Best Practices for Self-Editing

Sarah Tun

Writing is a joy, and sometimes a battle. But the bigger battle (at least for me) is the editing. It’s always best, I recommend, to write-write-write, and to leave the editing until you’ve finished your Draft. Otherwise, you can spend eternity on Chapter 1 and never finish the story!

Once you DO finish a draft…. yes sadly 🙁 , you must edit.)

I find, the best way to edit my work is to leave it alone for a while (a week, a month) and then when I do come back to it, I read it out loud. My ear tells me what my eyes have otherwise missed. I am listening for the following… Read more “Best Practices for Self-Editing” →

Try Your Hand at Poetry

by Sarah Tun

Three reasons to write poetry:

 to get the creative juices flowing

1. to connect with literary journals as possible publishing outlets
2. to be encouraged because a little bit of publication can bring a lot of joy!

I’m sure you can find others.

 Be motivated:

 Have you ever tried writing poetry? Or is it something perhaps you did long ago but never took yourself very seriously? Nothing is ever wasted with GOD.

I used to dabble. Over the last couple of years I started to write again, sometimes writing from scratch and at other times, digging out things I’d already written and tweaking.

In the last 18 months I’ve had about a dozen things published; a series of poetry written after a mission trip 15 years ago and tweaked this summer is going to appear in a literary journal next month. So far I’ve not been paid financially, but it’s been a great joy, and a celebration with friends, to share some pieces I’m very pleased with.

So I’d like to encourage you too. And in case you need a gentle nudge, here are some things you could consider including. Poetry today ranges from prose typed as poetry, to truncated language, to just about anything that is moody and descriptive and profound…

Rhyming couplet:

“Singing signals the Joy of Life

Moping only the gloom of strife;

To bring new life to a soul — with music and laughter

A poem inspires hope to son and daughter….”

NO, poetry does not have to rhyme, and often when it does it seems trite.

How about Onomatopoeia:

“The sizzling bacon filled the house

with scents so fragrant, made my sinus ache….”

Whatever you might think to write, or for whatever reason, your poetry may be for many eyes — or none but your own. Yet, this is something you can play with. And you may really experience some fun!

Poetry can make perfect sense: cool and clear and dispassionate. Or it can burn into your mind with raw emotive turbulence. It is a way to get creative juices flowing, a way to turn the tide on your frustrations, a way to move toward a new direction, just for a moment, to bring new life to your writing experience.

Have you ever put your hand to poetry?

Perhaps it’s time to play with words; it’s time to find a new way to start your writing day.

Consider: Poetry is not just for Christmas Cards. It’s for LIFE🙂

And if you have delved into poetry, what has been your experience?

Sarah Tun is an author, developmental editor as well as a professional voice for voice overs and narrations. She is a vendor partner here at Christian Authors Community & Services.

© Sarah Tun