Need Inspiration? Two Sylvias Press Newsletter
Need Inspiration? Two Sylvias Press Newsletter
From Advent Calendar Prompts to Zoom Classes--Dive into Poetry!
Thank you so much for being a supporter of Two Sylvias Press! We hope you are having a wonderful autumn, and we wish you much creative inspiration as the days continue to get a little colder and darker. We’re excited to share some of our offerings with you: the Online Advent Calendar of Poetry Prompts, our Weekly Muse, and the Wilder Series Poetry Prize. And we invite you to find some inspiration in one of our poetry prompts!
It’s Back by Popular Demand—Write 31 Poems in December!
THE 2023 ONLINE ADVENT CALENDAR of POETRY PROMPTS!
It's become a tradition! Write 31 new poems in December with us! Each day a new surprise prompt is revealed with a click!
Our online virtual Advent Calendar is easy to use—simply click on the calendar date and a prompt appears. Each prompt is a small paragraph guiding you with ideas and suggestions for a new poem.
Once you open a prompt, it remains accessible, so no problem if you skip a day or two—the prompts will be waiting for you. The calendar and all of the prompts will be available through the month of January. You will receive an access code for the Advent Calendar's web page at the end of November. Your daily surprise prompts are ready for you to click on December 1st.
Please visit our Two Sylvias website for more info on signing up: https://twosylviaspress.com/advent-calendar-prompts.html
What’s Got Poets Talking? The Weekly Muse—Join Us!
The Weekly Muse is a paid subscription service offering a weekly package of resources to support and inspire poets like you. Each Sunday via email, you will receive:
Access to Zoom classes with renowned poets
Poetry exercises and prompts
Submission opportunities
Editor Q&A sessions
Creativity and reflection exercises
Exclusive interviews with well-known poets
Craft tips and insider info from editors
An option to join a supportive online group of writers
We would love for you to participate in our Zoom classes, which are free with your paid subscription. Join us in November for a workshop with Susan Rich and Kelli Russell Agodon, editors of Demystifying the Manuscript: Essays and Interviews on Creating a Book of Poems!
And in January, the Weekly Muse will be hosting an exclusive Zoom conversation with Pulitzer Prize Winning Poet, Diane Seuss, who will respond to your questions and comments!
We invite you to read an issue of the Weekly Muse (July 2, 2023, Issue 62) free of charge. Click here: https://twosylviaspress.substack.com/p/two-sylvias-weekly-muse-july-2-2023
Weekly Muse Subscriber, Jennifer S., writes to us:
I am in my 3rd month of The Weekly Muse and I have written more, submitted more than ever and I've made my writing a priority again! Plus, from your prompts, I've had my poems accepted in three journals AND an anthology! Thank you, Two Sylvias. I see the work that you put in each week and I just wanted to say thank you and please don't ever end the Weekly Muse! It's been a lifechanger for me a a poet. With many thanks and respect for all you do.
Our goal at the Weekly Muse is to provide a comprehensive toolkit for poets and to foster a sense of community and support for writers of all levels. Join us and make your writing life a priority!
The Wilder Poetry Book Prize is Open for Submissions!
Are you a woman poet born in 1973 or before?
Enter the Two Sylvias Press WILDER PRIZE: a poetry book contest for women over 50!
The Wilder Series Book Prize is open to women poets over 50 (established or emerging poets) and includes a $1000 prize and publication by Two Sylvias Press.
Women submitting manuscripts may be poets with one or more previously published chapbooks/books or poets without any prior chapbook/book publications.
Previous winners of the Wilder Prize: Carmen Gillespie, Adrian Blevins, Dana Roeser, Erica Bodwell, Gail Martin, Michelle Bitting, Gail Griffin, and Tiffany Midge.
Submission Dates: Sept. 1 – Dec. 31
Please read complete guidelines here: https://twosylviaspress.com/wilder-series-poetry-book-prize.html
We look forward to reading your manuscript!
Poetry Prompt!
Secretly Spelling Out Your Name
Write a poem where the last word in each line starts with the first letter of your name. So, if your name is Sylvia Plath, the last word of your first line will start with the letter S (such as snow, sugar, scream, etc.), the last word of your second line will end with a Y (such as you, yesterday, yam), and so on. . . Your poem can be about any topic you wish, but since your name will be hidden in the ending words, maybe create a “Self-Portrait with Secrets” poem where you reveal large or small secrets, little known facts, or tidbits about your life and personal history. For extra credit, include your middle name somewhere in the poem (for instance, if your middle name is Lily, your poem might briefly mention your neighbor’s dog, whose name happens to be Lily). And for even more extra credit, mention in your poem a few items that are very special to you—your mother’s high school scrapbook, a first edition of a vintage poetry book, a souvenir from an inspiring trip abroad, etc.
Want to Share Some Inspiration for the Holidays?
Consider giving a subscription of *The Weekly Muse* as a holiday gift to your poet friends!
And, if you aren’t subscribed to the Weekly Muse, please join us!
Thank you so much for your support of our small press!
Please visit our Two Sylvias website: https://twosylviaspress.com/index.html
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twosylviaspress/
Contact: twosylviaspress@gmail.com
Happy Writing!
Kelli & Annette
Kelli Russell Agodon & Annette Spaulding-Convy
Cofounders & Coeditors of Two Sylvias Press