Buildwriting: Poetry | Fiction | Non Fiction | Creative Writing

✍️ Join the BuildWriting newsletter for writing prompts, craft lessons, behind-the-scenes ideas, and conversations for serious creative writers: https://buildwriting.com/newsletter/ How do you write poetry about painful history without turning the poem into a history lesson—or telling the reader exactly what they should think? In this episode of BuildWriting, poet Julie L. Moore, author of Devil’s Backbone, joins me to explore the craft and responsibility involved in writing about difficult history. We talk about research, historical truth, finding your place inside a story, knowing when you may be crossing a line, avoiding sentimentality and preaching, and why some subjects require years of reading, revision, and humility. Julie also shares the decade-long journey behind Devil’s Backbone, how feedback changed poems she initially thought would work, why writers need to read far more than they write, and what it means for a poem to create a full-body experience rather than simply communicate an idea. In this conversation, we explore: How Julie returned seriously to poetry after years of teaching Why reading became her substitute for an MFA The experiences that eventually became Devil’s Backbone Researching history before trying to write about it Finding your ethical position inside a historical story Writing beyond your own lived experience without appropriating another voice Knowing when discomfort means “keep going” versus “stop” How to avoid making political or historical poetry preachy Historical fact versus poetic truth Whether poems about horrific subjects can still be beautiful Why humility and feedback matter when writing difficult material What writers should do when they're terrified of getting history wrong Why curiosity may be a writer's most important quality Connect with Julie L. Moore Website: https://julielmoore.com/ Book: Devil’s Backbone — available through Wildhouse Publishing, Bookshop, and other major booksellers. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to BuildWriting, share it with another writer, and leave a rating or review. It helps more poets and creative writers discover the show. Keep writing. Keep building your craft. Chapters 00:00 — Writing painful history without preaching 01:01 — Julie's earliest life as a writer 06:32 — The moment she returned to writing 11:28 — The fear of never writing her book 13:50 — Reading as a writing education 14:07 — Where Devil’s Backbone began 18:35 — When individual poems became a collection 22:28 — Artistic curiosity vs. fascination with trauma 25:15 — How much research is enough? 29:24 — Where do you belong in the story? 31:21 — Knowing when you've crossed a line 37:07 — When does a poem become preachy? 40:43 — Historical fact vs. poetic truth 46:38 — Can horrific poetry still be beautiful? 49:14 — How Devil’s Backbone changed Julie as a writer 52:25 — Advice for writing difficult history 55:12 — What should a historical poem do to the reader? 57:43 — Rapid-fire questions 1:01:57 — Persistence, curiosity, courage & discipline 1:04:13 — Where to find Julie and Devil’s Backbone

You can spend months polishing a short story and still wonder: Is this actually ready to submit? In this episode of the BuildWriting Podcast, I talk with Trish L. Rodriguez, writer and Editorial Director of Philadelphia Stories, about what editors actually notice when they read short fiction—and how writers can revise their work more effectively. Trish explains why an editor can often tell within the first 200–250 words whether a story is working, why point of view and structure should come before sentence-level polishing, and how to know when you need another revision—or simply need the courage to submit. We also explore feedback, literary magazine submissions, writing contests, rejection, speculative fiction, building a writing community, and the “lingering meaning” that makes a short story memorable. If you're revising a short story, preparing to submit to literary magazines, or trying to become a stronger fiction writer, this conversation will help you look at your work through an editor’s eyes. Join the BuildWriting Newsletter Get writing prompts, publishing tips, creative reflections, and behind-the-scenes notes for writers. 👉 https://buildwriting.com/newsletter/ Connect With Trish L. Rodriguez 🌐 Website: https://www.trishlrodriguezwriter.com/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tljrod/ 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trish-rodriguez-530aa7226/ Philadephia Stories: https://philadelphiastories.org/ Chapters 00:00 What Editors See That Writers Often Miss 01:04 How Trish Became a Writer and Literary Magazine Editor 03:27 Why Trish Writes Speculative Short Fiction 05:08 How Do You Learn to Become an Editor? 06:18 Revising a Short Story Without Over-Editing It 08:37 What Editors Look for in the First 200 Words 10:02 When Writers Try Too Hard to Hook the Reader 12:08 How an Editor Diagnoses a Short Story That Isn't Working 13:48 Why You Should Fix Structure Before Polishing Prose 14:54 What Makes a Short Story Stand Out in Writing Contests? 19:39 A Practical Short Story Revision Process 22:24 How to Know When Your Story Is Ready to Submit 24:52 When to Stop Revising Old Writing and Move On 25:09 How Literary Magazines Build Writing Communities 27:18 When a Short Story Wants to Become a Novel 30:18 Discovery Writing vs. Outlining a Novel 32:10 Writing to Discover Something Outside Yourself 33:11 Rapid-Fire Writing and Submission Advice 34:10 The One Quality Every Great Short Story Needs 34:40 Where to Find Trish and Philadelphia Stories 36:08 Closing Thoughts

What does it really take to start a literary magazine—and keep it alive for 20 years? In this episode of the BuildWriting Podcast, I speak with poet, writer, editor and Midway Journal founding editor Ralph Pennel. Ralph takes us behind the scenes of running an independent online literary journal, from selecting boundary-crossing work to navigating rising publishing costs. But creating a literary journal is only the beginning. Keeping one alive requires money, time, editorial labour, community and difficult decisions. In this conversation, Ralph explains: How Midway Journal developed its distinctive editorial identity Why the journal embraces multimedia and experimental literature What writers gain from thinking like editors How literary magazines cover their operating expenses The role of contests, editing services, merchandise and sponsorships Why many literary magazines struggle to survive How online journals make literature more accessible What editors consider before launching a new project Why discovering an unpublished writer remains deeply rewarding What Midway Journal hopes to build next If you are a poet, fiction writer, literary editor or someone considering starting a literary magazine, this conversation offers an honest look at the creative and financial realities behind independent publishing. Listen now to discover what happens on the other side of the submission button—and what it takes to build a literary home that lasts. Connect with Ralph Pennel Ralph Pennel’s website: https://ralphpennel.com/ Ralph on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ralph.l.pennel/ Explore Midway Journal: https://midwayjournal.com/ Submit your writing to Midway Journal: https://midwayjournal.com/submissions/ Follow Midway Journal on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midway.journal/ Subscribe to the Midway Journal Substack: https://midwayjournal.substack.com/ Join the BuildWriting Newsletter Get writing prompts, publishing opportunities, creative reflections and practical advice to help you keep writing and strengthen your craft. https://buildwriting.com/newsletter/ If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the BuildWriting Podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it with a writer who would enjoy seeing what happens behind the scenes of a literary magazine. Chapters 00:00 What Happens After You Submit to a Literary Magazine? 00:49 Why Midway Journal Was Inspired by the Minnesota State Fair 04:30 Creating a Distinctive Literary Magazine Identity 07:35 Multimedia Poetry, Audio Fiction and Experimental Literature 11:48 Is Ralph Pennel a Poet, Writer or Literary Editor? 12:31 How Midway Journal Began in 2006 13:12 Becoming an Early Online Literary Magazine 14:29 What Is the AWP Writing Conference? 16:49 Ralph Pennel’s Journey from Writer to Editor 18:45 How Midway Journal Survived for 20 Years 19:17 Why Literary Magazines Struggle Financially 20:19 Submission Fees, Submittable and Publishing Costs 22:03 How Literary Magazines Make Money 24:01 Contests and Editing Services as Revenue Streams 26:32 Advertising and Sponsorships for Literary Journals 29:00 Building a Podcast for a Literary Magazine 30:32 Using Merchandise to Support Independent Publishing 33:24 Who Actually Reads Literary Magazines? 35:51 How Literary Journals Can Reach More Readers 37:16 The Benefits of Publishing Literature Online 38:55 Print-on-Demand and Literary Magazine Anthologies 40:13 The Challenges of Operating as a For-Profit Journal 42:36 How Editors Decide Which Projects to Prioritise 44:32 Becoming a Small-Business Owner Through Publishing 46:13 The Joy of Discovering New Writers 47:27 Why Literary Magazine Acceptance Matters to Writers 48:00 What Is Next for Midway Journal? 49:11 Online Readings, Podcasts and the Midway Substack 50:15 Where to Find Ralph Pennel and Midway Journal 51:13 Join the BuildWriting Writing Community

How do you know when a poem has found the right first line? How much can you cut before it loses what makes it alive? And how do you know when a poem is finally finished? In this episode of BuildWriting, poet, editor, and professor Wayne Miller joins me to explore the craft of writing poetry and short-form literature. We unpack why compression matters, how rhythm gives language its power, what poetry and short stories share, and why every word has to earn its place. Wayne also takes us behind the editor's desk to talk about revision, rejection, literary magazines, first lines, originality, and what years of reading thousands of poetry submissions have taught him about writing that stands out. If you write poetry, flash fiction, short stories, or simply care about making language stronger, this conversation will give you plenty to take back to the page. Connect With Wayne Miller Wayne Miller's Website http://waynemillerpoet.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/waynemillerpoet/ Copper Nickel https://copper-nickel.org Wayne mentions his website, Instagram, and Copper Nickel as places to connect with him and explore his work. Join the BuildWriting Newsletter Get writing prompts, craft ideas, publishing insights, and behind-the-scenes notes to help you keep writing and build your craft. Join the BuildWriting newsletter: https://buildwriting.com/newsletter/ Chapters 00:00 Building a Life Around Writing with Wayne Miller 00:48 When Poetry Becomes Something You Have to Write 04:39 Why Poetry Needs Compression 06:32 How a Poet's Craft Changes Over a Lifetime 11:15 The End of Childhood and the Collision of Personal Life and History 13:02 The Poem About Violence That Helped Unlock the Book 15:03 How Much of a Poem Should Be Autobiographical? 18:59 Poetry vs Short Stories: Which Is Harder to Write? 23:54 The Secret to Rhythm in Poetry and Prose 25:47 How Do You Find the Right First Line? 29:25 How Do You Know When a Poem Is Finished? 30:34 Why Some Poems Take Years to Finish 32:24 How to Keep Writing When Life Gets Busy 34:07 Wayne Miller's Poetry Revision Process 35:24 When to Listen to Writing Feedback and When to Ignore It 37:27 Why Even Successful Poets and Editors Get Rejected 37:59 What 16,000 Poetry Submissions Reveal About Publishing 39:15 Why Promising Poetry Still Gets Rejected 41:15 The Push It Further Lesson Every Writer Needs 44:33 What Editing Thousands of Poems Teaches You About Writing 47:22 What Wayne Miller Is Reading Right Now 49:00 What Wayne Miller Is Writing Next 49:43 Where to Find Wayne Miller 50:36 Keep Writing and Keep Building Your Craft

What if the stories worth writing aren't hiding in extraordinary experiences, but in the ordinary moments you usually overlook? In this episode of the BuildWriting Podcast, award-winning poet and essayist Sarah Marie Wells joins us to explore how paying closer attention to everyday life can make us better writers. Sarah shares how ordinary conversations, family life, nature, road trips, parenting, and even seemingly insignificant observations can become the starting point for poetry and creative nonfiction. We talk about how she decides whether an idea should become a poem or an essay, why some pieces take an afternoon while others take years, and how writers can capture ideas before they disappear. And if you struggle with editing while you're still trying to create, Sarah offers one of the simplest writing principles from the conversation Whether you write poetry, personal essays, memoir, or other forms of creative nonfiction, this conversation is an invitation to slow down, notice more, and discover how much material already exists in the life you're living. Connect with Sarah M. Wells Website: https://sarahmariewells.com/ Palace in Time: https://palaceintime.substack.com/ Learn more about Sarah's books, poetry, essays, and latest work, To Say One Million Times, Wow!, through her website. Join the BuildWriting Newsletter Become a better writer one piece at a time. Get writing prompts, practical ideas, behind-the-scenes notes, and resources to help you keep writing and building your craft. https://buildwriting.com/newsletter Chapters 00:00 Meet poet and essayist Sarah Marie Wells 01:20 The inspiration behind To Say One Million Times, Wow! 03:52 Why paying attention matters for writers 05:41 What does “paying attention” actually mean in writing? 07:34 Why every ordinary moment can be worth writing about 09:36 How writers know which moments to explore 12:53 Turning mundane experiences into meaningful writing 15:39 How ordinary moments become deeper stories 19:40 Why great writing feels universal 21:53 Combining poetry and creative nonfiction 24:28 How to decide whether an idea should be a poem or essay 27:31 Poetry vs. essays: If Sarah could only choose one 28:32 How long does it really take to write a poem or essay? 30:46 Turning an old poem into a new essay 33:44 Making a living as a professional writer 35:46 Why writing doesn't have to feel like suffering 37:29 Is your life interesting enough to write about? 41:40 Using journals, photos, and notes to capture writing ideas 43:45 Building a daily practice of paying attention 46:24 Project-based writing vs. writing every day 48:22 Write recklessly, edit ruthlessly 50:48 Where to find Sarah M. Wells and her work