the new read write poem — bigger and better
by the Read Write Poem Staff
Hello again, everyone! This is our second post about the new Read Write Poem site, which we’re aiming to launch July 31 — just three days from now!
One thing we should mention is that there will be some downtime as we move all the information to the new site and get it up an running. In the next couple of days, we’ll give you more details about exactly when to expect that downtime.
But for now, would you like a sneak peek of the new features you will see on the site after we launch? We thought so. Here’s the rundown:
Profile pages
These pages will replace the list of participants that we have been manually updating on the site. Now, you will be able to create your own profile page in a matter of minutes. Your profile will include not only your website, but also a photo, information about you, what type of poetry you like to read, and links to other places participants can find you online, such as Facebook, Identi.ca and Twitter.
A personal news wire
The wire is associated with your profile and will allow you to post status messages, short poems, announcements about publications, poetry news and the like. You can use this feed to share just about anything poetry-related — and even things that aren’t poetry-related.
Forums
We will offer several forums on the new site, where participants can discuss poetry, share poetry news, post calls for submissions, connect with one another for collaborative projects and more. If it’s poetry-related, you can discuss it on the forums.
Critique forums
We have created a special group of poetry-sharing and critique forums, with designations for different levels of sharing and critique. This is our first foray into critique, and we wanted to offer it as an option for our participants who might love sharing work written to each week’s prompt, but who also want others to dig into their work a little more. We believe the critique forums will be quite popular, based on the results of our recent poll asking what functionality participants want to see on the new site.
Groups
Hooray for groups! We are thrilled to offer this feature, which is a way for participants to connect with those who have similar interests in poetry. Do you love prose poetry? There’s a group for that. How about formal poetry? There’s a group for that as well. And if you don’t see your groups listed among all the choices offered, you can start your own group. Each group has its own wire for group-related news. Some groups will have forums associated with them, so you will have even more ways to communicate with group members.
Private messaging
We know from our recent poll that this isn’t the most anticipated function on the new site. But it comes bundled with all our other new features, so you’re getting it.  No worries, though. You can forward Read Write Poem messages to your personal email account so you don’t have to check two sites.
Friending
You will be able to friend people on the new site. Friending someone allows you to email one another and see each other’s wires. It will also help us keep track of one another as the site grows.
Subblogs
This is one of the features of the new site that we are most excited about. The feature won’t be available at launch; we are hoping to roll it out by the end of the year. We will offer a handful of blogs linked to the main site that provide more content on specific types of poetry and poetry interests. We will keep you in the loop on this feature as it evolves.
Now, if you have read through all of these fantastic features, and it’s just not what you want — no worries. We strongly encourage participants to become members and take advantage of any and all of these ways to engage with the community. But it’s completely and totally optional.
Even without becoming a member, you can still read and respond to all the content we will be sharing on the main site, as well as participating in our Read Write Prompts. Just remember: Getting an account is free, and it’s easy. Why not explore everything the community has to offer?
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get the read write poem badge! 
Wear it loud, wear it proud! Display the Read Write Poem badge on your site. Just click here or on the image above to get the code! read write poem news- yes, yes, here’s another virtual book tour stop for ‘a walk through the memory palace’
February 6, 2010 | 11:37 amFind the latest tour stop for Pamela Johnson Parker’s debut collection, A Walk Through the Memory Palace at Jillypoet, Jill Crammond Wickham’s blog, where you can find an interview with Pamela that discusses how she creates manuscripts.
Previous stops include Daniel Romo at his blog, Peyote Soliloquies and James Brush at his blog, Coyote Mercury.
You can find all our plans for the tour here.
- the best of the web is in our ranks
February 6, 2010 | 11:35 amSarah J. Sloat’s poem,”Attending the Tasting” (published in The Literary Bohemian) has been selected for Best of the Web 2010. Congratulations, Sarah!
- another (w00t!) read write poem member on the joe milford poetry show
February 6, 2010 | 11:34 amOn the Joe Milford Poetry Show tomorrow (Feb. 6): W.F. Roby at 9 AM (PST). Find the show here!
Joe describes Will as a “great language poet and bad-ass.”
- ‘literary podcasting made simple with wordpress.com’
February 6, 2010 | 11:33 amDave Bonta has published a how-to article that might be of interest to WordPress users: “Literary Podcasting Made Simple with WordPress.com,” based on his and Beth Adams’ experience at Qarrtsiluni.
Thanks, Dave, for continuing to help make the community aware of technological resources that can expand our art.
- the latest (virtual) book tour stop for ‘a walk through the memory palace’
February 3, 2010 | 3:53 pmThe latest tour stop has been posted for Pamela Johnson Parker’s debut collection, A Walk Through the Memory Palace. Find out how Daniel Romo responded to the work at his blog, Peyote Soliloquies.
James Brush provided our first tour stop at his blog, Coyote Mercury.
You can find all our plans for the tour here.
- planning for napowrimo in april, and you are invited!
February 2, 2010 | 6:12 pmHello, hello dear Read Write Poem community members! We are in the planning stages for NaPoWriMo. (What? Is that a groan I hear, or an excited exclamation?)
We are planning another prompt-every-day for those folks who love to write a daily poem in April (which is, as most of you know, National Poetry Month in the United States — although there is an international following of writing poetry every day in April, too, so it is not just about the States).
Anyway! This is a call for prompts because we want to run your ideas, one every day, in April. So here’s what to do:
- Prompts must be no more than 250 words, and we will take the first 30 that we receive.
- Include “NaPoWriMo Prompt” in the subject line of your email as well as your username (e.g., the name you use when you log in) so we can match you up with your prompt and give you the link love.
- Email your submission (in the body of the email — no attachments please) to prompts (at) readwritepoem (dot) org!
We’ll let you know when we’ve got the 30, but don’t delay because it takes a lot of time to format the posts and we want to be ready come April Fools’ Day. Woohoo!
- new senior contributors at read write poem
February 2, 2010 | 11:51 amWe are thrilled to announce that Ren Powell and Dave Jarecki are moving into the senior contributor role at Read Write Poem. Both have been writing feverishly for the site, as well as providing ideas for content and for the community as a whole. In short, they make this site a more lively, and better, place.
Ren and Dave will fill the roles vacated by Carolee Sherwood and Jill Crammond Wickham, who have moved into the manager role.
Everyone please thank Ren and Dave for their hard work and commitment to Read Write Poem.
- rounding out the virtual book tour of sarah j. sloat’s ‘in the voice of a minor saint’
January 31, 2010 | 1:53 pmOur last stop on the Virtual Book Tour of Sarah J. Sloat’s In the Voice of a Minor Saint is with Ren Powell. Find Ren’s review at More Babel.
Joseph Harker provided our first stop in December, and you can find David Moolten’s review at Edible Detritus. David’s was followed by Dave Jarecki’s. Dave’s review is at his blog. Find Jill Crammond Wickham’s at Jillypoet: Mom Trying to Write.
In case you missed the introduction, we are (virtually) hosting Sarah J. Sloat’s In the Voice of a Minor Saint. For complete tour information, such as how you can get your own copy of the collection or how you can get involved in future tours, read this post.
- make your own book: get off the computer and onto the paper
January 30, 2010 | 4:19 pmBeth Adams has posted her latest project at The Cassandra Pages. “A Handmade Book” may not explicate all the details of bookbinding, but Beth shows readers the “Secret Belgian Binding.” It’s a beautiful as well as inspiring post.
If you would like more detailed instructions, Google “secret Belgian bookbinding” and find sites such as this one. Or look for a local book arts class for hands-on instruction.
As Beth says, ” … it did me good to get away from the computer and feel my hands at work!”
 Archive for read write poem news »
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This is going to be so much fun!
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Nathan, I can’t wait until it’s set up and we can all breathe a little.
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Dana, I have a post with links about “How to Critique a Poem” — please feel free to steal:
How to Critique a Poem
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Cool, Sharon. We’ll take a look at that. We have some information we’ve pulled together, but more is always better. Thank you!
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How cool! You guys are amazing. What fun this will be.
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Kimberlee, we hope you like it. It’s a big change, but we think it will be great.
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Someone’s going to have a lot of work to do. But it does look like a destination site and not just a roadside attraction.
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This sounds fabulous. You mention becoming a member, but I’m not sure how to do that. Have I missed something?
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Oh, I think I get it. Just join in, right?
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Barbara, yes, we hope people will make it their destination for all things poetry.
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Right Richard. When you see the new site you’ll be able to sign up and sign in easily.
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[...] We now have participant profile pages, groups, forums, personal messaging, personal and group newswires — and other fun features that will allow you to get involved in Read Write Poem in new and creative ways. For a summary of the new features, check out this post. [...]
it is wonderful to see the site unfold, growing spreading the blog wings… looking forward to participating…
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[...] Facebook for Poetry August 4th, 2009 admin Leave a comment Go to comments ReadWritePoem was a multiuser poetry blog until July 31, when it turned into a social network for poetry with forums, groups, subblogs and more. [...]
[...] Facebook for Poetry August 4th, 2009 admin Leave a comment Go to comments ReadWritePoem was a multiuser poetry blog until July 31, when it turned into a social network for poetry with forums, groups, subblogs and more. [...]