Tuning out distractions

Life happens. Sometimes that life is loud. Encompassing everything around you. The neighbor's dog barking. Your teenager practicing the piano. The football game blaring from the den.

Sometimes it feels like life throws all of these distractions at you and you're just trying to juggle it. Here's what I try to do when the distractions become too much.

Headphones: I bought a sweet pair of headphones that have some sound cancelling elements. They're not the most expensive, but they're pretty effective. They don't block out everything, but it's enough so I can play music and lose myself in my thoughts.

Pleading for peace: Sometimes when I need some solitude for writing, I tell everyone that I'm going to be available for a few hours. I'm just holing up in my room with my headphones and my poetry. Your variation could be asking your partner to take care of things for an hour while you hide in the basement with your laptop. 

Abandon ship: If it's too crazy here, too many distractions then I head to the library or a coffee shop. I can go there and write, knowing that I'm not going to be bothered by anyone. I can just focus on the writing.

Because the night: In the wee hours of the night/day there's times when the world seems hushed. Still. If all else fails, those times are wonderful for tapping into your creative juices and writing a bit.

How do you manage to write when the world seems to not want you to? Let me know in the comments!

17 Days until OctPoWriMo!

Tamara Woods was raised (fairly happily) in West Virginia where she began penning poems after a boy broke her heart. She shares poetry, short stories and writer interviews on her blog, PenPaperPad. Her writing has been featured in Mamalode, In the Powder Room, and many others. She is the editor for The Reverie Journal, which will be releasing it's first poetry collection early October. She also hosts #writestuff TweetChat where writers talk about writing every Tuesday at 9 pm EST. She is a hillbilly hermit living in Honolulu with her Mathmagician.

Life, Passion, and Poetry

Photo by Morgan Dragonwillow

It doesn't matter who you are, life can get in the way of your passions. Day in and day out we go through our lives doing the same things over and over again; sleep, eat, clean house, work, and sleep again. If we're lucky we have some fun somewhere along the way.

When you were growing up you had passions, great dreams of what you were going to do when you grew up, how you were going to spend your days and nights. But reality doesn't always measure up.

What passions have you forgotten? How different is your life compared to your dreams? Fodder for your poetry.

  18 Days until OctPoWriMo!

Morgan Dragonwillow is a poet, author, foodie, urban gardener, and recovering perfectionist, that (mostly) doesn't let her fears get in the way of her passion for writing and creating. She is team leader at @StoryDam, creatrix of  #OctPoWriMo You can find her Playing with Words on her blog. She lives in Marietta, Ga. with her loving and patient partner, their dog that thinks she's a princess, and the cat that reminds her that she isn't.

You can also find her on Google+

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Relax Your Mind

Writing daily for thirty days can be a tough experience. The task may feel daunting, but don't wear yourself out over it. We don't want you to feel horribly stressed and burned  to a crisp! When it becomes a bit too much, take a step back to relax for a moment. These are some things I like to do when I'm stressed out.

Remember to breathe: Take those deep, slow breaths. When I feel tense, I have tendency to take shallow breaths. 

Listen to some music that puts you in a calm mood: When I'm feeling stressed, I tend to gravitate toward soft music that has no words. Sounds that are beautiful and calming. 

Take a walk or maybe a stroll: Walk around your block, feel the air on your face, and breathe deeply. Let nature remind you that this isn't the biggest thing in the world. It's just a tiny stepping stone in life. If you don't live around nature, go to where you find it relaxing in your neighborhood or at your home. Maybe you have a balcony you love, a back porch that is beginning to be sat on, or in a bubble bath. 

Seek quiet: I'm a library junkie, so I go to the one near me that has the least about of people and it's usually quiet every time I go there. It feels nice to be in a place where I'm not expected to talk. I can gather my thoughts and there's not a lot of outside distractions. Where's your quiet place?

No worries: Remember the goal is to write 30 poems in 30 days, however, if you miss a day, don't stress yourself out. Don't worry about it. Part of this experience is meeting new poets and supporting each other. If you miss a day, start the next one that you can. 

And don't forget to enjoy yourself. 

Tamara Woods was raised (fairly happily) in West Virginia where she began penning poems after a boy broke her heart. She shares poetry, short stories and writer interviews on her blog, PenPaperPad. Her writing has been featured in Mamalode, In the Powder Room, and many others. She is the editor for The Reverie Journal, which will be releasing it's first poetry collection early October. She also hosts #writestuff TweetChat where writers talk about writing every Tuesday at 9 pm EST. She is a hillbilly hermit living in Honolulu with her Mathmagician.

The Stuff of Dreams

Photo: Dreaming by Toni Blay / CC BY

"To sleep...perchance to dream..." - William Shakespeare 

I've always been fascinated by dreams and dream analysis. I write down the detailed dreams I remember and I keep a dream book on my bedside table to research the meanings of the details 

of the stories that unfold while I've been unconscious. It's interesting to discover the ways in which my subconscious mind has woven together my thoughts, emotions, and often, my anxieties from the previous day's events. I find that this involuntary narrative makes for some of the best poetry and song lyrics. 

Once, I wrote a song based on a very bizarre, detailed dream I had involving a court jester, a bus ride to Europe, and a loaf of bread, of all things! 

But whatever makes up the tales your brain tells you during your REM time, whether they be serious, whimsical, bizarre or poignant, keeping a record of them and utilizing those details to inform your art can be a very powerful form of self-discovery as well as a fascinating form of "confessional" prose to share with one's readers. It's also a wonderful way to keep your work open to interpretation to the reader.

Linda Roy is a writer, singer/songwriter/musician whose humor blog elleroy was here mixes funny with a soundtrack. She is the founder and lead singer of the Indie/Americana band Jehova Waitresses and her writing has been featured at The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, Erma Bombeck Writer's Workshop, Humor Outcasts and In the Powder Room, among others. She is a 2014 BlogHer Voice of the Year recipient and has contributed to several anthologies, including the third book of the New York Times best selling "Pee Alone" series, I Still Just Want To Pee Alone. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Perspective is Everything

Photo by Morgan Dragonwillow

“What people in the world think of you is really none of your business.” 
― Martha Graham

Perspective is everything. I am a sensitive person, at least that is what people have been telling me my whole life. "Don't be so sensitive, Morgan."

I think a lot of poets are sensitive to some degree, in fact it is probably a prerequisite for being a poet.

I do feel deeply and finding perspective can help me stay grounded when my life seems like a roller coaster.

When writing poetry, changing your perspective can help the words flow to the page. Whatever your subject may be, look at it from all angles.

And remember, it is none of their business what you think of them either.

Video: The Power of Poetry






  22 Days until OctPoWriMo!

Morgan Dragonwillow is a poet, author, foodie, urban gardener, and recovering perfectionist, that (mostly) doesn't let her fears get in the way of her passion for writing and creating. She is team leader at @StoryDam, creatrix of  #OctPoWriMo You can find her Playing with Words on her blog. She lives in Marietta, Ga. with her loving and patient partner, their dog that thinks she's a princess, and the cat that reminds her that she isn't.

You can also find her on Google+

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Play the Name Game

Something on my mind a lot lately was the title of poems. Do I start with titles? Do I end with titles? 

There's no right answer, but the title isn't just a name for a poem, it's part of it. 

It's that bit of sparkle that you see in a marble countertops that really show what this poem is about. 

How do you know if you have a good title? Read it without the title. Read it with the title. Do you have more understanding? Do you feel more? You should. The title is an important part and should never be overlooked. 

Sometimes I work off a title. Lately my word has been "Basorexia" which is the unquenchable desire to kiss. From that word I have found inspiration for so many things. I tried to write about first kisses or missing someone, but I couldn't find that poem. I rabbit trailed and ended up writing about the first time I saw someone I loved.

That's the other tip that I follow. Chase the rabbit trails. Don't just follow them, chase them. 

See what I did there? 

One of my examples was one of my poetry posters that I made. 

Read it without the title. Read it with the title. Does the meaning change? 

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Discuss! Comment or tweet #OctPoWriMo and @beverlytanfilm 

Explore Your World

As the tagline for my blog lets you know, I'm a hillbilly hermit. I don't go out a lot. New people in big numbers make me nervous. Even so, one of the things I do to get my writing mojo going, is to leave the house.

*gasp* I know, very shocking.

But necessary.

When you're staring at the same four walls everyday or the variation is home/work/grocery store/home, that can be very taxing for your creativity. Take it to the streets, take a walk, go somewhere new, or even go to somewhere you love but haven't gone to in a long time.

Shake things up.

This is my advice for the next October when you're writing a poem each day and you're starting to feel drained of new ideas. When you're feeling stuck, try something different. Explore the world around you.

You're inspiration is waiting for you. Sometimes you have to look for it.

Tamara Woods was raised (fairly happily) in West Virginia where she began penning poems after a boy broke her heart. She shares poetry, short stories and writer interviews on her blog, PenPaperPad. Her writing has been featured in Mamalode, In the Powder Room, and many others. She is the editor for The Reverie Journal, which will be releasing it's first poetry collection early October. She also hosts #writestuff TweetChat where writers talk about writing every Tuesday at 9 pm EST. She is a hillbilly hermit living in Honolulu with her Mathmagician.

Poetry Tip 5 - Mood Swings and Writing

Photo & quote by Morgan Dragonwillow

Tamara talked about Free Your Emotions on Thursday, I tend to have the opposite problem. Usually when I'm angry everyone knows it. Sometimes I tell myself I am too angry, sad, or depressed to write poetry. I think, "How can I possibly write when I feel like this?" But when I allow myself to sit down and write everything I am feeling, my poetry becomes clear and intense.

Strong emotions can transfer onto the page.

Of course you don't want to have a, "tear someone apart" type rant, it isn't meant to get even with someone, it is to help you work through it and take your poetry to the next level.

Poetry Tip 5:

Next time you are feeling strong emotions and don't think you can show up on the page, show up anyway. You never know what gems are waiting for you to experience through poetry.

Books:

Periodically I like to check out the Top 100 in Poetry on Amazon and see what is trending. You can also see the Top 100 Free in Poetry.

And an Article: How Poetry Can Improve Your Writing Craft

What about you, do your moods keep you away from the page?


25 Days until OctPoWriMo!

Morgan Dragonwillow is a poet, author, foodie, urban gardener, and recovering perfectionist, that (mostly) doesn't let her fears get in the way of her passion for writing and creating. She is team leader at @StoryDam, creatrix of  #OctPoWriMo You can find her Playing with Words on her blog. She lives in Marietta, Ga. with her loving and patient partner, their dog that thinks she's a princess, and the cat that reminds her that she isn't.

You can also find her on Google+

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Finding Your Space

You know the feeling, that perfect beat where you’re writing and it’s just moving right through you. The words are just there!

This month a good chunk of the battle is to find that place every day and get some of those words out!

Some of you have the right space to go to. If you’re like me, then you create that space as you go. Here’s some tips to find that space.

1.  Find the place with your zen, be it the coffee shop with the best indie beats, outside in the shade of your favorite tree, or the quietest nook in your house. Mine was the screened in porch of my last house, right off the river.
2. Think about that place. Are there colors that inspire you? Is it the smell? What makes it your spot and on a busy day can you bring it with you? How much time do you spend there writing vs doing other things?
3. Figure out your time of day. Are you a morning person or do you wake up in the middle of the night? Do you sit down and write after dinner every day? Personally I loved going to that porch at sunset, so I could watch the purple through the trees.
4.  Lighting. It really sets the mood. Again, daylight? Artificial light? Maybe set some string lights up? Me? I really love writing by candlelight.
5.  What are the sounds you like? Music, nature, screaming children? I always found it harder to write when I listen to lyrical music because it puts words into my head. I do love listening to film scores, but my ultimate favorite is a crazy thunderstorm. If you like the sound of rain http://www.rainymood.com/ is one of my favorites.
6.  Find an object of inspiration. What represents you? Having it nearby can sometimes jog a feeling. Sometimes it’s something symbolic I want to focus on, usually it’s a variety of things that feel very “me.” Example, I love drinking whiskey out of teacups and my orange cat is always with me. Reminds me of Hemmingway. I sometimes bring things like old letters out to the porch with me just to think about since I’m a very visual person.

There’s no right or wrong way to do it. Finding a headspace to write doesn’t always have to be physical but for some people it helps.

My ideal space is a screened in porch right off the Tuckaseegee river in the middle of a super loud thunderstorm. It’s only lit by candlelight and lighting, filled with the smell of whiskey in a teacup, and my lap is warmed by a fat orange cat.

What’s your ideal space? Share it in the comments or tweet it with #OctPoWriMo and tell me @Beverlytanfilm!

OctPoWriMo 2015 | Free your emotions

One of the most powerful aspects of poetry stems from tapping into your inner self. When you let down your guard and allow yourself be vulnerable, it opens your mind up to so much more. It can give your writing wings and authenticity.

I'm normally a person, who keeps my feelings in. I don't' necessarily share how I'm feeling or what I'm thinking unless I feel close to a person. I keep things at a surface level and I'm not even sure why. It's just the way I deal with the world, I suppose. With poetry, I can expose my inner-workings, my feelings, my thoughts, impressions, and interpretations. I don't feel shy or awkward. Not anymore.

This amount of openness can be a little bit off-putting at first. It might feel conspicuous, slightly uncomfortable. But with poetry as Linda was telling us yesterday, things are open to interpretation. You may be talking about one thing and the reader could see it a totally different way. Her experiences colors what she reads. By honoring your truth, allowing yourself to permission to feel and write about it, you can help your readers find their truths.

 It's emotional freedom at its finest. If you give yourself permission to let go.

.Tamara Woods was raised (fairly happily) in West Virginia where she began penning poems after a boy broke her heart. She shares poetry, short stories and writer interviews on her blog, PenPaperPad. Her writing has been featured in Mamalode, In the Powder Room, and many others. She is the editor for The Reverie Journal, which will be releasing it's first poetry collection early October. She also hosts #writestuff TweetChat where writers talk about writing every Tuesday at 9 pm EST. She is a hillbilly hermit living in Honolulu with her Mathmagician.

Open to Interpretation

Photo by takomabebelot / CC BY

As a songwriter, I strive to make my writing relatable within my personal narratives. An emotion, a circumstance, a memory, all specific to my own experience, and if I'm successful, those things can be interpreted in various ways to the listener.

That's how I feel about so many of my favorite songs, and the same goes for poetry. After all, song lyrics are poetic prose set to music. Whether they rhyme or not is irrelevant. Sometimes the simplest ideas put forth in everyday language can be the most powerful and meaningful to an audience. Less can certainly be more.

A number of years back I wrote a song about a family member's struggle with Alzheimer's Disease. Without coming out and stating anything about his condition, I let the narrative weave around the emotions and imagery without being literal. That song is probably the one that most people have remarked to me later was of personal significance to them in a number of ways. For some it conjured thoughts of love relationships, for others it spoke to their own struggles.

When you're writing poetry, it's an excellent opportunity to play around with meaning and experiment with the different ways in which you can convey an idea or emotion that can be taken further in the reader's mind. And it doesn't have to be complicated. Readers are always looking for that "Me too" moment. In poetry, although abstract thought is so alluring, an underlying current of understanding and solidarity is at its core.

So Tip #2 of #OctPoWriMo15 is: Keep it open to interpretation.  No matter how "out there" you want to be with your poetry, (and I love to be in outer space) it's great to leave some room for readers to nod their heads and say "Yes! I get it! That's me."

Linda Roy is a writer, singer/songwriter/musician whose humor blog elleroy was here mixes funny with a soundtrack. She is the founder and lead singer of the Indie/Americana band Jehova Waitresses and her writing has been featured at The Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, Erma Bombeck Writer's Workshop, Humor Outcasts and In the Powder Room, among others. She is a 2014 BlogHer Voice of the Year recipient and has contributed to several anthologies, including the third book of the New York Times best selling "Pee Alone" series, I Still Just Want To Pee Alone. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

OctPoWriMo Count Down Begins!

If this is the first time you have found us, OctPoWriMo is an October Poetry Writing Month. It is a poetry challenge to write a poem a day during the month of October and link up your poetry here for all of us to share and support each others poetry journey. You can find inspiration through our daily poetry prompts or write from your own prompts.

We are so excited about OctPoWriMo 2015! Last year we saw over 15,000 visitors during the month of October, that's a lot of visitors! Who knows how many we will have this year.

OctPoWriMo is Coming!

The time is almost here for another 31 poems in 31 days in October! I am looking for volunteers to help with tips (in Sept.) and prompts (in Oct.) posts, writing encouraging comments on the participants posts, and sharing OctPoWriMo on social media.

We are also looking for guest posts regarding poetry books, your poetry process, your journey to poetry or any other story about your poetry journey that you would like to share with OctPoWriMo.

If you participated last year or the year before, we would love for you to share your OctPoWriMo experience with us and we will post it during Sept. on OctPoWriMo.com. It can be anything from a paragraph to 500 words long.

If you are interested in any of the above, please contact me either by messaging me on my Facebook page, Morgan Dragonwillow, Poet, or by emailing me with the subject, OctPoWriMo at morgan _ dragonwillow @ hotmail . com (make sure you take out all of the spaces when emailing me).

Photo by Morgan Dragonwillow

OctPoWriMo is a wonderful challenge for all of us that love exploring words in all its forms. I hope you decide to join us again this year and discover where your words will lead!

Peace to you,
Morgan Dragonwillow

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