My Editing Method

Hello Poetteers, 

When it comes to editing their poetry chapbooks poets print out every poem and rearrange it until it best tells a story and flows well. It's a good method that helps you physically see how the story can work and moves your headspace so that you don't feel stuck. 

My body of works are larger and honestly I don't want to waste paper. It could work better for smaller projects. I could possibly focus on the rearrangement by chapter. What works for me is to have a list of the titles, a topic jogger and number it in the order I want them in. Then I go into the document and move the poems.

After all that my first step is to read it in full and read it aloud. As I do that I take notes on paper or through track changes. I start with the smaller tasks and move on to the bigger ones. 

For Individual Poems:

1. Remove unnecessary words and lines
2. Look up synonyms and rhymes
3. Rearrange lines or stanzas and change POV
4. Expand and personalize: research about the topic, look at old journals and photos. Ask your poems what, why, and how questions. 
5. Figure out what poetic devices could work for the poems. 

There are several possible ways to write an ending. Use it to emphasize the message, summarize what you shared, bring back the first line. Ask yourself what did you learn from the emotion and experience you explored?

Are you looking for a poetry editor? Check out my services and snag a spot! 

Stay inspired, 

Fida