The Practice of Poetry: Writing Exercises From Poets Who Teach (1992)

This is one of my most-used writing books. I use it for ideas when developing workshops and for personal use. I love this book. ( )

In the Practice of Poetry, editors Behn and Twichell have gathered together advice from a wide array of poets who teach (or teachers who poe). They have taken the exciting job of sorting the unique and diverse suggestions into categories, and have lumped those that deal with similar stuff together.

If you are an autodidactic poet, or an amateur poet, or a student of poetry, then you might find some use from this book. Additionally, some prose writers may find this book to be useful, at least to help capture character voice and break down writers blocks.

While I am not a poet, really, I found this book to be useful, and even inspiring. I'd suggest this book to any looking to be a stronger poet. ( )

Hands down the BEST poetry writing exercise/prompt text. One prompt can trigger multiple poems. Love this book. I think I own three copies, because every time I move I misplace it, then freak out and buy a new one. Great book for the novice and experienced poets. ( )

Definitely a book that has encouraged me to play and experiment. I like to keep it in my writing space and open it at random until I find an exercise that catches me, and I would say that some of my coolest poems in terms of artistic growth have come out of these exercises. They have challenged me, but also broken me out of a few writing funks. No pressure from this book, just fun and writing. ( )

There are some fantastic exercises for emerging writers in this book. I used it to supplement my creative writing curriculum. What students produced with these exercises was really amazing. I would recommend this for anyone who wants to hone their craft. ( )