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Unread 12-20-2017, 11:45 AM
Jim Moonan Jim Moonan is online now
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Any discussion on the subject of craft as it relates to artists (actors, writers, painters, etc.) is fascinating to me. Thanks for posting Andrew.

Craft is the "how" of creating. This article is a reminder that writing poetry is first and foremost about harnessing the inarticulate vision of the imagination. How we craft it into a poem is a separate, overlapping skill.
For the poet, things like how we trap ideas, how we keep them organized, what kind of schedule/discipline we employ in our writing activity, how we keep projects, ideas, etc. cataloged, the tedious process of revision, the importance of getting opinions of others you value, etc. the physical space you find conducive to the writing activity, knowing where to mine for ideas (newspapers, the park, the store, etc.) on and on and on… comprise the craft. (How often does a poem come out whole? Never?) Craft is crucial to the process, but not in and of itself certain to produce a good poem.

There is a program entitled, "Inside The Actor's Studio" hosted by James Lipton of the New School University in NYC that is designed specifically for his student/audience. He skillfully interviews serious actors and writers about their personal approach to the craft of acting, writing, etc. I used to use clips from it to educate teachers on how to see themselves as actors and the classroom as a stage. Well worth a look. I'm sure you can find it on YouTube.
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