Stealing each other’s kittens…
The October 2007 issue of Writer’s Digest includes “Vice Versa” by Michael J. Vaughn, in which “three author/poets discuss why prose writers should try poetry, and poets should pen prose.”…
The October 2007 issue of Writer's Digest includes "Vice Versa" by Michael J. Vaughn, in which "three author/poets discuss why prose writers should try poetry, and poets should pen prose." The three poets interviewed are Diane Ackerman, Kim Addonizio, and Naomi Shihab Nye.
In answer to the question "How do the two forms interact? Do you ever borrow phrases or ideas from one to use in the other?", Ackerman notes that she once had two female cats that got pregnant at the same time and had their kittens within days of each other. Perhaps because their scents got confused, "they began stealing and nursing each other's kittens. My prose and poetry sometimes steal each other's kittens, as I try to decide where an image or observation belongs."
The October issue includes Kara Gebhart Uhl's "On the Edge" column, in which she discusses Jack Prelutsky, the first United States Children's Poet Laureate (inaugurated by The Poetry Foundation); and the ongoing popularity of the novel-in-verse for younger audiences.
--Nancy
P.S. There's also a "writer's workbook" section (formatted for three-hole punch) that includes a two-page discussion of the sestina by James Cummins. Quite a poetry-rich issue of WD for poetry lovers!
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
