Write His Answer

Have you ever attended a workshop on writing poetry?

I never had. In fact, to be honest, I wasn’t interested in reading poetry much less writing it. Okay, of course, I read and loved many of the Psalms. I guess I just didn’t think of them as poems.

But then I took a poetry workshop with David Page at the St. David’s Christian Writers Conference that transformed my thinking and my writing. Since then, I’ve published over 50 poems in numerous Christian periodicals, many of them more than once.

Through the years I’ve offered poetry workshops at the Colorado and Greater Philly Christian Writers Conference. Sadly, they are usually not well attended. This year I hope that will change and that you will seriously consider taking Catherine Lawton’s early bird workshop Wednesday afternoon, May 16, from 1:00 – 2:00 at the Colorado Christian Writers Conference. The cost is only $25 ($15 if you take a second or third early bird workshop). You won’t regret it!

Ten Ways Poetry Can Improve Your Prose
by Catherine Lawton

1. Writing poetry provides practice in developing skills of concise wording (something we editors like!).
2. The writing (and reading) of poetry can sharpen your observation skills.
3. Because syntax matters in poetry, you will improve in your understanding of syntax matters.
4. Figures of speech used in poetry teach you finer subtleties of word usage and connotations and make you a better wordsmith.
5. Precision in word choices, necessary in poetry, sharpens your skill in choosing the most fitting, evocative, precise words in your prose.
6. The rhythms and rhymes of poetry tune your ear to hear fluctuations and patterns in the sense and sound of language.
7. Writing (or reading) a poem can provide a rejuvenating break from a long writing project. It may even break you out of writers block.
8. Writing a poem can help you distill a thought, discover the kernel of the truth, and find your focus on a topic to develop more fully later, in prose.
9. A poem or short rhyme can add variety/spice/interest to a longer piece, when used in an organic way in a novel, memoir, blog post, even an expository piece of writing (and it looks good on the page).
10. You may possibly find your calling as a poet and discover that your poetry will reach your reader’s mind and heart more effectively than 1,000s of prose words.

Catherine Lawton is an author and co-owner, publisher, and editor at Cladach Publishing that she founded fifteen years ago.

Cathy has enjoyed producing written expression since she was a toddler scribbling in the margins of her preacher-father’s theology books. This desire was encouraged when she had a poem published in a national periodical at the age of  twelve. Cathy is the author, as-told-to author, or compiler/author of four books, including her collection of poetry written throughout her life, Remembering Softly: A Life in Poems. Her writing has appeared in a variety of periodicals.

Cladach is a small royalty press that produces and distributes 2-3 new titles per year and currently has 38 titles in print. Cladach publishes trade paperbacks, ebooks, and some audio books. This family company includes Cathy, her husband, Larry, and their daughter, and they wear all the hats of publisher, editor, design, marketing, sales, and fulfillment. With a BA in English and training in music, Cathy has worked as a substitute teacher in public schools, a private piano teacher, a freelance writer and editor. Cathy finds regular renewal in nature, contemplation, poetry, music, friends, and family.

Cladach is pronounced: Kla’ dak ~ This Scottish Gaelic word means “shore” as in “seashore.” “Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore” (John 21:4). The Lord sends us forth on life’s sea to venture for him, then welcomes us to the safety of his shore; and always He is with us. 

Note from Marlene: Cathy’s workshop is one of 16 Wednesday early bird workshops. I encourage you to subscribe to her blog, “The View from This Publisher’s Shore,” at http://cladach.com/blog.