London Writers' Salon

#085: Maggie Smith — Crafting Viral Poems, Writing Memoir, Becoming a Better Poet, Narrative Device, Substack, Commercial vs Creative Work

Dec 2, 2023

Award-winning poet Maggie Smith discusses her process of crafting viral poems, writing a memoir, and becoming a better poet. Topics include narrative device, Substack, and the balance between commercial and creative work. The episode explores navigating personal boundaries, the importance of prioritizing poems, and embracing change and experimentation in writing.

55:22

Creator website

Episode guests

Maggie Smith

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Crafting a memoir involves focusing on personal thoughts, feelings, and observations while considering the impact on relationships and exercising self-care.

Poetry and memoir should prioritize self-expression and exploration over explicit usefulness to the audience.

Deep dives

The Influence of Ohio on Writers

Ohio has a disproportionate number of writers due to its high number of colleges and universities, fostering a vibrant writing community.

How to Protect Your Relationship With People You Want to Write About

00:30

The Breadcrumb Trail in Poetry

00:30

The Power of Imagination

00:30

Introduction

4min

Journey as a Writer

31min

Crafting Unique Points of View for Book Strands

2min

Navigating Boundaries and Challenges

7min

Exploring Sub Stack and Prioritizing Poems

8min

Embracing Change and Experimentation in Writing

3min

Award-winning poet and writer on her process of crafting a poem, how she brought lyric sensibility to her memoir, and how we can observe and distill our experience of the world. We also talk about how she constructed her memoir, chose what to include, and navigated the intensity of publication as a memoirist.

ABOUT MAGGIE SMITH

Maggie Smith is an award-winning author and poet. her poem Good Bones was called the “Official Poem of 2016” by Public Radio International. Her latest book, a memoir, You Could Make This Place Beautiful, explores the disintegration of her marriage and her renewed commitment to herself.

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