One Poet's View

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2011-01-16T14:54:00.000-08:00

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Spring Reguvenates & Inspires

2007-04-15T16:54:00.000-07:00

I return with haste to this place of reflection on the poetic verse. A great lapse of time precedes this return after several months of distraction dealing with the realities of life and the great time commitments that it all demands.

We seem to so easily lose sight of those things most important in our lives. Sure, I have to make a living outside of my world of poetic muse. Poetic writings generally do not bring on a torrent of cash flow from its renderings so I must take care to attend to the more mundane of life's tasks in order to put food on the table.

Still, I venture back as I may to share my thoughts on poetic composition as frequent as time will allow. We who author poetic verse share a sense of accomplishment and personal satisfaction that perhaps many do not understand nor acknowledge. That's ok though. We all embrace our own preferences whether it pertain to food, clothing, our occupation, travel, song, personal well-being, what we read etc.

For some of us the arrival of season brings with it such a refreshing sense of renewal and awakened energy, and a welcome sense of creative flow as I turn to things poetic once again. There is so much about spring that inspires one to write...the budding trees and flowers, warm breezes caressed by new scents of the season, cleansing rains that wash away winter's spoils, the shrill chirping of birds in song.

The arousal of one's senses at this time of year, especially sight, hearing and smell cause words to flow easy on the page. One can never overuse written observations of such things of beauty and calm. The following verse was inspired around this time last year, among many other verses, that will share their place in my upcoming books:

Billy Goat Rise

High on a mountain ledge billy goat stands
Gazing the grandeur his perch does behold
Towering pines and crystal clear streams
Emerald rivers with rapids rush by

A tufted white beard trails from its chin
And squinting dark eyes shade a glaring sun
Bantering chatter announcing its place
Guardian of the trails, vigilance keeps

Scampering passively, lord of the slopes
Grazing, then moving on, upward it climbs
Careful it steps among rocks and tree stumps
On its way to the summit, billy goat rise

Like the goat, I bask in the balm of this springtime reprise.

Don MacIver
Copyright 2007

Poetry; More On Inspiration

2006-10-29T01:49:00.000-07:00

As a writer I often get the same question asked of me...what inspires you to write?

Inspiration takes on many forms and comes from many places. Quite simply inspiration to write poetry comes from everyday life occurrences. Sound simplistic? Not when you consider the endless array of themes one may draw upon to write about. You could neatly package these themes into a limited selection of broad categories but the topics remain endless.

Each and every day and every moment therein brings something distinct, unique, momentous, happenings right before our eyes or at some great distance around the globe and those events, however seemingly insignificant or epic in proportion, are the makings of the thought processes that evolve into a poetic piece.

Just think of historic events that had impact over people around the globe. September 11, 2001 - although this date came about over five years ago its significance is enormous and our recall instantaneous. Close your eyes and go back to 9-1-1 and you should readily see some of the darkest, most horrific images of your lifetime....explosion, dust, terror in the streets, death, decay, ruin, fire, dense and billowing smoke, tears, sorrow, grief.

War, terrorism, innocent lives lost, destruction. Again, the list is endless. Of course there are an endless number of joyous or positive occasions and subjects to write about too. The birth of a child, a sun-filled day, fragrance in the air, two lovers uniting, the beauties of nature etc. etc.

When these events occur around us or appear before us, if we feel any sense of reaction or emotion...we have inspiration. A writer of poetry must draw upon their basic and innermost senses of realization in order to truly experience the occurrence or subject and translate those senses, emotions or observations into poetic verse.

The key to poetry is in the wording or phrases that paint a picture in the reader's mind. You have images or thoughts in your own mind which clearly define and envelope your subject to the point of vivid sensory perception...now release that striking perception through words felled upon the page that will allow your readers to experience the same visions you see, the same senses and emotions you are experiencing. When you have achieved this pictorial imagery in words you will have captivated an appreciative reading audience.

Credibility plays an important role in the creation of poetry that will truly move the reader. If you have written of an event in your own life that has had a tremendous impact on you, then you are much more genuinely inspired to write about the subject and the piece will be a much more compelling read.

Understand too that what may inspire you may not be an inspiration or interest to every reader. Still, write of those things that you have had a great sense of emotional reaction to and you can be sure that your poetry will strike at the very heart of your readers.

By focusing on a singular life situation you will find a vast array of directions you can take the subject to with a poetic piece. Take romance for instance...clearly one of the most written about subjects today in poetry or any other genre of writing. Just think of the enormous number of topics that come from this one word association. Think of the emotions that are experienced during any form of romantic encounter or relationship.

One of the most important things to remember about writing poetry is that if you write about the human experience, however good or bad, your readers will relate....and when they can relate to the point of experiencing some kind of strong emotional reaction, you are sure to draw those readers back to read more and more of your later writings.

This is the magic of poetry, the magic of inspiration.

Copyright 2006, Don MacIver at A Poet's View Blog

September 11; Pausing To Reflect

2006-09-09T01:30:00.000-07:00

As we approach the anniversary of the tragic events that unfolded on a beautiful day in New York City five years ago it is a time to pause, a time to reflect, a time to remember the terrible loss of lives, the inexplicably violent and horrific, mindless acts that led to that saddest of events, the falling of the World Trade Centre.

At middle age, this tragedy stands alone in my mind as one of the most horrific events during my lifetime and clearly one that will remain in memory indefinitely...with great sadness.

As a Canadian who has relatives of American citizenship, and one who has shared many wonderful moments with friends south of our border, it grieves me deeply to recall not only the events of that day but the apparent reasons for this mindless attack.

The intent of this post is in no way an effort to politicize this journal, rather simply a personal reflection, a tribute if you will to those lives lost...and their loved ones left behind to mourn their passing.

As an author of poetry I write of my observations of a wide variety of themes, many reflecting happiness, but also some verse touching upon those events in our lives that have a profound impact on our emotions, our sense of being, our dignity, our humanity.

We seem to live in increasingly troubled times and our attempts to rationalize what occurs in our world are sometimes an enormous task. The events of 9-1-1 are remembered at the anniversary of this tragic day five years ago. For this writer the memories are re-visited very often.

For yet another moment I pause to reflect....
------------------------------------
SEPTEMBER 11 BRINGS SADNESS AND HOPE

Long will we remember this fateful day of terror in the skies, death in a horrible way. So tragic and senseless, never again we pray.

For those who perished and their loved ones.

Horrific images recount the scene
Shimmering towers collapse to the street
Precious lives lost in a moment of hate
Painful memories relived on this day

With sadness we pray for those left behind
Grief-stricken parents, a tormented spouse
A child to raise whose parent is gone
Shaken by nightmares to last a lifetime

City blocks ashen, smoke billowing long
The World Trade Centre, symbolic, now gone
In tribute we pause for the heroes that day
Whose own life met peril, rescuers' fate

Hope and renewal live on in our dreams
Standing united against evil things
Blessed are those who fell silent this day
Our heads bowed in prayer, remembering you

Copyright 2004 by Don MacIver

Poetry With Purpose

2006-09-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

Writing poetry is many things to many writers. For some, putting one's own personal thoughts, opinions, observations in published form serves a deeply personal purpose. It is a means to convey a message from close to the heart, one-on-one or one to the masses.

Still, others see poetry, as many other genres of writing, as an opportunity to establish presence in the world of authors, to share their writing talent for support and critique, and to develop as a writer by learning the craft from the pen of another.

Whatever the reasons for an individual writing, there must be a focus on purpose. What do you as the aspiring, or established, writer wish to accomplish with your writing? Establishing purpose means establishing goals. Spend some time in advance of composing a piece to decide what you want your reader to achieve or benefit from viewing your writing.

When I first started to write poetry it was for reasons of a highly personal nature. I wrote poetic verse to communicate deeply personal feelings I had in a relationship with my partner. Writing later became a means to reflect what emotions I was experiencing as they related to the loss of a loved one. With time my writing embraced my observations of an infinite number of themes, virtually everything that surrounded me locally to what was happening around the globe.

For some, writing becomes highly politicized, a grandstand or platform, a rant, whimsical muse, pondering, an indepth examination of one's subject and one's self, a celebration, a grieving, a form of therapy or exercise of the mind and soul.

When I write I begin with a focus on the big picture, the overall message that I wish to convey. Once that image is firmly ensconced in my mind then and only then do I move on to set out the various components of the article that will serve to paint that total picture in the reader's mind...I have established purpose.

Once the purpose or objectives for the piece are clearly defined it is much easier to craft the writing in a cohesive manner, easily followed and understood...and hopefully appreciated or otherwise found to be useful in some way to the reader.

Copyright 2006 Don MacIver

In Tribute; A Mother Lost

2006-08-12T01:48:00.000-07:00

It is with fond memories and sadness that I take pause here from my usual posts to dedicate this space on this date to my mother, lost three years ago to a battle with Alzheimer's Disease.

Courageous and dignified to a fault, mom was the type of person most people aspire to personify, kindly, demure, caring, understanding, absent of attitude and malace that so ofter become characteristic of humanity today.

In the few days that followed mom's passing I reflected not only on her life over the nearly eighty years that she graced this world with her presence, but also upon how I could possibly pay tribute to this dear soul in an endearing, loving and deserved fashion. Unexpectedly I happened upon the idea of writing a poem.

I wanted to convey what mom's life had meant to me for so many years, how profoundly her tireless love and affection over the years had affected me. How could I embellish upon this kind and gentle person's life, achievements, passions and so much more, sufficiently, and at a time when my own emotions were torn between the mourning of her passing and celebration of her life?

After careful consideration and great deliberation I embraced the notion of saying a lasting, memorable and loving goodbye in a way that I was most comfortable doing so...written in poetic verse.

So without further belabouring what follows is a poem I penned in what seemed my darkest hour, a poem for you mom. With love, your son.

A MOTHER LOST

Fairest one that passed beyond
Who gave so much, return for not
Rise up to meet your own long gone
Embrace your peace that is your due

What grace and caring ways you’ve shown
Now gone from us, but memories embraced
Meet the heavens your faith did hold
And shine upon us, save our souls

Be blessed for all that you did give
Tireless love and tender care
To dedicate your life to those
Who cherished all you had to share

Your partner ever will miss you now
His heavy heart and sorrow shows
A lifetime shared with one so fair
You’ll meet again, the time you’ll know

Beloved by all that you did know
Tender moments gone we won’t forsake
Stay in our hearts forever more
We that were loved by an angel

In loving memory of a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend
Lois Lenore MacIver, December 28, 1924 to August 7, 2003

Copyright 2003, Don MacIver, Victoria, BC, Canada

Poetry: A Personal Message

2006-07-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

When I first sat down to explore the world of writing poetry I had no idea where this journey would take me. Unsure even of the reason to write in this genre I soon became acutely aware of its relevance to my own personal life and experiences.

Writing poetry sets itself quite apart from other forms of writing, whether fictional or non-fictional in content. Poetry is so much a reflection of the author's own personal observations, emotions, perceptions. In a fashion poetry is cleansing of the writer's soul.

The one thing that sets poetry apart from other writing genres is its deeply personal origin. Those day to day experiences, many which have a very profound impact on the writer, are imbellished upon, drawn as a picture, before their reading audience in such a way as to move the reader to experience similar or parallel emotions toward the subject matter...thus compelling the reader to want to read more and more of the same author's works.

Many new or aspiring writers may not wish to expose their innermost thoughts or feelings through personal accounts in their writing however by doing so their reading audience will have a much stronger sense of relating to the subject because it bares such strength in credibility.

One of the key elements of any good written piece, poetry or otherwise, is the presence of believable content. The best way to hold a reader's attention is to captivate their imagination with a message or story that the writer has actually experienced. With fictional pieces this is of course not a critical issue however when writing about subject matter that involves the human experience it is much more moving, much more compelling when it is obviously a personal account.

For those readers who have had a similar experience in their own lives they will see through a fabricated story or accounting in a second if it does not ring true to the subject matter. It is so important that the poetry writer reflect upon those subjects that he or she has personally observed or experienced. In third person accountings there are numerous subjects which can be written about that will be well-received too but for those subjects that involve deeply personal emotions or experiences stick to the issues that you as the writer have personally been exposed to directly.

If you subscribe or post to public mediums such as internet forums or discussion groups it will quickly become evident just how powerful an impact personal accountings can be. Your feedback will be swift and equally emotional or understanding.

Of course the writer must acquire the word composition skills to generate such emotional responses from their readers. That comes with a lot of painstaking practice, editing, critique from fellow writers and reading enthusiasts, and a willingness to change the structure or content of your writing in response to the feedback that you receive. After all, although writing may well be for personal reasons, if you are seeking recognition and any degree of commercial gains from your writing endeavors then it will be ever more important that you exercise flexibility when it comes to receiving and accepting suggestions for improvement.

No-one learns to write effectively over night, whether poetry or any other genre of writing. As an aspiring writer you may have a sense that you have a natural and unborn talent for writing. From your early writing you may receive strongly supportive, and perhaps even praising reviews of your work. Friends and family may only be affording you polite encouragement in this regard so why not throw caution to the wind and put your writing out there for other writers and potential reading audience to see.

So remember, if you choose to write poetry keep in mind that the greatest impact you can have on your reading audience is to bare your soul. All you have between you and your reader from start to finish is a pen or keyboard and the medium your writing is displayed on. Don't let panic set in and deter you from sharing your writing for all to see. After all, the best way to develop a writing audience is to get your works out there and start getting feedback. Don't be offended or become defensive about constructive criticism of your work.

Share what you are, what you see, hear, touch, feel, smell, and sense. Choose your words carefully. Compose each piece like it is unique, fresh and a story that must be told. Don't be afraid to let the world get a true sense of who and what you are. Only then can you effectively reach your reading audience and leave them with a desire to come back for more.

Share your own message, personal and up front, without reservation, and you will reap the benefits that come with this type of writing that is truly rewarding.

Copyright 2006, Don MacIver
A Poet's View

Defining Poetry

2006-07-16T02:23:00.000-07:00

Defining poetry is a matter of impression, of subjective viewpoint, indeed the experience one has reading such writings.

A singular word would not do justice to the writing genre of poetry. It is a powerful medium that creates a unique reading experience. So many different senses are tantalized, challenged, heightened by the many messages that are scribed in verse.

As a writer of poetry myself I find that I often embellish upon deeply personal experiences, so much so that my readers are often quite moved by what I convey in my writing.

Some would call poetry an art form, a structured journey in pentamic verse, the painting of a picture, a romance, a reflection, a conflict, torment, rejoicing...and so much more. And yes, indeed poetry is of itself a representation of these descriptives and much more.

When writing poetry the author must develop the skill of conveying very descriptive, colourful, aromatic verse. That is, your reader must experience the many physical, sensory and emotional sensations that create a satisfying disposition for them after having read a multi-verse piece.

Many poets of the day touch on very sensitive themes such as politics, war, human relationships which may not have been the accepted norm in a particular society, suicide, death etc.

Poetry, after all, is the human experience. So much of what you see in poetic verse today is deeply personal accountings, renderings, observations, beliefs. Poetry touches upon everything around us.

We often see reference to the fact that writers suffer from writer's block from time to time. That is true but shouldn't be so. There is virtually an infinite array of topics to draw from, an endless resource surrounds us in our daily interaction with others, our travel, our destiny, our new beginnings, our routine each day.

In addition to what we hear, smell, see and feel are different angles from which to observe the topic of our written discussion. We need only clear our minds and open our eyes (or other senses) to embrace all that surrounds us.

Poetry is like the fallen snowflake...no two are identical. In comparative terms, the world that surrounds us is of itself poetic verse just waiting to become an idea born upon the writer's pages. Often-times it is our own personal experiences, inhibitions, oversights, ignorance etc. that creates the "writer's block" syndrome.

Poetry will have its own purposes and meaning for each individual writer and reader. Let poetry be what it has been down through the centuries, what it will find itself to be today, and what it will become tomorrow.

Embrace what you see, what you hear, what you sense, what you smell, what you touch, what you observe...and create a written picture for the reader to marvel.

Embrace a poem today.

Copyright 2006, Don MacIver
A Poet's View Blog

Poetry; Bare Your Soul

2006-06-18T00:28:00.000-07:00

For those who aspire to write, whether it be poetry, a short story, a novel, whatever the genre, you have to find the formula, that combination of words that truly defines self-expression in a way that speaks to your readers in ways so profound that their own personal experience mirrors that of your own. What will their ultimate reading experience render...a shared sense of sadness, elation, longing, fantasy?

As a writer what you create in your writing serves little purpose unless the reader shares the emotions, the experience that you wish to convey. I have discovered as a writer that words ring hollow unless you are conveying personal experience. When you embellish upon personal experience only then can the reader truly relate to the words that you share.

A few short years ago I, almost quite by accident, began to explore the highly personal expressions of poetry, deeply personal because I was sharing the loss of a loved one so close that to put my feelings into words as they related to this loss seemed unimaginable to share with others. Yet, I felt a powerful sense of overwhelming inspiration at a time when I sensed my life to be at a very low point, a turning point perhaps, at which time I somehow felt that sharing such words would ultimately act as some sort of comfort or reassurance to those who have had a similar experience. The response I received in return was indeed overwhelming...and unexpected.

What is it about poetry that creates a bond between writer and their readers? I discovered very quickly that for one to read in explicit detail what one has experienced that has affected their lives in very profound ways creates a mutual respect, admiration, sympathy, or empathy that is quite unparalelled in other forms of writing.

I became associated with a poetry forum on the internet. At first I had a great sense of apprehension about what I conveyed in writing online. Before long though I discovered that fellow writers and devoted readership shared something very special....emotions that previously were suppressed, locked away for no-one to see, to witness, to share and respond to. I had never dreamed that posting poetry on the internet could generate such a powerful communicative response from such a wide and diverse reading audience. To received accolades from fellow writers from around the globe was both gratifying and truly inspiring .

In order to reach your reading audience it is of critical importance that you relay actual personal experience. The only way a reader can truly experience the emotions the writer wishes to conver is if the reader believes the experience to be genuine. Reciprocate what you as the writer have experienced and you are well on your way to a meaningful and fulfilling relationship with your reading audience. Establish a sense of ligitimacy with your readers and you will have them coming back for more time and again.

Be your own strongest critic. Read what you have written over and over and examine what senses or emotions your writing triggers. Do you have a sense of sadness, joy, eroticism, mystique, love, conviction? What do you feel after reading your own writing? If something is lacking then the piece needs re-writing until you are satisfied that the desired emotions are triggered.

Whether it be a piece about political statement, a romantic tryst, a mournful departure, a nature scene, an expression of loss etc. it has to be crafted in a way that will trigger the senses of the reader in a way that leaves them feeling a sense of fulfillment, a desire to return to read more. Few forms of writing achieve this type of personal response as with poetry.

Here I will experiment with a few verses. See what you share in reading these words:

Glistening pine cones quiver in breeze
Dawn's early sunrise bathing tree limbs
Mist stills the air in calmness of light
A songbird chirups, breaking silence

Lonliness tears at my being once more
Forever drifting, the loss that I grieve
Forgive my remiss, repent of my sins
I long for you, seek of you desperately

Smoke rising from ruins, ashes remain
Conflict of vengence, dead resting within
The stench of decay does castigate fear
Silenced eyes search for an unanswered prayer

Know where you're going with your writing. Explore in advance what you seek to achieve. Be objective...is what you have written moving you to explore what message lays within? Do tears well up as the words unfold? Sometimes poetry takes several writings to refine. Don't write with haste. Write with passion and honesty.

Write poetry from the heart, from the soul.

Copyright 2006, Don MacIver
A Poet's View

The Inspiration To Write Poetry

2006-04-23T00:40:00.001-07:00

Writing is an incredible journey, a soul-searching, an outpouring of information, a personal creative challenge, a cleansing process, and so much more.

In order to pen a quality piece there must be some internal or external resource that the writer may call upon again and again to turn mental images, thoughts, ideals etc. into a written dialogue that will stimulate its reader, leave the reader with a sense of satisfaction for having read the piece.

I made a new acquaintance recently who I shared a glass of wine with and quite a stimulating conversation about our places of origin and local politics, climate, geography, peoples, economy. Our discussion eventually centered around writing since my newfound friend was skimming through my first book "Journeys In Verse".

With favourable comment about the content of my book this gentlemen marvelled at the presentation of the book and queried where I get the inspiration to write. He too aspired to write but was unsure where to begin the process.

In response I reflected upon the very conversation that we had just so enthusiastically engaged...our homelands, peoples, geography, policical scene. What could possibly motivate one to write more than those very everyday topics that are so close to our hearts.

I referred to the standards of poetry that have been the very core of poetic verse since the first stansas of poetry were scribed including romance, nature, fantasy, distant lands, war and conflict. What an enormous resource of topical information flows from that core of themes. And there is vertually an endless stream of worldly situations and personal experiences that drive us daily to some level of emotion, consternation, trepidation, bewilderment.

We are bombarded daily with an enormous amount of information, whether it be via the various formats of media, the internet, personal observation, word of mouth from those we meet. There should never be such a things as "writer's block"....something that I perceive occurs not from a lack of subject matter but internal or external conflict resulting in distraction considerable enough to temporarily diminish the writer's ability to put together a meaningful article, story, poem, etc.

From personal experience I have found that when I feel uninspired or lack the cohesive thought processes to put together a good written piece I take a break from writing for a few hours, days, weeks, whatever it takes to recharge and recover a clarity of thought processes needed to resurrect the creative juices. Then and only then do I resume my place before the keyboard and return to doing what I love the most...writing.

I have found that in order to maintain a strong desire to write I need to diversify to the extent that I don't restrict my writing genre to poetry exclusively. Over the past two years I have expanded my publication efforts from poetry to web journals such as this, and also a poetry writing newsletter and articles.

This diversity of writing materials and a steadily growing and devoted reading audience has kept the joy and challenge of writing fresh and exciting for me. With the availability of online resources , in many cases free, the vehicles for publishing are considerable.

What inspires me you ask? The question you should ask perhaps is what does not inspire me. Look around, use your senses, your emotions, your cognitive skills to absorb the many, many things that happen around you, around your region, and indeed around the globe. Think of what triggers people's emotions, what makes them laugh, what makes them cry. There's your inspiration. Capture a moment, an event, a glimpse at mental pictures, frame by frame and paint that picture on the page or monitor screen with great purpose and satisfaction.

Inspired to write yet? I hope so...watch, listen, touch...now write about it!

Copyright 2006 by Don MacIver
author, Journeys In Verse

Poetic Verse: A Journey

2006-03-04T01:39:00.000-08:00

Writing poetry is an art form, a creative adventure, an observation, a journey of the senses.

Poetic verse is a truly personal experience for not only the writer but also for the reader. If you're going to write poetry one of the most important things to remember is that the reading experience is greatly enhanced when the writer authors a piece that reflects his or her own actual experiences rather than a fictional piece.

When writing about a real experience the author has strong emotional connection with the content of the piece and that connection will surely be reciprocal for the reader.

Poetry is an expression of so many emotions...joy, elation, sadness, love, anger, confusion, frustration...just to name a few. Your reading audience will be able to relate so much better to a piece that comes straight from your heart.

Poetry offords the writer a virtually limitless number of themes to draw from. In my first book "Journeys In Verse" I elected to write about a diverse range of themes. Learned authors have reflected upon the concentration of a singular theme noting that emerging writers may wish to diversify their writing portfolio rather than attempting to reach out to a targeted audience.

Poetry needs to touch the heart, the mind, the soul. What could be more gratifying than a reader of your work telling you how moved they were by a particular piece. I have experienced this type of reinforcing feedback and it is truly gratifying and an enormous inspiration and motivation to keep writing.

The best way to test this theory out is to read your own work repeatedly to see what kind of reaction or emotional response you experience. Are you unsure of the merits of your piece? Did you feel a connection? Did your reading experience evoke any emotional response? If the answer to any or all of these questions is no perhaps you may wish to edit the piece prior to publication...go back to re-visit what it was that you experienced in order to breath some new life into the piece.

Once I received feedback from readers telling me that I "took them there" or "thanks so much for taking me along on such an extraordinary journey", then and only then did I feel a sense of accomplishment, a sense that I could write for a reading audience in a way that allowed them to truly experience or relate to a situation and want to see more of my writing.

Poetry is in so many ways an exploration, a quest for answers, the sharing of deeply personal thoughts or feelings...a journey.

On my website "A Poet's View" I share a collection of my original poetic works and invite you to visit . The poetry I have posted is a sampling of original poems from my first book and also my second book "Touched By A Rose" which I expect to be published soon.

Make that connection with your readers...it is such a rewarding experience for you and your reading audience.

Copyright 2006 by Don MacIver

Poetry Writing: Embracing Technology

2006-02-26T01:05:00.000-08:00

The writer of today has a rapidly evolving array of technology at their disposal for the composition, publication and promotion of his or her writing projects.

One of the most talked about forms of publication and promotion on the internet in recent times is this very forum, the weblog...or the blog...or the web journal.

Irrespective of the extent of exposure one may or may not gain from this means of publication on the internet, the weblog is a wonderful tool for showcasing one's written works. Like a website, this form of instanteous posting of written material on the internet for a potentially massive audience is an incredible vehicle for the illustration of one's writing, free of charge no less.

The first hurdle, of course, is to get past the anxiety of posting to such a potentially vast audience and the related angst of what feedback one might receive to such personal postings. The key to getting your feet wet, so to speak, in the arena of internet posting is to realise how virtually painless posting to the internet really is.

Of course the most important criteria for the posting of one's work is to first and foremost write for the love of writing. Never mind what critique may result from your writing efforts. There will always be someone out there that knows more than you do, who feels they are more qualified, more educated, more skilled at writing. That's all fine and dandy, the bottom line is that if you feel you have something valuable to communicate, whatever the written genre, write and publish it with enthusiasm and renewed conviction day after blessed writing day. Reafirm your conviction to writing daily.

In addition to the praise, the accolades, and downright unbelievably positive and supportive feedback that I have received since beginning to write, there has been and always will be arrogance, conceit, self-serving and destructive criticism of your writing form, style, content and purpose.

In order to achieve success in writing the author must seek to view critique, however positive or negative, as a learning tool, a means to an end, to learn from constructive and learned opinion as well as from misguided or misdirected jealousy, anger, and sometimes downright vindictive comment that serves no more purpose than to satisfy the writer's insatiable thirst for the destructive attack of another's written works in the absence of substance of their own writing.

Today we have the rapid advancement of technology, the information super-highway, the internet, email, messenger, chat utilities, websites, weblogs and so much more.

Take advantage of any form of self-promotion that technology brings your way. What better opportunity than free services such as these to post actual examples of our writing for potentially the whole online world to see!

What have we got to loose? Well, perhaps the negative response alluded to here, perhaps non-response. Ok, deal with it and get past it. You write because you love to write and feel that you have something of relevance to say....so write and keep on writing! Imagine where, in the writing world, we would be today if the Keats and Brownings of this world caved in to negative opinion or reaction to the incredible works that they produced?...on second thought, don't imagine this.

Writing is communicating. Writing is a compilation of thoughts, expressions, ideas, whims, opinions...and so much more. We as writers have a reading audience, no matter how large or small, and we owe that audience, and ourselves, the sharing of our written expressions for what they are intended to be...communications.

The weblog may come and go, as will many other "new and improved" forms of internet communication vehicles. The challenge is to embrace this change, as come it will, to take advantage of the potential benefits that may arise from using such mass-communications vehicles, in order to realise some degree of recognition, some level of acceptance or appreciation for what we do as writers...the sharing of ideas, opinions, observations, fantasies.

So why wait for the world to pass you by? Post a blog today, create a website, post to forums, submit to ezines. Unless you have a dream, embrace that dream and utilize all the many electonic means to share and promote your written dreams, in today's world they cannot become a reality.

Write on and post often. Best of luck in your writing endeavors.

Don MacIver
Copyright 2006 at A Poet's View Blog.

Finding The Time To Write

2006-01-14T23:12:00.000-08:00

After a lengthy break from writing, over two months now, I have finally found enough spare time on my hands to get back to writing.

After posting new articles and poetry pieces on a regular basis it seems like such a long time since my last post here. Most budding writers, and published authors too, find that it is often a great challenge to set aside that all important block of time to devote strictly and uninterupted to writing. This is especially so when one is juggling time to devote to family and gainful employment as well.

There are so many distractions in today's busy lifestyle that can run interference with a writer's creative endeavors. Spending quality time with family is a paramount consideration and it is no walk in the park finding that all-so-important time away from the office and computer to share quantity and/or quality time with a partner, children, relatives and friends.

I have now survived another holiday season over Christmas and New Year's and the associated pleasures and stresses of this time of year and it's high time to get back to a rythym, allowing the creative juices to flow once more and create poetic works and articles that will amaze and inspire!

When writing is not yet a full-time vocation the challenges of finding enough time to produce quality writing are many. Sometimes it's better to take that break, albeit not too long, to take care of important matters, family first, and get back to writing when the time is right and you're feeling refreshed and inspired. It's like riding a bike!

The key is not to be overly anxious about time lapses between writing sessions. It is far more important to write a quality piece that it is to crank out volumes of useless dialogue that will put the reader to sleep....unless you're writing a manual for the sleep deprived (another writer's affliction).

So snap to it! Dust off the keyboard and get busy. May the inkwell never run dry!

Don MacIver
author, Journeys In Verse
Visit the authors wesite: http://www.apoetsview.org

When Should I Write?

2005-11-19T01:19:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest challenges for a writer seems to be deciding when the best time is to sit down and write.

There's no absolute answer to that question however more often than not inspiration occurs most frequently when the writer has experienced a situation first hand - up front and personal.

There is a virutally infinite number of topics with which to write about. Maybe it's a romantic chance meeting with someone, a walk in the park, quiet reflection about a life situation that has impacted your life, a chirping bird, terrible news in the media, an historic event.

Writing poetry, or articles, stories etc. is so strongly influenced by those things observed, emotional response, interpretation, etc. When an event or situation takes place that inspires the collective words to form verse or a story don't hesitate to get it down on paper...or at the keyboard as the case may be.

Chances are if you as the writer have experienced a very strong response to such situations then others will reciprocate that emotional response if the piece has been written with captivating or evocative content. The story portrayed in the piece, if well constructed, should ignite the readers' senses without having to resort to any artificial means to achieve that end.

There are times when a writer suffers that dreaded "writer's block". This problem sometimes occurs when a writer attempts to build a rapid and large volume of written material rather than concentrating on quality pieces that are fresh in content and grip the reader's attention with its unique and captivating style. Writing too much about a singular topic can also lead to stagnating creativity. Diversify your writing themes and your own personal index of writing subjects will become broader by the day.

Be your own worst critic when writing a piece. Read it back several times to test your own reaction. If you hear yourself saying blah, blah, blah then perhaps your material is a bit stale.

In recent years one of the most powerful real life situations that has affected us all worldwide was the horrific events in the United States on September 11. 2001. Our senses were jolted and shaken to the point of fear and confusion, sadness, rage, heartbreak and a host of other emotional responses. That singular historic event has inspired an enormous volume of written material around the globe and likely will for a long time to come.

As a writer my mental notepad is with me 24/7 and as soon as I see, hear, touch, smell or taste something new, something exciting, something that invokes true emotional response...I write it down, point form, longhand, whatever it takes to lock down that image or thought and when I get back to my computer I am reassured that the "ink" will flow.

The human experience is as diverse as the universe. There is commonality of themes such as romance, death, crime, war, relationships, natural disasters, nature and the environment...the list goes on and on.

People want to read things that give them a sense of satisfaction, enlightenment, faith, informative understanding, relaxation and so much more. With so much that occurs every day of our lives, whether just around the corner or across the far reaches of the globe, there is and will always be so much to write about.

Relax, observe, experience....and write.

On my website "A Poet's View" at http:www.apoetsview.org I offer a diverse range of original poetry works that are receiving critical acclaim. Please visit and return often for newly written poetic verse.

Don MacIver
author, Journeys In Verse
copyright 2004

The Time We Shared

2005-10-09T02:55:00.000-07:00

In a recent post I promised to present a feature poem, this one dear to my heart and will have its own special place in my forthcoming book "A Touch Of Rose". This was written during a few precious moments of reflection about my mother who I lost several years ago. Not a day goes by that the words to this poem don't whisper silent in my ear.

THE TIME WE SHARED

Already a year has passed us by since we lost you, mom, to a heavenly place. Are you watching, listening, are you truly there? How I miss you now...and the time that we shared. Sometimes tears just aren't enough.

Ever the twinkle in your eyes
A love so deep, so much you cared
Why must life always come to an end
Ever too soon, it isn't fair

So much passion you had for life
So tender, forgiving, blessed one
For all our wrongs you saw us right
A gentle, guiding hand was your way

Now we must draw on memories
Your images sweet, forever real
I hear your voice, softly near
So calm, so happy, comforting me

Our days at the cottage, so serene
Fireside stories of days gone by
What I would give for just one more kiss
A fleeting embrace, knowing you're there

Tell me we'll be together again
Familiar laughter, a knowing grin
Whisper your stories I long to hear
Of happier times we used to share

We miss you mom...till we meet again

Copyright 2004 by Don MacIver

Poetry: Gaining New Ground

2005-08-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

Let it not be said that poetry is a dying art. To the contrary, poetry is alive and well and a growing cultural phenomenon.

With perhaps a biased viewpoint being an author of poetry myself, I have irregardless spent a lot of time on the internet and otherwise researching the current status of poetic verse amoung the various writing genres of the day and find that there is a gradual yet persistent increase in the popularity of poetry today.

As a literature enthusiast as far back as my early secondary school days, oh so long ago, there was something about poetry that struck me in a way that seemed quite profound. It wasn't until much later in life (my mid-forties) that I actually began to pursue writing poetry for personal as well as commercial benefit.

Poetry spans the globe in popularity because, as with a great novel, there is commonality, personal or human life experiences related to in each piece that most people, regardless of age, can easily relate to. Above all else poetry offers an abreviated window, a miniature picture of a much lengthier story as told in, for example, a novel.

For those literature enthusiasts who prefer short, highly descriptive excerpts for their reading pleasure poetry fits the bill quite nicely. The striking thing about poetry is that it can offer the reader a host of reading pleasures by quickly and often intensely touching on deep innermost feelings or senses that with a novel-length script can take much longer to develop and effectively portray.

Why does poetry affect readers in such a profound way? Unlike a fiction novel, poetry is most often relaying actual personal experience or observations of the writer themself and therefore, if skilfully written, will have strength in credibility and hence be more readily relatable to the reader.

To bear one's soul to a potentially countless number of readers is not everone's cup of tea yet the credibility of a piece is so greatly enhanced that a personal accounting is the preferred method or composing poetry if establishing an increasing readership is desired. Lovers of poetry, as with readers of any form of writing, discover a writer that they enjoy and so often become devoted readers of that author's works and keep coming back for more.

The chemistry of putting together the right combination of thoughts, images, descriptive words or phrases is a skill that must be developed and exercised with each composition. That in itself takes time and dedication to the craft but the end results for the author and the reader are priceless.

Poetry is an art form. It is passion, emotions, exhilerating, saddening, joyful, inspiring, simply put every conceivable emotion or expression of thought that one can imagine. There is also a fictional side to poetry. Fantasy is also a popular form of poetry, an escape, a dream, a mysterious encounter, an exciting journey to a faraway, secret place that no-one else can go...hence a highly personal experience. How powerful and profound is that?

Contempory poetry has certainly evolved and always will. Poetry touches very much on the present, the past, and indeed the future. It has no boundaries, no rigid rules by which the author must conform. That is the beauty of poetry for the author. Tradional forms of poetry remain a focal point for many writers today while others have shifted focus to new beginnings, freesytle forms of poetic expression.

If you have thoughts of writing poetry, whether strictly for personal reasons or for commercial purposes, pick up a pen or get to the keyboard and start writing. Never mind whether it's good or not. Put your thoughts down on a page, digest it, edit as you wish, see how it affects you to read each piece. Maybe there's a poet in you after all!

How did it all start for me? Well, I wrote a poem, printed it, cut it to fit into a greeting card (a Valentines Day wish for my better half) and the response I received was overwhelming. Once I saw how greatly my writing affected a handful of people I knew that writing poetry was something special that I had to pursue.

Write your poem today...and often.

For samples of my poetry please visit my website, A Poet's View, at http://www.apoetsivew.org .

Copyright 2005 by Don MacIver
Victoria, BC

Poetry: Word & Phrase Usage

2005-07-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

One of the key elements of poetry is the careful selection of words used to convey an image, to ignite the senses, to set the verse apart from the others.

In order to capture the reader's attention and hold it for the duration of the piece it is critical that a few do's and don'ts are observed. One of the biggest mistakes that a writer can make, and one that is frequently criticized today, is to write a poem in the first person...that is to write the piece about you the writer.

Injecting the word "I" throughout the poem is characteristic of first person writing. Although the piece can still have strong merit and be a fairly compelling read, the use of "I" tends to detract from the reading experience because the reader less readily relates to the subject matter as their own experience.

Cut out that "I" word and write the piece in the third person....allow the reader to observe and experience the situation relayed in the peace as if they are part of that scene or situation. Then and only then do you truly generate a captivated reading audience.

One of the great things about being a member of an online writers' or poetry forum is that you can get near instanteous feedback from fellow writers and reading guests about each piece that you post. You can see from replies posted to your own and others' works just how important this type of third person writing becomes.

When writing poetry it is extremely important that you as the writer are moved by the piece but equally important how your reading audience perceived the piece. Was it an average, ho-hum read or did it truly move someone? When I get feedback that says "oh my, this poem truly moved me" or "I shed many tears reading your poem and related this to my very own experience" or "a beautifully artistic and moving write", I truly have a sense of accomplishment.

When I write poetry, my blog or newsletter I seek to write every single line in a way that vividly conveys the message that I am attempting to convey. Each stanza is a compartmentalized picture or thematic portion of the overall story. Each successive line builds upon this picture in words. I often pair two successive lines where the second line supports and expands on the idea expressed in the first.

Another mistake that aspiring writers make when writing poetry is repetition of words or phrases. Although this technique in writing sometimes bodes well for the piece it more often detracts from the poem, makes it a less enjoyable or compelling read. Some writers will attempt to use the exact same sentence at the start of each stanza throughout the poem. I find that approach to writing less appealing, having less impact and imaginative creativity.

Becoming too verbose or wordy can also detract from the piece. Brevity can actually enhance the reading experience. Use distinctive wording that gives the writing a crisp feel with descriptive words....if there is a scent in the air don't just say "there was a scent in the air" but instead let the reader smell that scent by telling them what that scent is ie. "a hint of pine caressed the night air".

Tell the reader what that familiar scent is...they can then relate by actually sensing that hint of pine...or cinamon...orange...cedar burning in the open fire etc. See/smell the difference?

The use of generic phrases is unappealing in poetry. Again, give the reader descriptive wording that actually paints a picture, allows them to understand clearly what the subject person in the piece is feeling. If you simply say "awake night after night, tormented" that's ok but...yawn. Why not try something like "sleepless nights of anxiety", or "broken hearted, in anguish tears shed". How about "losing your love, in heartache lay awake".

I offer samples of my writing on my website, "A Poet's View" with feature poetry, many of which are content of my first book "Journeys In Verse" and more that will be featured in my second book, a work now in progress to be released soon. Visit my website at http://www.apoetsview.org to see the many pictures I paint with my poetry.

Remember, be unique, descriptive, paint a picture the reader can see, can experience, that stirs their emotions and you will find your works reaching a much broader audience.

Keep writing and putting your work out there for the world to see!

Don MacIver
author, "Journeys In Verse"
copyright 2005

Poetry & Politics

2005-07-11T16:07:00.000-07:00

Poetry touches on every conceivable human experience and observation and the written verse is timeless in this regard.

The author of poetry should, however, beware when posting or publishing their works on certain subject categories, especially those that may generate a volumous and highly critical or angered response.

One such topic is politics. Nothing quite strikes a raw nerve as things political. When publishing poetry touching on political issues, whether it be in hard cover, on the internet or otherwise, the writer should anticipate some degree of negative backlash.

Most online poetry forums are open to posts of varied themes including political writings but the negative feedback can often be swift, agressive and at times unexpected, especially when taken out of context by the responding person(s).

I recently wrote a poem in tribute to a former President who passed away after battling a debilitating illness. The piece was intended strictly as a nice tribute to a high profile political leader who had dedicated his adult life to governmental office to the highest level - a tribute pure and simple.

And yet, despite my obvious intentions given the content of the poem, the very first post in response was a harsh and disrespectful attack on the deceased President to the point that a large number of fellow writers, contributing members of the website, reacted in utter consternation and requested that the highly offensive remarks be withdrawn.

In the case of an online forum this type of issue in a thread can turn into a flaming, confrontational battle and become quite disruptive for the members and reading public. After all, the website was for poetry writing and reading and highly negative and confrontational posting is strictly prohibited.

Free speech aside, authors of things political, even in the poetry community, should anticipate a measure of negative response, even in the event that the published piece is as simple and respectful as a tribute.

Having said that, keep writing...for the love of writing.

Don MacIver
copyright 2005 at A Poet's View

Luther Vandross: A Poet In His Own Right

2005-07-03T14:31:00.000-07:00

I noted with great sadness and a deep sense of loss the passing of Luther Vandross, an extraordinary talent in the music industry who touched the hearts of so many with his silken tones.

Luther Vandross sang with true passion, each note intoned a breath of fresh air, a cleansing, a sweet and touching experience for his audience worldwide...in essence pure poetry in song.

A poet's quest is to capture the heart and imagination of their reading audience, to leave them with a true sense of satisfaction, an emotional experience that the reader will savour always. Luther Vandross had enormous success in his singing career having blessed us all with so many memorable songs. He touched our hearts and our souls.

I applaud this poet of song...and pause to remember.

Don MacIver
copyright July, 2005

Poetry: A Personal Exploration

2005-06-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

My very first published poem was originally intended for private use only. It was a highly personal writing about the passing of my dear mother.

What started out as a personal tribute to my mother generated such an overwhelming response from its readers, namely close family and friends, that I soon came to the realization that perhaps I had something to share that I had never conceived would be of interest to people I didn't even know.

Poetry is a blend of creativity, sensitivity, and often an exploration of one's self, one's feelings, one's personal observations and opinions. The writing of poetry today has few boundaries insofar as structure and certainly the themes from which to draw upon are seemingly endless.

Take a look at any online poetry forums, message boards, personal websites or books on poetry and you will find one common denominator in poetry...so much of what is written today relates to experiences of a highly personal and profound nature.

One of the most often written subjects in poetry has always been that of romance...a newfound love, or a love troubled or lost. Because such writings usually reflect a real personal experience either of the writer or someone close to the writer, the reading experience is most compelling and because it relates to a real situation the reader of the piece can easily relate themself.

Much of what I write about today is in the romantic theme. It is perhaps the single most widely read subject matter in poetry today because it is one of the primary elements in most people's lives. Poetry can help its readers gain a better understanding of a similar experience that they have gone through and perhaps ease the pain of a lost relationship.

Poetry for the writer is often a journey, a discovery, expression, even a fantasy...an escape to a place in one's mind far away from the hustle and bustle and tribulations of the day. The same experience with poetry is true for the reader of poetic verse.

Not all writers of poetry have the same objective for publishing their written verse. Many have aspirations of seeing their writing in print, gaining public recognition, fame or financial gain while others simply wish to share their poetic creations with anyone who enjoys reading poetry.

I share feature samplings of my writing on my website "A Poet's View" at http://www.apoetsview.org . I have also published my first book, "Journeys In Verse" which can be previewed at http://www.lulu.com/whereeaglessoar . My second book is currently a work in progress and its release is expected in approximately three months...stay tuned!

Read, or even better, write a poem today!

Don MacIver
copyright 2005 at A Poet's View

Newsletters As A Promotional Tool

2005-06-20T13:34:00.000-07:00

Newsletters...a simple form of shared information and a great way to promote a website, product or service.

In the ever-changing world of the internet, that vast vortex of cyberspace known as the information highway, in which this journal is displayed, the newsletter has become an important tool for those wishing to gain greater exposure for their website, goods or services.

There is a vast resource of newsletter or mailing list hosts on the internet today offering free and paid services. For the budget conscious webmaster even a free mailing list service provides a great opportunity to share information to subscribers that is relevant to a website and the goods or services offered on that site.

Newsletters afford the author an opportunity to establish credibility as an authority or expert in a given field and increase return traffic to a website. I publish a newsletter with content related to poetry and my own writing, book and websites.

I also have an ever-increasing series of links to my own websites and many other websites containing content relevant to my own website. Providing links to other websites is not necessarily an endorsement of those websites but a means to enhance the visiting experience and information resources available for each visitor to your website with a click of their mouse.

Once again here is yet another free resource for the webmaster, whether a novice or experienced and professional, to offer a resource-rich and free source of related information to website visitors that will help increase the rate of unique or return visits to your website.

There is also the option of paid mailing list services that facilitate paid subscribers to the newsletter. In this case the newsletter generates a revenue stream for the author of the newsletter. Before creating a paid subscriber newsletter it may best serve the author to start with a free newsletter to gain experience with this type of promotional medium...walk before you run!

As with other forms of online promotional tools ie websites and blogs, the newsletter should contain minimal graphics and be rich in quality text content - that is content that is interesting and useful in value to the subscriber, information that will compel the subscriber to continue to receive the newsletter on an ongoing basis.

Content in a newsletter should be fresh and informative with each issue. Added links, website reviews and related news updates will maintain a subscriber's interest and desire to continue to remain on the mailing list. The subscriber has to feel like they will benefit somehow with each new issue sent to them.

Newsletter or mailing list services provide easy creation and distribution for its author. The key is to develop a growing list of subscribers and advance research should be undertaken to find out how best to establish that list.

There are a vast number of mailing list service hosts, free and paid to suit everyone's budget. A simple search engine query with keywords such as "free mailing list hosts" or "newsletter hosting" will provide a lengthy list of plans to review and choose from. One such hosting service is found at http://www.bravenet.com . Many website resource sites will also provide a list of recommended sites.

The newsletter is a great way to provide sample excerpts of an author's writing and I have produced my own newsletter to help promote my various websites and also to enhance my website visitors' experience by providing links to other related websites. The more a visitor feels they are getting out of a newsletter and linked websites the more a subscriber will want to continue to receive that newsletter... and the more they will return to your website and desire to obtain the goods or services that you are promoting.

Subscribe to my newsletter "Quillspeak" today! Use the quick and easy subsciber form provided below to sign up for my monthly newsletter about things poetic.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE QUILLSPEAK NEWSLETTER

The Website: A Promotional Tool

2005-06-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

Don't have your own website yet? What are you waiting for?

There are a number of important tools on the internet today to help promote a writer's works online. The internet is not the sole solution to acquiring exposure in the writing community and general public and should never be used exclusively but the potential for reaching a large audience in real time cannot be overlooked.

The creation of a personal website has been highly lauded as one of several effective ways to gain an audience. There is a large number of website hosting services available on the internet today that offer a diverse range of plans to suit the budget of each new member with price ranges from free to various levels of periodic payments.

Most paid website hosts require member payments of two to three months at a time. While free websites offer a modest level of services and features they do have their limitations. Many provide a limited number of free webpage templates to select from and is a great help to the novice webmaster who is not familiar with the more technical side of manual text editing and page creation.

Free websites also provide a limited number of pages per site and many also allow for a limited amount of picture uploading. Because the websites are free the hosting company requires in most cases that members agree to allow the host to display graphic and/or text advertising on each webpage on their site. This is the host's only way to make money in return for their free hosting services.

As stated there are paid websites to suit every budget. Starting even as low as $5 or less per month provides enough webspace to satisfy the new webmaster's promotional objectives. The beauty of these website hosting services is that you don't have to be a techno-wizzard in order to set up even your first website. As your need for additional webspace arises more space can be purchased at a reasonable cost.

You can expect some trial and error at the start as you discover the flexibility of these websites and what they can do for you. Most website hosts recognize the complexity of webhosting and have minimized the challenges to the novice webmaster by designing programs that are formatted to allow for easy website creation. These sites normally provide FAQ and help pages that will answer most questions as they arise and frequently provide customer support services for the more difficult problems that may arise.

Why create a website? For starters, websites are a great way to publish one's product on the internet whether it be goods or services and in the case of writers what better and cheaper way to gain exposure to your work than to showcase your talents by posting feature articles, book excerpts, and links to your other website/blog locations than to create an attractive and professional looking website at a very modest cost.

Keep in mind that with websites on the internet once you have created a website you have only taken the first step toward promoting your product. The followup to that website creation that is critical to selling your product or maximizing your potential online exposure is to bring traffic to your website.

There any many ways to drive traffic to your website. Careful research should be undertaken before creating a website and discover the many recognized ways to enhance your website's importance. Review any website devoted to website resources and you will see the predominent phrase "Search Engine Optimization" or "SEO".

One of the most critical tools in a website aresenal is the use of "keywords" which are individual words or phrases repeated throughout your webpages that will help any search engine crawling your site to identify what your website is all about.

It is generally recognized that successful websites today are text rich with minimal graphics. A website can be attractive visually but if it lacks useful and interesting text content that will compel a visitor to return again and again you will not achieve the desired results from your website.

There is no clear fast track to stardom when it comes to writing. The internet provides the potential for considerable exposure to the webmaster but getting repeat visitors is the key. This will likely also involve numerous methods of advertising, free and paid. Stay within your budget but advertise for sure.

The idea of promoting or advertising your website is to bring "relevant" traffic to your site. That means selecting a target audience. Promote your work to those on the internet who share an interest in what it is that you are promoting. I promote my poetry works and books and therefore don't advertise to people registered on gardening and landscape websites.

Website creation and hosting takes time and careful planning in advance in order to achieve a winning formula that will generate interest and repeat visits. Even the opening sentence on a website can play a key role on whether each visitor lingers to check out what you have to offer or quickly hits the backspace key to browse elsewhere.

Keeping abreast of the internet website world through online articles, newsletters, website resource reviews etc. will help you create and maintain a place on the internet that is rich with relevant content and attract that highly desired and repeated visitor traffic.

How to find the right website host for you? Many newsletters and website hosting directories will provide a large resource of hosting services to review and choose from. A simple search engine query for "website hosts" or "free website hosts" will return thousands of website links in the search results pages that follow.

For a modest cost I now host my own website that provides ample webspace to display my writing and provide a large number of relevant links to my own websites and other websites with related content. My website can be viewed at http://www.apoetsview.org . Remember to always link back to your various websites (as I have just done). This helps a search engine or web crawler to pick up on related links that they capture within the content of your websites.

Set up your own website today!

Don MacIver
author, Journeys In Verse

Book Publishing

2005-06-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

So you're a writer! Welcome to the club.

As an aspiring or emerging writer, whatever your genre of penship, you undoubtedly have a host of questions about how best to get your work recognized. In particular I will focus on self-publishing.

As a new writer there are many challenges to gaining recognition for your writing. As with actors, the biggest challenge for writers is getting "discovered" by the large publishing companies. It is extremely difficult to get noticed by major publishers until you have first established credibility and acclaim through other publishing means.

Without sounding pessimistic the reality in the publishing world is that there are a limited number of book publishers and an enormous number of writers and writers wannabe. Getting noticed by the big publishers takes well-above average writing skills, persistence, patience and a lot of upfront legwork (and luck) before there is any potential for association with a large book publishing company.

Of course one option for achieving hard copy publishing is to pay for publishing services. This option can cost the author a substantial amount of money up front, often in the order of $10,000 or more, for a limited number of copies. Then there is the extraordinary task of marketing the book, which for the inexperienced is in itself a monumental undertaking.

Many companies at the retail book store level will not even look at putting your book on their limited shelf space unless it has been published through a recognized publisher.

A recent innovation to the world of book publishing is online self-publishing or publish-on-demand. Here is the opportunity to get a hard copy book published, usually without upfront expense, and ready for distribution to individual buyers within days of purchase through online order and purchase.

Self-publishing on the internet takes quite a bit of work on the part of the author as the creation of the book is done completely by the author. This includes book size and cover design setup, uploading saved document files to the online publishing software, copy editing and proof reading, and final publishing.

Although this all sounds highly technical and complicated, given the tutorials and standardized templates and associated software offered by POD companies it is a relatively easy process to undertake. When I first used this type of publishing service I learned a few things by trial and error, including reading carefully and fully the instructions that are provided before completing each step of the book creation process.

I would strongly recommend preparing all of the content for your book in advance and saved (for backup and easy copy/paste online). Map out on paper the order of presentation, content, chapter titles etc. so that your final product looks as professional and cohesive as possible.

There are numerous publish-on-demand companies on the internet today. Each publisher offers somewhat different services, cover templates etc. and author royalty/publishing fee criteria. It is best to research each publisher's website in advance to determine which arrangement is best suited to the author.

The whole premise of self-publishing is that it gives a new and as yet unrecognized author the opportunity to get their writing published at their own time of choosing as opposed to achieving the possible recognition and contract offers from a large publisher somewhere down the road, if at all.

Self-publishing is strictly the vehicle of online creation of the book. This type of publishing option does not include any form of promotion for the book. Some POD companies offer a level of marketing for a prescribed fee. Most POD companies online include helpful FAQ pages or marketing tutorials that provide suggestions or guideance on how best to approach the book marketing process.

There is of course the option of hiring an agent to handle the marketing of your book. This may or may not produce the desired results and can of itself be very costly for an new writer.

If nothing else the self-publishing method gives the new book writer the opportunity and rewarding experience to have their tireless writing efforts materialize in hard copy. This is a wonderful experience that all aspiring writers should consider - and there is usually no cost until you (or your family and friends!) want to purchase a copy.

Having your very own book proudly displayed on your desk or mantle at home is a very special experience and can also be a constant reminder or motivator to keep writing and follow the dream that one day a publisher may want to put your work out there for the masses.

One such self-publishing company online is Lulu.com and can be found at http://www.lulu.com . As suggested earlier here take the time to research what the various online POD companies offer before you start to prepare your book. The process costs nothing in most cases so set aside unnecessary apprehensions about the end result. You can take as long as you want, change and edit pages as you go, and otherwise perfect your book until you are satisfied with the final product before you hit the publish button.

Because of the many templates for cover design and online text editing features included with such POD companies online you will achieve surprisingly professional looking results. Always keep in mind that the book creation phase is the first and easiest step in the publishing process. Of course the success of your book in large part depends on the quality of your content.

The greatest challenge by far in book self-publishing is the advertising/marketing of your work. Remember to always stay within your own budget and enjoy the experience without any false expectations. Follow the guidelines or recommendations provided by these online publishers (and other sources) and do not rely exclusively on online marketing.

Check out your local daily or weekly newpapers, online and hard copy magazines/ezines, online directories and any other source of advertising that you can find, and afford. Be persistent. Publishing is not a one-shot deal. It takes the dedication of time, talent, exposure and a devoted reading audience that wants to buy your work.

First and foremost, write for the love of writing and with luck the fruits of your labours will come along as a bonus.

Don MacIver
copyright 2005 at A Poet's View Blog

Self-Publishing: Forums/Message Boards

2005-06-14T14:41:00.000-07:00

When I first started to write I quickly discovered that a very popular method of showcasing one's writing is to post your work on the internet. There are numerous ways to accomplish this but the focus here will be on forums, or as otherwise commonly referred to as message boards.

Writing forums are a great way to post, and in many cases archive, your writing for registered forum/message board members and the general reading public to view. Registered members are able to post comments in the forums expressing appreciation and constructive critique of your work.

Forums are a great learning tool as well as a way to get a feel for how others react to your writing. If you are intending to publish your writing in hard copy on the retail level then forums are one way to help you evaluate your skill level and how well you capture a reading audience.

Forum memberships are free and easy to get registed and posting quickly. An important thing to keep in mind is that you will only get out of a forum what you put into it. You MUST post comments/critique on a frequent and regular basis for other writers if you want to see them do the same for your own writing that is posted.

Be aware that one thing that often occurs with forums is that there will be a small number of members, almost without fail, who join with their own agenda and seem to be intent on creating havoc on the site with confrontational or mean-spirited posts that often reflect personal angst rather than constructive critique of another's work.

Some members will find this kind of negative posting frustrating and take things personally. In order to have a positive experience with forums or message boards you must be in a mind space that filters out nasty postings. The administrators of such sites normally have strict guidelines that do not allow for bashing/confrontational posting and offenders are corrected on this type of negative behavior and at times banned from the site for noncompliance.

There are some sites, however, that fail to uphold their own "Terms of Use" or "Terms of Service" that governs the manner and content of posted writings. Where there is not a cohesive structure in place to deal effectively with those who abuse the site's posting facilities the overall environment of the site tends to break down and valued membership is lost.

As stated earlier, forums or message boards are a good place to gain exposure for one's writing and an initial or ongoing assessment of how well your writing is received. If there is good, constructive critique occurring on the site it will give you invaluable insight into areas of your writing that need improvement.

Constructive critique is an important part of a writer's development as an author and expert in whatever genre of writing undertaken and it is important to receive and accept such critique as a stepping stone on the road to a better writing experience for yourself and your reading audience. Learn from others of experience and skill and do not take constructive critique as a personal attack.

There are a great number of forums and message boards out there and each individual writer will find strengths and weaknesses in the sites they visit and participate by posting their works. One of the most gratifying experiences for a writer is to receive acclaim for their work so the first step, although sometimes a little scary, is to hit the "enter" key on the keyboard and get your writing posted for the world to see!

Before signing up as a member of a forum take a few moments to read carefully the Terms of Use/Service to understand the intent of the site and what content it will allow. Usually such guidelines will clearly spell out what is permissable and prohibitted. If you stay within the guidelines you should have an enjoyable experience, hostile posters excepted.

Another good step is to view the content of the forums to see how members interact with each other. After monitoring a site for a short time you should be able to get a good feel for the environment of the site and whether it will be suited to what you are looking for.

In the world of writing you will quickly discover that with skill there sometimes comes big egos...take it in stride and enjoy the online publishing experience.

Please post any comments you may have regarding this, or my other posts on this journal. Pay a visit to my website too at http://www.apoetsview.org and while there please sign my guestbook!

Keep writing! Enjoy.

Don MacIver
Copyright 2005

Self-Publishing On The Internet

2005-06-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

One of the best ways to get your feet wet in the world of writing is to post your work on the internet. This is a form of self-publishing that allows the writer to gain some exposure and receive feedback from fellows of the writing community and those surfing the internet who enjoy your particul genre of writing.

The internet provides opportunity for substantial exposure to your work and at the same time provides a learning experience as a huge resource for reference and research into the area of writing that you are pursuing.

An important thing to remember is that although the internet has an enormous number of patrons worldwide, each individual is but a drop in the bucket when it comes to posting on the internet. There is a wealth of experts posting their writing/articles to the internet in various forums that I will discuss here in a moment. There are also a large number of posts by those who are less than expert.

The key thing to remember about posting to the internet is that you must have endless patience, post on a regular and ongoing basis to a targeted audience....stay involved and tuned in to the writing world as it unfolds on the internet (and other mediums). Gradually (hopefully) your work will have an impact on its readers and they will return to see more. Do not have false expectations that publishing on the internet will generate immediate results. It takes time and a lot of energy and committment and should be viewed as one of a number of ways to gain recognition in the writing community.

There are a number of ways to post written material on the internet that each in their own right helps a writer to gain exposure to their work. Forums, or message boards as they are commonly known, are a popular way to post, and in many cases archive, one's work to a relatively large audience depending on the size of the contributing membership on a given website.

Another great way to showcase and promote your writing is to set up your own website. There are a large number of free website hosts available that are a good way for new or emerging writers to get their feet wet setting up their first website. With the text editing, photo uploading and page template features now available, free websites have their merits. You don't have to know a thing about website creation to get such websites set up. Be aware though that free websites come with their limitations as to webspace available for page creation/archiving and features offered.

Paid websites are available in a wide range of plans to suit everyone's budget starting as low as well under ten dollars per month and offer advanced features including email service and much more and most can be upgraded when more services and webspace are desired. Run a search engine query with the key words "free website hosting" or "website hosting" and you will get a huge number of listings to browse.

Publishing your own periodic newsletter is another great way to gain exposure and interest in your writing. Many website hosts offer free and paid "mailing list" services that are very easy to set up and send out. This is a great medium for not only giving your readers any news tidbits on your latest writing endeavors and events but also a place to post your own articles exploring or expounding on any desired topic that will be of interest to your targeted reading audience.

Of course exposure requires getting people to your website or other internet source of publishing and that means some advertising will likely be needed to drive internet traffic to your website(s). This may come in the form of paid or free advertising but it is an integral part of the marketing of your written work. Registering with search engines is also considered an important step in gaining exposure - get your website submitted to as many search engines and directories (free and paid) and resubmit regularly where necessary to keep your listings active and current.

In future blogs I'll go into more specifics about the various methods of publishing on the internet and what measure of success and downfalls I have experienced with each. Please take a few moments to view my other blogs posted here and also visit my website at http://www.apoetsview.org .

Until then, keep writing and get it posted for the world to see!

Don MacIver
Copyright 2005

Creative Writing For A Compelling Read

2005-04-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

One of the keys to successful poetry writing is finding the right words or phrases that will captivate the reader's attention from beginning to end...and leave the reader with a sense that they want to come back for more.

By the very nature of poetry's structure each piece is comparatively short and the writer must therefore find a way to create a mood and inject sufficient dynamics into each poem to capture the reader's attention and retain it for the duration of reading the piece. If the opening stanza doesn't appeal and create a sense of wonderment or curiosity in the reader's mind you've lost them.

Much like advertising, writing, whatever the genre, must grasp the reader's attention right from the start and hold their interest through to the end of the piece and give a sense that they want to see more. The reader needs a sense of what the poem is about, where it's going, and where it will take them. Like a good journalistic piece, poetry must contain the W-5's to satisfy the reading experience.

To succeed in creative writing there has to be an element of uniqueness. Give the reader something out of the ordinary, something they haven't read a million times before. Invision your piece from a different perspective and illustrate that clearly from the outset. A pleasant walk in the meadow has been done infinitum but if the reader gets a glimpse at what is experienced during that walk along the meadow, something unique that other writers may not have touched on, then you're onto something good.

The use of powerful descriptive words that will ignite the reader's senses will bring the piece to life. Take a look at the following piece that I wrote on this topic. Watch for the key words that give this poem life:

A MEADOW SONG

Alone with my thoughts in a meadow walk, sauntering lazily, hearing meadow songs.

Tall grasses dance to a valley breeze
Fragrant, inviting, tranquility there
A bumblebee hovers, then swiftly gone
Cattle stand grazing, my presence ignored

A pasture lined with serpentine oak
Statues of nature, limbs heavenward reach
The farmhand labours tilling the soil
A plot for the garden and wheat fields grow

Whispy clouds sweep a powder blue sky
Bathed in sunshine, an artist's dream
Splendour on canvass, a stroke of the brush
Sweet sounds of summer, a meadow song

Copyright 2004 by Don MacIver

This piece generated considerable reaction because it tweeked readers' sense of recall of just such an experience they had enjoyed, whether recent or in the distant past (or would like to experience some day). They longed to relive the moment...and did so in this verse.

The power of descriptive wording cannot be underestimated...it is the lifeblood of writing that sets it apart from the rest, gives it that something special, that unique quality that the enjoyment of poetry is all about.

Examples of my writing can be found at http://www.poetryvine.com/apoetsview

Don MacIver
author, Journeys In Verse

Pope John Paul II & Poetry

2005-04-14T13:53:00.000-07:00

Poetry has historically had its niche audience in comparison to devoted readers of fiction and non-fiction books, bios, mystery, romance etc. however poetry has had en ever-increasing readership and having read poetry the desire to see more is for many inevitable.

Poetry is a remarkable journey, one where many human emotions and senses are explored, often to very personal levels that are not experienced in any other genre of writing. Poetic verse can be very powerful with profound impact on the reader.

I was intrigued yet not surprised to learn recently that the late Pope John Paul II had an affinity for poetry for many years. His passion for reading poetry extended to personal writings of his own. A man who dedicated his entire adult life to the church and the well-being of his fellow man around the globe found great solice from reading poetry and sharing his own written works, eventually, for the world to see.

Writing poetry has opened up a whole new world for this author, a new dimension in communications on a level that I had never perceived sharing with another soul not that long ago. Writing is a continuous journey, an exploration of one's self and the world that surrounds and reflections in verse has generated a phenomenal response from fellow writers and devoted readers that is both gratifying and bewildering at the same time.

As in the words and teachings of a leader of the church, poetry too can be spiritually uplifting, enlightening and a source of great enjoyment and wonder for the reader. Indeed it often spawns inspiration for the reader to produce poetic verse of their own, whether for their eyes only or to be shared in published form.

As a published writer I maintain my own website at http://www.apoetsview.wsmcafe.com where I feature a few of my written works and related links. I also have an extensive archive of my published poetry at http://www.poetrypoem.com/apoetsplace .

What a remarkable sense of accomplishment it is to be told you have written a "brilliant masterpiece", truly an amazing journey.

Don MacIver
author, Journeys In Verse

The Poet In Us All

2005-04-08T23:03:00.000-07:00

Some time ago I went to the local shopping mall with a number of purchases in mind, one of them being a special card for a lady I had just begun dating. I, of course, sought something of a romantic verse to illustrate my fondness for that special lady, who incidentally is now my wife. I wanted something poetic, something that would be unique and reflect the special things that we seemed to have between us.

As I scanned card after card it became increasingly clear that what I was reading seemed horribly generic and not at all the personalized verse that I sought after so ardently. As I stood there in the greeting card isle pouring over a sea of affection in folded print a thought occurred to me...I can write like this. Perhaps it was time to put my own pen to paper and create that personalized message as a special gift for my loved one.

So I put each card back on the shelf and left the store, determined to sit down to the computer the next morning and see what words I could find to express my feelings for this wonderful mate of mine. Lo and behold, I began to wax poetic rather readily. I put together a point-form draft of ideas for the piece and then set out to craft an affectionate expression complete with stanzas and a fairly smooth-flowing, charming poem that upon presentation to my beloved proved a very pleasing and heart-warming experience for her to read. That first poem is framed and hanging on a wall in our home to this day.

The writing of this first attempt at poetry quickly spawned further poetic writing and as the positive comments flowed in I began to deliberate on whether I should be considering publishing my poetry. Indeed, numerous of my family and close friends began to encourage me to explore this avenue post-haste. I reflected on this idea of writing creatively for some time.

It did not take long to decide to pursue my newfound writing skills. With all the praise and evident emotion expressed by those who read my work it became increasingly clear that I should share my writing with the reading public. Whether writing poetry brings any commercial success seemed a secondary consideration at this point.

I have been asked many times where I come up with ideas for writing and why I have not pursued writing long ago...I just didn't know I had it in me.

I am now well on my way toward publishing my second book, as yet untitled. Even if a single copy of my books were never sold I have discovered a hidden talent, the poet within, and am overwhelmed by the most gracious response I have received from fellow writers and devoted readers of my work.

I have several online places where I create and archive my poetry, all linked through my website at
http://www.apoetsview.wsmcafe.com . The past two years have been an amazing journey...may the creative juices flow for many years to come.

Don MacIver
author, Journeys In Verse

Poetry With Emotion

2005-03-22T15:59:00.000-08:00

When writing poetry I always focus on the one thing that gives poetic verse its greatest appeal - the strength of emotion.

In order to captivate a reader's attention with poetry there must be the element of emotion. The reader must be able to relate in some way to what is being conveyed in the poem, whether it be from personal experience or an awareness of what someone close to them has gone through.

Because poetry is so personal in nature, often relating actual experiences of the writer, it can have a very profound impact on the reader. Each poem should have content that is in some way unique, a different viewpoint or angle to the story being told. A poem about a love lost can loose its appeal quickly unless there is somehow a different perspective on the situation being conveyed. Give the reader a bit of insight into the actual reasons behind the lost relationship and what feelings have been evoked by the parting of two loving souls, not just that "I've lost him forever and life will never be the same....".

I inject descriptive words or phrases that pack a powerful punch, that breath life into each line. My approach to bonding each stanza tightly together in a cohesive manner is to determine in advance a supportive idea or theme within each stanza and generally speaking I will pair my thoughts in two lines. I will begin that thought illustration on one line and support it by expanding upon that thought into the subsequent line.

I find that the end result of writing a poem is less pleasing if I attempt to pick a subject matter out of thin air. If I get any sense that I really don't feel motivated to write on a particular subject on a given day I simply steer clear of it, otherwise the end result is a writing that seems forced, contrived, and lacking in strength or emotion.

I find that as a writer I have to be my own worst critic. I review what I have written, sometimes over and over, to get a sense of what emotional response I experience from what I am reading. If all I feel is "well, that was so-so" then I know the piece needs editing. The one thing that I have learned about writing and how people respond to what they read in my work is that if I pound out a quick piece, or a multiple of quick writes, and throw them out there for the world to see, chances are that the product is not going to be very appealing and the reader will look elsewhere for more satisfying reading.

The importance of re-working one's writing until it is as good as it can be cannot be understated. If it just doesn't seem to gel in my own mind as a compelling read, I edit as necessary until I see true elements of value in the piece. If I get stuck on a particular write I simply save the work and put it aside for another look later when I feel more motivated or in tune to the piece and can better reflect on what direction the reader might enjoy seeing the piece take.

Nothing is more important than editing. Clean up any typos or grammarical discrepancies and tighten up any loose ends or awkward phrasology before that written piece goes out there to the reading public. By doing so I find that my readers become devoted and return often to see more.

To view my archive of published poetry please visit http://www.poetrypoem.com/apoetsplace .

Don MacIver
author, Journeys In Verse

Publishing Resources

2005-03-10T15:37:00.000-08:00

Online publishing has opened up an enormous array of resources, many now without cost such as this blogger site, for anyone utilizing the internet who wishes to display or advertise their product or service. The most attractive aspects of online publishing and advertising is the speed with which one is able to get their information in front of the enormous internet community virtually instantaneously.

Search Engine Listing and Ranking Optimization

Search engines are a great starting point for the internet browser to find the resources they need, Google, Yahoo, ExactSeek, to name but a few. Maximizing search engine position plays an important role toward increased website traffic activity....the greater the visitor traffic to your website, especially return visitors, the greater your chances of selling a product or service.

There are a number of important actions that can be taken by the website owner to improve upon search engine ranking. These procedures are known as Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and are all the buzz at the present time. I have found SiteProNews.com to be a great resource for information helpful to that end. They offer a huge volume of information on all things relating to website creation, hosting, SEO, cool tools, links to related websites and their frequent newsletter is free at SiteProNews.

Exposure To Publishers

One of the most difficult aspects of writing today is getting noticed by well-known publishers. The emerging writer goes through an initial period of virtual obscurity and although the writer may have considerable presence with his or her reading audience and peers, a lot of work needs to be done in order to gain recognition in the publishing world.

Publishing a hard copy book involves a huge monitary commitment on the part of the publisher and as such they need to ascertain in advance that a writer's work is worthy of their time and money to undertake to publish a book and get it on the shelf. The cost for a relatively unknown author to have a publishing company publish their book in hard/soft cover versions can be prohibitive. I have been registered with WriteSight.com , a website that focuses on providing a free place on the internet for writers to post their bio, a number of feature samples of their writing works, and space to make their "sales pitch" about their book.

WriteSight.com is a venue for publishers to scrutinize the foresaid information posted by the writer and an opportunity for the publisher to make contact with the writer in order to offer a writing submission to their publication project in progress. This can include offers for freelance writing projects. This is a great opportunity for a writer, like myself, to gain valuable exposure to the publishing world, whether it be a book or magazine/ezine publisher or otherwise, and also to the vast general reading public who obtain the published works upon completion...all for free.

Initial writing submission invitations may offer only nominal or no compensation but if the writer's submission is accepted for publication this may well lead to future offers bearing greater compensation. In any event the opportunity for this exposure is the key focus for the new and emerging writer. Writesight.com

Writing Forums: Poetry

There is a vast resource of poetry writing forums on the internet today, ranging in size from small and intimate group sites up to the very large membership arena exceeding 35,000. Writers and readers can find these sites by search engine query using short keywords such as poetry sites; poetry forums; poetry groups etc.

Becoming a member of such forums or groups is another great way for the writer to establish recognition and a devoted readership following. The writer can also start up their own like-website. A wonderful poetry forum site that offers the writer free poetry submission in their numerous forums, blogging, and an individual poetry page archive to store one's poems is Poetrypom.com .

My own poetry website at Poetrypoem.com can be viewed at A Poet's Place . On the individual's own webpage, in this instance provided free, it is up to the writer to proof read/edit their own work before saving to their webpages and also to back up their work by saving their writing to the hard drive or disc from their own computer. On this type of website the copyright is usually reserved for the writer.

There is extensive information that is relevant to each of the various publishing venues given reference above, some of which will be addressed in future blogs here. Websites will provide guidelines and Terms of Service which will govern the use of the site and should be strictly adhered to in order to avoid conflict or outright banning from the site.

Self Publishing/Publishing On Demand

For the new and emerging writer who has not gained the type of exposure and stature necessary to attract the major publishers, online self publishing and print on demand publishing is a good starting point and yet another important tool for gaining that exposure. There are numerous online publishers who offer this service, including step-by-step book creation and publication software, book cover galleries, and a vehicle for presenting the book for the purchasing community, pricing criteria and royalty guidelines etc.

It should be noted that when using this type of free publishing service the writer is the one who does all the work, including the editing process prior to final publication of their book...thus the free service availability. It is a trial and error, painstaking process for the first-time user but the end result can be attractive and professional if thoroughly and carefully executed throughout the book creation process. The publisher produces the purchased book in the desired version format and handles the purchase transaction and shipping activity on behalf of the author, usually for a predetermined percentage of the royalty being withheld.

It is important to note here that the writer publishing through this type of venue should do so with no false expectations regarding book sales results. Depending on the degree of exposure the writer has leading up to the book self publication, and the quality of content the author has provided along the way, sales results will not likely be staggering. The emerging writer must remember that this approach to publishing should first and foremost be undertaken for any potential exposure the publication may generate.

One such website for this type of publication that I have personally utilized is Lulu.com . Lulu has a good reputation to date and is worth a look. It offers publishing in print, download and CD versions.

My book "Journeys In Verse" has been published at Lulu.com and can be previewed at my book storefront.

Create A Website

Another important undertaking for a writer is to create a website that can be used to showcase some of their original works and provide links to sites where their book or other published works can be viewed. This is a valuable tool for further establishing exposure and recognition. A website affords the writer the opportunity to gain credibility in the writing community and general reading audience. Steps should be taken to ensure that the writer's website is indexed in relevant directories and search engines. Free and paid advertising will be important to establish a traffic flow to the website.

My own website may be viewed at A Poet's View . It is an example of a free website where a limited number of features and webspace is offered, including page templates, that can be edited/updated as desired by the registered site owner. It is noteworthy that in conjunction with this website there are a number of important tools that can be set up to enhance the site visitor's experience ie. Guest Book; links to the author's various websites/forums etc.; links to other relevant websites (mutual linking or otherwise); webmail forms enabling the visitor to contact the author; survey forms; chat forums and much more.

Such free website hosting services usually offer an upgraded or premium version for those who wish to build upon the features and webspace available for their site. There are also many websites that offer professional website design and creation services on a fee basis for more professional or business type website application.

Ezines and Newsletters

These online publications can be set up for free or on an upgraded/premium basis and are geared toward paid subscriber type relationships where the ezine/newsletter owner/editor offers a periodic/regular publication. This type of paid resource offers broad flexibility in terms of features and in addition to the credibility and exposure that such publications provide, there is the added bonus of generating income for the publication owner. Internet browsers are increasingly inclined to pay for quality online resources of this nature.

I am currently in the process of creating my own newsletter and will announce its launch shortly. A link for those who wish to subscribe to my newsletter has now been provided on the main page of my website at
A Poet's View .

Don MacIver
Copyright 2005

author, "Journeys In Verse"
Copyright 2004
ISBN 1-4116-1340-6

Purpose In A Poet's Writing

2005-03-09T14:49:00.000-08:00

I guess there are many reasons why a poet writes. First and foremost, anyone who writes, whether it be poetry, short stories, novels or other genre of writing, must undertake to write for the love of writing...period.

If a writer does not write for the passion of writing that passion will wane into non-existence. There has to be an internal mechanism that drives an author to continue to produce written material. Focus on the writing itself...the content of a written piece is critical to its success in gaining a reading audience. If there is no sense of value in what is read the reader will simply look elsewhere to satisfy their reading needs and desires.

All too often I have seen writers churn out material that is half-baked. In that instance it appears that it was more important to get the written material published in volume rather than true purpose and quality. In order to captivate a reader's attention there must be an element of unique and compelling content that will leave the reader feeling that they have had a worthwhile reading experience and a desire to return for more.

Poetry can fulfill many purposes for the writer and reader. For the author, poetry may be an outlet, a means of therapeutic release, a means to share their own life experiences with their readers. Perhaps the writer feels compelled to reach out to their audience to appeal to the reader about an issue that the author feels very strongly about.

Poetry is a deeply personal form of writing, and often reading, experience. In many instances the writer is relating a true accounting of their own personal experiences, feelings or opinions. This type of writing can have a powerful effect on the reader - this non-fiction, highly personal accounting laid out for all the world to see in published medium.

Because poetry has this quality of realism, this depth of emotional contact with the reader, it sets itself apart from all the other genres of writing. True, poetry is not for everyone. We all have our own tastes in reading, as in music, food, and other life interests, but poetry has gained considerable ground in recent times as a highly desireable form of written expression and reading experience.

We would be hard-pressed today to compare poets of the day to those infamous writers of long ago. The likes of Keats would perhaps cringe at the style of verse penned today. Poetry can be written in both classic or traditional form as well as current day styles that lend themselves to a more freestyle structure. Contempory poetry speaks of things current, life situations that exist today and can easily be identified with by today's reading audience.

There are many subjects common through the ages that poets draw upon for writing themes, subjects that are ageless and powerful, the content of which will be just as profound to the reader today as it will be twenty or thirty years hence and beyond. That is the beauty of poetry. Timeless themes include romance, friendships, personal conflict, nature, children, religion, death, and fantasy, just to name a few.

Having a diverse range of themes in one's writing portfolio gives an author a much broader audience and offers the reader a wide selection of topics to draw from depending on the reader's mood at the time they pick up the book. If they feel romantic they will head straight for the chapter on things romantic. Maybe sadness has plagued the reader in recent days because of a situation they are dealing with - so they look to read of things that mirror their emotions of the day...or perhaps a subject that will distract them from that situation ie something inspirational, uplifting, humorous.

In my writing I have sought to maintain that diversity in subject matter. Sure, there are themes that I seem to excell in but I still feel it is important to offer my readers a host of different themes to draw from with the expectation that my readers' experience with my poetry will only be enhanced by offering them more than just romance..or just fantasy..or just nature and the environment, etc.

Writing and reading poetry can have so many different purposes. Some seek inspiration, a better understanding of a life experience, an outlet or escape, a journey or exploration, sharing of emotions, and much more.

Feel like a good laught today..or perhaps shed a few tears? Then read a poem!

Please visit my website, A Poet's View

Preview My Book: "Journeys In Verse"

Don MacIver
copyright 2005

Of Things Romantic

2005-02-28T16:16:00.000-08:00

One of the most-read themes in the world of poetry today, as throughout the ages, is romance.

Nothing quite captivates a reader's attention, stirs their emotions and leaves them with a thirst for more like romantic verse. If the proper tone is set and the scene pictured effectively, romantic poems can induce tears or elevate senses of elation, association, sadness, joy.

Romance is one of the most identifiable and popular forms of literature in the marketplace today. Why? Because it is an experience, in one form or another, good or bad, that most people will go through and probably impact a person in the most profound ways.

The key to effective writing of things romantic is like any other form of writing, to paint a vivid picture in the reader's mind illustrating clearly the emotions or situtation subject in the piece. The situation must be believable and told in such a way that it will be readily identified with for the reader, a desireable situation, or one to learn from.

Most people go through a difficult relationship at least once in their lifetime, one which usually ends up in in temporary or permanent separation from their partner. Others are blessed with lasting relationships to last a lifetime. Being able to identify with the situation can be powerful for the reader, acting as a healing experience, or one that the reader can at least experience a greater understanding of their own situation and feel a sense of hope that love will strike again for them!

Here is my poem "By Candle's Light", shown in its entirety, a short piece that has had considerable emotional impact on my devoted readers, with many heartfelt responses and requests for more of the same:

BY CANDLE'S LIGHT

Passion's embrace by candle light...

Gentle breeze past window flows
Curtain swayed by wind's caress
Scent of musk perfumes night air
Stirred desires, heart quickening

Candle flicker, silhouettes
Skin perspired in movement haste
Teardrops shed in ecstasy
Rapture caught in symphony

Yearning tender, sweet release
Heated movement lovingly
Emotion's waterfall, cascade
Passion's torrent, long embrace

Copyright 2005 by Don MacIver

A poem does not have to be long to be effective and a pleasing read. Even a piece as short as one stanza has been known to stir sufficient emotion for its reader to savour its content and bookmark for repeated reading. Look at at any website forum or in any online poetry group, and indeed in hardcover books, and see which forums or themes are most widely written about and read/responded to favourably...romance is always right at the top of the list...or a close second.

The trick is to target an aspect of the theme that is somehow unique and not generic that everyone and his brother is writing about. That is the key to writing success, to set one's writing apart from other authors.

"By Candle's Light" will have its special place in my second book, as yet untitled and a work in progress. To preview my first book "Journeys In Verse" please visit my book storefront at http://lulu.com/whereeaglessoar and click on the title above book cover illustration to go directly to the preview page.

Put a little romance into your life today!

Don MacIver
author, Journeys In Verse (copyright 2004, Lulu.com)

Visit My Website: A POET'S VIEW
http://apoetsview.wsmcafe.com

The Splendor of Poetry

2005-02-19T17:02:00.000-08:00

I remember the days in my elementary and high school years when an integral part of English class study included an element of poetry. This was a subject matter that very few students could get into. It was like Shakespear - dull, confusing and deemed of little value or use later on in life.

Now in mid-life I find myself seeking new beginnings, alternate ways to entertain myself and those close to me, ways to enrich my life and challenge myself to achieve something that I perhaps never would have imagined pursuing.

I have found lately that the good old standby, the television, just isn't doing much for me any more...so much violence, negativity, vulgarity, much to excess.

I have made a concerted effort over the past year to get back to reading again. Through my early years in the workforce following college and into my mid-forties I found that work consumed almost all of my waking hours and there was precious little time to kick back and relax. My social life was nearly non-existent and the absence of free personal time spent with family and friends began to take its toll.

After a very difficult divorce (when are they not difficult?) I eventually met with the lady who is now my better half, my significant other, my wife and loving partner for life. During our dating period I began to write little poetic verses in greeting cards that I gave to her. The feedback that I started to receive from those who read my early efforts in poetry was most complimentary and bewildering at the same time. People were actually moved by my writing!

And so it was that through the encouragement of loved ones and friends I began to share my writing by joining a large poetry forum on the internet where I remain a regular contributing member and moderator over one year later. The experience of sharing one's writing with fellow writers, and a growing and devoted reading audience, has been a truly amazing journey.

Poetry is a powerful literary medium that advances the reader's senses and emotions to levels that can be very profound indeed. The delivery of a skilfully crafted work of poetry captures a reading audience in ways that cannot be equated to any other form of writing.

True, there are many forms of writing that stir the reader's emotions but with poetry there is something so much more personal about its style, its audience, its subject matters. Poetry is an interaction of some of the most highly personal experiences that one can convey to the reader. The subject matter is often that of real life experiences of the author, genuine heartache, pain, joy, elation, bewilderment, introspect, or a myriad of other emotions that the writer is or has experienced at one time or another.

If the experiences the author conveys are first-hand the poem will have credibility and appeal that is unsurpassed by any other form of writing. The response that a poet receives from his/her reading audience can be as emotional as the written piece itself....truly amazing.

Today, poetry still has its niche audience, not the overwhelming readership that is commanded by novelists and other forms of published writing, yet poetry is growing in popularity. It is an opportunity for the writer and reader to share in something real, something so very identifiable that most people experience at one time or another during the course of their lives, that sets it far apart from any other form of reading enjoyment or entertainment medium.

It is because of this powerful shared emotional experience that I have come to love writing poetry. There are endless opportunities now to publish one's writing, on the internet and in hard copy. The greatest challenge pre and post-publication is the promotion of the published work which really is an ongoing process for any writer.

Despite the challenges of developing the skills to command a reading audience and the promotion of one's work in an effort to be "discovered" writing of poetry, or any other genre of writing, must first and foremost be undertaken for the love of writing. Focus on the art of writing well and the rest will come as it may.

For samples of my writing and links to my websites please visit
http://apoetsview.wsmcafe.com and while there please sign my guestbook!

Read a poem today!

Don MacIver
Author, "Journeys In Verse"

The World Through A Poet's Eyes

2005-02-11T16:04:00.000-08:00

When I first started writing poetry it was for personal reasons, that being romantic poetic verse for my (then) loving fiance Andrea. I was shocked to discover that what I crafted not only seemed to bare resemblance to actual poetic form but it also triggered emotional response from its reader!

Imagine, putting heart-felt words into verse and finding that the reader is so profoundly impacted emotionally that they weep crocodile tears! From that starting point I began to receive very compelling feedback not only from my fiance but also family and friends imploring that I expand my audience. With that in mind I began to dig online for a poetry website where I could post my poetic musings and seek comment and critique from writers of experience to see just where my writing stood alongside authors of renown.

Just the mere thought of posting my poems in a medium of such mass exposure, with the poetry website exceeding 45,000 members, and the anticipation that many of the members were published, successful writers in their own right, was daunting to say the least. Before I clicked on that submit button for the very first time my heartrate quickened and my index finger on the mouse quivered. But then I suddenly reflected upon the heartfelt appreciation that I received from my (to that point) limited reading audience and suddenly what resulted after clicking that submit button seemed less terrifying and more of curiosity than any blind pretense that my writing would be of the slightest interest to poetry lovers.

So I clicked the submit button and logged off with the plan to sign in a few hours later to see if any response had been forthcoming. Before signing on again to check for replies to my first post I again had that uneasy sense of anticipating what lay ahead. Could there be a savage diatribe thrashing my creative endeavor awaiting me? I tentatively logged on and sought out my post. Lo and behold there were fifteen replies posted. What?? I opened my post and to my shock found post after post praising my write, some going so far as to say they had shed many tears and could not wait to see more!

And so it began. A journey into the art of poetic verse, an exploration of my own thoughts, emotions, opinions, likes, dislikes, and how I could transcribe those thoughts and images onto the page, as a painter does with a brush on canvass, giving my reading audience their own experience into a world seen through my eyes. What a profound experience it is for the writer to receive positive feedback, indeed accolades from peers in the writing community. And even more exhilarating and rewarding is the emotional response received from poetry lovers who come to feel a sense of devotion and return time and again to read and experience what I write.

The thing that attracts me so much about poetry is that although it has its traditional forms and subject matter, the simple fact is that for contemporary poets the subject themes are virtually limitless and not only traditional poetic form but also many variations, and indeed freestyle, has become the accepted approach to poetic writing.

I guess the lesson that one can take from this article is that if you have a sense that you have creative presence, if you can create vivid imagery with words, if you can stir a reader's emotions with what you write, then share that writing with the world. Everyone starts somewhere and if you're willing to be open-minded, learn from others who write with success, then you will develop skill in this craft while still maintaining your own individual trademark or writing style.

Not that long ago I had no inclination to write for the purpose of publication yet my works have been published extensively online, in a anthology book, and most recently in my own book offering a large collection of my early poems.

In subsequent articles here I will explore the many aspects of poetry writing and how I have come to receive global recognition for my works. It has indeed been an exciting, challenging and rewarding journey...to be continued.

Please take a moment to visit my websites through the links below:

A POET'S VIEW

MY BOOK STOREFRONT: WHERE EAGLES SOAR

JOIN MY FORUM: A POET'S VIEW POETRY FORUM