Where should talent go?

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Almost everyone tried to write poetry. Who did not write about love in his youth? But now a year or two passes, and you have not stopped creating. You create poetry because you cannot live without it. Once every poet realizes that it is time to demonstrate his creativity to the world and get an authoritative assessment. Where to go in this case?

Find your studio

Literary clubs usually appear at magazines, newspapers or in the houses of culture. Such studios are often found in universities. The simplest search option is to type in the search engine the words: "literary studio in the city of such and such" (or "literary club", "literary association", "literary circle" and the like). You can also search for these organizations on the sites of magazines in your city.

To see how the largest writing clubs function, it is worth a trip to one of the two Russian capitals.

For example, the Writers' Union of Moscow has over two thousand members from all cities of Russia. You probably know the most famous of them: Bella Akhmadulina, Andrei Voznesensky, Anatoly Pristavkin, Vladimir Voinovich. By the way, the youngest member of the Moscow Writers' Union is 13-year-old schoolgirl Katya Spolitak, a resident of the distant Yakut city of Neryungri. You can join it if you have printed books or major publications, as well as recommendations from members of the Union. The beginning poet has nothing to do there. However, membership does not give anything special.

As in show business, it makes sense for a beginning poet to communicate with people famous in this area.

By the way, you can get absolutely free to the creative evenings that take place in the Central House of Writers. It is enough just to follow the poster and arrive at the appointed hour. Free admission. Nobody forbids listening, and perhaps even participating. There are also many other literary associations in Moscow: "The Hand of Moscow", "Front of Radical Art".

But if you are primarily interested in creative growth, or you do not yet understand: you write poetry poorly or well, then it makes sense to go to any literary studio that is in your area or city.

Such studio clubs operate at many educational institutions. For example, in the Moscow Bauman University for more than thirty years there has been a literary studio "Koroviy Brod", under the newspaper "Baumanets". It is conducted by Elena Isaeva, a playwright, poetess and member of the Moscow Writers' Union. It is not difficult to attend open classes at the Literary Institute. They are held every Tuesday in the building of the Literary Institute.

Many poetry meters have their own literary studios, for example, Kirill Kovaldzhi. Participants meet here every Sunday. Every Wednesday the studio "Literary Kitchen" under the "Student Meridian" magazine meets. The site Verses.ru is read regularly.

What does it look like?

Literary circles are different. For example, in the studio of the poet and writer Svetlana Rakhmanova there are gatherings around the table, everyone is drinking tea with cakes, reading poetry in a circle, expressing opinions, and receiving assignments.

Elena Isaeva has a similar type of studio, but, if the author wishes, she can still arrange a discussion of some work, appoint opponents and defenders. A very serious association is the Literary and Artistic Club "The Day After Tomorrow", it is led by the poet and songwriter Alexei Vitakov. They live in MIREA, the club also has its own Ard-cafe.

Not so long ago a literary club "Greenwich" appeared in Moscow and is gaining momentum. He meets every Saturday at the Alye Parusa recreation center. Its main idea is the rethinking of the canons of poetry and the birth of a new homo poeticus for the sake of freedom and harmony with one's “I”.

Brothers on the Web

If you are not very sociable or where you live it is not so easy to find a literary circle, you can try to post your creations on some poetry site. And see what will be the reaction of network residents to your works.

Just remember that on the web, like on the streets, most of the public are not great writers. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of "poets" do not even know how to write down their verses correctly. But almost everyone has their own idea of how to write. Make a discount on it by reading the comments.

In addition to the already mentioned Stihi.ru, you can pay attention to Obshelit.ru, Poezia.ru.

And on the site Litafisha.ru you can find many links to the sites of literary groups, electronic poetry magazines, information about literary events.

If you are confident enough in yourself, you can take part in contests. There are a lot of them on the Web. However, some accept only works published in magazines.

Poetry as a profession

If you dream of printing a book of poetry, alas, most likely, you will have to do it at your own expense. In our time, there are twice as many poets as there are readers, and printing poetry is an unprofitable occupation.

However, your book can be published if you become the winner of any competition or somehow prove yourself in a large literary association.

For example, the Moscow Writers' Union, based on the results of seminars in Peredelkino, admits young poets and writers into its ranks and prints one book for each newcomer.

It is quite possible to get published in a magazine or newspaper. True, you shouldn't count on royalties. For example, small newspapers in Podolsk often publish poems by novice authors. Also, the creativity of young talents is welcomed in the "Student Meridian" magazine.

The magazines Koltso and Literaturnye Vesti, which are published by the Moscow Writers' Union, mainly print its members.

Poems are also published by the magazines "Youth", "Literary study", "Word of the writer", "City of the grotesque", "U", "Istoki".

Is it possible to make money with a poetic gift? This question worries many. It is quite possible to become a songwriter and get a hundred dollars or more per lyrics. Especially if you have connections in show business. You can try writing poems for postcards or advertising slogans. Poems to order for the holidays are also in demand.

But being “just a poet” and getting paid for your poems is almost impossible.

Writing poetry can be both a great hobby, with which you can make many new friends, and earn money. But never forget that it takes a lot of reading to write well. Good luck.