Professional Development for Poets: Cheap Ways to Hone Your Skills

Photo courtesy of Hapal

As a poet and performer, I don’t have a lot of money to spend on expensive conferences or writing courses, and I’m betting you don’t either. But financial limitations needn’t get in the way of your professional development. There are several free or inexpensive ways to develop your writing skills and knowledge of poetry. Here are some I’ve tried:

• Book-based courses. My favorite book-based course is Julia Cameron’s classic, The Artist’s Way. I followed Cameron’s suggestions for the 12-week course, and the experience profoundly shifted how I view my art and my creativity. Her follow-up, Walking in this World, is also very good. It combines her primary tools of “morning pages” and “artist dates” with a weekly walking routine for the development of a meditative writing practice. Speaking of writing as meditative practice, Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones popularized “free writing” as a meditative way to delve into one’s creative impulses. Finally, The Poet’s Companion by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux offers an accessible and fun introduction to writing poetry. Each chapter concludes with several writing exercises. I often read this book in order to buff up on my basic skills.

• Free online writing courses. DiplomaGuide.com has an excellent article with links to several free, online writing courses offered by top universities. The Open University has an intermediate course entitled “Approaching Poetry.” MIT offers several open courseware writing classes. And Yale provides an interesting course on modern poetry. All of these courses are free and online. The only catch is that you usually need to buy the course readings yourself or borrow them from a library.

• Arts festivals. While writing conferences can cost hefty fees, arts festivals tend to provide great, inexpensive poetry readings and workshops. A few poetry festivals for 2010 are: the London Poetry Festival, the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, and Split This Rock Poetry Festival. Also, coming in early March in Columbus, Ohio is the Women of the World Poetry Slam. At the end of April, I’ll be performing my work and leading a poetry writing and performance workshop at the Mayworks Arts Festival in Toronto.

• Writing group. A writing group offers you an opportunity to share your work with other poets, to get feedback and constructive criticism, to connect with other poets, and to receive positive support for your writing. The best thing of all: they’re free. Run an internet search for a writing group in your area.

• Public readings. Universities, public libraries, museums, bookstores, and arts centers often offer free poetry readings, featuring well-known and established poets. These are excellent opportunities to listen to great poetry and ask your pressing questions about the creative process.

• Open mics and slams. Most poetry open mics and slams are inexpensive, and some are even free. Usually held in coffee shops, arts centers, bars, bookstores, and small theatres, these events offer you an opportunity to hear poetry from a wide range of poets and to even share your own poetry.

• Magazines and journals. For $20-30 a year, you can subscribe to a poetry magazine or journal, which can keep you abreast of the latest in poetry, publishing, news, and cultural trends. A highly-regarded magazine I subscribe to is Poets and Writers, which features interviews, news, essays, and a comprehensive listing of writing competitions. But there are many magazines geared towards writing poetry and tons of fine poetry journals. For instance, Poetry Foundation publishes Poetry, which you can also read online. Speaking of online poetry, a lot of journals and magazines offer free content on their websites. Two sites that list journals and magazines are Newpages.com and LitLine.org.

• Mentoring. It’s free to become a mentor or a mentee. While the roles are different, both afford an opportunity to learn and to share knowledge. Being a mentor is a highly rewarding experience. I mentor two, young poets whose poetry and aspirations keep me dreaming and working to hone my craft. They often challenge me to offer thoughtful insight into the craft, and they provide me with inspiration through their writing. Finally, their enthusiasm and passion remind me why I love poetry. Also, finding a mentor can be as easy as asking someone who you respect and who you believe has something to teach you. They’re bound to be flattered, and more times than not, they’ll be open to the challenge.

• Reading. How many books of poetry have you collected over the years? Pull them down, dust them off, and read them again. Or go to the public library and borrow a book of poetry by a poet you’ve never read. Finally, swap poetry books with a friend. You may find a new book that you’re willing to invest in and buy. Reading and learning from others is the best way to develop one’s craft. Plus, if you’re like me, then you love reading poetry; and by doing so, you get to do what you love.

The benefits of professional development are numerous. With these inexpensive options, you can hone your craft, connect with other poets, and nurture your creative growth.

Which of these activities do you engage in? Do you have other inexpensive or free suggestions for creative growth and professional development?