A few weeks ago, Hanging Lantern Review hosted an on-campus write-in workshop where students could come for a few hours, drink tea, and get creative juices flowing. The event was a hit-- lots of students came and had a relaxing morning with some exercises led by our Editor, Meg Campbell, and our Content Editor, Luke Rossi. Here is an abbreviated version of the poetry exercise Meg brought in to share, so you all can continue writing and submit to the magazine. The deadline is February 11, so if you are looking for some last minute inspiration, here you go! Thanks, Meg!
For this poetry writing exercise, we're going to start writing some prose. I know, I know, it seems counter intuitive, but track with me here.
First, you're going to recall an experience you remember very vividly--got it? Now, go back through that memory and write down all your senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, sound. Other details? Great. Write 'em down as well.
Now that we've got some raw material, it's time to ramble. Pretend like you just experienced this thing all over again, and you can't wait to tell your best friend all about it: run on sentences, fragments, repetition--it's all fair game. How did the sky look? How did the fair smell? Describe it as best you can. Give me some deets, you guys; we want a this to be a detailed ramble. Expand your thoughts and feelings and experience of that memory.
Great, next step. It's time to cut. Skim through that ramble you just wrote out and highlight those key words, similes, metaphors, and bubbly details that are just so necessary to your story. You should end up with a list or grouping of words, phrases, and clauses.
At last, the leap: stringing together those words into something coherent and grammatically correct (or not, if you're being like that) that tells a story and builds to a worthwhile conclusion at the end. Mold the words around experience; match line length to emotional memory; come to a conclusion about the greater human state or condition of the world or...well, come to whatever conclusion your poem leads you to! Lift up your eyes from your close observations and see the larger world in a new light.
Best of luck, writers, and I hope to read your work in our 2019 edition of the Hanging Lantern Review!
turnnoffyourmind
dededos
kianamaiart
tangentwithtanner