Poemcrazy: Freeing Your Life with Words

By Susan G. Wooldridge

Following the success of several recent inspirational and practical books for would-be writers, Poemcrazy is a perfect guide for everyone who ever wanted to write a poem but was afraid to try. Writing workshop leader Susan Wooldridge shows how to think, use one's senses, and practice exercises that will make poems more likely to happen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Sep 30, 2009
• ISBN: 9780307559128

Reviews for Poemcrazy

[dragonchasers · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This book was so saccharine and fluffy and downright insipid that it actually made me angry to read it! Seriously, this woman lives in some kind of fantasy land, and I simply couldn’t stomach it.Its full of advice like “Cut words out of magazines and paste them to cardboard. Label things around you! Label your refridgerator “Some pigâ€?! And she goes on to regale us with stories of how much her children loved cutting out words and labeling things around the house. It was like a Captain Kangaroo flashback.Gaah, that’s just one example and already I feel the need to take a shower. But I can’t judge the book because for some fluffy little bunnies who want to write poems about children playing in the rain and flowers and home baked cookies, its probably a fine book. I just prefer my poetry to have some depth…

[greymowser · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great book to get the juices flowing.

[lorifox · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I bought this book, poemcrazy, by Susan Goldsmith Wooldridge, at The Bookstore in Chico, California, whole visiting my daughter who is going to college there at Chico State University. I picked it up because of both the title and the photo on the cover, never having heard of the book or the author before. It was truly a hidden little gem that day in a room full of possibilities. Part way through reading the book, I searched for and found the author on goodreads and Facebook. I sent her a friend request and a message telling her how much I was loving her book and how inspiring it is. She accepted my friend request and wrote back. We’ve since corresponded, and I’ve signed up for a poetry through art writing workshop with her.

This book has become my all-time favorite book about poetry and how to write it, and it’s also in my top two books about writing in general. My copy is now lovingly highlighted and annotated, and I can’t wait to start using some of Susan’s ideas in my creative writing class. Not only does this book inspire creativity and new ways of playing with words, but also it is wonderfully written and just plain fun to read. It has taken its place among my top 20 books of all time.

[annmariegamble · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My goal is to write novels, not poems, but this book (and others) help me focus on word, mood, and scene. Wooldridge helped me disengage my Inner Editor and revel in the words.

[liblor · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Good book about not taking poetry too seriously. I plan to recommend it in my workshops on children's poetry.

[realbigcat · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This could be a useful book for the beginning poet. A lot of great ideas for stimulating the thought process towards poetry. Some may seem rather silly to a less then serious or enthusiastic poet. I tried the part where you wrote down your dreams as soon as you woke up. Neon Texas, if you read the part on your dreams you'll know what I mean.

[nativeroses_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful ideas that create momentum. i used this book to teach poetry writing to junior high and HS students.

[lizabethy_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is terrific for anyone who wants to have fun with poetry; it is particularly good for beginners. This woman is in love with the art of word manipulation. It is NOT A BOOK FOR THOSE WHO TAKE POETRY SERIOUSLY EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY.Though that should be obvious from the woman doing a leap on the cover, not to mention the title.Introduce your kids (and yourself) to poetry that is not all sonnets and forced "depth." It's remarkable what sort of depth you can find from found words, random bits of paper, and a walk.