If you are not a full-time writer, you may not understand that there are always multiple projects in the works at one time. As a professional editor and writer, I’ve found that I have to switch gears quickly and often unexpectedly, especially in the corporate world.
But as a poet and writer, this kind of unpredictability has bled over into my creative writing projects.
I’ve never written a series of poems on one topic on purpose or with the goal of a collection in mind. Generally, I write poems about whatever has caught my attention at the moment.
I’ve probably amassed hundreds of poems, but what holds them together for a collection? This is a question I’ve been asking myself lately. But the task of looking through all of these poems to find what holds them together has me paralyzed.
Maybe I just need to throw them all together in a “Best of” collection. A ridiculous thought.
I also have quite a few unfinished novels and short stories, but that’s a subject for another day. My fragmented creativity has me at odds with what publishers want for books.
Last year, when a fellow poet suggested a year-long writing exchange, I was doubtful that I could pull it off. But I was engaged in this writing experiment - write 1 haiku or haiku-adjacent poem per day and share those drafts with each another.
I did accomplish that. I did write 1 such poem each day for one year — 2023. Am I happy? Yes. Are they perfect poems? No. What follows for 2024?
One day of revision for each poem created in 2023? That’s our focus. Will I be as successful? I’m unsure.
What I am sure about is that I need to bring more focus or to better manage my focus when it comes to poetry. I know people make resolutions, but I’ve come to the conclusion that this year, I just need a word to help me.
For my word, I chose “manage” because like many of you, I need to better manage my time, my emotions, my finances, my focus, and my goals. It’s not what is new and shiny this year; 2024 will be about how well I am able to manage myself and my focus.
Is your writing always focused? What are you thinking about as we move into 2024?
i like your haiku a day project. I've been trying to do that. i did it for a while last summer and it dropped off because i was too focused on publishing and found i was discouraged. but I am trying not to worry about that now. i would love to have a collection some day. i am going between working on a memoir and poetry and essays and it's a lot! but it's fun.
I like this attitude to your projects and life. It's all we can do really. Happy 2024!