Poetry Fishbowl on Tuesday, January 3

[ysabetwordsmith]

This is an advance announcement for the Tuesday, January 3, 2017 Poetry Fishbowl. This time the theme will be "a glitch in the matrix." I'll be soliciting ideas for computer programmers, artificial intelligence, time travelers, the misunderstood, fish out of water, outcasts, The Man, troubled relationships, expecting the unexpected, seeing things, fleeing in terror, resisting oppression, facing your demons, spotting patterns, debugging the system, computers, virtual reality, lairs, alleys, liminal zones, the system, government buildings, déjà vu, outliers, computer virus issues, bugs, no it's not a bug it's a feature, disruptions, expectations, unusual vulnerabilities, radical transformation, the inescapable, the indestructable, hubris, humility, humiliation, snags, and poetic forms in particular.

I have a linkback poem, "An Unprecedented Duel with Nature" (17 verses, standalone). 

If you're interested, mark the date on your calendar, and please hold actual prompts until the "Poetry Fishbowl Open" post next week.  (If you're not available that day, or you live in a time zone that makes it hard to reach me, you can leave advance prompts.  I am now.)  Meanwhile, if you want to help with promotion, please feel free to link back here or repost this on your blog. 


Writing is usually considered a solitary pursuit. One exception to this is a fascinating exercise called a "fishbowl." This has various forms, but all of them basically involve some kind of writing in public, usually with interaction between author and audience. A famous example is Harlan Ellison's series of "stories under glass" in which he sits in a bookstore window and writes a new story based on an idea that someone gives him. Writing classes sometimes include a version where students watch each other write, often with students calling out suggestions which are chalked up on the blackboard for those writing to use as inspiration.

I'm going to host a Poetry Fishbowl on my blog on Tuesday, January 3. I'll be soliciting ideas for thematic characters, plots, settings, objects, and poetic forms in particular. Chances are I'll spend a good chunk of the day, from afternoon to evening or more, alternating between this site and doing stuff offline so my back doesn't weld itself to the chair.


Perks: I will post at least one of the resulting fishbowl poems on the blog for everyone to enjoy, and an extra one if there's at least one new prompter or donor. The rest will be available for audience members to buy, and whatever's left over will go into my archive for magazine submission.

If donations total $100 then you get a free $15 poem; $150 gets you a free $20 poem; and $200 gets you a free epic, posted after the Poetry Fishbowl.  These will usually be series poems if I have them; otherwise I may offer non-series poems or series poems in a different size.  If donations reach $250, you get one step toward a bonus fishbowl; three of these activates the perk, and they don't have to be three months in a row.  Everyone will get to vote on which series, and give prompts during the extra fishbowl, although it may be a half-day rather than a whole day.  If donations reach $300, there will be a bonus piece in one series. 

I want to promote linkbacks pointing people to the "Fishbowl Open" post on Tuesday. I have a spare series poem available, and each linkback will reveal a verse of "An Unprecedented Duel with Nature" (standalone).  One person can do multiple links if they're on different services, like Dreamwidth or Twitter, rather than all on LiveJournal.

(See the complete list of current perks.)


If you enjoy my poetry -- or if you just love poetry in general, or want to promote interest in the unexpected -- please mark the fishbowl date on your calendar. Drop by and give me some ideas, comment on the posted poetry, encourage people to come look, whatever tickles your fancy. I hope to see you then!

Comments

Link Back Perk

[nsfwords]

How does this work with the other open link back perk poems? If we share the Fishbowl on the day of could we still request verses in other open perk poems?

Also, "Spirit of Truth" in One God's Story of Mid-Life Crisis was a link back perk poem and is still showing [To be continued ...]

*begins plotting prompts for next Tuesday*

Re: Link Back Perk

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> How does this work with the other open link back perk poems? If we share the Fishbowl on the day of could we still request verses in other open perk poems? <<

Preferably, stick with the fishbowl's current linkback. When possible, I hand those off to someone else to manage, which saves me time while I'm supposed to be writing. After the fishbowl, however, there should be an unsold poetry list for which you can request any open linkback perk if you boost it.

>> Also, "Spirit of Truth" in One God's Story of Mid-Life Crisis was a link back perk poem and is still showing [To be continued ...] <<

I've added that to the list, thanks.

>> *begins plotting prompts for next Tuesday*<<

Yay!

Re: Link Back Perk

[nsfwords]

What goes into managing the link back perk poems for you?

Re: Link Back Perk

[ysabetwordsmith]

Make a framing post and then add verses as people say they've boosted the signal. I've had dialecticdreamer doing it for a while. That way I don't have to chase after it during the fishbowl proper.

Re: Link Back Perk

[nsfwords]

Smart delegating. I think I remember seeing that happen, where the link to the poem takes you to their dreamwidth.

Re: Link Back Perk

[nsfwords]

I'd like to offer to help with something like that in the future. I'm newish to posting and commenting on your space, I know, but I like being helpful where I can.

Re: Link Back Perk

[ysabetwordsmith]

There are times when I need a substitute if my regular perk host is unavailable. I'll try to remember that other folks are interested, and post a call.

[alatefeline]

Duly noted. I've started a doc on my computer to keep prompts, so that I can quickly comment with them on the actual day. I like the theme, it's a good one from which to build outwards with intricate ideas. :)

Yay!

[ysabetwordsmith]

>> Duly noted. I've started a doc on my computer to keep prompts, so that I can quickly comment with them on the actual day.<<

That sounds like a good plan.

>> I like the theme, it's a good one from which to build outwards with intricate ideas. :) <<

I'm happy to hear that. I hope other folks find it inspiring too.