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Articles from Poet & Writers Magazine include material from the print edition plus exclusive online-only material.
Tired of waiting for an acceptance? The ingredients for a magical retreat are readily available to all of us outside the strictures of a space someone else is hosting—and at the place, time, and budget of our choosing.
Drawing strength from traditions of moving across the land, a poet describes the joy and presence of mind that driving brings. Without the constant pull of screens, the road opens up an ideal space for creation.
Residency programs at the homes of famous writers offer both the luxury of space and time to write and deep immersion into a literary hero’s everyday world, often providing newfound clarity and insight into ongoing work.
Gatherings like the Heart of It are part of a boom in writer-run retreats and workshops that serve as homegrown alternatives to established retreats, addressing a need for kinship, in-person community, and mentorship.
Taking inspiration from a creature of the summer, a seasoned writer suggests a few approaches to stimulate, refresh, and gather your thoughts for the next stage of writing and spark your imagination with play.
Many things bring light; some bring just enough to keep the monsters at bay. When ideal circumstances are scarce, focus on the dim, constant light that helps you get the work done, even if it comes from an unusual source.
Ten debut poets who published in 2024 generously share the inspiration, advice, and writers block remedies that have sustained them through their literary journeys.
Writing and revising often seem to hinge on bringing new possibilities into focus. A poet considers the camera obscura as a metaphor for how an inversion of the light can transform and attune us to the moment.
When it seems impossible to find a way into writing, a robust community can be a beam of light in the darkness. The author of Ghost Hour describes the ways that a new writers group helped rekindle and guide her creative practice.
What does it mean to truly let loose as a writer? The author of I’m Not Hungry but I Could Eat urges us to lean into the fire and pressure head-on, to let everything out on the page and offer it up to the world.
A novelist shares the way a writer builds intimacy between readers and characters, and how the peculiar glow of the refrigerator light brings warmth to an audience of one.
Inspired by the bioluminescence of the anglerfish, the author of Something New Under the Sun encourages writers to furnish their own light and plumb the unknown depths of their text with the hunger of a deep-sea predator.
Since 2005, Poets & Writers Magazine has highlighted emerging poets in an annual feature on first poetry books. In celebration, we gathered a list of the 222 poets and their debut collections that have graced our pages.
When “normal” fails, embrace the strangeness and possibility the night can provide. A renowned fiction writer recounts the uncommon delight of inviting others to join her in writing under the moon.
Ten debut poets who published in 2023, including Ina Cariño and Shaina Phenix, share the inspiration, advice, and writers block remedies that form their individual poetics.
Ten debut poets who published in 2022, including James Fujinami Moore and No‘u Revilla, share inspiration, advice, and writers block remedies that sustain their writing.
While some literary magazines pay up to a few hundred dollars for literary work, many don’t pay at all. A published writer offers an overview of how to find paying markets, when to publish for free, and tips for a submission strategy.
A look at contests that, in addition to cash prizes, award residencies, retreats, and introductions to agents, among other unique opportunities.
The author’s failed attempts to find a writers group eventually lead her to build one of her own that offers the right mix of rigor and support.
After experiencing a writers group that only delivered praise, the author realizes the value of constructive feedback and offers guidance on how best to give it.
The author suggests writers group options that depart from the typical workshop model, such as freewriting, responding to prompts, and reading together.
The novelist and teacher offers advice on starting a writers group where your creative work can thrive.
A look at the ways writers can benefit from distinctly different kinds of gatherings, including groups offering accountability partners, workshop feedback, and publishing advice.
Ten debut poets who published in 2021, including Threa Almontaser and Shangyang Fang, discuss the inspiration for their books, their writers block remedies, and advice for other poets.
The author recalls being pregnant in the early days of the pandemic and asks: How we can continue to create in times of uncertainty?
