Critique Services
     For Beginning and Intermediate Poets

~ Poetry Critique ~

What To Expect From A Poetry Critique:

• Encouragement
• General impression of your poem(s) (emotional impact, did you communicate your theme, and more)
• Assessment of the appropriate use of the elements of poetry      (diction, syntax, meter, rhythm, and more)
• Specific suggestions for you to consider in the revision process
• Suggestions to apply to any poem you write in the future
• Proofreading for errors in punctuation, spelling, or grammar

Teaching Approach:

My services focus on encouragement and teaching the basic elements of poetry. I use plain English to give you feedback. Any technical words will be defined. You will gain insight into the poetry process, encouragement, and valuable feedback on how to become a better poet.

I request that you fill out a short questionnaire before you submit
your poems. This enables me to provide the best service possible. 

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Submission Process for Critique:

In the "subject" line, please write: "Critique" and the title(s) of the poem(s) you are submitting. Please do not send more than three poems for your first submission.

Please include the following information in the body of the e-mail:

• Return the questionnaire with your poems and payment
• Identify the form you use (free verse, sonnet, etc.) for each poem
• Provide the line count of each poem
• Double space each poem
• If using e-mail only to submit your poem: type "###" at the end of each poem
• Check the body of the e-mail to confirm your formatting is correct

To submit books or chapbooks:

• Each poem is double spaced and typed on a separate page
• Identify the form you use (free verse, sonnet, etc.) for each poem
• If using e-mail only: type "###" at the end of each poem
• Check the body of the e-mail to confirm your formatting is correct
• At the top of the first page include the overall title and theme for your collection of poems
• Return the questionnaire with your poems and payment

You may expect to receive your critique 2-3 weeks after receipt of your payment.  Books may take longer depending on the length of the manuscript.

All correspondence is conducted through e-mail. I will keep all of your work confidential. Please do the same with all materials I provide to you. Please do not photocopy, e-mail, or share these with other people. 
Thank you for your cooperation. 

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Fee for Critique:

I charge $25.00 per hour. A minimum payment of $40.00 is required in advance. Please send no more than three poems on your first submission. After you receive my critique, you may choose to apply the techniques you have learned in the poems not yet been submitted.  When you apply what you have learned from previously submitted poems, there will be fewer errors in the subsequent poems. This means it will take less time to evaluate your poems, so it will save you money.

If the cost is greater than the minimum payment I will let you know. As soon as I receive the additional payment, I will send the finished work to you. On average, a critique of two poems is approximately $40.00.
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      ~ Sample Critique ~

Subject: Poetry critique: “In Praise of Blue”

Dear Poet,

Thank you for allowing me to critique your poem. You have created a list poem. A list poem is similar to writing a grocery list. This form works well for children. The words you have chosen are evocative. This is an excellent first poem.

In your public library you might want to check out a book entitled Sing A Song of Popcorn. These children’s poems were selected by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers, Eva Moore, Mary Michaels White, and Jan Carr. This book includes a list poem entitled “What is Pink” by Christina G. Rossetti. For a list poem to work, the listed items are connected in some way. In “What is Pink?” the connection lies in its question-answer format. “What is pink? a rose is pink . . . What is red? a poppy’s red . . . .” In your poem “In Praise of Blue” I hope you will look for a unifying element. You might consider the suggestions I noted on your poem.

In list poems, the element of sound tends to play a more important role than the other poetic devices. (See my "Elements of Poetry" flyer attached). If you decide to use rhyming words, which is preferred in children's poetry, then the entire poem should rhyme. Rhymes, for children, need to use "perfect rhymes or true rhymes." True rhymes are exact rhymes like "moon/June" or "lack/back." Most magazines for twelve-year-old children and under, do not buy poems with weak rhymes, sometimes called "slant rhymes." For example, "wood/mud," is sometimes called a slant rhyme. Although there are some similarities in the "uh" and "d" sounds used in "wood" and "mud," they are not an exact match. 

I hope you will come up with a few more perfectly rhymed words. I have marked the lines you might consider changing. If you choose to do this, you can create a very solid poem. You can find perfect rhymes in any rhyming dictionary. One of the best rhyming dictionaries I have found was written by Sue Young. It is called The New Comprehensive American Rhyming Dictionary. Or another alternative would be The Complete Rhyming Dictionary: Including The Poet’s Craft Book by Clement Wood and Ronald J. Bogus. This book includes an introductory course on the craft of poetry.

I enjoyed reading your poem. Nice work! I hope I may be of service to you in the future.

Sincerely,

Laura Evans
www.redeemingwords.com

• For songwriters, it provides another approach to writing songs

• Writing a poem makes a unique and personal gift for anniversaries, birthdays, or other holidays and events

• It can clarify your thinking

Writing, reading, and listening to poetry is a pleasant pastime that can improve the quality of life. (See Alzheimer's Poetry Project.)

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