Want to organize your poetry unit in terms of actually writing poetry? This can be a fun challenge, and enlightening!
That’s why we published How to Write a Poem: Based on the Billy Collins Poem “Introduction to Poetry.” It’s got everything you need for a poetry unit based on writing—from how to get started to the best revision process; sample poems in categories like Imagery, Mystery, Sound, Line Breaks; and intriguing poetry prompts.
What Teachers Are Saying
“For years I’ve searched for a poetry-writing text that provides enough substance without the inevitable overload of content I’ll never cover. Now my search is complete. The companion to her insightful and accessible How to Read a Poem (and written in the same inviting tone), Tania Runyan’s How to Write a Poem contains three essential elements I’ve yet to find in one poetry-writing text: generous and informed instruction, dozens of compelling example poems, and rich and plentiful exercises that avoid tricks and gimmicks. Any poetry-writing teacher would do well to assign this text. Any writer would do well to draft and revise poems based upon these prompts.”
—Nathaniel L. Hansen; Assistant Professor of English & Creative Writing, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor; Director, Windhover Writers’ Festival
“How To Write A Poem is a classroom must-have. Through a selection of evocative poetry and a series of accessible exercises, Runyan shows readers how to gather ideas, choose words, strengthen imagery and sound, and she models each of these skills as she writes alongside her readers. This is compassionate, beautiful writing that invites us into the world of poems.”
—Callie Feyen, Middle School Teacher, Maryland