Poetic Saturdays: Witches Dance at Midnight

My poems (yes, I've been insanely prolific recently) over the past week or so have been inspired by the Art Institute of Chicago and my trip to Chicago with Tammy for the 2012 AWP Conference. Something about airport terminals and Tammy and art and cities and people gets my brain firing on all cylinders. And then we topped it off by watching Midnight in Paris when we returned home. Sigh.

witches dance at midnight, by Robert Lee Brewer

bid farewell to the day that has passed and
welcome the day as it begins. say, we'll
be ready when you finish. cackle with
pleasure. cast spells in the darkness without
worrying over good or bad. command
the earth and the fire. obey the whispers
of children and tempt the hearts of lovers.
hover over their houses as they sleep.

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Newer Book:

Duties of the Spirit
by Patricia Fargnoli (Tupelo Press)

Tupelo Press publishes some of the nicest looking poetry collections around, and Patricia Fargnoli is perhaps their best poet. The former Poet Laureate of New Hampshire, Fargnoli has a style that slices into the heart of the heart of the situation. One of my favorite poems by anyone (yes, anyone) is in this collection: "The Undeniable Pressure of Existence." In this poem, the narrator watches a fox running by the side of the road past the everyday and familiar sights of human existence (Jim's Pizza, the Wash-O-Mat) and the narrator watches from her moving car, "...certain he was beyond / any aid, any desire to save him, and he ran loping on, / far out of his element, sick, panting, starving, / his eyes fixed on some point ahead of him, / some possible salvation / in all this hopelessness, that only he could see." Amazing!

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Poems Found Online:

• Three Circus Poems, by Tanya Bryan from Drunk Monkeys
• The Bargaining Bed, by Austin Allen from Linebreak
• Red Tractor, by Terri Kirby Erickson from storySouth
• Through the Fence Wire, by Kyle Gray from The Pedestal Magazine
• Not Dead Yet, by Maria Williams-Russell from Boxcar Poetry Review

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Older Book:

A Coney Island of the Mind: Poems
by Lawrence Ferlinghetti (New Directions)

I remember picking up this collection at a used bookstore--without any previous knowledge of who Ferlinghetti was--and reading these lines: "In Goya's greatest scenes we seem to see / the people of the world / exactly at the moment when / they first attained the title of / 'suffering humanity' ..." My gosh, I was hooked from there to the end. Are these perfect poems? No. Would they all find homes in the big lit journals today (if Ferlinghetti were a struggling unknown poet)? Heck, no. But these poems capture a time and a place--and their power still speaks to the hearts of poets today.

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Note: Links in this post to books are affiliate links. However, I do not mention these books to make a profit. They are either books I'm connected to or ones I truly love. All other links in this post are not affiliate links.

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Check out previous Poetic Saturdays posts:

• Now This Is How We Roll.
• As the Sun Set in the Forest.
• Until Further Notice.

AWP 2012 Recap

I love getting out to events, and the 2012 AWP Conference was no different. It's like the 4th or 5th time I've been up to the windy city, and every trip to Chicago has been fun. This trip was special for a couple reasons.

At a Starbucks with Jane Friedman, Porter Anderson, and Christina Katz.

First, it was my first trip to Chicago with Tammy. We stayed at the Sheraton next to the Chicago River and overlooking the Navy Pier. The grandparents watched the kids, and we got a few days together in the big city--and believe me, we took advantage of the opportunity (yes, we watched R-rated movies and slept in).

Second, this was my first AWP experience.

The Bookfair
Now, I've been to comic conventions and BookExpo America, so I know what a big convention/conference can look like. But I wasn't ready for AWP. Maybe it's the lack of walls between booths (heck, maybe it's the lack of booths), but the bookfair part of the conference felt very chaotic and claustrophobic to me.

I picked up a few free literary journals. I had some brief conversations with poets and publishers. But if I ever go again, I'm going to need a better game plan--for the bookfair part of the equation anyway.

The Panel
The main reason I finally got out to AWP was that Christina Katz invited me to speak on a panel with her, Jane Friedman, and Seth Harwood. While I was definitely interested in AWP, this was the kind of shove I needed to tear myself away from the kids.

Our panel covered the Tech-Empowered Writer, and I think it was filled with great advice. If you want a little taste, check out these posts we assembled for the panel:

• The Tech-Empowered Writer, by Seth Harwood
• The Tech-Empowered Writer, by Jane Friedman
• Let's Talk Tech, by Christina Katz
• Tech-Empowered Writers, by Robert Lee Brewer

We mainly touched on how different writers are using technology to their advantage and sharing tips on how the audience can do the same--starting immediately.

Of course, there were a lot of questions--so much so that they followed us out into the hallways, which is a good thing. I love helping as much as I'm able.

After the Panel
Jane, Christina, Porter Anderson (who live-Tweeted the panel), and I found a Starbucks afterward and spent an hour or so just shooting the whatever-you-care-to-shoot. I cherish these moments to just hang out and talk shop, and they never last quite long enough.

Somewhere early in that hour, Tammy found her way over to us, and I was happy to introduce her to everyone. I'm really looking forward to getting up to that Poetry Hickory event in June with Tammy and meeting all the North Carolina poets.

Tammy and I outside a pub in Chicago.
Photo credit: Mark Griffin.

After AWP
I didn't spend my entire time in Chicago at AWP. That would've been a waste of time and money (and this was definitely not a cheap trip). Tammy and I were able to visit the Art Institute of Chicago and a few local food spots, including Pizzeria Uno (great deep dish pizza) and Lou Mitchell's (busy, little diner with great fried taters).

Oh yeah, there was this bar--the name escapes me, of course--close to our hotel that served up the best jambalaya I've ever had. If I lived in Chicago, I'd need wider pants and a second job--because the food up that way rocks!

The weather was cold, though definitely milder than normal. For that, I was thankful. After living the first three decades of my life in Ohio, I know how bitter the winters can be north of Chattanooga.

Tammy at Lou Mitchell's, a cute diner that gives Milk Duds to each customer.

So... Will I Make My Way to AWP Boston in 2013?
That's a good question, and I'm not sure at the moment. Since panelists have to pay for everything (including registering), it's really the least cost-effective speaking event in the universe. So it's quite an expense out of my pocket, even if it was great to see some of my Facebook peeps in real life.

There's a part of me that thinks one AWP is enough; and then, there's another part that is brainstorming possible winning panel ideas. I guess, we'll see.

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Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• How to Monetize a Blog.
• How to Brand Yourself (and Take Over the World).
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.

Tech-Empowered Writers: How to Use Blogs and Social Media to Find Success

Today, I'm participating on a panel at the AWP Conference in Chicago along with Jane Friedman, Seth Harwood, and Christina Katz (who actually invited me). The panel is titled "The Tech-Empowered Writer: Embrace New Media, Experiment, and Earn." The panel starts at 1:30 p.m., and if you're interested (and attending AWP), you can check it out in the Boulevard Room A, B, C in the Hilton Chicago, 2nd Floor.

Social media and blogging led me to this conversation with
Del Cain (right) at the 2011 Austin International Poetry Festival.

If you're not at AWP (or unable to attend), don't stress out too much, because I'm sharing a lot (though not all) of what I expect to cover in this post. I hope to offer value, though I know Jane, Seth, and Christina will surely offer so much more.

How to Use Social Media to Find Success

Christina tasked us all with considering an opening example of how we've used technology to benefit our careers as writers. The first thing that popped in my brain was the power of social media sites, especially Facebook.

As a writer, most of my speaking appearances over the past two years have been requested by contacts on Facebook--and usually even using the messaging service on the site. It's also been useful as far as staying connected to events that are happening and calls for submissions from literary publications.

But most of all, it's been invaluable as a place to connect with other writers and editors. If I read some poems that I just adore, it's not uncommon for me to contact the poet via Facebook and request an interview (or just give a thumbs up). If I see a topic that I might want to cover in one of my books (or on my blog), then I will contact that writer via social networks as well.

While many people claim that social media is mostly hype with no tangible benefits, I beg to argue. In fact, I'd say the only people who can't see the tangible power of social media are those who have closed their minds to the possibility. Don't be that close-minded person.

Instead, check out these tips for taking your social media use to the next level:

• Facebook Tips for Writers.
• Twitter Tips for Writers.
• LinkedIn Tips for Writers.
• Google+ Tips for Writers.
• Social Media Etiquette for Writers.
• 7 Stages of Dealing With Facebook Interface Change...
• 6 Tips for Writers to Own the New Facebook Timeline.

How to Use Blogs to Find Success

While social media has been very important to some of my recent successes, those successes have gone hand-in-hand with my blogging success (both here and on my poetry blog, Poetic Asides). My work at Poetic Asides led to me being honored as the 2010 Poet Laureate of the Blogosphere, as well as leading to my first e-book of poetry prompts. My work at Not Bob has helped me connect with writers and conference directors.

For me, there are many ways to measure a blog's success. One might be whether it has a lot of readers. Another might be whether those readers share what they've read. Still another measurable might be whether the blog brings in a significant income for the blogger.

Whatever your measurables, here are some tips for finding success on your blog:

• Blogging Tips for Writers.
• Blog Design Tips for Non-Designers.
• 25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic.
• How to Monetize a Blog: How to Make Money Blogging.
• How to Brand Yourself (and Take Over the World).

Final Note Regarding the AWP Writing Conference

I'm so stoked about having the opporunity to speak on an AWP conference panel with other professionals I greatly admire. But it's not just the opportunity to speak that has me excited. The AWP writing conference brings together thousands of poets, novelists, teachers, and other professionals involved with the pursuit of writing and writing education.

That means I expect to meet (for the first time ever) several folks I've connected with for years on social media sites like Facebook. If you have the ability to get out to a future AWP conference, please do it. If you're at this AWP, please reach out and say, "Hello." Even if we don't have anything to talk about, I guarantee you it will mean a great deal to me.

(Also, check out this The Tech-Empowered Writer blog post by fellow panel rock star, Jane Friedman. While my post focuses mainly on blogging and social media, Jane covers more advanced tech strategies.)

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Connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Plus, sign up for free e-mail updates from this blog in the top right-hand corner of the page.

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Check out these other Not Bob posts for writers:

• 11 Tips for Writers to Find Success.
• The 8 Jobs of Modern Writers.
• Best Blogs for Writers to Read in 2012.

Events on the Horizon

This weekend, I'll be attending my final event of 2011. I'll be reading poems (with 20+ other poets) at the Barnes & Noble in Webster, Texas, as part of the Houston Poetry Festival's Poetry "Out of Bounds" Readings. I believe I get to kick things off at 1 p.m.-ish (poets are smart enough to always add an -ish to everything). Click here for more details.

Mary Margaret Carlisle and I on the Featured Poets Forum at the 2011 Austin International Poetry Festival.

This reading came about as a result of meeting Mary Margaret Carlisle at the Austin International Poetry Festival. We both met at one of the events and then traded collections (my ENTER for her It's Always About The Rain) after the reading. Then, we ran into each other at the featured reading and sat next to each other at the featured panel (we were both features at the festival).

The ability to share your work and learn from others is often what makes it worth attending an event. However, it's the people you meet and connect with that can really elevate your experience to new levels. I'm still maintaining conversations with the great poets I met in Austin, and I can only hope that I've been as much help to them as they've been to me.

So yeah...2011 is wrapping up. Here's what's currently on my calendar for 2012:

AWP Conference, February 29-March 3, Chicago, Illinois
The official schedule will not be released until October, but I do know that my panel is on The Tech-Empowered Writer: Embrace New Media, Experiment & Earn. The panel was pitched by Christina Katz, who invited Jane Friedman, Seth Harwood, and myself to join her.

Poetry Hickory, June 12, Hickory, North Carolina
At 4 p.m., I'll lead a workshop on building an audience for your poetry. I believe the workshop will require a small fee of something like $10 per attendee. After that (beginning around 5:30-ish), Tammy and I will read our poetry. Tammy and I met Scott Owens, who hosts the Poetry Hickory events, earlier this year, and we're really excited to meet many of the North Carolina poets we already "know" through Facebook and other social media sites.

Poetry Hickory will be getting two poets for the price of one (or something like that).

Writing Away Retreats, Labor Day weekend, Breckenridge, Colorado
This retreat will offer writers several tentative mentors, including myself, agent Kristin Nelson, Kate Gale (I'm assuming of Red Hen Press), agent Sandra Bond, and multiple RITA award-winning author Barbara Samuel (O'Neal). These retreats are scenic, inspiring and are limited to 10-12 writers, which means you'll get plenty of time for feedback and mentorship.

I hope to see you at one of these events--either on Saturday or next year!

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Connect with me on Twitter and LinkedIn. I've once again hit my 5,000-friend limit on Facebook (so I can't add anymore), but you can follow my fan page here.


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If you happen to know of any speaking opportunities in your area and are interested in hearing me read poetry, talk about getting published or building a writer platform, etc., then either contact me (or have your organization contact me) via e-mail at robertleebrewer@gmail.com.

2012 AWP!

For years, I've wanted to attend the AWP Conference. I even posted about it back on Groundhog Day. Around the same weekend in April, I received panel invites from both Collin Kelley and Christina Katz. Since I never receive panel invites, I figured this increased my odds of going to an AWP Conference significantly.

Fast forward to Friday. On the drive up to my grandmother's house for the weekend, I received an e-mail from Collin that his proposed AWP panel was not accepted. This was a big bummer, because Collin's a fun and nice poet. Plus, his proposed panel was going to include January O'Neil, Karen Head and Deborah Ager. I mean, it would've rocked!

Maybe next year...

So anyway, we kept trucking along to my grandmother's house until we hit a little construction. Instead of losing my patience with the pace of the traffic, I let curiosity get the best of me and started checking Facebook to see if Christina Katz had shared any status updates on how her proposed panels went. Sure enough, one of them was accepted!

Two of the people I'll be speaking with in Chicago: Katz on left; Friedman on right.

As a result, I'll be at the 2012 AWP Conference in the panel discussion The Tech-Empowered Writer: Embrace New Media, Experiment & Earn with Christina, Jane Friedman and Seth Harwood. You can click here to check out all the event descriptions and presenters, but here's the panel description on the site:

What can a professor, a journalist, a novelist, and a poet teach you about new media? Using real-life examples from our own experience and that of other tech-savvy writers, we'll construct a composite of how working writers use technology to invest in their careers, experiment and launch new works, and grow their income opportunities. Whether you need a day job, a part-time job, or just enough gigs to pay a few bills, there have never been as many ways for tech-savvy writers to earn.

I'm really excited!

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By the way, the weekend trip to my grandmother's house was a lot of fun. She lives about 20 minutes from Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains. So grandma got a little time to hold her newest great-grandchild (she has nine now), and we were able to do a little sight-seeing and break our diet a little with some fudge and BBQ sandwiches.




While in Tennessee, Will held one of Grandpa Sam's giant tomatoes!


One of my personal highlights was hiking along a small section of the Appalachian Trail with Will while Tammy fed Hannah. Even though the trail just kept rising and the terrain was difficult, Will just wanted to keep going. I think he wanted to march all the way up to Maine. Of course, I'm not sure why I would be surprised since he's already hiked all the way up Stone Mountain.

Anyway, great news and a great weekend!

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To celebrate, here's a link to Writing Creative Nonfiction: Instruction and Insights From Teachers of the Associated Writing Programs, which co-incidentally was published by my employer F+W Media (though back in the day, we were known as F&W Publications).