Read Your Poems

Often when I critique poems or manuscripts for poets, I recommend they read their poems out loud.  When you do this, you can hear the flow, how it sounds, if you have the spacing and punctuation right, etc.

You can also hear if you have used words that are hard to pronounce.  I am a word lover so I often use words that no I can’t really pronounce even if I’ve used a Dictionary app to tell me how to say them.

Some poems are better on paper to be read.  Some poems are better to be read aloud.  It truly depends on the poem!

As with writing itself, when you write your poems ask yourself what is the intended outcome of your poem?  Are you sharing it with a loved one, is it just for you, do you want it published somewhere, do you want it in a poetry book, or is it more suited to a song lyric with added music?  There are so many outcomes.

Many a time, I’ve picked up a book that once I start or finish reading it I realize it probably would’ve been better as a short story, and so on.  You have to know what form your work truly fits.

Reading your poems out loud, though, can give a new life to your work.  These days with so much online, video meetings and readings and so on, you have plenty of opportunities to read a poem for an open mic.  It’s good to workshop a poem that way.

Everyone has their own process for writing.  I like to handwrite most of my poems and then rework them when I type them into my tablet or computer.  After that, I may read them at an open mic to make sure I get everything exactly right.

You can also practice reading other favorite poems by other poets.  That will give you good practice as well.

Reading your poems so you can hear them is so important even if you get someone else to read them to you!

Backgrounds

With all the stay at home orders, or just plain staying at home when you’re not at work if you’re an essential worker, more of us (me included) have been using those built in cameras on our devices, you know as actual cameras!  I don’t really think about the camera on my computer or tablet, as I’m either using a regular one or the one on my smart phone to take videos or pictures.  Until now, I haven’t really used them for online meetings.

This past week, I was in a virtual meeting two times.  I’ve met with some of my friends two other times so we could catch up with each other in a way besides our group texts.

I also participated in a few radio shows, where there was no visual representation only voices.  And also in a couple of visual poetry readings and a writing workshop here or there.  I also videoed myself reading some poems for a virtual poetry reading celebration.

I’ve got a YouTube channel, as most authors do, but I don’t do a lot with it.  I post the occasional video from a poetry or book reading, or from an open mic night.  I also post train videos!  I really have done very little with my channel.  (Search LB Sedlacek on YT if you want to subscribe.).

As a result, I’ve done very little with my cameras.  Usually any video I’m posting is filmed outdoors or at a venue like a book store or art space.

Filming or doing a live feed indoors, though, I’ve noticed presents a whole new challenge.  What do you have in your background?

What’s behind your head?  When I used one service on my phone, I could change my background to any picture I wanted so I used a sunset.  Upon using that same service on my computer, I couldn’t use a picture background.  I had to use what was right behind me!

What’s behind my computer desk?  My friends from the group text, were discussing how interesting it is!  A bookshelf is behind my chair, behind my desk.  If you weren’t aware of it, I love Scooby-Doo!  I have a few Scooby-Doo items in my bookshelf.  The same bookshelf where I keep my writing supplies and copies of my books to sell at readings, etc.  I also have a few toys I’ve saved for sentimental reasons. I have other bookshelves with actual books on them, some mine, some by my favorite authors.  The shelf behind me, if I’m on camera, doesn’t have any books in it other than my author copies!

I thought about trying to put up a poster about my books - I have “Poetry in LA” and “The Mailbox of the Kindred” covers to go behind me and cover the bookshelf.  I couldn’t quite figure out the logistics.  I thought about moving my camera. Too much trouble!  I thought about just using my phone and going outside, but it would’ve been too noisy.

In the end, I decided to just keep my background representative of me:  full of writing supplies and author copies and toys and yes Scooby-Doo!  (Did you see the new movie “Scoob!”?  It’s awesome!”). I’m not on TV, I don’t have to worry about my smart looking background or being rated on how great it is in a magazine, lol.

I think backgrounds of all kinds, where your from, what you like, things you experienced growing up or not, all contribute to your writing life.  And yes, what’s behind you can contribute to it, too!  I don’t write anything much related to toys or cartoons, but it somewhat keeps me kid like and helps my imagination to soar, and that’s what you need whenever you write.

What’s in your background?  Comment here, I’d love to know!

Remote Writing or Not Everyone Can Write “Harry Potter”

Writing on the road.  Writing in the wilderness?

Either one used to have to be done by pen or pencil and paper and then you would type your post later.  But now it’s easier than ever to post from wherever you may be.

Right now, I’m sitting at a picnic table by a grill with a fire going and also fighting off bugs of all colors and sizes.  There are lanterns,  which brings more bugs.

It’s a typical Spring southern night.  It’s cool, but warm.

What’s on the table besides my tablet?  Water bottles, bags of various chips, food from the grill, condiments, flashlights, and plastic utensils.  There’s also a smart phone.

We decided to use the smart phone to call a relative in a different state to check on them and we have been talking for some time while I post.  How nice it is to hear a real voice on the phone or to actually use your smart phone as an actual phone.

How different is that?  My screen time was down 24% last week according to my phone.  That means I’ve not been using it so much for social media.

That makes me think of the different ways of writing.  How was writing intended to be displayed or consumed or shared in the first place?  How do you write?  Why do you write?  What is your end goal for what you write?

As my father in law put it, not everyone can write “Harry Potter.”  Truth be told, I wouldn’t want to have written that book even as successful as they are.  I write for myself in the genres I like (poetry, mystery, sci fi, romance) and I write for my audience at the same time.  I am also super content to have a few true real fans of my writing.  I do think I would enjoy having one huge best seller, but I wouldn’t want to have to be required to churn out more mimicking works of the same said best seller unless that’s what I wanted to write.

The freedom from writing outdoors is the same freedom you should feel when you write..  It needs to be something you like to do, have to do as well as something you can do for a living or extra income.

It’s living your life as a writer that matters.