“I love how poetry collections function on two levels: the poem level and the book level. Every poem in a collection is its own work of art, its own little world. I could read one poem from a collection and be totally satisfied. Then, at the book level, we get to see how individual poems talk to each other, how they build (or disrupt) a narrative, and deepen themes. 

Unlike a novel, there’s so much freedom and innovation in sequencing your manuscript. You get to decide how it should look, how it should feel—there are truly endless possibilities for the order of the poems! I had a mentor once tell me: “You could throw a stack of poems up into the air and that would be a manuscript.” The point being, no matter the order, there will always be interesting connections happening.”

“I would describe my style as very collaborative. I want my feedback to feel like a conversation between two writers, where no question is too silly to ask. There are an infinite number of ways a manuscript can be crafted, so it’s my job to help guide the poet through all those possibilities and decisions, to help them see all the options, and thus, deepen their understanding of what they really want the book to do or say. I like to listen. I like asking questions, instead of simply giving answers. I will introduce new styles and ways of thinking, without compromising the writer’s original vision.”

“One thing I love to do when working with writers on their books is to ask: What is the poem in the collection you are most proud of? Where is it in the sequence? Why did you put it there? 

I say this, and many questions like it, to get a writer thinking more deeply and critically about where things are in their book. A lot of times, we writers do things instinctually (which is great!), but we also need to make sure we are understanding why we are making decisions. The more times we can answer the why, the richer in meaning our book becomes.”

“I love working with writers at all stages of their projects. Writers who have a set of poems but aren’t sure how to put them all together. Writers who have been shaping a manuscript for a while now, but need a fresh set of eyes to help them make those final tweaks. No matter the stage, there’s always new insight to be discovered.

I love projects dealing with form, especially invented forms, history (rewriting history), queerness, strange obsessions, anything experimental or dealing with visuals. Honestly, I find any project exciting if I’m able to sense the writer’s own excitement about their project!”

“Form is a big one. Form can be a specific type of poem (sonnet, haiku, sestina, etc.), but it also just means the general shape of our poems. Even when we’re writing in free verse, we should still look at our poems and ask ourselves: Why are some of these lines couplets and why are some of them tercets? What’s the purpose of these indents? What would happen if I removed all punctuation? The physical shape and structure of our poems can add so much meaning to the poem as a whole if we pay close attention.”

“In an interview, the poet Ada Limón told a story about a student coming up to her after class saying something like, “Congrats on your new book! You must be so excited to go on your book tour now. That’s the best part, right?” Ada laughed and replied to the student something like, “The best part is when I’m sitting on my couch in my pajamas writing poems.” 

This story really resonated with me because I also love writing poems on my couch in my pajamas. I thought: Ada’s right! Those are the moments when I feel most fulfilled. With my own students, I talk a lot about joy in writing; how we must work very hard to protect our joy and our creativity against the forces of ambition and insecurity and greed. When we remember our joy (our pajama poems!), we keep a healthier, longer-lasting relationship to our writing.”

“Overall, a mentorship is a success if the writer comes out of it feeling energized, excited, and proud of their project. They may not be completely finished, but they know the path forward, having explored all kinds of other paths. Writers have a deeper understanding of their work, of their own unique voice, and leave with new ideas and even new poems. 

Writers will not only have a more polished manuscript, but a plan on how and where to submit it going forward.”

“Time is a poet’s friend. Stepping away for a few weeks and coming back with fresh eyes always helps. But for those of us (like me) who are impatient and live by the idiom the only way out is through—here’s an exercise:

Write a one sentence elevator pitch for your book.

Write a one paragraph blurb (like you’d see on the back cover).

Write a one page review. 

In my experience, when we sit down to articulate or summarize our books in one sentence, or one paragraph, this distillation, this organizing of our thoughts surrounding our own books, can often bring clarity and new insight. The more we understand our books as a whole, the easier it is to know what to do next or how to push the project forward.”

“Tree of Knowledge by Victoria Chang

The Committee of Men by James Ciano

Bonus: Scorched Earth by Tiana Clark”