…happened to me this Saturday.
I got an email from a friend, asking me if I might write a post or two about creating verse novels. Though I’m no expert, I jotted down a few things that have worked for me and planned to devote this week to writing stories through poetry.
Then the second thing:
I read Stephanie Hemphill’s YOUR OWN, SYLVIA: A VERSE PORTRAIT OF SYLVIA PLATH
and promptly felt like a fraud.
Stephanie is a master craftsman, a scholar, a poet, a writer extraordinaire. I had a high school English class knowledge of Sylvia before reading this book and have walked away with a real sense of her style, her drive, and her heartache. For me this book was a combination of THE DIARY OF EMILY DICKINSON, a novel I read in one sitting and wanted desperately to be real, and SAVAGE BEAUTY, the fascinating, bizarre biography of Edna St. Vincent Millay.
I have really had no training in poetry. Outside of my own meager reading for pleasure, I read even less in college (and my degree is in middle school English education). What I’m trying to say is I don’t know much at all about this whole poetry business, and reading a book like Stephanie’s firmly reminds me of this.
Last fall, when I attended a revision retreat led by Darcy Pattison, we had a brief conversation about our writing. I shared with her I had, up to that point, sold two poems to children’s magazines and had a verse novel out with a few agents. “So you’re a poet,” she said, and I panicked. Because I’m not a well-studied, well-read mind. I’m a person who likes to play with language. I’m a person fortunate enough to have written a novel that clicked with a few people who could make something of it. That’s it.
So, if you can keep that in mind, I’d be happy to talk verse novels with all of you this week.
I’ll be meeting Darcy at a SCBWI conference this weekend. I’m excited.
Hi Caroline – I can so relate to your “fraud” feeling. Only for me, it was for having written a novel as PROSE… there are pre-published writers who know so much more than I do about the craft of writing! But. There is something to be said for art that is more raw, born more of instinct than of study… it’s no less valuable. Just know that you are not alone in this feeling, and you will grow into your role as “poet” as you continue to develop and learn as a writer. Looking forward to what you are going to share this week!
I think we all feel like “frauds” sometimes. But I have no doubt that what you plan to share will be valuable. Don’t underestimate yourself 🙂
The fact that you even attempt it, though! That makes you a poet in my book. Well-studied or not. 🙂
Caroline, all three of those books look fabulous and I’ve added them to my “to-read” list. (I’ll never be able to manage the “Clear your shelves” challenge!)
You are too humble, my dear, but that’s probably why I like you. 🙂
Yes, I agree you are too humble! But thank you so much for being willing to share your wisdom. Remember: In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. Don’t doubt yourself. 🙂 I’m so looking forward to your posts!!
Amy
Natalie, are you attending a revision retreat? Enjoy! Please tell me how it goes.
Irene, thank you so much. I have to say I had another fraud moment over the summer (this one related to writing historical fiction). My lovely editor called to bolster my confidence in what I was doing — a huge boost.
Sherry, you’re a dear. Thank you.
Janet, thanks for reminding me we all come to the table with valid work.
Sonia, you HAVE to read these three. Utterly fascinating. After SAVAGE BEAUTY, I went back through Millay’s poetry (I inherited her complete collection from my grandmother) and marked up poems with things like “inspired by…” or “written while…”.
Today I picked up something new about Emily Dickinson: LIVES LIKE LOADED GUNS.
Natalie and Amy, you’re good for my ego and spirit. 🙂
Oooh, Caroline — LIVES LIKE LOADED GUNS looks great! Have you read WHITE HEAT, about Dickinson’s relationship with Thomas Wentworth Higginson? I found it fascinating.
And I want to echo everyone else’s encouragement. You ARE a poet!
You are what you want to be. Own it, live it, love it. 🙂
Liesl, thanks 🙂
Sonia, no! I’ll have to look for it!
I get that feeling of panic in other arenas as well: I feel like a fraud adult, a fraud mother, a fraud musician. But what else is there for me to do but to continue and hope I am learning enough?
Thanks for this post.
Caroline, you expressed so well what I feel all the time!
The thing I don’t like about writing verse novels is I feel it gives people one more thing to criticize me about. I’ve never promised anyone that I’m the greatest poet of all time. I’ve never promised people I’m even a poet at all!! And yet, people will say, but you should be, or how dare you, or a hundred other things. It’s hard.
With each book, I’ve done the best I can with the knowledge I had at the time. Do I have some regrets? Yes, absolutely. But it’s too late now. And, I have to tell myself to be proud of the fact that my first novel is still on the shelves, almost 3 years after it came out. That’s no small feat in today’s competitive YA market.
With each book, I’m more thoughtful about the words I put on the page. With each book, I try harder and harder to blend story with poetry and make something magical. With each book, I think I’ve improved. That, to me, is the most important.
Like Irene, I just wanted you to know you are not alone in these feelings. And LOTS of people are curious about writing in verse, so I think it’s wonderful you want to put some information out there!