Interview with Jayne Jaudon Ferrer

Bionote

Jayne Jaudon Ferrer is the author of five books and the founder, host, and editor of www.YourDailyPoem.com. An award-winning copywriter and freelance journalist earlier in her writing career, Ferrer lives in Greenville, South Carolina. Learn more about her at http://www.jaynejaudonferrer.com/, http://www.YourDailyPoem.com, and /or
http://commagoddess.blogspot.com.

4 Fundamental Questions for Editor Jayne Jaudon Ferrer

1. What are the most important or interesting things that you have learned about poetry writing/

publishing as a poetry editor?

I’ve discovered that my frame of mind impacts my reaction to a poem, thus I’ve learned to read submissions multiple times, at varying times of day and night. I’ve also learned that many people do not read the guidelines before submitting.

2. Many people say poetry is dying. Do you agree or disagree with this statement, and why?

I totally disagree. People have said for years that poetry is dying but, like art and music, it never will. Humans have an inherent need to communicate, connect, and share our life experiences; poetry is our attempt to do that through words. The forms that poetry takes may change, but the genre itself will survive as long as the human species—and who knows? Robots might take poetry to a whole new level!

3. What defining features do you think ‘best’ poetry should possess? In other words, what is your personal or working definition of ‘best’ poetry?

Well, I consider “good” poetry to be that which uses words well and causes some degree of emotional reaction in the reader, so I suppose that means the “best” poetry does that at a really high level. The “best” poetry is honest and unpretentious, resonates with every reader in some way, and leaves us breathless, in tears, or smiling.

4. What is the most or least enjoyable part of being a poetry editor?

The least enjoyable part is wading through poems that are not remotely appropriate for my venue, but that is completely eclipsed by the joy of reading all those that are. You might think everything that could ever be said about autumn leaves or a spring morning has been, and then here comes some fresh, new take that literally brings tears to your eyes or makes you laugh out loud. I also get tremendous satisfaction when people who, after avoiding poetry for years, encounter a poem through Your Daily Poem that they like so much they’re impelled to write and tell me about it.