napowrimo: we’re here to help
Next Tuesday is April Fool’s Day. (You’d think it would end March Madness- the State’s NCAA college basketball championship, but no, the final four is April 5 and the final game is April 7.)
April is National Poetry Month (in the US). Read Write Poem will be supporting you as you celebrate, in a variety of ways. Read on to find out how!
~Deb.
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With the arrival of April comes National Poetry Month, a whole month devoted to poetry. And with that comes the Olympian-like challenge known as National Poetry Writing Month, or NaPoWriMo. The challenge? Write a poem a day for the month of April—30 poems in 30 days. For many of us who have done this in the past, we’re saying to ourselves, “Has it been a year already?” But like childbirth, it’s a pain soon forgotten, yet replaced by the joy of writing enough poems to fill a chapbook.
Why do this? Well, think of it as your way of supplementing the activities of National Poetry Month. This is your contribution to the larger poetry community. And on a personal level, if you’re suffering from lack of motivation or writer’s block, this will force you to chain the Muse to the chair next to you. The pressure is part of the fun.
So this is a roll call of sorts. Let us know you’re participating and why. Be sure to visit other NaPoWriMo-ers because, by golly, they’ll need the support. And don’t worry about skipping a day, because the goal is to write. Don’t think, just do. At the end of month, you’ll look back to see 30 poems in your wake - many of which will be throwaways. But a few may turn into the drafts to start - or finish - that collection you’ve always wanted to write.
If you need help igniting your creativity, check out RWP’s random prompt generator (Christine has uploaded a bunch of new ones!), or check out the prompts from previously weeks to get you through the rough spots.
Warning: NaPoWriMo is not for the faint of heart. But if you’re willing to go for the ride, the journey is worth it.
~January.
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Deb here again. We’re going to add “NaPoWriMo” behind the blog names in the “Participants tab” of those folks who tell us (in the comments below, or by an email to info (at) readwritepoem (dot) org), that they are doing it this year. (Yup, just like Poetry Thursday did last year.)
We’re also adding a sidebar category - just for April - that will give you a quick link to the latest NaPoWriMo buzz.
The polls might just talk about National Poetry Month activities, too.
And look for a button. A new button (I love buttons) just for NaPoWriMo. I may have to do NaPoWriMo just to be able to get the button. (Bad advice - don’t listen to me - do it because you love poetry.)
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Join in right here, in the comments below. You know you want to, no matter what you said last year! (Oh, that’s my line.)
(And for those who don’t want to do NaPoWriMo, no worries - we will be here for you, too. With plenty of non-NaPoWriMo content.)
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Additional information about NaPoWriMo:
Maureen Thorson started NaPoWriMo and says,
I have been doing this for around five years, and many have followed in my wake! If you plan to participate, go forth and do so! NaPoWriMo is free, requires no license, and wants you to propagate it in new and foreign soils.
Ivy Alvarez has made a number of buttons for NaPoWriMo, including those of an international flavor: IntPoWriMo. We here at Read Write Poem have participants from around the globe. It may be you’d like to use one of Ivy’s, or just ask, and we’ll make a RWP one for you.
Ivy also has some great prompt ideas listed on her blog, for NaPoWriMo 2007.
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I’m in, crazy masochist that I am. Thanks for hosting and buttoning!
This year’s NaPoWriMo will ROCK! Glad you’re participating, Jessica.
I might try to write less than 30 poems. That will be a lot harder for me than 30 in 30 days. xD
I wrote 40 sub poems for my life story nonfiction and fiction clash since Thursday.
Boy and Swan
Most of it is nonfiction, though.
This would be my first time, but I would like to take up the challenge…I am freeing my time before it hits April…
[...] that month, I figured a great way to celebrate April as National Poetry Month is to participate in NaPoWriMo. Write a poem a day for a month. It’s that easy. No crazy word counts. No sweating over [...]
I’m going to give it a go, too! Thanks for the button!
January talked me into it last week, so I’m in.
why not?
well, there are a million reasons, of course, but none of them hold up very well. SO …
i’m in, too.
I’m in.
Thanks for the button. I feel so official.
Woo hoo! This is awesome!
We should really have a check-in mid-month to see how everyone’s doing.
Okay, okay. It hurts just thinking about it, which I think means I need to do it. Especially in light of my recent writing hang-ups. Just the thing to get me through my slump.
Deep breath.
I’m in.
In.
well, i did it last year and while i am in a super writing slump right now, this may be just the thing to get me out of it. april is a difficult month filled with the memory of loss and i found it helpful last year to write it out in poetry. okay. i’m in
i am going to give this a shot…
i managed to do the nablopomo last year,
so perhaps
i am still feeling empowered by that.
however.
i’ll give it a shot…
Yes, I am (again) planning to do this — with a bit of difference. I am not promising to *write* a poem a day, but I am promising to post a poem, or a poetry-related note, every day.
finally making it back here…have always wanted to participate in readwritepoem prompts this is a great start…needing to stretch the pen a bit, willing and able… thank you…
I’m in. And I like what someone said, somewhere, that you don’t have to post a poem everyday, just write one. I like the freedom of writing longhand in my journal if I want to, without typing. Of course, those poor ragamuffins rarely see the light of day…
hello all,
i’m in. i’m somewhat stuck in my writing lately, so i’m hoping something as wild as NaPoWriMo will help me find my creative mojo again. =)
thank you!
I’m joining. Maude help me get through it. One of the greatest benefits to being online is community. A few friends have encouraged me and because they think I can do it, I’m willing to try. Now, just where am I officially signing up, again? lol
I’m in… just a freshie in with regards to blogs and all these stuff but i love putting pen to paper once in a while…
I’m brand new to ReadWritePoem, but psyched for the NPM challenge. Count me in!
Oh, I see. I am going to test the water. I’m in!
-bd
I had been thinking about this already, since I need to do something to start being creative again– it’s too easy to go to work (I’m a teacher), come home, take care of my son, and collapse in bed. I didn’t even know there was such a thing as NaPoWriMo, but it’s coming at the perfect time for me. I used to write lots of poetry (and compose music), but haven’t done much since my son was born 2.5 yrs ago.
Bring it on!
I’m enough of a poem nut to try a poem a day in April!
O help! What am I doing? I do have a day job! Maybe I’llstore some on these school hols and then post them one a day to get ahead!
Think I’m desperate!
Gemma
OK! I am in with daily haiga (haiku and photo). Thanks for the prompts and buttons and link love. It’s going to be fun.
Yep, on the eve of it all I’m in again!
I am quite dizzy with anticipation!
Ack! I posted a poem on my blog today! Had I known, I could have saved myself a day of agony!
I’m in.
I started my blog months ago for writing and poetry purposes, (specifically, my ‘own’)…but like many things, my own writing and poetry has gone by the wayside. Hopefully this challenge will force me into getting back what I used to love to do: write poetry! Can I use one that I just wrote and posted a couple of days ago?!
Regular visitors to my blog are only too aware of my feelings on reading and writing poetry. To put it simply, I just don’t get it. So often poems, particularly free verse come over as prose with gaps! And all those rules and disciplines! I’m too much of a free spirit to be tied down
But the I got challenged by UL to write a poem a day during April. So I will. It’s kill or cure time for me! . My work will be asimple, basic and non- conformist, and for that I make no apology. But I have picked up the gauntlett and fully intend running with it, even if it is in the opposite direction!!!
I’m going to do the NaPoWriMo challenge. This will be a great way to get writing more. Either that or I will burn out
ReadWritePoem is a great blog by the way. I think I will visiting a lot this next month!
i’m down. mark me down
daunting but exciting too
can i count this one?
Ok. I’m in - I need this, badly. Writing has been slipping out of my days recently, and NaPoWriMo will be a lovely way to jump start my writing practice again. I will likely be away from the computer for some period of time this month, but will write longhand on those days if I must. So count me in! Thank you all for the inspiration/nudge.
I have burst in on the challenge today with 6 poems on my blog tagged NaProWriMo.
Go back to school next week, so worried I may fall behind.
Aaaaaaaah I am totally mad methinks but love poetry.
Here is a link to one.
Poetic Pieces of Life ~ Handbag
The rest are “connectable” by the same date from here.
Gemma
Sorry! Miscount! I wrote 7 poems today!
YEP! I AM mad!
I’m going to join in even though I probably won’t be able to finish and it’s already April 1st! I will be posting my first poem for NaPoWriMo later today.
I’m participating! After a 3-week absence from writing and blogging do to grad school stuff, I’m ready to get back to writing, and I’m excited to start.
I’m in. I will publish a poem-a-day over at http://poet4kids.blogspot.com.
This is going to be so much fun. Thanks for hosting!
Where do I post the Poem for NAPOWRIMO????? O my on Web site?????
love-bd
My 1st NaPoWriMo poem is here
I tried a Nonet–which I’ve never tried before.
Hi. You can post the poems on your Web site or blog. And with any luck the good people on this list will come by and check out what you’re doing.
I hope to get around to everyone’s blog a few times this month.
Much thank for the info. I did post a poem on my web and will link it here to remind them. How do I back link if that is what I should do?
Sorry I am a real web dummy. Also this is a very bad first attempt. I am so in love with the guy who plays Henry VIII that this is all I could think. I should grow up but don’t want to!
NAPOWRIMO
Sorry I mean think of.
love-bd
This sounds like fun! I’m in.
(Do I need to do anything other than just post my poems on my journal?)
I’m going to try… I’ll probably have to learn something to be able to write 30 poems in 30 days! That makes it worth it, I think!
So I’m gonna give this a try, but it’s not looking good for me so far.
I’m so in and EXCITED for this challenge~!!!
Just what I needed~
[...] currently Mad as a Hatter and will flaunt caution to the wind. I have decided to participate in NaPoWriMo this month. An attempt to write a poem a day for one month. Mr. Vixen thinks I am suffering from a [...]
Joining and rediscovering a side of me lost for the last 20 years or so! I am so excited.
I’m so happy you’re taking the leap this April.
For those who choose to write poems and not post online (write in a journal), that’s fine. Just stop into RWP every now and then to let us know how you’re doing.
My goodness Gemma, you burst in with 7 poems on Fools’ Day? Wow. I see you weren’t kidding me or anyone else for that matter. Kudos! I started mine already too.
So I’ve been a reader/lurker at this site for a good while. Just letting everyone know that I’m one of the Cafe Writing and NaBloPoMo peeps and would love to join the Poetry Challenge since April is National Poetry Month!! Woohoo! I look forward to meeting and reading you all.
The great thing about NaPoWriMo is just how unofficial it is. We do what we want, just how we want to. (We meaning you. We meaning me.)
I know there may be days I can only manage an American Sentence. And it will likely be a really bad sentence at that. That’s okay. I want to write every day, no matter what. That is my only NaPoWriMo goal this year.
And, end of day 1: so far so good.
We don’t have any rules here. Check in as you can, visit others as you can, throw out some ideas, if you can. And just write poetry. That you can!
Is it too late to join in here? I found out about this at the last minute, but managed to get something up both yesterday and today…hoping this challenge will wake up the muse.
It’s never to late to join. Jump in the fray!
I’m in. After three NaNoWriMos, one NaBloPoMo and other stuff that’s fallen out of my mind, I’m going to give this a whirl, too! I guess I post on my blog with a tag? And a link!
i’m late, but in.
thanks for the post and your wonderful site !
I’m a bit late, but I think this is a wonderful idea and will be participating.
hi, here is my second poem for NaPoWriMo…do you think it could be considered a Prose Poem if I reformatted it into a paragraph? I’ve never written a Prose Poem so I have no experience with that.
Late, schmate. I say back-date your post and have at it! Enjoy~
jan, I’m no expert at prose poems, but I think they are dense nuggets, like poetry, that can’t depend on line breaks or enjambment to help set words or imagery off. The words themselves, and the sentance structure have a lot of “work” to do in prose poems. I did post notes once - a while back - about prose poems on my blog. You are welcome to go take a peak.
From a Prose Poetry Fan
But probably the best thing to do is just play around and experiment. (Play being the key concept!)
Day three, so far, so good.
I am participating in NaPoWriMo this year. I am very excited to post a poem a day. Thanks for the support.
Here’s my poem for today (#3). And thanks, Deb, for your comments and reading materials for prose poems. I don’t know if what I wrote here qualifies as such…but perhaps it’s a start?
I’m in. I’ve managed one a day so far. last year was my first year but I didn’t quite make it all the way. It’s an excellent way of generating poems.
Hello to everyone. I’ve posted a poem a day, and hope I can keep up the momentum. What a great idea. Count me in!
Well, I was feeling very grumpy today and nearly decided to cheat and post something from the archives. I decided to feed off my mood instead, so i’m still on track!
Oooh great idea!- 6 days late, but I’m still going to try!
So far so good; I have been on track; keeping fingers crossed
;
I’m in.
You’re not even asking us to get up at 3:15 a.m. hey hey…
Late, but I’ve written a few already the last few days ….
well, i’m moving right along with NaPoWriMo…I’ve just published poem number 10…which means I’m 2 days ahead. Amazing, when just a day or 2 ago I was having writer’s block!