The Author Explains His Poem, To Touch The Pain, A Poem Of The Healer

My Poem, To Touch the Pain, A Poem of the Healer, is found on page 11 of my book Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.

I wrote this poem for those who seek freedom from the burdens of their inner pain and to point them to The Lord who is the master physician of hurting hearts.

TITLE

I gave it the title, To Touch the Pain, with some reservation because A person may not want to be reminded of their pain. The subtitle takes us from pain to the Healer.

STRUCTURE

This poem is 21 lines long and most are three and four syllables, except for lines 12 through 16, where a new rhythm makes the main point of the poem stand out

The poem does not have much in the way of illustration but opens with a metaphor for pain.

"You have known pain
For so long
It has now fused
To your soul
Like hardened iron."

I did not want to belittle the pain anyone feels, but to acknowledge it.

The 21st line makes a concluding point and that line is given effect by being six syllables long.

    TO TOUCH THE PAIN,

    A Poem of the Healer

    You have known pain

    For so long

    It has now fused 

    To your soul 

    Like hardened iron.

    Its weight breaks you,

Illustration for the poem, To Touch The Pain,
A Poem of The Healer
© 2018 By A.E. Dozat

    And you need

    To be made whole.

    This pain is deep,

    Unending and dire.

    You are willing

    To try any cure,

    Make any sacrifice,

    And pay any price; 

    Why not

    Consider God?

    If you reach for Him

    You will find 

    He is willing,

    And you will learn

    That to touch Him

    Will begin

    Your healing.

MEANING
This poem is simple. It describes the struggle with pain, then asks that since you are willing to do anything for relief "Why not consider God?"  It encourages you to reach out to God because you will find that He is willing to begin your healing.

ILLUSTRATION

The illustration is a pen drawing of a road that leads across on a rocky desert landscape. In the middle ground is a cross.

This poem, like many in the book, will inspire people to be open to God's healing and working in their lives. I hope that when a person is ready to deal with their pain that they consider the comfort and healing from a source that was rejected before, and look to God.

The footnote is a Bible verse, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-29, NIV

You can read this poem on page 11 of the book. 

To read a review CLICK HERE.

© A.E. Dozat 4/8/18

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The Author Explains The Meaning of His Poem, Its Power Never Ends

The Poem, It's Power Never Ends, A Poem about the Source, is on page 10 of my Book of Poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.

This is a poem of rational hope, a hope that is founded on an intelligent belief in God's active mercy in our lives.  It is my vision that this poem will inspire others to a deeper hope in God during their difficult times..

TITLE
I wanted the title to grab the reader's attention immediately. It makes you wonder what the "It" is, and what the "Power" is.

The subtitle, A Poem about the Source, is to deepen the reader's curiosity. You assume that this fundamental something that is powerful eternally.

Illustration for the poem
Its Power Never Ends, A Poem of The Source
From the Book
Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy
© 2018 By A.E. Dozat

STRUCTURE
This poem is 29 lines long and forms eight sentences. The overall tone is direct like a 98-word sermon. I did not use metaphor and imagery. The lines are short, some have only one or two words. Most lines are four five or six syllables with very few rhythms. There are two halves; the first half makes a statement and the second half expands the statement.

WHAT IT SAYS
This poem makes its point early in line five that the poem is about hope.
The next three phrases began to expound on hope...
"Hope is as strong or
As weak as
Who your hope is in."
It points out that we should not blindly hope in hope, but we must hope in God who is not only able to meet all of our needs for deliverance He is divinely worthy of our faith.
Lines 12 through 14 points out that we must clearly define who or what our hope is in. The poem ends like a Psalm where God is declared worthy of our hope.

ILLUSTRATION
Most of the book's illustrations have a road going through the dark lands. In this illustration, the road winds around a hill with an empty tomb representing lines 20-21.

SCRIPTURE
The footnote is the verse from 1 Corinthians, "Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love". 1 Corinthians 13:13, NLT

This poem is a valuable statement that we can have hope. Reading it will strengthen those who need reassurance that God is worthy of their hope.

You can read this poem on page 10 of the book. 

© Adron 4/8/18

The Author Explains the Meaning of the Poem, His Place.

His Place, A Poem of Renewal, is found on page 9 of my book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.

I wrote this poem to inspire people that in the trauma of difficulties we can find peace in God but we must seek Him.

To get it through Amazon CLICK HERE.

TITLE
This is one of the more simple and obvious titles. The phrase, His Place, directs us to look to The Lord. Of course, Place is not a physical location but a spiritual one.

The subtitle, A Poem of Renewal, is very important because that when we spend time with The Lord we are renewed and able to live in the world victoriously.

Illustration for the Poem His Place
from the Book, Beyond These Dark Lands,
are Edges of Joy, Words of Comfort and Hope.
© 2018 By A.E. Dozat

STRUCTURE
The poem is 21 lines long and forms eight sentences; almost every line is five syllables long. The tone of admonition goes throughout the poem. It begins with an imperative in line one, you must find that place..., in line eight, you must be faithful...,  in line nine, go there...,  and in line 14 neglect not...

The fourth line describes the place, it is a silent place... and God waits...

The poem turns from describing this spiritual place to the blessing we find there, the blessing of Him... that is from being in God's presence.

The last five lines are hopeful with and emphatic. In line 19 the words you will... is not a command but a result of being in the presence of the Lord. The poem ends with a positive declaration; you will carry His light...

WHAT IT MEANS
We must be devoted to finding God, even in difficult times. If by faith we meet with Him we will carry His peace through our day.

ILLUSTRATION
The picture I drew for this is a path leading up the side of a hill where a bench sits on an outcrop of rock that overlooks the landscape below. It is an attempt to illustrate a quiet place where we might meet with the Lord.

SCRIPTURE
The footnote for the page is the scripture reference of Exodus 34:35, “The people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining.” It is about the time when Moses met with God on the mountain and his face was full of the brightness of having been in communion with God.

You can read this poem on page 9 of the book. If you would like to read a sample poem choose the link below for the website.

Beyond These Dark Lands 
Are Edges of Joy,
Words of Comfort and Hope
Poems by A.E. Dozat © 2018

If you are in need of encouragement or know someone who does you should order a copy today, you will glad you did.

To purchase through Amazon CLICK HERE. 

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For large orders or digital downloads follow this link to TheBookPatch, my print on demand partner.

To find out more and read a sample poem visit my website, A.E. Dozat.com.

To read a review CLICK HERE.

© Adron 3/19/18

Can Poetry Be Used By God To Minister To Someone Who Is Discouraged?

Can God use my book of poems in somebody's life to make a difference?

GOD IS A BIG PART OF MY LIFE
God is a big part of my book of poems. I felt that the commission to write it came from Him. I was working on another collection of poems last year but felt that The Lord wanted me to do this one instead. I know a lot of people say God told them to do this or that and when it is done you really wonder why, so I approached this with great care and reverence.

As a person of faith, I feel that God must be part of everything I do. He is not just a part or afterthought but the directing energy that leads and empowers me. To do something for God in your own wisdom, or strength is not doing something for God, it is doing something for yourself; so I sought God for every word and each step in writing this book of poems.

THIS BOOK HAS QUALIFIED POTENTIAL
This book has a unique potential to be used by God.

• I drew on my experiences knowledge and the wisdom gained from following the Lord for over forty years. 
• I did research to maintain healthy and doctrinally correct content.
• I even withdrew some pieces that were not sound according to discussions I had with licensed professional counselors. 
• A friend who teaches counseling at a seminary reviewed it and I made further changes.
• Over the last year, I made many revisions to keep the message clear.

RELIANCE ON GOD
More importantly, I relied on The Lord for guidance through much prayer and searching His Word, the Bible, daily. I constantly returned to Him to seek His leading and even His censure. I listened to his "still small voice" in times of meditation and reflection.

JUST THE BEGINNING
I feel this book is in accord with God as He revealed Himself in the Bible. I've written it in a spirit of humility and obedience and believe it is something that He will use. Of course, He is God the All-powerful but He is also God the All-holy and He will not partner with sin, rebellion or foolishness but will use that which is lowly and humble.

GOD'S WORD
Every poem features a Bible verse that encourages or points to The Lord and His Christ. Putting Bible verses in the book was not a ploy or marketing hook but an expression of faith and honor to God, who said, "My word will not come back void but will accomplish that which I please." (Isaiah 55:11).

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE
God through Christ is the answer to our pain, guilt, and emptiness. I finished the book with an explanation of how to come to Christ, who by his atoning death and resurrection is the source of peace and hope for each one of us.

HOW GOD MAY USE THIS BOOK

• A friend may give it to someone who is going through a difficult time and the words of comfort may speak to their heart.
• A pastor may share it during hospital or hospice visitation, after conducting a funeral or counseling someone experiencing loss or grief.
• Copies may be placed in the lobby of a house of worship, funeral parlor, counseling center or any place of faith or service. 
• A copy might be mailed to a friend or loved one who is going through a hard time.
• It could be available in retreat centers and a person in a season of reflection may read it and hear God whisper comfort to them.
• Missionaries doing work among the poor or homeless may find it useful as a way to begin conversations.
• First responders and disaster relief counselors may find it helpful to give to victims of a natural or personal disaster.

When a person receives this book they may not then be ready to receive comfort or be open to the Lord at that moment, but it will be there when they are ready by God's spirit to read this and turn to Him in faith.

If you or anyone you know feels that you need God to speak comfort and light the way to hope in your life then pick up a copy of this book, He may use it in your heart.

(c) Adron (c) Adron 3/2/18

What is it like to finally get the book you wrote in your hand for the first time?

After working over a year on writing, organizing, revising and illustrating my book I opened up the mailbox, and there it was at last; a priority envelope with a copy of my work, BEYOND THESE DARK LANDS ARE EDGES OF JOY, WORDS OF COMFORT AND HOPE, my Collection of poems. 

On the inside, I am dancing for joy. 

I went upstairs to my desk and opened the packaging. The book looked beautiful and just the way I hoped it would be. I sat down and looked at the illustrations I made for it and was very happy with the drawings. I was able to open the book and sit in a chair and read it for the first time as an audience and not as a wordsmith full of doubts and second guesses. It was a time of sweetness and pure indulgence, it was the only worthy way to reward my work. 

The printing company, The Book Patch, did a nice job, I was afraid it would be an inferior job or second-rate, but not at all. They took my work and produced a book that would stand with pride on the bookshelf at any store. I am eager to show it to all my friends. 

I am immediately aware of the many people who helped me along the way; without their help, I would

Holding My Book
 At Last!

not have been able to accomplish this task. I am very grateful for their help and encouragement. 

But this is not the end of the road because as hard as it was to write the book I am beginning to understand that promoting and marketing it is much harder. 

Obviously, I have the blog and the Facebook page, and a website under development. But I am beginning to see that getting my book of poems to market may be the harder part of the enterprise.

I've been thinking of this project as a piece of creativity and an expression of my devotion to God and service to others. Now I have to think of this book as a product or a piece of inventory and myself not as an author but as its marketing agent. In fact, if someone were to ask me I would not say I am a poet or writer, I would say that I am a publisher in a niche market.

So the moment of elation is over. Now I am going to go and write a business plan.

(c) Adron 2/28/18

What Is My Purpose For This Collection Of Poetry?

I have written poetry since elementary school. I love the art form, and the way poetry can say something in a meaningful way. For some people poetry is cathartic, a method of therapy, self-discovery, a way to vent, for others it is a powerful tool for communication.  For me, it is some of that but something more.

GOD SAID, DONT WRITE THAT ONE (FOR NOW)
When I started this project I was already working on another one but felt that God was calling me to turn from it and build this collection, instead.

GOD SAID, WRITE THIS FOR NOW
I was sitting in church and listening to the pastor preach and I don't remember what he was preaching about but somehow I began to think about all the hurting people in this world. I believe that my writing is a way to help others. Maybe my poems will help them take a step forward or maybe my poems will inspire them to keep on going and not give up. Maybe my poems might give hope to someone who feels they are at the end of their rope.

THE VISION (I mean that metaphorically- I am a poet)
This book of poems might reach someone who would never go inside a church or see a counselor. A concerned friend might share it with someone who is going through a loss or hurt. A pastor might leave it after praying with someone over a tragedy and they can read it when they are ready. It might be in the lobby of a house of worship and a person with a secret pain might pick it up when no one is looking and later in quietness find comfort and hope.

GOD GIVES US DREAMS
I always wrote poetry and always dreamed of publishing a book. I believe God puts dreams in our hearts to help guide us. Of course, the primary way He reveals His will is through His Word the Bible. From the Scriptures, I know His will is for us to share the Gospel and be His witness. So balancing the scriptures and my dream to publish my poetry I wrote this book of poems for those who are hurting and struggling with the deepest hurts and losses in life. In this book are words to comfort and hope to people. It is not another book of cheap overused platitudes, nice sayings or vague nonsense but offers hope that is thoughtful and substantial. I wanted the meanings to be easily found but leave you with much to think about while pointing to the God of all Comfort and His Christ.

THE GOOD NEWS
This book concludes with an appendix which is a three-page explanation of the Gospel of God's love and His Son's sacrifice to pay for our sins. I hope that the poems and scriptures will be used by God's Spirit to prepare a person's heart so that when they read through to the end and they will learn how they can have hope in Christ.

(c) Adron 2/25/18

Should my Book of Poetry have a Theme?

Should I arrange my book of poetry with a theme, or should I just put a random bunch of my poems into a collection? I thought about it a lot before starting this project. Many questions came to my mind such as, would a collection based on a theme be pretentious or insincere?  Would working within a theme cause my writing to be forced and not as good as I would like it to be? Would it compromise my focus?

NO THEME?
It is easy to just randomly put a bunch of your favorite poems into a collection and title it something. I suppose there are times where that is O.K. Maybe random poems can be the theme of your book. A collection of favorites might not have a theme and might be fine.

PROS
There are a lot of good reasons to work within a theme.

• A theme will give the collection unity and the reader will have expectations as they travel through the collection.
• A theme will give it a place in the market.
• A theme makes it easier to explain what the collection is all about.
• A theme will help the reader know what to expect.
• A theme will give the collection structure.
• A theme is more engaging and offers the chance to explore a subject in diverse ways.

CONS
There are reasons to not give the collection a theme.

• You may run out of interest or inspiration.
• A themed collection requires more commitment.
• The subject of the theme may require a lot of research.
• Whenever you have inspiration you can write without worrying if it fits the theme.
• You need to know the subject well or your collection will be laughable.
• You might get done and wish you had chosen a different theme.
• You might never get done.
• Everybody is writing about the same theme.
• Maybe no one is interested in the theme you choose to write about.

YES
After giving it much thought I choose to base this collection on a theme. I felt passionate about the theme of God's comfort.  There are a lot of hurting people in the world, people whom God loves. I believe we should use our gifts and talents for good whenever we have the opportunity. So, I chose to make this collection about comfort and hope in God during times of personal darkness.

Time may judge my wisdom.


If you would like to read a sample poem choose the link below for the website.

(c) Adron 2/17/18

Learning How to Put Illustrations Into The Pages Of My Book Of Poems, Using Word.

For my book of poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy, I drew about 100 individual illustrations, one for each poem. I had no idea what I was getting into!

I wanted the illustrations to fill the page and be behind the poems. At first, I thought I would use Word and open the shape feature on the insert tab in the toolbar, then use "fill" to insert the picture behind the text. That worked ok but since the illustrations were ink drawings and therefore black the words got too hard to read and the picture had what looked like a lot of black smudges making a rough rectangle where the poem was. I tried to add a layer with another shape to block out or fade the illustration just behind the words but lost too much of the image.

I next tried to open a shape and place it somewhere on the page to the right of the poem, since most of my poems are like a column there was room on most pages. The image on some pages looked ok but on many, they lost effect or some area of the picture that was important was too small to appreciate.

So as I did each page I went back into my picture files and used photo gallery to crop, (after making copies of the original) so the smaller picture would still be effective. Each picture fit nicely on the page though some were disappointingly small. I liked how it was not a poem in a picture but a picture illustrating a poem.

The insert shape feature on my toolbar offers many shapes and I thought it would be nice if some were round, others square, and a few rectangles. I did not like how inconsistent it looked like someone couldn't make up their mind and it seemed amateurish. So I redid each page with the illustrations as a circle. Again, I lost some of the edges of some images and had to return to cropping, and since my illustrations were originally a rectangle to insert them into a circle caused Word to distort the image. I went back to every image and cropped again into a square so the picture would not be distorted when I inserted it.

It was starting to look good.

I was afraid that the outside edge of some of the drawings would get lost because they went beyond the page margin. I was not happy with guessing where the margins were on each page even though I set the margins. There is a "View" feature on the toolbar and I found one of the pulldowns was a grid. I used the grid and found it lined up with the margins. Using this grid I could place the images within the margins of the page. The grid took away the guesswork. The grid helped me to make sure each image was the same distance from the poem, the page bottom, and the outer margin, so there was consistency.

It was a lot of work and took about 60 hours of my time over two weeks, but after spending three months drawing the pictures I was not going to quit.

As I review I know there may be a little tweaking here and there but I feel the book is becoming a product I will be proud of.

If you would like to read a sample poem choose the link below for the website.

(c) Adron 2/7/18

What Happens When Your Finish Illustrating Your Book Of Poems?

I've spent the last three or four months illustrating my book of poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy.

I am relieved to have finished the last drawing. These illustrations are all black line drawings. Each drawing took about six hours and had at least three drafts. I used multiple techniques to create them while trying to maintain a consistent style across all the pictures. I am happy with my work even though a couple may need further revision.

It was harder to draw the illustrations than writing the poems. It was harder because I wanted to balance each poem with its illustration; then to have each illustration share a theme throughout the book. So I drew a road in almost every picture. It is a road in which the reader travels through this land. I was afraid that there would be too much of the same thing and that all the pictures would look like the same road scene, so I spent a lot of time looking at pictures getting ideas.

So my question is now that I've finished the drawings what do I do next? Do I scan them into my computer or download a photo image from my camera?  Do I save them into PDF format and then cut and paste them into the manuscript? Do I format the manuscript into PDF for the printer first and merge the drawings in somehow? I'm working in Microsoft Word, (I know it is primitive when there are better publisher products out there, but I am poor), so I cannot edit PDF files. I think I will scan them into my computer then cut and paste the drawings into the Word doc and then convert the entire manuscript into a PFD for the printer.

I did a test on one page and I am really happy with how it looks.

(c) Adron 1/25/18

How Many Friends Should Preview My Book of Poetry Before I Publish It?

I have worked hard on putting together a collection of Poems for my book, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy.  I want my hard work to show and for my readers to be blessed by it without being distracted by errors.

Sometimes a person gets so involved with a project and so close to it that they cannot see everything objectively. I sometimes get so romantic about my work that I do not see any problems and assume everyone understands what I am saying. So I have asked some friends to review the project to catch any issues and advise me.

To have some friends read my poems and give me feedback is not as easy as it sounds.

• First, my friends are very busy people; they are all professionals in one way or another, so I am a little reluctant to impose on them. 
• Second, would relationships be strained? What if someone was afraid to make an honest criticism? Would they begin to avoid me, and would I have injured that friendship? 
• Also, who should I ask? I can't ask everyone, so what if someone I did not ask feels left out and hurt?  
• I will need to give them copies, but printing costs money and even though I do not expect to make money on the collection of poems I do not want to go broke publishing it either.
• What if I asked so many people I later couldn't remember who? 
• What if I gave a copy of my work to some well-meaning friend and they misplaced it? That could cause problems with copyright and ownership later on. 

I settled on five friends who I respect for their deep faith in God. These friends are very educated, sophisticated and intelligent people. I am confident in their opinion. Five seemed to be a good number since I could afford to print five copies. I could easily remember who has copies of my work.

Four have responded. The fifth is overwhelmed with work, so I do not expect a response soon, but I anticipated this would happen to at least one. Those who have responded so far have had words of praise and encouragement. Few have given me a suggestion or two which I accepted and seek to incorporate into the project.

I will be sending this to the printer in a few weeks and feel more confident in the project now because of the help of my friends for which I am very grateful.

I do not know if five is the number of friends I would use in every case and for each book of poems I write. Next year I might feel more comfortable with ten or just two, but I think for me five reviewers is working out very nicely.

If you would like to read a sample poem choose the link below for the website.

(c) Adron 1/15/18

How Hard Is It To Draw 100 Illustrations For A Book?

I have decided to illustrate my collection of Poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy. I thought this would be easy; it is just drawing, so how hard can it illustrate a book of poems?

I started two months ago, and I have been working daily on it, so one would think I would be done by now. The good news is that I have just a few dozen left to draw. Of the hundred-page manuscript, about 94 are actual poems that need illustrations.

A GOAL
I could have approached the task in several ways. Having a goal helps, and my goal is to average one a day. Focusing on an average frees me from the stress of feeling like I failed my goal one day. Some days I can do two illustrations to make up for a missed day.

PLANNING
For me, planning helps. I plan a week ahead and decide seven to draw and do a quick sketch for each. These drawings are speedy and look like a child's scribbles. Having the ideas rough sketched gives me a head start each day.  This brainstorming session means the ideas are already expressed, which is a big boost to starting each day.

IT IS A LOT OF WORK
My drawing method uses a light-box. The light shines through, enabling me to trace my drawings over and over until they are right. I know that each illustration will need to be redrawn two, three, or more times; I accept this process and can't get upset if, after I have drawn a picture, I see a way to improve on it and need to redraw it again. This means I am doing over three hundred drawings to have a finished book that is visually appealing.

I work a regular full-time job, so I have limited time. After I get home and have time with the family and dinner, I say to myself, "Ok, time to go to work," and I go upstairs to my second job of drawing pictures for the book. I work from 7:00 pm until bedtime.

PAPER TO DIGITAL
Once each picture is done, I scan it to the computer and look at it again. When I review work in a different medium or format, I see problems or find where it can be improved. Usually, it is minor adjustments by this time, and I can easily use the computer to fix a little problem.

I put the drawing into a digital mock page in Word to see how it might look when printed, and I hold my breath. Some needed major changes at this point, and on occasion, I had to draw a new version, but most have been OK.

YOU SAY FUN?
You might say, "Oh, you are having so much fun! You are doing something you like when you take pictures for the book."  Yes and no, I am having fun, and I am not. When a hobby becomes a serious endeavor, it is work, and work is hard, but when I finish a picture, and it is the way I want it to look, I feel glad for the accomplishment.

I am excited about how it is all shaping up, and I look forward to this collection of poems being an encouragement to many.

If you would like to read a sample poem, choose the link below for the website.

(c) Adron 12/19/17

What Happened When a Psychology Professor Read My Poems

My collection of poems, Through These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, is intended to encourage and give hope to people going through dark and difficult times but it can be seen as advice or counsel which I am not qualified to give. I was concerned that my poems may fall short of the goal of encouragement or that what I consider to be good, and hopeful, sentiment may be bad advice and inappropriate.

Fortunately, I have a professional friend who teaches psychology at a Seminary. I asked him if he would be willing to read them over and alert me if in his professional opinion anything I wrote was some kind of bad advice.

He said he would be glad to look them over but he was very busy with his practice and teaching three classes at the seminary so it would be a while before he could get to it.

I was afraid that this might be one of those things that comes between friends and makes things awkward. I was anxious to get his thoughts but I was afraid to ask him every time I saw him. Occasionally he would say that he had not forgotten but that that the pressures on his time were great and I would reassure him that I was not in a hurry for his observations.

I was surprised on Friday when he gave back the manuscript. At first, I thought that he was unable to review the work, but instead, he said that he made time in his busy schedule to look them over and had no concerns about the content of the writing. I do not want to put words in his mouth but he was generally positive and encouraging.  He said he found it to be very hopeful and he was looking forward to seeing it published.

He had only a few observations about the structure of the manuscript and made some minor suggestions about style, like a word in a title, and that I should include a table of contents.

I was very reassured by his encouragement and extremely grateful for it.

(c) Adron 11/12/17

Should I Illustrate My Book Of Poems?

I like to draw and paint so friends know me as an artist and I wonder if I should illustrate my book of poems. Will it enhance my book or subtract from it?

MAYBE NOT
My first thought is that poets who illustrate their own work are seen as amateur and juvenile. It is the kind of thing that a kid in middle school does.

When someone opens a book of poetry and it is only words then they must focus on the words; illustrations can be a distraction and alter the reader's interpretation of the poem unless the statement of the poem is so clear that it begs its own point.

If the illustrations are poor quality or badly done then the effect will prevent the reader from appreciating the writing.

BUT MAYBE
In the world of self-publishing poetry, there are mountains of books published every year so the challenge is to stand out from the crowd. Perhaps tasteful and quality artwork can give the book a broader appeal.

NICHE
When you see a book of illustrated poetry you think it is a gift volume, the kind that is in the gift card aisle of the grocery store or sold at craft shows and indi-book-conventions.

In this modern world niche is everything. It is how you market and where you find your identity, so maybe illustrating the collection might give me a place in a nitch.

DO I WANT TO DO ALL THAT WORK?
I have about 85 poems in the collection. To create passable illustrations would take about ten hours each, which would mean working full time for two months.  Instead, I could design a few and cycle them over and over throughout the book, or do something generic and put the same one on each page and then only need to create a few.

WILL I EVER BE DONE?
If I do illustrate it, even in part, then I am afraid that it will push back the release and publication even more.

Since I envision my book as something that people would give to friends who are feeling down I think it would be best to enhance the gift book nature of it. That means I will probably draw some illustrations.

(c) Adron 10/12/17

How Many Poems Is The Right Number For This Book?

I feel that long books of poetry and such writings are lost on the modern reader who typically is impatient and has a short attention span. So I do not think that I want to put out a large collection of poems, but how many is the right number for this collection?

FORTY IS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER
I first set the number of poems for my collection, Through These Dark Lands Are Edges Of Joy, at forty or so pieces. I like the number forty, it is all over the Bible. Forty poems give about twenty to thirty minutes of reading and I thought the message of encouragement could be easily conveyed within that scope.

CHAPBOOK
My format was to be a chapbook, which is by definition a small collection of poetry, twenty-five to thirty-five poems (about forty pages) so forty short poems would push the upper range but I could still call it a chapbook.

I went through my collection of unpublished works and found a little more than forty so I figured fifty wasn't much more and could still work; it would be too big to call a chapbook but could work as a small collection.

MORE CAME TO ME
As I was polishing the fifty or so I felt inspirations to add in a couple more. Additionally, in my daily Bible reading I got some ideas for a few more that I thought would easily fit in the collection.

Well, sometimes one thing spins off into another because a sentence or phrase is not right for that piece but it is too good to throw away, so a few more came into being.

Then I had about sixty-five poems.

RESEARCH
I am not an expert on the subject, so I looked around for books about going through hard experiences since I did not want to make someone feel worse than they already did, which sometimes happens.  Some of the books said some really powerful things that I did not consider- which means I added a few more poems.

DONE?
A few weeks ago I called it done. I had worked on the collection for about nine months and I had about 92 poems and thought it was getting way too big. I was eager to finish it up, so I got some help with editing and started to make the final adjustments to the manuscript. Someone suggested the collection was too dark for my purpose of being an encouragement, so I did some "tweaking" and had a couple of ideas for a few more poems to finish the collection with an upbeat feel.

It was now at about 99 pages including the usual stuff at the beginning. I felt the collection was at the absolute maximum length it can go.

AND THEN
And then while reading my Bible this morning I got an "impression," or an idea about another poem that would be so perfect at the end of the collection, so here it goes again. I worked most of the day on two more to finish the collection and stuck them in.

REALLY, NOW
Ok, I really think it can't be any longer than a hundred and one pages, and that includes all the legal stuff at the front and the appendix at the back.

WHAT HAPPENED?
I could have just said forty and stopped there, or fifty or sixty-five, but in this case, I am trying to fulfill what I believe is a mandate from the Lord to do this thing as an offering to Him, so I prayerfully let Him dictate the length and content. If my vision was for a particular product of a certain size then I could be arbitrary, but since I want to be in obedience to the Lord's guidance I must let him dictate.

BESIDES
I want to get it done and give it to people in time for Christmas and will need to move ahead with the printer soon.

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(c)Adron 10/8/17

Should I Edit My Manuscript Electronically Or On Paper?

I have been trying to make some revisions and tidy up my collection of poems, Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, so they would be ready for publication. I have been going back and forth between the computer and paper versions of my manuscript trying to determine the better method of editing my poems.

I am kind of a visual person so the way things look affects my approach to it. When I see the pages laid out it gives me a feel for the overall presentation and spirit of the book.  On the other hand, I want to create a serious and professional piece of literature, so I must use the computer.

PRINT ON PAPER
I have found that looking at the paper version gives me a sense of spirit or soul of the poems and not just grammar or sentence structure.

ORGANIZING
Printed pages make it easy to lay the poems out on the table and see them as a collection rather than as single pieces on the monitor screen.  I can use different strategies like spreading them across the table or putting them into stacks. I can see groupings and progression through the collection.

CREATIVE PROCESS
I can write out comments and experiment with things on paper in a way I can't with the computer. I can write out a new line and look at it in comparison to other lines in the poem. I can draw arrows to move things up or down or switch words around. I can draw a line through a word and consider removing it without removing it on the computer which means a hassle of back-clicks if I want to restore it.

Then after I have marked up the pages I can return to the computer and change file, then print it out and set the old and new side by side to compare the changes.

MY MOOD CHANGES
I know I can do all these things on the computer but when I relax in my favorite chair and hold a few pages I have a different mood as I read the poems. I can look at them with a new freshness. I can read them to enjoy and not as a project. For a moment I am not being a worker in words but an audience, and I am able to see the poems the way my future readers will.

Maybe I'm old fashioned but seeing the pages and touching the paper gives me a sense of interaction that I lack using the computer.  Somehow I feel better connected to the printed page than I do on with a digital image on a screen, but the functionality of the computer gets the work done. I guess I will have to struggle to find balance in my efforts between paper and electronic.

(c) Adron 10/1/17

Should I Organize My Book Of Poems Into Chapters?

Someone suggested that I organize the poems for my book, Beyond These Dark Lands are Edges Of Joy, into chapters, and I wonder if I should.

ADVANTAGES
There are some advantages to using chapters.

• Chapters can break up the collection into manageable sections for the reader.
• Chapters can each present a theme.
• Chapters can offer the reader choices in how they consume the collection.
• Chapters can give a preview and prepare the reader for the pages that follow. 
• Chapters give the reader a quick overview of the entire work.

PROBLEMS
Chapters can create problems for a book of poems. They can limit the reader's interpretation of a poem because the reader views the poem through the context of the chapter title and not experience the poem in its own unique way.

QUESTIONS
If I start to organize the poems into chapters then new questions arise...

• How many chapters? 
• How many poems should be in each one?
• Should all the chapters be the same length?
• Should the chapter titles support the name of the book or cast ahead to the poems that follow?
• If some poems do not fit the theme of any of the chapters, do I edit them out or write a few more poems to make a new chapter or rewrite the poems so they fit one of the chapters, and risk a weaker poem or a weaker chapter?

ON THE OTHER HAND

Without the chapter divisions, the reader can progress through the collection and come to a conclusion one poem at a time. 

ON THE OTHER-OTHER HAND

Without chapter divisions, the reader may get tired and since they do not see a dividing point put it down and not return to it.  

VISION

My choices must be measured against my original vision for the project, or else I will end up with something that will lack unity, be confusing and without a clear message. I feel that God gave me the idea to write this book of poems to encourage people who are going through difficult times with a reminder of His sacrificial love and wise purpose for them. Which brings me to the biggest question of all; will a chapter based format enhance my original vision for the work or take away from it?

I can just say yes or no and get on with it, but what if I am wrong and miss an opportunity to make the collection better than it would have been otherwise?

I will test the collection both ways for a while. I'll organize them one way (in chapter form) and see if it works and then I'll arrange them the other way (without chapter breaks) and see if it is better. After I look at them both ways for a while I will decide.

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(c) Adron 3/4/18

How Should I Respond To My Editor's Observations?

My editor returned my collection of poems with some suggestions and observations. They are mostly good and positive, which I ate up. But she made a few comments which caused me to reevaluate my entire project.

It is important to use the advice of others who you trust. They will see things you miss and point out things you might not have considered because you are so involved with the project. So, if the advice is honest and sincere you have to give it some respect.

One of her observation was that there was a sadness or tone of depression in many of the poems and that influenced the overall voice of the work.

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I have noticed before that my poems had a lot of phrases that invoked images or feelings of sadness. I was not sure if it was some internal reflection on my part since as their author I had a unique connection with the poems. Now I know the reader finds the same voice of sadness.

This is not good news to me. I wanted the book to be one of encouragement and hope not a rallying flag to some self-pity celebration. If I revisit and edit each poem I will have a big job on my hands and may have to push back publishing to early spring.

I am committed to the vision God gave me to write a collection of poems that can be given out to encourage people and point them to God. For this to happen it has to be a meaningful product that one person will be blessed by and then want to pass it along, not something that will get them depressed and toss the book away.

I believe this project is important and will bless many people. Since anything that is worth having or doing is also worth the price and sacrifice I will take her advice and revise the collection one poem at a time. A large number will require attention. I think some only need a line edited out, or another line added to turn it around. There may be a few poems that I will have to remove completely. I may add one or two that celebrates joy, and hope.

I am grateful for her help in making this book a light and hope for many.

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Should I Add To My Manuscript of Poems?

I have a finished manuscript of poems, titled Beyond These Dark Lands Are Edges of Joy, Poems of Comfort and Hope, but I wonder if I should add a few more poems while my wife edits the punctuation and stuff, or say it is done and be done?

MY ORIGINAL VISION
I have a couple of poems that were not quite ready when I asked her to edit them. I was thinking then that it was time to move forward to the next step. My vision for this book is that it would not be such a long collection that no one would read the entire thing. I wanted the reader to get the full effect of the collection when they needed it so I was going to keep the book short. Besides, if it is short it will have fewer pages and would cost less to produce and less to sell.

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There have been a few pieces that have been in the back of my mind. They were in an early state of completion when I decided to declare my book finished.  But since my wife is doing the editing for me over the next few weeks I thought I could finish them and slip them into the collection.

I am afraid that if I take this approach I will keep adding one more and then one more and so on and never see it as a finished work. It will become a huge volume fraught with redundancy and become meaningless.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER
Though I see each poem and every page as a tiny treasure I know I must be merciless to prune pieces that weaken the message.

I need a standard which says for this reason or that a particular poem will be included, or for this reason or that a piece must be purged.

SO, STANDARDS
I'll add poems if they meet these guidelines;

• The poem must be unique in the work; it should say something that no other poem says.
• The poem must have the same style as the rest of the work.
• The poem must share and enhance the theme of the project.
• The poem must generally add to the feel and message of the book.

Of course, that means if something is in the collection already that does not meet these standards they must be chopped out.

THE BENEFIT OF GUIDELINES
I know people think that serious poets are intuitive and sensitive people who are connected to some either of creativity.  Creativity is a good start but success is the results of discipline and hard work. Using these guidelines will help me make a better more successful book.

WILL I ADD THEM?
I believe that based on the guidelines I articulated above one of the poems has a place in the work, so I will slip it in the folder among the other pages when my wife is not looking, another poem is a definite possibility that needs further consideration. There are others that I believe will be in on of my future projects.

* * * * *

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 Thank you.

 

Should I hire an editor service for my book of poems.

I have finished a full draft of my book of poems titled, BEYOND THESE DARK LANDS ARE EDGES OF JOY, Poems of Comfort and Hope; it is the result of a year of writing. I have written and rewritten each page more times than I can count. Now I want to have it edited for grammar and structure.

PRICE IS NOT AN ISSUE - (because I am poor I can't pay any price, so it is not an issue).
I could pay an editing service and the price varies from a few hundred dollars to thousands. I believe the project is worth the investment, not because I hope to make any money on it, poetry books never make money, but I believe in the message of hope and comfort. I believe that the Lord has given me an opportunity to bless others through this project. However, I do not feel able to engage an editing service.

BUT
I do not feel that my grammar is up to the task so I have taken a multi-step approach.

FIRST
First, I take full advantage of the benefits of Microsoft Word. It is my first level of spell-checking and grammar. I have found a trick that helps me to exploit its effectiveness. I will paste a page into Word and then change the font to something completely different. I think my subconscious does not recognize the writing and I feel like I am reading something new and I see errors in my writing.  I do this many times changing the font type or size each time.

Another technique to check my writing is to read it out loud, then you catch mistakes.

SECOND
The second thing that has helped me has been the free version of Grammarly, an online grammar checking service. I use the free version because I am neither able nor not willing to spend the money for the subscription version. It is not that expensive but I am poor.  I really like Grammarly and recommend it to anyone who is writing any project. It causes me to look at my work fresh. Grammarly catches things that Microsoft Word misses.

THE BEST FOR LAST
The final and most important step in editing my book is my wonderful wife. She is a school teacher. She teaches ESL, English as a second language, in the public school, so I asked her to look my work over. I admit that I was a little fearful. It would be different if I was hiring a stranger. A stranger might not care much, but a family member may have a more emotional involvement.

She is starting the school year, so she has a lot on her mind and her time gets eaten up by being a teacher. In the first weeks of school, I think she works between 60 and 70 hours. Teachers have all sorts of in evening back-to-school events, parent-teacher meetings, conferences, online learning modules (something new), and lesson preparation. After the first few weeks, her schedule settles down to almost normal.

She has started reading and editing my poems and is about a quarter of the way through.  I think after a few weeks she will be done and I will be able to start formatting it for the printing company.

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(c) Adron 8/29/17