortunately. I’m going to try again next week with my partner not doing any video streaming and see if that makes a difference. If not, this project will be put on the back burner.

Writing Prompt for Spooky Season Photo by James on Unsplash

One of my favorite birds are crows. Crows are fascinating creatures whose intelligence continues to be observed and documented by ecologists. One of crows’ unique behaviors includes “anting,” during which crows intentionally land on an anthill and allow the colony to swarm their body. The formic acid released by the ants kills any pathogens living in the birds’ feathers.

Write about one of your habits that from the outside might appear bizarre, but that is essential to your physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual well-being.

Where I submitted/will submit work (so you can too)

Quarterly West

UK National Poetry Prize

The Graybeal-Gowen Prize

Diann Blakely National Poetry Competition

The Changes Book Prize

Abode Press

The Leonard Cohen Poetry Prize

The Steve Kowit Poetry Prize

✏️🖋👍

Alright, that’s all folks! Thanks for reading!Love,Anne MarieCheck me out in the places:

Facebook; Instagram; Twitch

Or support me by buying my poetry collection