Poetry Prompt: Write a Short Poem, Pack It With Punch

Short Poetry Prompt

All right, folks, autumn is in full swing (FINALLY!) and I’m back to writing poems. Which means I’m also back to bugging y’all with prompts to get you writing, too. 🙂 Today’s prompt comes from a brief discussion I had over at deviantART about short poetry. I tend to prefer medium-length to long-form poetry, and I’m … Read more…

A few things to know before proofreading a translation …

Proofreading Translation

OK, so, not long ago, I finished my first paid translation project. (Hoorah!) It was a collaborative Russian-to-English project, in which I and two others translated a menu for a Mexican restaurant in our city. (Yes. A Mexican restaurant in Siberia. I recommend it!) Technically, I was the native-speaking “proofreader” rather than the translator. But I put that … Read more…

How to Turn One Word Prompts Into Cliche-Busting Poems

Turn One-Word Prompts Into Original Poems

In my earlier post on poem starters, I promised I’d write a second article on handling one word prompts. Well, here I am, being as good as my word. One word prompts abound on the Internet, from my 100 Themes challenge to the Wednesday prompts on Robert Lee Brewer’s Poetic Asides blog. They’re a great challenge because they force you to … Read more…

Not Just for Polyglots! Why You Should Try Writing in a Foreign Language

Foreign language? … Say what? Trust me, it’s not as crazy as it sounds, nor as far out of reach as you may think. Let me make one thing clear, right from the beginning: you don’t need to speak like a native, or even have advanced foreign language skills. You simply need to know enough to string together coherent … Read more…