The Poetteer

 Hello Poetteers, I had the honor of editing this poetry collection.  it's past midnigth somewhere by Jamal-e-Fatima My rating: 5 of 5 stars I love the imagery of nature and love. There is a beautiful awareness of cultural identity and faith. It resonated with me. I can feel the pain and pride behind the poems. There are pieces included that empower the reader. Purchase the book !

Hello Poetteers,  Is Amazon publishing worth it? Amazon KDP is the most well know book distributor among indie authors. It’s easy and free. The pro is that it’s a site with lots of traffic. It has a rating system to get your book on their own bestselling lists. Amazon’s sole focus isn’t book distribution. They sell everything. You want to find a company who prioritizes their authors. Places like BookBaby, IngramSpark and Smashwords. It’s important to diversify your marketing. Your book should still be sold on Amazon and also use other distributors to reach retailers like Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, etc. All your eggs shouldn’t be in one basket. You want to expand your reach. When getting ready to publish and promote your book, one important thing is cost. What are the expenses on your book? What is your income goal? As a self published poet I’m competing with traditionally published authors. Traditionally published poetry books (paperbacks) are priced at $8 to $16. Ebooks are

Hello Poetteers, I recently read The Sweetest Kind of Poison by Katie Wismer and enjoyed it.  She released a new poetry book today! Blurb: If you are underwhelmed by me, please just let me go... Poems for the End of the World is a coming of age collection and exploration of the confusing and disillusioning trek through young adulthood in a broken world. Divided into four chapters—waking up, growing pains, crushing realities, and disappointing beginnings—this collection covers everything from self-discovery and heartbreak to chronic illness and fresh starts. Author Bio: Katie Wismer is a die-hard pig lover, semi-obsessive gym rat, and longtime sucker for a well-written book. She studied creative writing and sociology at Roanoke College and now works as a freelance editor in Colorado with her cats Max and Dean. Her first poetry collection The Sweetest Kind of Poison and her debut novel The Anti-Virginity Pact are available anywhere books are sold. When she's not writing, reading, o

Hello Poetteers, Original Poem Always when I talk with you, I'm afraid to say everything because I think you might not understand it all because of the somewhat different beliefs we have. Yet you ask questions to help me. And I'm glad you do. We are, together breaking down another wall of isolation. Response Poem I hold back afraid to say anything worried you might not understand because of the different beliefs we have;  you say something that contradicts my beliefs and I shrink back wishing someone else was in place where I didn’t have to explain the cultural expectations before expressing how I feel You are willing to ask questions and learn it feels tiring like there’s no space for me. Behind the Poem I enjoy sharing my beliefs and values. Sometimes I get tired of having to explain my religious beliefs and cultural values, especially before pouring out my emotions. I wish people were more aware and understanding of different cultures and religions. That right there is why

Hello Poetteers, In part one I talked about controlling the narrative . Writing from a human’s perspective you didn’t experience can be problematic. There are other ways you can write from other perspectives that aren’t your own. Explore and personify emotions, colors, nature, and other inanimate objects like furniture, etc. Writing is exploratory. Within ourselves we have different perspectives on our own experiences. Write what happened but also explore what you wish happened. After you write about a negative moment explore the positives. Write to the child in you then write to the adult in you. After pointing out your weaknesses look for your strengths. Analyze your old poetry and look for a new angle you can use. You may just surprise yourself. stay inspired, Fida

Hello Poetteers, Like any other writer my work has evolved through the years. A to Z Poetry is my first book. Reading from it makes me cringe. There are still some gems in it. I don’t want to unpublish it. I want myself and my readers to see the evolution. For its 7th anniversary I decided to write a few response poems to the book. Original Poem  Everyone has their own guardian angel guiding us always they are here to protect us from everything guardian angels are always there every step of the way. Response Poem My heart should have been hurt but I walked away without a scratch I feel a sense of peace wash over me as I know an angel was watching over me protecting my heart. A to Z Poetry is available for purchase on Smashwords . stay inspired, Fida

The Garden Through the window I see the morning dew  I feel your sunlight  the wind chimes and birds chirp  buds fill the branches  The morning spring light  nourishes the blossoming -  flowers and my soul  The breeze brings  the first fragrance  of freshly bloomed flowers  bringing vibrant colors to the earth  watching clouds float and shape-shift  perfect for bare feet and day dreams  I sit in silence, unmoved  two little birds were chirping loudly  playing in our garden  chirping to their friends  I hear their wings flutter and dance in the bird bath  the flowers you water pray for you  the birds you feed pray for you. Behind the Poem The poem wasn’t written in one sitting. It started as three haikus in response to some April prompts . In June I wrote a garden poem. I noticed one stanza had the same line as one of the haikus: " Enjoy the little joys  the breeze brings wind chimes and birdsong  watching clouds float and shapeshift perfect for bare feet and day dreams." I e

Hello poets, I've noticed people reading poems from male 'she' poets. It’s frustrating. Its tiring. Men plagiarizing women’s work. Men mistranslating other poets' work. Men writing about women’s trauma. They should not be writing about women's experiences. Men should not be writing about female trauma or beautifying mental illness. They can’t tell women how they should feel and deal with their mental illnesses and trauma. You can write dark pieces and about mental illnesses without "romanticizing" it and being harmful. Leave females to write about their own traumas and their own stories. Have you ever read a poem about their personal human experience? Do you notice who they refer to in their poems? If they never talk about their own experiences and always share someone’s else narrative it can be problematic. We shouldn’t be writing about a human perspective we haven’t experienced. We should control our own narrative and pass the mic to the other necessary

Hello Poetteers, Communication is vital. When hiring an editor here are a few things to keep in mind:  read their service page request a sample edit to see if we are a good fit discuss the kind of feedback you need and ask how they edit figure out and be clear about the payment plan. It varies between editors how they calculate the cost. ask how long will the editing take? (and their timeline. De clear if you have your own deadline.) be aware that there may be an up-charge for extra tasks.  Lastly, editors want to know the genre of your work and the length of your manuscript.  Stay inspired, Fida Message me when your poetry is ready to be edited and you're interested in working with me. 

Hello Poetteers, I decided to do a different and fun post for this week. I'm sure a majority of us including me have been listening to 'Folklore'. I love a really good lyric. It's relatable and up to the reader/listener's interpretation. I want to breakdown why some of the lyrics have become my favorite. cardigan:  "I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs"  Listening to this line I think of anxiety.  the last great american dynasty: "She had a marvelous time ruining everything." I love the change in POV. This particular line makes me think of loud woman breaking cultural and societal expectations. exile : "you're not my homeland anymore."  I love the two voices in this song. There is another lyric that I love the alliteration in but this particular line pulls at my heart because it reminds me of those in diaspora.  my tears ricochet : "I didn't have it in myself to go with grace." I think of my self doubts, overth

Hello Poetteers, Before you even write balance life and poetry. I leave writing for when it doesn’t take me away from an experience. I know I feel ready to write when I’ve accepted the situation that I’m writing about, the lesson is learned and there is positivity. I love a poem that shows the whole story. I want to see a piece have a balance of both sides. For example: if you share something dark, add something light. if it's negative, add positivity. if you're searching for something, share it being found.  The format matters too. Break up run on sentences to fit the format and remain consistent with the rest of the poem. It can look too heavy or too small compared to the rest of the piece. Also, remain consistent with the poetic devices you used.  Don't be afraid to question your poetry to pull out what's necessary for it. How do you know you've written a well balanced poem? stay inspired, Fida

Gold Gift Every time I look down at my wrists and see the bracelets I see their hands, I am reminded of both women who wore it before me I hope to embody their strength. Behind the Poem This poem is from Her Durian. I wrote it after my mom gave me her bracelet that she had gotten from her mother. In the moment it felt casual. She slipped on my wrist to give me some arm candy before our trip to Malaysia. My own grandmother didn't recognize it yet thought it was beautiful. This memory will always be attached to the bracelet and poem. Signed paperbacks are now available for purchase. 

Hello Poetteers, Positive affirmations help you believe in your goals and propels you towards action.  Affirmations for Editing My writing is strengthened by editing notes from others. I can visualize the improvement editing makes on my poetry.  I trust in the editing process. I will take my time with my poetry. It's good to write slowly. I will carefully look over my poetry. Action Items Reach out to beta readers and sensitivity readers Hire an editor. Both can offer an outside perspective.  Notice if critiques highlight similar issues. Keep it in mind for future editing. Take breaks between writing and editing. Also have breaks between each editing round. Doing so will help you look at your work from a clear headspace.  Read it aloud, read it backwards. Ask your poetry questions. Don’t rush/force writing specific stanzas. You don't want to over edit. Be vocal about the voice you want to portray in your work.  Stay inspired, Fida  I'm a poetry editor. Interested? Message m

Hello Poetteers, A table of contents helps your readers navigate a book and find the poem that calls out to them. There are two styles I like to use. Option 1 is to add all the chapter titles. Option 2 is to add all the poetry titles. It depends on the length of the book and how the poems are organized. How to Make It On Google Docs and Pages go under the insert tab and the option will be there. When it pops up there will be instructions on how to create it. Whatever text you want to go on the table of contents should be in the paragraph style called 'Heading'. Message me when your poetry book is ready to be edited. Stay inspired, Fida 

Hello Poetteers, I've noticed some repetitive elements on the covers of some of our favorite poetry books. This is one trend to look for when publishing your own poetry book.  Black  White  Minimal  Floral (or nature) It's a combination of those elements. My shelf is filled with poetry books with a black or white cover. The focus is on the text and a minimal photo of some sort, for example: flower, animal, fruit or geometric shape. Sometimes a majority of the cover is covered in floral or a natural landscape. Most recently, I noticed several white covers with a pop of color (pinks or blues) in the middle. What have you noticed about your favorite poetry book covers?  Stay inspired,  Fida  P.S. An underrated cover design is using a solid bright color with a minimal silhouette.  @poetfida Top 4 poetry book cover trends. ##poetry ##bookmarketing ##selfpublishing ##editing101 ##indieauthor ##smallbusiness ♬ Love - Cody Simpson,Ziggy Marley

Hello Poetteers, I started writing poetry on spring 2008 and a few months later I started sharing them on a blog. I found my courage early on. Sometimes it staggers but it continues to grow. Define your why : what’s your purpose for sharing your poetry? Remind yourself of it when you question yourself. Know that it can evolve esp with your life experiences. Mine started as a way to express my love for nature and faith. Afterwards it changed to express my emotions and now my purpose is to spread mental health and cultural awareness. Practice : Find your voice. Know that it’ll start of decent and continue to improve. Done is better than perfect. Read a lot of poetry to get a feel of the genre. When writing your own pause on the reading to not let it subconsciously affect your voice. Trust readers : get your trustworthy and honest friends to read and give you feedback. As you get compliments from friends and strangers keep a positivity file. Read them when you start doubting yourself. Pus

Hello Poetteers, As someone who has self published several poetry books my top tip is to diversify your distribution. Don't exclusively publish your book on KDP. They only distribute through Amazon. Smashwords is an ebook retailer and distribution site. They will distribute your book to places such as B&N Nook, Apple Books, Kobo and Scribd. Check out their site for more info. Other Ebook Distributors: Smashwords Kindle Direct Publishing Book Funnel Payhip Smashwords and KDP only distribute ebooks. I used to publish paperback through CreateSpace but that site is now closed. I go directly to Barnes and Noble Press to publish the paperback version. Other Distributors:  Barnes and Noble Press IngramSpark There are several self publishing services out there. Look for familiar authors and transparency on their website before working with them. This website does a great job rating and reviewing different services.  My self publishing guide is now

Bilingualism in poetry is a literary device to communicate the narrator’s cultural identity. One form is to have a side by side translation of the poem in different languages. The other form is code switching. It’s the mix of two languages together in one piece of writing. The first poems I wrote were about culture and hijab. I unintentionally abandoned it and wrote poetry about emotions and nature. I found my way back to writing about culture but I was uncomfortable being vulnerable and sharing my faith. I felt uncomfortable to use words I knew from other familiar languages. I either avoided the topic I wanted to write or replaced the other language with English words. As the voice became louder I stopped holding myself back and filtering my poetry. By letting myself write whatever I wanted I started feeling comfortable with vulnerability. I felt fulfilled in sharing myself and my experiences. When you’re ready let yourself explore language and different topics. If you share bilingual

Poetry in the Arab world was a source of politics and cultural life. It was an oral tradition. Poets had rawis (reciters) to preform the poem. They were vital to its preservation. These rawis would learn the poet’s techinques and use it for their own poetry. This continued to be passed down. They had mock battles and contests. The best ones were hung on the kabaa. With this practice sound and rhythm played an important part in the formation of the poems. Language was expressive and firguartive. One characteristic is imagery. There are decriptions of nature, paticularly animals and garden scenes. The adjectives were descriptive. Some pieces had mystical significance. Another characteristic was that they poems were romantic and nostaglic. Several themes helped carry that: Hija : Lampooning is crizitzing the opoosing tribe. Madih : Panegyric is praising of their tribe, person or homeland. Rahil : Recounting a (desert) journey. Nasib : Nostaglic about the the past and of an absent beloved.

Hello Poetteers, Reading poetry helped me feel less alone in my hurt. I write poetry to process my emotions and experiences. From it, I gain some clear perspective on lessons and solutions. I am able to let go and move forward. I've noticed a pattern in some of my poetry. I add the definition, observations made, and emotions it brings. Maybe the piece is fully positive. If not, it'll start with the negativity and end it with positivity. My pieces are more literal and introspective. But I am starting to love experimenting with more figurative language and coming up with rhymes and metaphors. With my poetry, I hope to spread mental health and cultural awareness. To shine a light on faith and self love. I want to help bring diverse representation into the poetry world.  What is your poetic voice and style?  Stay inspired, Fida More : poetry books | editing service

Hello Poetteers, On one side of the poetry world we are encouraging of those who are willing to be vulnerable in sharing their stories. On the other side the poetry world is a mess. The poetry world needs a change. 1. Poets are mistranslating other poets. One example is Barks vs. Rumi. Barks didn't know the language or religion; therefore, he took out the religion. He changed it to be sexual and to fit his westernized spirituality. I break it down in my posts:  Rumi  and  Arab History . Make the time to learn and research your topic. Don't invalidate one's beliefs to fit yours. 2. Poets are plagiarizing others. Time and time again it resurfaces that Rupi Kaur plagiarized Nayyirah Waheed's poems and its style. Rupi has called Nayyirah one of her inspirations. In summary, Waheed has reached out several times to Kaur about the similarities and Kaur denied it. Reading a poem or book that inspires you can affect your subconscious. When it comes to working on your w

Hello Poetteers, My poetry represents me and my books represent the poems it holds. It was obvious to put myself on the cover of my first book. I regret not having a muslim girl on the cover of Her Olives but I love the cover enough to not want to change it. I didn't think of representation until I was about to publish Her Treasures and Her Durian . It was an effortless and subconscious choice. My creativity reflects me. With self publishing there isn't any gatekeeping. I spent my childhood buried in books. I never saw myself in them. Whether it was a character or the cover. The first time I saw a muslim girl on the cover was ' Does My Head Look Big In This ' by Randa Abdel-Fattah. YA books are changing. It took about 10 years. There was a push for diverse stories and own voices. Within my own reading a muslim girl didn't come up again until ' Saints and Misfits ' by S.K. Ali. Are poetry books making that change too? It feels like a trick question. Fa

Hello Poetteers, I'm currently working on a 'collected poems' project. While compiling them I found some of my favorite titles and I want to break them down for you. I hope this gives you some idea of what to ask and look for in your poems when titling them. Good Side of Sad - This piece was written after dealing with heavy grief and feeling tired of the overwhelming emotion. I was questioning my sorrow and darkness. It doesn't always have to be dark. I like to see the positive side of things. Lost in Existence - The word existence is already in the poem and is the topic of the piece. The first stanza mentioned being disconnected and unable to pinpoint our thoughts. I asked myself what word sums up the above emotions. I came up with lost and saw the definition: "Unable to find one's way; feeling confused, insecure or in great difficulty". The word fits well. Scrapbook of Language - This poem is about a memory I found in a scrapbook. That memo

Hello Poetteers, With every book I wrote I noticed I kept making the same mistakes. I would switch up the point of view in the middle of a piece. Point of view is how one observes the situation and tells the story. When editing poetry one thing to focus on is POV. Several times I've mentioned to remain consistent with the POV but haven't said why. Try different POVs to see what best suits the poem and story. The reader could feel immersive in the story or feel distant from it. The reader's trust is important to the writer. "Choose the right point of view: Although poems are often written in the first person, a third person might serve a persona poem that doesn’t ring authentic." ( source ). I know that I sometimes don't want to be attached to a piece because I don't want to feel the emotions of the experience or am nervous about sharing my work. Maybe you wrote about a male but don't want others to know, so change it to be about a female. POV helps ca

Hello Poetteers, What I Read I recently read ' How to Cure a Ghost ' by Fariha Roisin. I gave it 5 stars. These poems are about experiences as an immigrant and Muslim. They were heartbreaking, beautiful and empowering. Some pieces made me feel seen. Many more told much needed stories that people need to know. Other reviews said it better: it packed a punch and asked me to hold my heart. What I Wrote I've written 6 poems this month about faith, culture, self love and friendship. Some pieces were inspired by other poems, life experiences and conversations I had. What did you read or write this past month? Stay inspired, Fida 

Hello Poetteers, I am the servant of the Quran as long as I have life. I am the dust on the path of Muhammad, the Chosen one. If anyone quotes anything except  this from my sayings, I am quit of him and outraged by these words. - Rumi In a previous post I mentioned the erasure of Islam in Rumi's poetry. One interpreter was Coleman Barks. Barks took out Islam and replaced it with something sexual. He oversimplified it and pleased romantic expectations. It was done to satisfy his own belief of spirituality. His interpretation was meant for a quick spiritual fix and to modernize it for the West. He rewrote Rumi's work without knowledge of Islam and the language. This also happened to other classical Persian poets like Hafez and Omar Khayyam with Edward Fitzgerald. Here are a couple book recommendations:  Rumi: The Masnavi , a translation by Jawid Mojaddedi Ruba'iyat of Omar Khayyam by Ahmed Saidi Sources: Reading Rumi - Zirrar  |  Rumi for the

Hello Poetteers, Adapt to Culture Culture of the place matters  work on understanding  and adapting to the social setting  I wear a bright caftan in Malaysia  but in America I’ll look out of place. Cultural Traits Malay's quiet patience Arab's loud intensity I need space to be both two cultures fighting in my heart after a month of keeping quiet I feel the urge  to let out the louder side of me.  Blurb Her Durian is about Islaih’s travels to Malaysia and her memories with family. These poems will make your mouth water with the different foods and dessert. It covers the topic of growing up in a multicultural home and experiences as a Muslim American. Signed copies of Her Durian are available. Message me if you’re interested in purchasing a copy. stay inspired, Fida 

Hello Poetteers, It is Her Olives 6th book anniversary! We Are Palestine We are zataar and zaytoon, land of the almonds and apricots, figs and oranges, watermelon and cheese, tasting its sweetness, enjoying mint tea on the balcony, connected to the roots of Palestine. I’ve created an anniversary gift that includes extra poems, prompts and a glossary. When you purchase Her Olives , this month only, message me on instagram with your receipt and I’ll send you the anniversary gift. Stay inspired, Fida

Hello Poetteers, What I Read I re-read Peaches for Monsieur le Curé by Joanne Harris . It captured my attention and took me by surprise with the chaos and mystery. It’s also heartwarming. Blue Horses by Mary Oliver : My favorite pieces are “Rumi”, “No Matter What” and “Loneliness”. I love the themes of nature and God. She Wore Red Trainers by Na'ima B. Robert : This story is sweet and tender. It shows the obstacles one can face with family. It shows the importance of faith and family. My only issue is that the ending felt a bit rushed. What I Wrote 8 poems about anxiety, living in a small town, being muslim and culture. What did you do in Jan? stay inspired, Fida

Hello Poetteers, Happy new year! I'm looking forward to more poetry from new and favorite authors. January All Along You Were Blooming by Morgan Harper Nichols "A celebration of hope. An encounter with grace. A restoration of the heart. A healing of wounds. An anthem of freedom. All Along You Were Blooming is the ultimate love letter from the pen of popular Instagram poet Morgan Harper Nichols to your mind, to your heart, to your soul, and to your body." February Sincerely,  by F.S. Yousaf "Searching for a profound way to propose to his love, F.S. Yousaf reread the letters she had written him. In them he found his proposal, as well as inspiration to write his own prose and poetry. From this inspiration, Sincerely was born. It carries messages of positivity, hope, and most of all, true love." shot glass confessional by Cyrus Parker "Non-binary poet Cyrus Parker returns with shot glass confessional, a collection of 50 shot-glass-sized p

Hello Poetteers, Word Prompt Prayer Questions How do you pray and how does it feel? When and where do you pray? Does prayer help you and how? Has there been an unusual place you have prayed? How was that experience of praying in an unusual place? Sentence Starters I pray for Prayer is My heart
 The prompt is from my book, Journey to Healing . Stay inspired, Fida

Hello Poetteers, Pick yourself up Learn to forgive yourself for being hard on yourself learn to take it easy and give yourself grace. Allow yourself time to heal. With healing comes strength. No one else can heal you. For more self love poetry check out my book, Blossoming Heart . Stay inspired, Fida

Hello Poetteers, Remember Their Faces They once gathered around me  as I told a story as a toddler  it feels like deja vu  as they gather around me  wanting to read the stories I've written  my face is flushed red  but I will always remember their faces  Salaam After Prayer Across the world we all show up for God together  listening to his words  praying to ease our hearts. Blurb Her Durian is about Islaih’s travels to Malaysia and her memories with family. These poems will make your mouth water with the different foods and dessert. It covers the topic of growing up in a multicultural home and experiences as a Muslim American. Smashwords | Amazon Stay inspired, Fida