Yosemite Writers Conference: Poetry talk - By Melinda Carroll

Kate Gale, editor of Red Hen Press out of Los Angeles, California, sat reading from a poetry book before beginning her workshop “Editing Poetry: Entering the process whole and coming out humming.” Her wet hair fresh from the Tenaya Lodge swimming pool was a metaphor for her no bullshit attitude about poetry.

Is poetry still being published? At another panel I heard someone say poetry was dead. According to Gale, poetry is not dead, but you won’t get rich publishing poetry. I for one was excited that there was a poetry workshop at this year’s conference for I am a lover of poetry.

Gale opened the workshop reading two poems, one from the book she had been reading by another poet and one of her own that she had been working on for a few weeks. Her poem was rich in imagery, emotion, insecurities, and fireworks, literally fireworks as she found a way to express a woman’s self-worth issues and her desire to receive recognition from her lover as a request for fireworks. I may not be interpreting her poem correctly, but I loved Gale’s voice. Her poem grabbed my attention and took me on a journey.

I found the poetry workshop very constructive and informative as Gale mapped out the process of writing and publishing poetry. She answered questions regarding publishing poetry in literary magazines and publishing collections of poetry that I have always wondered about.

She stressed the importance of reading poetry to get in a poetry frame of mind before writing. Of making writing a practice and a priority, good advice for any writer. How important creative writing workshops are that will give you rigorous feedback on your work. And what type of poetry is currently being published.

One thing Gale said that really stood out to me is, “Great poems are where the creative meets the intellectual.”

And really that is the type of poetry I want to read and write.

More on the 2007 Yosemite Writers Conference:

Is Book Publishing Dead? Yosemite Writers Conference Provides Food For Hungry Writers
Yosemite Writers Conference: A Conversation about Blogging
Rambo Creator Reinvents Captain America
Yosemite Writers Conference: Demystifying Chick lit and Women’s fiction
Yosemite Writers Conference: Poetry talk
Mystery talk after David Morrell's big speech
2007 Yosemite Writers Conference: Brenda Knight Sidesteps the TVA man
Yosemite Writers and the Chukchansi bathroom break
Headed to Yosemite Writers Conference to talk writing for social change

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Read Noveltown’s experiences at last year’s Yosemite Writer’s Conference:

By N.L. Belardes
A Writer in Yosemite: Part One
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Two
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Three
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Four
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Five
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Six
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Seven
A Writer in Yosemite: Part Eight

By Matildakay
A great literary weekend
What's your type?
How to Approach a Literary Agent...
The Mary Wong Lee Memorial Scholarship
Malcolm Margolin is Posh
Hanging out with the Pirates of Yosemite and setting the record straight
Kill Your Darlings

Noveltown to attend May 28 Small Press Book Fair - By N.L. Belardes

This summer Noveltown is busy growing and expanding. You'll read very soon how we've expanded deeper into the world of poetry with the likes of S.A. Griffin and Rafael Alvarado as poetry co-editors for our magazine. There's also some interesting partnership developments you might like that we'll tell soon. Later this summer we're releasing next issue of the Noveltown Review featuring the London Brutalists. Also late in the summer we'll be attending literary events, including the Yosemite Writers Conference. But first...

This weekend we'll be in Santa Monica for a great Indie Literary Press event. We'll be on hand with Cardoza Muller Productions for a talk at 1:50pm.

2nd Annual Small Press Book Fair:

AN EXPANSIVE DAY OF WRITERS, POETS AND PUBLISHERS:
Monday, May 28th, 2007, Memorial Day
10:30 am - 6:00 pm

LOCATION:

The Church in Ocean Park
235 Hill Street, Santa Monica

Donation at the door suggested

10:30 am Opening remarks - James Maverick: host and M.C

10:50 am Red Hen Press - poets to be announced

11:10 am Robert Greenfield (KCTV Literary talk show host): “on small presses”

11:30 am Lummox Press - Raindog

12:05 pm John Harris - poet

12:20 pro Beyond Baroque Press - readers to be announced

12:50 pm Cahuenga Press - James Cushing, Holly Prado, Harry Northup,

Phoebe McAdams

1:05 pm Bougie Girl Press - A. R. Alexander

1:20 pm Blue Press - Lewis McAdams, Kevin Opstedal

1:35 pm Solo Press - Kevin Patrick Sullivan

1:50 pm Cardoza Muller Productions & Noveltown - Rafael Alvarado, Nick Belardes & Leo Victor Briones

2:30 pm Kalimat Press/Highborn Lady Press - Anthony A Lee

2:45 pm Half Shell Edition - Pam Ward, Claudia Handler, Brenda Yates, Scott Wannberg

3:05 pm Sybaritic Press/poeticdiversity – Rachael Kann & Brenda Patrakos

3:20 pm Vinegar Hill Press - Donna, Gebron

3:35 pm Lynne Bronstein—poet

4:05 pm Rich Ferguson – poet

4:20 pm Sacred Beverage Press - Doug Richardson

4:35 pm Rum Razor Press - reader to be announced

4:50 pm Fall Star Magazine - Matt McGee

5:00 pm Rattle - M. Bitting, D. Griffiths Stamos, G. Mittelbach, M. Margolis, M. Lopez, P. Aylsworth

5:15 New Editions – Kevin Clark

5:30 pm Zenitram Press – Brenda Martinez

5:45 pm Ex Macina Press – Peter Balaskas

6:00 pm Ink Pen MutationsPress – kalamity j

Take SM Bus #s 1,2, or 8, and MTA Bus # 33. Wheelchair accessible. Information? 310-828-3951. Schedule subject to change.

Includes readings, refreshments, and an enlightening day of learning about the significance of small presses to the history of Los Angeles. All welcome.
Proceeds go toward the social justice work of the Church in Ocean Park.

Links: LA Times, Beyond Baroque, LA CityBeat