Ask the Author: Scott Edward Anderson
Answered Questions (6)
Scott Edward Anderson
My most recent book, FALLOW FIELD, is a collection of poems written over 25 years. As a manuscript, it has taken many forms over the years, but I was very satisfied with how it came together into the book. I divided the book into sections, some of which consist of poems linked thematically or, as in the fourth section, that were conceived of as a whole project.
Scott Edward Anderson
Poetry, as Edison said about genius, is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. That said, I might get inspired by something I see in nature or my daily life or a question that is nagging at me. I try to remain receptive to words and poetry as it comes -- and to make sure my writing muscle has been given enough oxygen to be ready to work.
Scott Edward Anderson
I'm just wrapping up a year as part of a remarkable group of poets in a grand experiment developed by poet Jo Bell. (I'll have a blog post about it shortly.) She invited over 540 poets to join a private group on Facebook called "52." Each week, she posted a poetry prompt to which we were expected to respond by writing an original poem and posting it to the group. There we received honest feedback from group members in a sort of virtual workshop. It was intense, trying to write a poem every week to someone else's prompt was not easy. But as challenging as it was, it was also very stimulating. I'll spend much of the year ahead trying to determine which of the 52 poems will survive.
Scott Edward Anderson
I have 7 pieces of advice for aspiring writers:
1.) Read the best writing you can find and as much of it as you can find. 2.) Write every day. How much? Graham Greene famously said he wrote 500 words a day and would stop at the 500th word. Ezra Pound said a poet should write 75 lines a day, which amount to about the same thing, depending upon line length.
3.) Find one or two or a small group of writers with whom to share your work. Take their constructive criticism to heart and be ruthless with your own writing.
4.) Don't be afraid to write a bad first draft.
5.) Revise, revise, revise.
6.) Don't worry about publication, concentrate on your writing. Good writing will always find a home.
7.) Always remember what poet Walter Lowenfels said, "One reader is a miracle; two, a mass movement."
1.) Read the best writing you can find and as much of it as you can find. 2.) Write every day. How much? Graham Greene famously said he wrote 500 words a day and would stop at the 500th word. Ezra Pound said a poet should write 75 lines a day, which amount to about the same thing, depending upon line length.
3.) Find one or two or a small group of writers with whom to share your work. Take their constructive criticism to heart and be ruthless with your own writing.
4.) Don't be afraid to write a bad first draft.
5.) Revise, revise, revise.
6.) Don't worry about publication, concentrate on your writing. Good writing will always find a home.
7.) Always remember what poet Walter Lowenfels said, "One reader is a miracle; two, a mass movement."
Scott Edward Anderson
The best thing about being a writer is putting into words what I see and observe and am trying to understand about the world.
Scott Edward Anderson
Actually, I don't believe in writer's block. If I stumble into a dry spell, where new writing just isn't flowing, I'll take up an old piece and try to rework it or try writing something in another form. For example, if I'm stumped on a poem, I'll turn to prose or a blog post or something to get the muscle moving again. If you write every day, which I try to do, the muscle stays nimble and ready. If you don't work the muscle, it will atrophy like any other. If I'm too busy with the distractions of every day life to write anything substantial, I'll jot down a few notes or write a letter. Anything to keep the writing muscle active.
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