Poets Unite!

A lot of folks come up to me after readings, seminars, and such asking about how to send their poetry in to contests or journals. I hear people saying that they don't know which contests are legit and which are money traps. They want to know some good, credible contests and journals and e-zines that are on the up and up.
One of the first things I tell them is to join a writers' or poets' group. It doesn't matter how much praise is heaped on your poetry by Grandma or your husband or your starry-eyed girlfriend if you don't get your work out there among some honest, subjective readers. Extra sets of eyes and ears are vital to the process of honing your work to a fine edge before you send it out with a check for $15 to the Pulitzer Prize Poetry Contest.
Once you have settled in with a group(brick and mortar or online), listen, read, comment, and learn from the dialogue. Develop a thick skin so you don't get hurt feelings or become discouraged and destroy your portfolio of verse. Read as much contemporary poetry as you can get your hands on. The library is a great place to start, as well as the internet. Write every day, even if only a line or two or a phrase that sticks in your mind. Carry a notepad and pen wherever you go to record ideas or details.
Being a poet is not a part-time job. If you are truly a poet, you are a poet 24 hours a day, every day. A poet is someone who sees things with a different eye.
Now, ask me about contests and journals, and we'll talk.
If you have comments, I have ears.
Write on!

STUFFED!!!!

Thanksgiving has come and gone once again, and I'm sure the Pilgrims are turning in their graves at the excessive amounts of food that were consumed right here in the good old US of A. In my house alone, enough food was eaten to feed at least one small village in Asia. Every year, I promise myself that I'll watch what I eat, and each year I keep that promise. I watch the food all the way to my mouth. As usual, the problem is that we are blessed in this country with the best cooks on earth. My wife outdid herself yet again with turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, and all the trimmings including multiple desserts. I dreamed last night that I was diving into a pool of Alka Seltzer.

The best thing about Thanksgiving is that our family gets together (which is increasingly rare), and we all seem to have a really good time. I am thankful for my wife and kids and grandkids and brothers and Mom and everyone who admits to being kin to me(which is also exceedingly rare). The second best thing about Thanksgiving is the great blanket of quiet that settles on the house after everyone has gone their separate ways. The leftovers are put away, the doors locked, the fire lit, and the bed is warm and comfy.

Here's hoping all of you had as fine a Thanksgiving as I did. And as for the Pilgrims, let 'em turn!
I'm going to make me a turkey and cranberry sandwich.

Onward to Christmas!

Technology Just Falls in my Lap!

My old computer (referred to hereafter as the Dinosaur) has been steadily going downhill lately. Aside from the fact that its keyboard constantly misspells words, it has gotten slower and more aggravating with age. My wife thinks it is mimicking me. It also growls randomly while it is on standby, especially at night. In the dark. While I'm in bed.

My wife decided that I needed a new and improved model (computer, that is), so we went shopping for a laptop. She asked how big it needed to be, and I looked at my lap and said, "Oh, about two and half feet across." She didn't ask me anything else. Soon I was the proud owner of a super duper mega-gig whirly-jig with a screen full of icons and a memory like a steel trap.

All good things must come to an end, however. She informed me that I, the last techno-Neanderthal on Earth, had to install the software, transfer the files, feed the RAM, sharpen the bytes and all sort of other unintelligible things. It's been three days now, and I'm typing this on the Dinosaur.

I have managed to set up a password and choose a background picture, and last night, with help from my son, I downloaded a music-sharing program. I even obtained a song! "I Don't Need Your Rockin' Chair" by George Jones. I don't need a rockin' chair, either--just a computer programmer!

Whether you are using a new, high-tech laptop or a hand-cranked Black and Decker 100, remember to keep on cranking out the words. Keep writing!

Fall Has Fell

I love this time of year, with the leaves finally showing their true colors in one blazing flash before turning brown and curling into the fetal(fatal?) position. Everywhere, the smell of leaf fires and the scrape of rakes on lawns signals the start of Autumn. Deer hunters in these parts are finding new and creative ways to ready themselves and their submerged deerstands for the gun season. My wife and I were in the woods earlier today to retrieve some rope from our johnboat which was tied up on the 4-wheeler trail to our deerstands. The river and her backwaters have taken over the woods where we usually hunt, so plans are under way to hunt the 'highland deer' this year. Oh well, the ducks ought to be happy.

I spent some time talking and visiting with good friends from Helena last night, both writers and storytellers. It is good to absorb some of the excitement and energy of other writers who truly love what they do. It reminds me of why I started to write in the first place--to share the thrill of storytelling with others. You can write and write and keep it hidden, and in the end, you have denied not only others the benefits of your work, but you have denied yourself the opportunity to receive input and feedback from others who care. I'm always fired up about writing after a good meeting/discussion with other writers.

I survived one more year of growth today. I turned 56 on Veterans' Day, and I don't feel a day over 76! Inside, where the REAL me lives, I feel like I'm 16 and scribbling three-page short stories on spiral notebook paper for my friends to read at lunch. As long as the REAL me keeps feeling like that, I'll keep on writing.

In honor of veterans everywhere, here's a short poem:


Veterans

On a bench
by the war memorial they sit,
stiff as stone—
two old men,
feeling the same as they did
on the ship heading home
all those years ago—
just happy to be here.




Thank you, Veterans!

Looking for an Ark

The monsoon season has set in here in south Arkansas, with 20 or more inches already this month( compared to 0.6 inches this month last year). I have moved my dogs to higher ground, my wife has sheltered the chickens, and we have wished the cat our best. The Ouachita River, which is normally 3 or 4 miles away, is a lot closer now. Where can I find some gopher wood to construct an ark? At last glance, Home Depot had none. Oh well...

The rains are good for something, at least. I have spent a little more time at my writing station working on poems and my western novel. I have also signed up (FREE!) for NaNoWriMo, which is National Novel Writing Month. It is a program in which writers vow to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November (approx. 1667 words a day). I figure maybe a deadline and the pressure of others pushing me will get me off my good intentions and onto the Novel Express. If you are curious or interested in signing up, type NaNoWriMo in your search box and click on their site. It should be fun!

Time falls back this weekend, and, unfortunately that means I'll be working 13 hours Saturday night instead of 12. But, on the bright side, the company will apologize on my next paycheck!

If you are socked in by the rains, USE your time indoors wisely and write something. Rain is a great inspiration for poets and fiction writers as well as essayists. Look out the window and dream! As Mary Oliver says, "Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell (or write) about it."

Until next time, be good, stay well and write on.

Swamp Music

My friend and very talented writer Rob Thornton has a wonderful website/blog called Swamp Music, linked on this site. I encourage you to visit his site as well as mine. He is a wonderful story teller who has won top awards with his short fiction, and has written a couple of great books. Sitting and talking with Rob is one of the great pleasures of attending writers' conferences. He always makes you feel as if you are on his front porch in a rocker, kicked back and sippin' sweet tea as the sun sets on the bayou. He is one of very few people who lives in my old birthplace. Congratulations, Rob, on your winnings and wonderful site and writings.

Jim

Welcome to A Different Eye

When I decided to join the modern world and become a blogger, I thought I'd try to not only provide updates on my work and writings, but also share some things I've learned along the path from secret scribbler to published author. I'm nowhere near my destination yet; the Pulitzer Prize is still beyond my grasp, so I'm continuously learning new things to help me achieve my goals. All writers are in the same boat, or at least in the same flotilla. We write and read and write and share and grow little by little, step by step. I imagine even Stephen King and John Grisham learn something new on occasion.
The name of my blog comes from one of my favorite quotes about poets, roughly paraphrased:
A poet is someone who sees the world with a different eye. I think this goes for most writers as well. I'll try to post at least twice weekly with some information that will (hopefully) help you and me all become better writers. I'm looking forward to this journey, and I hope you'll make comments along the way.

Keep writing!
Jim

"Music" from Kentucky to hit Arkansas soon

Jim Barton is the author of one full length collection of poetry, For the Animals Who Missed the Ark, and one chapbook of poetry, the award winning At the Bird Museum.
Jim Barton's newest chapbook of original poetry, "Music", is being published by Finishing Line Press in Georgetown, KY, and is now available for pre-order! You may pre-order the book that Arkansas Poet Laureate Peggy Vining calls 'superb' at http://www.finishinglinepress.com
Go to New Releases and Forthcoming Titles and scroll til you see "Music" by Jim Barton. All pre-sales help determine the size of the pressrun, so every order helps!
As a bonus, EVERYONE who preorders my chapbook will also receive a sneak peek at my next collection of poetry AND a sampling of my recent award winners.
Simply let me know via this blog or drop me a line including your mailing address, and I'll send them out to you upon confirmation of preorder.
I hope to use this blog as a way to reach the poetry community at large, and will post regularly. Thanks for visiting!