How to Write Shadow Poetry

Shadow Poetry is a web-based community founded in February 2000 by James and Marie Summers of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, to support, educate and encourage poets around the globe. It offers online forums for discussing poetry and opportunities to publish poems on its website and through its affiliated electronic magazines, contests and chapbooks. Here's how to use its resources to take your poetry out of the shadows.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Go to the Shadow Poetry website.

2. Play with the magnetic poetry board consisting of word tiles you can drag around with your mouse to form phrases and sentences. Its purpose is to stimulate your creativity. As a member, you can post your magnetic poetry creations.

3. Create a username and password to join the Shadow Poetry message board. This will allow you to post messages and reply to posted messages. No fee is charged to join the message board.

4. Join the Community of Poets by paying a membership fee and creating a user name and password to create a profile, submit poetry, send announcements to others and enter contests. A yearly renewal fee, which is less than the membership fee, also is charged.

5. Submit poetry to the website. Most submissions will appear on the site within 24 hours of submission but may be rejected for inappropriate content, improper formatting or invalid email address. Work may be removed upon request and also may be removed if found not to be the author's original work or if the author has been abusive to other members or delinquent in paying dues.

6. Enter the poetry contests. The website offers some competitions and additional contests are offered through the affiliated SP Quill Quarterly Magazine. Contests require an entry fee; the collected money is used to create a prize fund.

Tips & Warnings

• Shadow Poetry allows the poems published on its website to be used for personal and educational purposes only, giving proper credit to the website and the author of the work. Any other use requires the written permission of both Shadow Poetry and the work's author.

Resources

• Become a member of the Shadow Poetry community.

[BrokenGirl]

on 2/15/2008 This is the most interesting & informative article...I printed it!