Tag: donna steiner

Craft: Look it Up by Donna Steiner

We had two reference books at home when my siblings and I were in elementary school.  One was a massive dictionary, the other was a massive encyclopedia.  These two volumes must have each cost my parents a small fortune, but they were invaluable.  Together, the tomes probably weighed more than any one of us kids. …

Craft: Habits by Donna Steiner

I spoke with some young writers yesterday.  They happen to be poets, and had just read a couple of chapters from The Poetry Home Repair Manual by Ted Kooser.  We were talking about establishing good writing habits, and one student said, “I always make sure it’s quiet where I’m writing, and I try to make…

Jumping the Gun by Donna Steiner

When I began teaching, none of my students ever asked about publishing their work. They were content, it seemed, to learn the craft, hone particular pieces, and perhaps, someday, begin the process of submitting to literary journals or editors or agents. That has changed.