The Roar on the Other Side

Today I want to recommend a book to all my fellow poets out there. It's called The Roar on the Other Side: A Guide for Student Poets by Suzanne U. Clark, and I think it's a must-read for everyone who likes writing poetry.

I've read a lot of books about writing, read a lot of articles on the Internet and elsewhere, taken a few classes, and gone through at least four different writing programs in school. A lot of those books, classes, and curricula had something to say about writing poetry, but it was never very helpful because the people who taught it weren't poets. I've often wished for a book about how to write poetry that was written by a good, experienced poet. The Roar on the Other Side is that book.

Mrs. Clark is obviously a poet, and a good one, too, if the little snippets she includes as examples are any indication. Even more importantly, she's a Christian, and she teaches poetry as a way to glorify God. That's what made this book so helpful and encouraging to me. It covers just about everything in poetry, from the best kinds of words to use, to the different kinds of form and meter, to using metaphors and imagery, to publishing a poem. But throughout the book there are examples from the Bible, gospel connections, and biblical exhortations to praise God with our words.

Roar is written for poets, but I think a lot of its advice, particularly in the first few chapters, could apply to any kind of writing. And, since I believe all writing should have a little poetry in it, I think it would be worthwhile for any aspiring writer to read this book. I personally would buy it just for the collection of great poems in the back. But I would especially encourage those who love poetry to read this book slowly, do as many of the exercises as possible, and try to apply all the lessons. The Roar on the Other Side is the most helpful book on writing that I've read in a long time.