FAQ
Below is a list of commonly asked questions and things you really should know about participating in Poetry Thursday. If you have a question and don’t find the answer here, e-mail us at info at poetrythursday dot org.
What is Poetry Thursday?
Poetry Thursday is an online project that builds community by encouraging bloggers to read and enjoy poetry, as well as sharing it with others.
How does it work?
Every Friday, we post a (completely and totally optional) idea. Some of these are writing prompts. Others are for reading, enjoying or learning more about poetry.
As the name implies, these ideas are optional. We know it can take weeks, months or even longer for a poem to come together, so getting a prompt Friday and posting a poem using that prompt the following Thursday isn’t always feasible.
We also know not every idea will work for every participant. So keep in mind, you can always share whatever you want on any given week. We encourage people to take a look at our complete list of (completely and totally optional) ideas ? just click on the archives tab in the header, then look under categories. And, feel free to use any idea any week.
Because content is now being posted throughout the week, the weekly idea post will not always be at the top of the page. It will, however, be linked from the near-right sidebar for easy reference.
We will post the Thursday post at 12 a.m. Thursday, Pacific Standard Time. This is the post where you leave the permalink to whatever you are sharing on any given week for Poetry Thursday.
How do I participate?
If you want to participate in Poetry Thursday, simply share a poem ? or discuss poetry ? on your blog. The poem can be one of your own or one written by someone else (just be sure to take a look at our copyright tab in the header).
After you post your poem, leave a comment here on our Thursday post (posted at about 12 a.m. Pacific Standard Time). That way, people will know you have posted. Here are the steps to leaving a comment:
・Include your permalink, which is the link to your post, not just the link to your blog. Let us know if you need help finding your permalink. You can e-mail us at info at poetrythursday dot org. ・On WordPress, your permalink will automatically appear in your comment as a link. There is no need to type in the hyperlink code, like we had to do on Blogger. (Yay!)
Following these two steps will help people find your post easily and increase the number of people who read your work each week.
How do I reach Poetry Thursday?
It depends on what you are interested in contacting us about.
For general questions ?
info at poetrythursday dot org
To participate ?
participate at poetrythursday dot org
To share a (completely and totally optional) idea ?
ideas at poetrythursday dot org
If you want to inquire about writing a feature story ?
features at poetrythursday dot org
How do I get the Poetry Thursday button code?
It’s easy to display the Poetry Thursday button on your site. Simply copy the code from the main page of this website. (The code appears in the near-right sidebar.) Then paste it into your blog template wherever you want the button to appear. The button can be used in your sidebar or even in your Thursday posts. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail us at info at poetrythursday dot org.
Do I need to get permission before sharing copyrighted work?
It depends on the work you are using. See our post, Using Copyrighted Work, for more information. This post includes links that explain the ins and outs of sharing copyrighted material.
Do I have to participate every week?
No. Participate whenever you can. But we do ask that those who request a link in the sidebar participate at least once a month. We will periodically review the links list and remove anyone who doesn’t appear to be participating on a monthly basis.
Is this a poetry workshop?
No. This is a project that allows people to share their work and encourages a shared dialogue about poetry, but it is not intended to be an online writing workshop. Writers of all skill levels are welcome, and you don’t even have to be a writer to participate.
Because Poetry Thursday is designed to be a poetry community rather than a poetry workshop, we ask that participants be careful when approaching one another’s original work. In an online environment and with many participants who are new to reading and writing poetry, it is very difficult to give an effective poetry critique. Please offer a critique of a poem only if the author specifically requests such feedback in his or her post.
I have an idea for Poetry Thursday. How can I tell you all about it?
We love it when participants share their ideas with us. Simply leave your idea as a comment or send us an e-mail at ideas at poetrythursday dot org.
How can I participate in the Poetry Thursday Audio Project?
Simply e-mail us the code for your audio post, as well as the permalink for the post where you shared the text for your poem. Because of copyright issues, we can only include audio files of participants reading their original work.