How to Grow Your Own Poem

by Kate Clanchy

Do you want to write a poem? This book will show you ‘how to grow your own poem’ . . .

Kate Clanchy has been teaching people to write poetry for more than twenty years. Some were old, some were young; some were fluent English speakers, some were not. None of them were confident to start with, but a surprising number went to win prizes and every one finished up with a poem they were proud of, a poem that only they could have written – their own poem.

Kate’s big secret is a simple is to share other poems. She believes poetry is like singing or dancing and the best way to learn is to follow someone else. In this book, Kate shares the poems she has found provoke the richest responses, the exercises that help to shape those responses into new poems, and the advice that most often helps new writers build their own writing practice.

If you have never written a poem before, this book will get you started. If you have written poems before, this book will help you to write more fluently and confidently, more as yourself. This book not like other creative writing books. It doesn’t ask you to set out on your own, but to join in. Your invitation is inside.

Genres: Poetry, Writing, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

Published September 3, 2020

About the author

Kate Clanchy was educated in Edinburgh and Oxford University. She lived in London's East End for several years, before moving to Buckinghamshire where she now works as a teacher, journalist and freelance writer. Her poetry and seven radio plays have been broadcast by BBC Radio. She is a regular contributor to The Guardian newspaper; her work appeared in The Scotsman, the New Statesman and Poetry Review. She also writes for radio and broadcasts on the World Service and BBC Radio 3 and 4.

She is a Creative Writing Fellow of Oxford Brookes University and teaches Creative Writing at the Arvon Foundation. She is currently one of the writers-in-residence at the charity First Story. Her poetry has been included in A Book of Scottish Verse (2002) and The Edinburgh book of twentieth-century Scottish poetry (2006)

Reviews

[Brad Carl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book that is almost like an educational course on how to write poetry. Good stuff and exercises!

[Micha Sevier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Clanchy has been teaching people to write poetry for more than twenty years. In this book, Kate uses other people’s poetry to inspire the reader to write their own poems.

This is an interesting book which emphasises how poetry is part of a conversation and encourages the reader to join in. I’ve followed Kate on Twitter for a while and enjoy reading her students’ poems which she shares. I dabbled with writing poetry as a teenager but over the years have built up too many inhibitions to write them anymore. But this book has given me many tips and inspiration to try again.

This book is great for people who want to write poetry for the first time and those who want to improve their techniques. I’d also recommend this book to anyone who would simply like to read a collection of beautiful poetry.

Thank you to NetGalley and Picador for the opportunity to read and review this title.

[Zoe Ranson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful, interactive guide to making poems crammed with ideas that are immediate and easy to engage with. The format is interactive, encouraging readers to experiment and try techniques for themselves. Each chapter shows how exisiting poems can be used as a template to create your own work, a technique that creates more accessible space than a blank page. I was inspired to follow the example provided and search for my own. Highly recommended for readers of all experiences.

[Harmony]

torn between keeping this to myself so no-one knows this will be the origin story of all my poems, or pressing it into the hands of everyone i know

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars for me. Definitely makes you want to write, and brilliant for getting you to think about how contemporary poems use images, lists and form. Kate Clanchy makes writing seem accessible for everyone, and I will happily read anything and everything she writes. However, I doubt share her love of the all poems included, and I think some of the examples are weak and unmemorable. (No doubt the fault is with me, but some of them just felt like chopped up prose, or the writing felt strained and artificial). But I would strongly recommend nevertheless as a superb introduction to contemporary poetry.

[Olivia Gwyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve been wanting to get into writing more poetry (no matter experience level), this is the book for you!!!!

Sorry to sound like an infomercial.

I’ve never been one to read writing books or use prompts for poetry, but I can’t recommend this one enough!!!!!! Helped me give voice to so many thoughts/feelings/inner child things through poetry?!?

The format is mainly-read a couple poems and then write your own poem loosely based off a concept or format from those poems that she talks you through.

I definitely see myself returning to this down the road and seeing how the poems I write in response to the prompts change as I’ve changed. Ily Kate Clanchy.

[Tracy WB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this- there is a lot of elitist nonsense in the world of poetry, when it is by far the most accessible form of creative writing we have. Anyone can have a go, and make poems they are pleased with, and this lovely book is like a friendly companion to help you with those early efforts. There is nothing like a harsh criticism of a 'poem' as not being 'poemy' enough to stop a potential writer dead in their tracks, but a good educator 'grows' their student rather than weeding then out and shoving them on a compost heap. Such is this book. wonderful.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am utterly heartbroken that this book is finished. I have been using it as a prompt for my own personal poetry writing and loved it! I was really savoring it as I neared the end and made it last as long as possible. I love the collection of poems that the author put together and the prompts and ideas for writing your own. I highly recommend this book to any new poet, seasoned poet or anyone looking for inspiration. Please compile and write another book!

[Calum Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant, insightful, inspiring and a book I need to buy. (It’s a library lend) I have at least 15 new ways of writing to try out and that’s as someone who’s been writing for 30 years (since being a teen).

It’s humbling because it shows how much I have to learn but I’m going to think differently about writing due to this book.

💯 recommend if you want to write/understand poetry better.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've found this a marvellous book for getting ideas and planning writing. I work in the primary sector. The book helped me think differently about teaching poetry and helped my class write some great poems.

[Maith · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was an amazing refresher of a poetry workshop i attended a few years back, and it even helped me break out of my poet's block (which went on for far too long)! i love how simple and elegant the book is, and it was really inspiring to read poems from younger poets as well <3

[Stefan Grieve · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great introduction to poetry writing for beginner poets, and the more advanced to top up their skills or reaffirm them. Written and set out brilliantly, with a great selection of poems, by established and famous poets and some unknown and new.

[Rebecca Stonehill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book which needs to be on the bookshelf for anybody seeking ideas and inspiration for teaching poetry or to write more poetry themselves.

[E.G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book - It let me find my inspiration as a poet again, after many years away from it

[Charlotte Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My poetry teaching bible

[Sharon Avina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun!

[Rebecca Martinez]

I loved reading this book.

[Iain Lennon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow -

[Sparrow Copeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - wrote more poetry reading this (and enjoyed it!) than I had all year.

[Karolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love you Kate Clanchy

[John Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a shelf full of books on how to write poetry, but this is the one I now recommend to any poet, new or experienced.

[Fiona Linday · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a review paper copy. Initially, I was drawn to this exquisite text because of its current title. Then, I connected with the green theme on the cover. As I delved into this poetry writing enabler the "poems about people you miss" seemed particularly poignant. Also, as a witing facilitator at an arts centre, I plan to spark writing from nature. That was after recognising the author for her considerable poetry talent and wishing to emulate Kate Clanchy's style. "How to Grow your Own Poem" is a comprehensive toolkit, which encourages readers to join in her experienced poetry conversation by demystifying the skill. The book is essential for those writing contemporary poetry.

As I dig for victory over the pandemic, Kate Clanchy generously shares tried and tested techniques to remove the stigma that suggests taking part in this poetry craft is solely for the minority.
After giving many fine poetry examples, she suggests how the reader can engage in emulating that style for a similar purpose. By regularly inviting the reader to take their turn to compose a poem, this informative text invokes an active learner challenge to dip in and out of her treasure chest. Jewels of advice to keep concrete and specific using all the senses, keep the budding poets focused.

Poets at every level are encouraged to successfully experiment with form using easy to use exercises to create a decent poem. Excellent poetry is modelled for students to admire and emulate. I especially rated that she listed the young people's creative responses to exercises. She shows how to use rhythm and rhyme and offers overflowing tips to free up the use of expressive language. She also promotes diligently authenticating the readers' own style.

I'll happily borrow her inspirational advice to help inclusive learners' shape and polish poetry. She shares essential rules of contrasting light and shade with suggestions of starting with general then end with the particular. I enjoyed reading "Hope" by Emily Dickinson and acknowledge the usefulness of the surrealists game to spark compelling images. Idea generating activity in the furniture game proves productive, too.

Kate offers simple techniques to promote efficient structure to poems. Then, checking stages are unpacked to ensure forward-moving plots have mysteries unravelled. Her careful, slow editing advice was incredibly helpful, too. This book is recommended as an enlightening but straightforward direction to develop an efficient poetry writing process.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a unique and wonderful book arising out of Kate's belief that 'composing poetry is a fundamental human activity, like dancing or singing'. She believes that anyone can write poetry and leads the reader through a series of exercises, suitable even for complete beginners to tackle. This book gives the reader permission and encouragement to write, with chapters on everything from getting started and finding space to write, to imagery, rhythm, sound, and more. The process of writing is demystified for the novice poet, but there is also much here for the more experienced writer as the book has plenty to offer on the process of redrafting and editing your poems once written, and exercises to stimulate creativity.

Although Kate Clanchy hopes that most readers will use the book practically, she also suggests that it can be 'mined for teaching ideas', read as an anthology or 'a collection of thoughts about poetry'. I completely agree - the book contains an interesting and varied range of poems, both from established poets and some beautiful examples from her students, some of them still at school.

In sum, this is a book to be enjoyed by poets, would-be poets, anyone interested in the way that poetry works, and it will also be an excellent resource for teachers of English and creative writing.

Thanks are due to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance copy for review.

[Marcela Vasques · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘I believe that composing poem is a fundamental human activity...’ This book takes you by the hand and shows you how to write your own poem. Poetry is everywhere, and Kate Clanchy shows you where to find it, how to look for it. Full of practical exercises, it can be used and adapted to teach at different stages at school. However, it can be used by adults and it would be very useful for teachers who want to write their own mentor texts; writers-teachers. In fact, you will find so much in ‘How to grow your own poem’ that you need to savour it with care, and certainly revisit this book a few times. You are not only getting a book but also a guide into the world of poetry.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

NetGalley

Member Review
Cover Image: How to Grow Your Own Poem
How to Grow Your Own Poem
by Kate Clanchy
Pub Date: 3 Sep 2020
Review by

jeanie m, Reviewer
Last updated on 17 Aug 2020
My Recommendation
With thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
What a fabulously warm and inviting book it's a real go to book that I can dip in and out of with many thanks I can highly recommend.
Don't forget! Come back to your Review on the pub date, 3 Sep 2020, to post to these retailers.

[Becki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having seen examples of Kate’s students’ poems on her Twitter account, I was really interested to learn more about her method of teaching poetry writing, or rather encouraging and giving permission to join in. This is an interactive book, with all sorts of exercises based around ‘answering’ existing poems by borrowing their structure, and it works really well. There is nothing to scare off the novice here, but you don’t feel talked down to. The book also contains nearly 70 poems, so it’s an anthology too.