Kelli Russell Agodon's Blog, page 86

Blog Request: Compiling Your Manuscript: Part 3 - Sections - Yes or No

Question:  Should a poetry manuscript have sections?  When should I use them?  How will I know sections are best?



This is an interesting question and one that I can't answer for *your* manuscript because it would be kind of like me telling you, "You'd look great in a shag haircut" having never seen the shape of your face, having never known your personality.



So while I can't answer this question for your manuscript because again, I think each writer needs to look inside him/herself to find the best answers for their manuscripts, I can tell you how I came to discover my book needed sections and how that changed things.



And maybe through my process of revising and crafting my manuscript, you can ask yourself the same questions or perhaps, see what works best for your work.



~



For the longest time my manuscript had no sections.  It was 56 pages of poem after poem after poem, all alphabetized.  I wanted it this way because I wanted to showcase the A-Z order as well as have it almost appear like a dictionary, A poem leads to B poem leads to C...



I believe in about 2007 or 2008, I was either responding to a post by January O'Neil about manuscripts or thinking about it.  She was either asking or discussing putting together a manuscript and somehow "sections" was brought up.



In responding to her (either in a comment or in my head, I can't remember which!) I remember making a statement that went something like this--  Sections are good because it allows your reader to have a break, its quite a challenge to keep the momentum of one's manuscript going for so long without them.





BINGO!



My manuscript, which had been a semi-finalist at the point, did not have sections.  I looked at with new eyes.  I reread my entire manuscript straight through and realized, that is exactly what was missing from manuscript--breathing spots!



My manuscript was a deep dive underwater, moving from emergency to emergency, but the reader never got to come up for air.  It was tiring for me to read it in this new light.  It felt heavy, it had an emotional arc, but there was no quiet space to absorb what I had written.



My book, which explores trying to find calmness in a chaotic world, never allowed the reader to find the calmness-- basically, the form of my manuscript was not in-sync with the content of the poems. While the speaker did and does, throughout the poems, my manuscript was kicking the readers butt by not letting her take a break, my manuscript had basically become the Sue Sylvester of the poetry world and did not want to give anyone a break!



So I looked at and asked myself: If this manuscript needs sections, where should they be?



It was very obvious to me after I asked that question.  As I said in a previous post, my most vulnerable poems were "hidden" in the center.  These are the letter poems of the book and the title poem (Letter from the Emily Dickinson Room) is in this section.  I knew this poem needed to start off a section and so I added a break there so the reader could take a breath before we dove deep into troubled waters.



From what people have told me, that section felt like the emotional core of the book. While I believe there are a couple humorous poems in there, there are "heavier" poems as well. I read through until I came to a place where I felt the mood was changing and things were lightening up a bit, maybe even becoming a bit optimistic and added a section break there so I could breath again, so the reader could breath and there's a signal that the mood is changing, that we're moving to resolution.



Now on these section breaks, I could have used a symbol, a word, a number, anything to signal that we were at a place of rest, but I have had these quotes in my head that I have been wanting to use forever, so those became part of section breaks.  Not only could I rest and relax here (and the reader as well), but the quotes act as a way to change the subject a bit.



The first quote: You write on your letter something which I sometimes feel also: Sometimes I do not know how I shall pull through.  Vincent van Gogh



For me, this quote did two things--it signaled that there may be some letters poems approaching (there are) and it hits the core of this book "sometimes I do not know how I shall pull through..."  This section break and quote allows everything to change speed, to say, "Wait, we might not make it.  Let's slow down and see what happens..."



My second quote which begins the final section in the book: Let us go in; the fog is rising. Emily Dickinson -- were the last words of Emily D.  I thought this was appropriate because I was beginning the last section and these words (even though her last) gave a sense of hope.  It was an invitation to go into the last section and the fog--an image throughout my book since I basically live in a fogbank much of the year-- a literal fogbank though you could argue metaphorical too-- is rising.  The depression, the anxiety, the sadness is lessening.



Once I added the section breaks I felt I gave my book some resting spots, benches on the path through the story.  I guess that is how I look at section breaks for my own work, where do I need to take a breath?  Where might someone else need to rest?  In building this trail through my manuscript I tried to allow for scenes to happen all around as I was through (and later, as the reader walks through) and places to sit and absorb what's been seen.



So this is how I came to use section breaks in my book.  Do I think all books need sections?  No.  Do I think your book could use sections?  That is completely your decision.  Will my next book have sections?  I have no idea until I write that book.



I truly believe each manuscript is its own unique thing and there is no one way or best advice.  In my ordering, I went against "putting your best poems first" mentality because for me, it didn't work.  What I thought were some of my strongest poems were too emotionally heavy for the beginning of the book, if I placed them there without any context before it would have been like saying, "Hello, let me show you what I look like naked" before we even had a handshake.  I couldn't do it.



So there you go, my thought On Section Breaks Worked for Me-- and maybe they'll work for you and maybe not.  It's all your choice.  And actually, more accurately, it's your manuscript's choice--  listen to what it wants, just as you listen to what a poem wants.



~

Thankful Thursday - January Gill O'Neil (aka PoetMom) & the Ability to Saying No

January, Kelli, Kristin & Susan in DC: Busboys & Poets




Today's Thankful Thursday is that I am thankful for January, both her and her blog. And also for saying no (myself included).



First, to January-- My favorite things about January's blog (and it is one of my very favorite blogs, one I enjoy keeping up on) is that she is honest and I love the way she writes her blog.  I so appreciate honesty in people, calling it as they see it and not trying to create a false appearance for the world (i.e. - This is my perfect life syndrome - for fear of anyone finding out that we're not perfect).  January's blog is positive and truthful, detailed and open.  It's a great mix for me as a reader/poet/mother.



I also love how organized, self-motivated, and determined she is.  I love her lists in her blog (this is how my mind works as well) and am thankful to get a glimpse into the life of a smart, strong woman/mother/poet/person in the world.



What's also great is I got to meet January in person and she's just as likable, kind, and personable in person as she is online.



So now that I've made my list of things I'm thankful about January, now let's get to the saying no part (I inadvertently wrote "party" - A saying no party.  Yes, this is what we need!)







I noticed twice on January's blog this week, that she has talked about feeling over-scheduled, even booked herself for 2 reading in one night, and on the last post I read she wrote this:

Between work, home, and festival planning, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. So I've decided not to take on any new projects, events, or favors until June. I have a tendency to say yes to everything, but I'm feeling stretched. I can barely keep up with the projects on my plate now. Seems like a no brainer but it's taken me this long to realize my limitations.



So, I too, can suffer from yes-itis.



And I think one of the hard parts of being a successful poet like January is and having a book as she does (Underlife (New Voices)) is that people want you for many different things-- readings, conferences, workshops, individual consultations -- and all those things take up a lot of time.



And it can be hard to say no.  We want people to ask us to do a reading or teach a workshop.  It fulfills us. It's fun.  It can be one of the reasons we love being a poet in the world.



But sometimes it can be too much.



I actually have a sign on my desk with a small self-portrait of Frida Kahlo that says, "Be the Crystallized Ginger."  Meaning: Pay attention to what you say yes to, be strong in caring for your time, priorities, and values.  Yes, all that in those 4 words.



It's a term a friend (also a poet) and I came up with because I wanted to keep September free for myself before my book came out.  The crystallized ginger represents being sweet, but also keeping that "bite" that ginger has, realizing you can be both kind and make sure your own needs are being met.  Strong and sweet, baby.



So I too, constantly remind myself to say no to the things that I either don't want to do or will cause me to feel overwhelmed with not enough time for myself.  We writers need our me time.  (Some of us more than others!  This is the Emily Dickinson part of myself talking here.)



And I guess it's not necessarily saying no to others, but yes to yourself and your own values and time.



So I'm also thankful today for saying no also and for saying yes to what's important to us, each of us, we each get to decide our own priorities.  And I'm thankful about that too.



Thank you January for your wonderful blog and for bringing up a topic - saying no - that I have also been thinking about.



I'll blog more about saying no next week.  Oh, there's a lot on that topic!



Cheers and thanks and yes to each of us.

Books of Poetry for $10 or less...

I happened to be on Amazon today (okay, I'll confess, I wanted to see how my book was doing # wise in the world) and was surprised to find that it currently priced at $10.88 (It's normally $16). That is close to what I pay for copies of my book!

So if you ever wanted to get my book, it's at an excellent price on Amazon today (I say today because I don't know if you notice, but Amazon fluctuates with it prices & I'm not sure why.  Normally, my book is discounted at about $12.88 - Susan Rich's book also from White Pine Press The Alchemist's Kitchen is at $12.48, so I think that's about what our books normally sell for on Amazon).

Anyway, I decided to look around at my favorite books and see who else has a poetry book at $10 and here's what I found-- 

POETRY BOOKS for $10 (& some change) and less--



(my newest book) Letters From the Emily Dickinson Room, currently on Amazon for $10.88.

Jeannine Hall Gailey's book Becoming the Villainess is also for sale at $9.45!

But you'll want to get yourself 3 books so you can get the free shipping, so here's a few more poetry books I recommend that are $10 or under today on Amazon--

Lana Hechtman Ayer's What Big Teeth: Red Riding Hood's Real Life book which just came out in March of last year about the real story of Little Red Riding Hood. ($10)  

Richard Siken's Crush, a past Yale Younger Poets Prize book that's become a favorite of mine. ($10.80)  I'm really late on buying/reading this book, but it's incredible, even with a cover that always makes me look twice-- is that really his thumb?

Another new favorite book of poems that I just love by Keetje Kuipers-- Beautiful in the Mouth (A. Poulin, Jr. New Poets of America) also $10.88 - I just bought this one about a week ago and I love her poems.



Martha Silano's Blue Positive coming in at $10.20.  Always a fav.  Of course, Marty's new book is out The Little Office of the Immaculate Conception: Poems, but it's at $11.78, so it's just a bit higher than that lovely $10 price tag.

 So there you go, poetry for $10 & some change or less.  Have fun, bibliophiles!

The Problem With Having Too Much Time -

I have been extremely busy this 2011, actually, we can probably trace it back to when my book came out in October.



I am not complaining or even pretending that to be busy at this time in my life wasn't a choice, it was.  But my To-Do list has grown and each day I play a daily game of Beat-the-List trying to see how many things I can check off.



And this is what I realize in times like these, the less time I have to write, the more I want to write.



~



When I first moved to this small town, I knew no one and I didn't have a job or a child.  I had nothing to occupy my life so I created a schedule to create some sort of routine.  A few days were for writing (the reason I left my old life and moved to a small town), but I had so much time that one day a week was actually called "Craft Day," it was a day, where me, with endless time, my endless summer, would focus on making a craft. And yes, I devoted a whole day to those felt animals, to those painted vases.



But when I look back at this time in my life when I actually had all the time in the world to write, I didn't write as much.



Time was endless then.  If I didn't write on a writing day, I could write the next day, or on Craft Day or the weekend.  I could put off my writing until later.  There wasn't a lot going on in my life, there was always time.  That is, until there wasn't.



~



When I got a part-time job, became pregnant, had a daughter, went back to school for my MFA, volunteered, became an editor for Crab Creek Review, began working with other writers, and realized a third-of-an-acre was actually not romantic, but a lot of work to upkeep, I watched this endless summer vanish.  All that time that seemed open for writing, was now closed.  I had (and *have*) a lot less time to write.



But here's the thing--I write more now than I did as my younger self who had no true commitments.



It could be because I am older, more dedicated, more organized, more _________(fill in the blank), but I think it's actually because I have *less* time that my writing time has become more valuable to me.



When I have time to write, I no longer will put it off, in fact I arrive to writing with a quick pulse and ideas flowing out of my fingers.  I am excited to write. I feel as if I was given this luxury of space and time and I no longer take it for granted.



It's a reward. It's a self-given gift.  It's the knowing that time is not endless, it's an absolute with an end date that could be close or far, we do not know.  It's the thankfulness of having a few moments to write and taking them, not letting them flutter away or giving my time to a bad habit or rerun of the Golden Girls.  It realizing what seemed like an endless summer was actually a wasted day of surfing Facebook.



Yes, having less time makes me write more and want to write more.



And in this month where sometimes I feel as if my To-Do list is trying to hunt me down and kill me, I find myself yearning for that writing time even more and when it arrives, I savor it.  And I take it. I no longer let it slip away and instead those moments become my endless summer when I walk out into the white paper waves, in search of the perfect poem.

Confession Tuesday - The Liar's Edition

I confess I enjoyed writing the post where I got to make up lies for you to guess.  Though I confess, I think it would have been easier to tell 4 truths and a lie.



I am not a very good liar.  Actually, I am the worst liar.  I think because it makes my stomach tighten and I think the truth is usually better.



But after saying that I am a bad liar, no one guessed my lie, so I must be pretty good. (Oh, what a skill to have-- I promise you, this is not a skill I will continue to try to improve on.)



So for the details on my lies (most which came from the truth) here are the details.





1. I was almost trampled by a herd of sheep at a rodeo when I was 3.

Lie.  The truth?  I confess I was almost trampled by a herd of bulls at age 4 at a rodeo.  I was supposed to be sitting on the fence, but I climbed down and stood directly in the path where they were going to open the gate.  I still can see the moment in my mind.  





When my parents realized where I was, my mum froze and my dad jumped down called for me, and as I ran over, scooped me up as the gate was opened.  







2.  I *love* cheesecake, bread pudding and/or a big bag of potato chips.





Lie.  If you're my friend on Facebook, you know this is a lie as I have the cheesecake part in the "About Me" section. I despise cheesecake.   And am not a fan of bread pudding, potato chips, or french fries either.









3. I had a dachshund that refused to let me take it for walks.

Truth!  I had a dachshund when I was a child that did not like me.  Looking back now, I think "What dog doesn't want to go for a walk?!"  But this dog didn't.  At least, with me.  I remember my dad saying as he saw me on the street with my dachshund on a leash, its front feet pressed forward so it didn't have to go, its head down-- "Oh look, Kelli is taking the dog for a drag."   





And yes, that's exactly what our walks were like.







4. I was born to hippie parents in 1969 and my mother tried to talk my dad into letting my middle name me Moonbaby.



Lie.  In a million years, my father would have never named me Moonbaby.  I confess I was born in 1969, but to a Republican business man father and a creative mother.   My father actually chose the name "Kelly," but my mum wanting some say in the matter said "It needs to be Kelli with an i because it's more feminine..." 



Thus causing me a life of incorrect spellings and never being able to find my name on one of those cool personalized license plates for your bikes at Disneyland.  





5. My first car was a Gremlin.

Lie.  I can thankfully say that my first car was a 1967 Ford Mustang.  And I still get nostalgic when I see them.



Amen.

Need a Writing Prompt Today? Here's one!

I'm the guest writer on Midge Raymond's Seattle PI blog and offer one of my favorite writing exercises.



You can go here to see the post and do the exercise.



If you get good results from it, let me know! (And or dedicate the poem/story to me... only kidding.)

Blog Request: Compiling a Poetry Manuscript, Part 2: Order

So last month (really, it was last month though it feels like years ago) I wrote about compiling a book manuscript here.



From that poem I offered that each poet should "Inquire Within" - ask yourself why you are choosing to do the things you are in your manuscript (know why you do everything you do in your manuscript).



~



Today's post is on the book's order.  And I will admit right here, ordering is probably my weakest skill as a poet.  (Great, you're thinking, Thanks for offering your horrible advice.)



But I'm a good listener, so I can share things that have worked for others as well as what has worked for me.



There are many poets who said their manuscript finally won a prize after they took this advice -- Put your best poems up front and then a few of your best poems at the end, then the rest in the middle.





I'm offering this because I know some poets have been chosen because of this--because the readers are tired and they read the first section of the manuscript then skip to the back to see how it ends.



But my poet-self, the one who really believes if you're going to do something, to do it well and craft your manuscript just as much as you craft individual poems, doesn't really have buy in on this.



For me, I look at a manuscript as a work of art.  Novel.  Poetry Collection.  Memoir.  Collection of Short Stories.  Chapbook.  To me-- this is the art you are giving to the world, create it to the best of your ability in content and in the creation of its order.



Besides "put your best work upfront," here are a few other ways you can order a manuscript--





Narrative arcEmotional arcAlphabeticallyBy theme/subjectBy emotional/theme subjectSome completely different wayA few of the ways above combined

Again, I think a lot of the answers you need will come to you when you really ask yourself, "What am I trying to do?" and "What do I want to achieve with this manuscript?" (And I'm not talking winning a prize here, but what do you want the order of the mss to achieve?)



While I write answers to your questions, I need to be upfront here-- I do not know the answers to any of these questions for *your* manuscript.  I only know the answers for mine.  Just as while I might offer you parenting advice for your child, only you know what's best in raising her.



I feel this way about poetry and creating a book.  My child has different needs than your child.  But maybe in seeing how my child, I mean manuscript, was created, it will help you with yours.  Or you will get new ideas or hear something you haven't heard before.

So for my manuscript, (now book Letters From the Emily Dickinson Room) I wanted to have a conflict in the beginning, some tough emotional poems in the middle (I intentionally placed them there because in my mind, they were "safe" between the other poems and this allowed me to feel a little less vulnerable and I worried if they were near the beginning, they were too early...), and there was to be a feeling of resolution at the end.

I didn't want the reader to read the whole book and not feel as if s/he could come away with something.  I wanted him/her to leave the book feeling as if she knew everything would be all right.

Also, if you look at the poem titles you will see they are all in alphabetical order.  That was a challenge as I wanted them in a certain order and sometimes that order wasn't working, so I had to retitle my poems.

But since the book was called LETTERS from the Emily Dickinson Room, and the book deals with ritual and a bit of OCD/anxiety, for me it was important to have the poems alphabetical--that was one thing I knew from the very beginning.  I tried to put them in different orders, but they always returned to A-Z.

So when you are ordering your poems, again, know what you are trying to achieve.  Pretend this manuscript is never going to get published and that you are a master artist creating your best work ever, you can do anything to this manuscript, what would you do?

I know for me, I view each manuscript as an artist might view her work of art.  While I might not fully understand all it is doing (I believe much of our art comes from our subconscious), I have crafted it, revised it, cared for it.  I have chosen the best frame and its title.  I have thought about every detail in that book.  

For me, my poetry collection is much to important to me personally to just "put my best poems up front."  To me, this is like trying to sell your home just from the photo--yes, it's gorgeous from the street, but I open the door and all I see is clutter!  

Be able to open the door to your manuscript and know why you chose a potted palm instead of a ficus.  Know why you have crystal doorknobs and an old fashioned blender.  View your book as someone walking into a new home, what does your manuscript show you?  Where do you get lost?  Where you open a closet and have things fall on your head?  What can you get rid of to make it cleaner?

It's a work of art, not just a note on your resume.  This is how I feel about writing.  It's not about the sale of the house, but if your heart into it, and you can see the prayer flags hanging from the back gate and know, yes, this place was loved.

~

Another Award, On Oscar Sunday?

Okay, Kristin Berkey-Abbott actually gave this to me last week but I'm running a bit behind this month, so here it is, and yes, I'm sure it's a real award or there wouldn't be a jumping confetti cat on it. duh.





So here's the deal --





The other requirement is that I list five facts, four of which are lies. And you have to guess which one is true.

I have never been a good liar, so let's begin.





1. I was almost trampled by a herd of sheep at a rodeo when I was 3.







2.  I *love* cheesecake, bread pudding and/or a big bag of potato chips.







3. I had a dachshund that refused to let me take it for walks.







4. I was born to hippie parents in 1969 and my mother tried to talk my dad into letting my middle name me Moonbaby.







5. My first car was a Gremlin.









Let me know if you have any guesses for which of the above statements is the true one and I will send the first person who gets it correct a surprise of some sort (just to keep it fun).





***Requirements of the award:



–link back to the blogger who awarded you.

–display the graphic from award creator.

–post 5 facts, four of which must be lies.

–pass the award on to 5 other bloggers who must follow these rules.

–link the post back, so Jillsmo can follow its trajectory.

Since I just named 5 people, it feels crazy to do it again - but here we go (Oh and if you don't want to do this or have already been tagged, no worries, at least you had your name mentioned in the spirit of lying...) 



My five bloggers?

Michael Welch

Kathleen Kirk

Maureen Doallas

Rebecca Loudon

And anyone else who'd like to join in...   How's that?!



And if you want to guess my truth from my 4 lies, please leave me a comment on this post.  First person who guesses correctly wins a prize!



~



By the way, if you want to guess the truth from this list of 4 lies and truth, leave me a comment.  First one right, wins a prize!

Happy Sunday blog reading!

Throw a Stick, Hit a Poet - The Seattle Poetry Scene

Martha Silano at Seattle's Open Books
So, last night was Martha Silano's  reading at Seattle's poetry only bookstore Open Books.  And it was fantastic.  Marty dazzled with displays of Newton's Laws of Physics.  Her best quote of the night, "If you don't worry about the math part, physics is not that hard." (I laughed out loud when she said that).  What a fun evening!

And here's what's so great about going to a Seattle poetry reading...the audience is made up of some of my favorite people who are also great poets. 



Jeannine Gailey, me, Martha Silano, Joannie Stangeland, Annette Spaulding-Convy


Here's the guest list of some of the people I bumped into last night--

We have the above group of hooligans:Jeannine Hall GaileyMartha (our queen reader)Joannie StangelandAnnette Spaulding-Convy (my co-editor at Crab Creek Review) - okay I didn't actually bump into her, we came together.

But also, the room continued with more poets--



Peter Pereira

Megan Snyder-Camp

Kevin Craft (editor of Poetry Northwest)

Molly Tenenbaum

Kathleen Flenniken

Erin Malone



Susan Rich & Lana Ayers were missing due to this crazy illness that's hitting the Northwest.  And Sarah Vap and Oliver de la Paz didn't make it due to snow issues, I believe.



I had to cut out so I missed the after-reading chitchat as I had to catch the 9 pm ferry (ah, the life of someone tied to boat to bring me home, both romantic and inconvenient as well).  But I am thankful to have had dinner with Martha, Molly T, Erin M, Annette & others before the reading.



~



If you're a poet (and one of the kind, fun ones), you need to move Seattle.



My list above isn't even every poet in the area-- this is a sampling, these are just the poets who weren't stuck in the snow or afraid to drive in the snow or weren't sick or couldn't find childcare or __________ fill in the blank.



I'm thankful everyday to live an area with such a thriving poetry scene and such amazing poets.



And a poetry-only bookstore.



This is my dreamsong, my let's-fall-in-love-near-the-blue-moon-tavern, my left-of-the-erotic-bakery, my across-the-street-from-Dave-Matthews'-house, my thank-you-for-our-rain-because-it-makes-us-stay-in-and-write community.



And we do.

Thankful Thursday - Martha Silano

As I type this, Martha Silano probably sleeps dreaming of tomorrow's Book Release reading at Open Books.  Her new book  The Little Office of the Immaculate Conception: Poems (above) is out!  And she is kicking it off with a major reading at Seattle's poetry-only bookstore.



As I type this, the reading is still planned and there is just enough snow to make things pretty in Seattle, but still drivable.  I never thought I'd have to worry about missing a reading in late February because of snow.  But I've decide that God was so excited about Marty's new book She threw confetti all over our town in celebration.



I need to be honest, I fell head-over-heels for Martha with this book, What the Truth Tastes Like (by the way, they were so hot they are out of print and there is one left at Amazon for $15, then the next one falls under "collectible" for $100).  I bring my copy with me everywhere.  It was one of the first books I read (along with Olena Kalytiak Davis' And Her Soul Out Of Nothing) that inspired me, not just as a reader, but as a poet.



Then she comes out with Blue Positive and I'm blown away.  Her poem "Harborview" still gives me goosebumps.



Oh, and that's her baby daughter at the time on the cover above, now how cool is that?







Kelli & Marty in my Writing Shed - aka The House of Sea
I am thankful for Marty for many reasons as she is much more than just a poet to me, she has become my good friend, my roomie on my last writer's retreat, the Gertrude Stein to my Emily Dickinson, the one who treks, bikes, and drives over here to write in my poetry barn (even when my husband decides that is the day he's going to clean the chainsaw).  She is the one who inspired a poem called "Envious of the Pompons" and who continues to inspire me and so many others.



Yes, we are in love with her poems and her spirit, she is kind, generous, and supportive.



And if you've never had the chance to see this incredible reader, today is the day, her day!



Yes, to all you Northwest types and Seattle fans can see her tonight at Open Books in Wallingford at 7:30 pm - a starred review in the Stranger, and a bazillion stars plus a few aliens in my book, and a reading that will not disappoint.



Congratulations, Marty!  May it always be more than your day, but your lifetime.  

Cheers to you and tonight!





~Kells