- Publisher : Seven Stories Press (March 31, 2020)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 128 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1609809858
- ISBN-13 : 978-1609809850
- Reading age : 12 - 17 years
The ultimate writing guide that is "a helping hand to anyone who dreams of telling their truth through words on a page.” —Ellen Bass, author of Indigo
"[This book] gives us endless ways to access our creative selves and shows us how to shape our experiences into poetry...This book reassured me that we all have the capacity to create something beautiful.'" —Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, author of Children of the Land
Ever had an emotion or experience you wanted to express, but didn't know how? This guide by Patrice Vecchione encourages new writers of all ages to find their voices, step up and speak their truths, and articulate what matters to them most—both personally and politically—whether it be boldly to an outside audience or just privately for themselves.
Young adults are reading and writing and performing poetry more than ever before. Written in short, easy-to-digest chapters by the editor of Ink Knows No Borders, My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice includes prompts and inspiration, writing suggestions and instruction, brief interviews with some current popular poets such as Kim Addonizio, Safia Elhillo, and others, and poem excerpts scattered throughout the book.
My Shouting, Shattered Whispering Voice offers ways to express rage, frustration, joy, and sorrow, and to substitute apathy with creativity, usurp fear with daring, counteract anxiety with the joy of writing one word down and then another to express vital, but previously unarticulated, thoughts. Most importantly, here you can discover the value of your own voice and come to believe that what you have to say matters.
Review
“As both a published poet and a teacher of high school English, I am beyond thrilled with this book! [My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice] mirrors (and does an even better job than) all of the information I've spent years curating from various sources to provide support and inspiration for my students to push themselves creatively.” —Megan Neville, English teacher and department coordinator at Cuyahoga Heights High School, and author of Rust Belt Love Song
"My Shouting, Shattering, Whispering Voice: A Guide to Writing Poetry and Speaking your Truth should be required reading for beginning writers as well as those who have been writing for decades. It gives us endless ways to access our creative selves and shows us how to shape our experiences into poetry...This book reassured me that we all have the capacity to create something beautiful and that our words need not be 'hollow almosts.'" —Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, author of Children of the Land
"Patrice Vecchione’s My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice is more than a guide to writing poetry. It is an act of generosity and empathy, a helping hand to anyone who dreams of telling their truth through words on a page. Vecchione offers inspiration, wisdom and down-to-earth advice, covering everything from writer’s block to adjectives and stanzas. My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice is an invaluable resource, a book that honors and fosters what Adrienne Rich called “the necessity of poetry.” —Ellen Bass, author of Indigo
"Patrice Vecchione’s My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice is a light on the path of poetry. Written for everyone including beginners and teachers of poetry, this volume speaks back to institutions of power that hold verse captive in its ivory tower. Readers are admonished to resist and survive. The way is demystified by the deft, nurturing, precise voice in its pages. Vecchione’s thoughtful development of craft, close readings, and writing exercises, chart and distill the possibilities that writing poetry offers to its readers." —Rajiv Mohabir, author of The Cowherd’s Son and The Taxidermist’s Cut
"A middle- to high school-grades primer on finding one's poetic voice.Seasoned poet and anthologist Vecchione here crafts a guide for would-be poets. Pitched toward teens inclined to pursue writing, Vecchione's book makes the argument for poetry from a romantic, personal perspective, describing how she came to be a writer as a way of coping with emotional turmoil at home and feelings of isolation at school. ... At once impassioned and practical poetic advice." —Kirkus Reviews
“This startlingly effective poetry writing manual is especially suitable for secondary aged children. Focusing on channeling emotion, this guide uses anger, frustration, exhilaration and hope to generate writing ideas and inspiration for teens looking to express their thoughts and feelings. A go-to resource book for independent writing projects." —School Reading List (UK)
"This book is positively bursting at the seams with advice and valuable information about what it means to be a poet, the ins and outs of practicing one's craft, and even how to get published. Pitched toward teens inclined to pursue writing, I can assure you that adults will treasure this friendly and nurturing 172-page guide as well." --Michelle Barnes, Today's Little Ditty
About the Author
Patrice Vecchione is a poet, nonfiction writer and teacher who discovered poetry when she needed it most--as a teenager. She has edited several highly acclaimed anthologies for young adults including most recently, Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience (Triangle Square Books for Young Readers/Seven Stories Press, 2019), which Newbery Award winning author, Matt de la Peña, called "the most important book we will read this year," Truth & Lies, which was named one of the best children's books by School Library Journal, Revenge & Forgiveness, and Faith & Doubt, named a best book of the year for young adults by the American Library Association. She's the author of Writing and the Spiritual Life and Step into Nature: Nurturing Imagination and Spirit in Everyday Life, as well as two collections of poetry. For many years, Patrice has taught poetry and creative writing to young people (often working with migrant children) through her program, "The Heart of the Word: Poetry and the Imagination." She is also a columnist for her local daily paper, The Monterey Herald, and has published essays on children and poetry for several outlets including the California Library Association Journal. patricevecchione.com.
