Action Poetry (Part 2/2)

In a previous post you were introduced to the basics of writing performance poetry and saw some good examples of this artform. Today we will go further into details of getting into this field and further succeeding!

So you have a passion for the art or you're a poet who written lots, how do you get better and more well known?  The answer to this question is style, substance and support.  These three have the potential to take you from relative unknown to having a fan club started in your honour.

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Style

This refers to how you write.  The arrangement of your lines.  In performance, the art of poetry must be modified for the EAR because the audience is NOT meant to SEE the script.  This gives some about of latitude for the use of assonance and other phonetic literary tools.  The aim is to have your audience be able to follow the story you are telling so don't be too technical.
NB: Be sure to practice your delivery before performance.  It would be ideal for you to memorize your poem so that you could use your whole body and eyes to convey the message to your audience.

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Substance

In order to grab the attention of the masses you must talk about something that will resonate with a large cross-section of people or even a niche market.  It is important to know who you are performing to so you can choose appropriate poems and deliveries.  Also, current topics and topics about which you are passionate will likely reflect in favour of your performance.  While you do not want to be too technical and lose your audience, it is important that your content be something that won't easily be forgotten.




Support

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Get out and perform.  How will your work be known if you keep it to yourself?  Find a Open Mic club in your area, or make time to go the distance to those far away maybe once a month, or make YouTube videos of yourself performing.  Do all that you can to put yourself and your work out there.  It is likely your art will benefit from your exposure to others in the field and you will find inspiration.  Another thing you will find are poets to collaborate with.  Find good poets who could compliment your style and substance then make connections; write and perform poems together.

All the great performance poets have these three things in common.  Along with writing ability and passion for the artform; they know they are writing for an audience to hear, they produce memorable content and they all put themselves in the spotlight.

Hopefully you will put these tips to good use 

May the snaps and cheers come ringing through 

At the end of each poem that you perform

So fame will pour down, on you like a storm. 

... withShantelleS