Buildwriting

Onyemechi Nwakonam
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Buildwriting is a podcast for the intersection of creative writers that are both poets and short fiction writers. While we explore writing craft through a variety of podcast show formats we look at how we can make and find time to write in our busy lives. We look at poetry, short fiction and creativity. This is a podcast from a writer figuring how it works and sharing generously with those that care. Buildwriting releases episodes to educate, entertain and inspire you. Answering your questions,exploring ideas and going deep in tutorials with weekly episodes. Subscribe to join the tribe.

  1. 15 Aug

    How to Write Better Poetry: Compression, Rhythm and the Right First Line—Wayne Miller | Ep 99

    How do you know when a poem has found the right first line? How much can you cut before it loses what makes it alive? And how do you know when a poem is finally finished? In this episode of BuildWriting, poet, editor, and professor Wayne Miller joins me to explore the craft of writing poetry and short-form literature. We unpack why compression matters, how rhythm gives language its power, what poetry and short stories share, and why every word has to earn its place. Wayne also takes us behind the editor's desk to talk about revision, rejection, literary magazines, first lines, originality, and what years of reading thousands of poetry submissions have taught him about writing that stands out. If you write poetry, flash fiction, short stories, or simply care about making language stronger, this conversation will give you plenty to take back to the page. Connect With Wayne Miller Wayne Miller's Websitehttp://waynemillerpoet.com/ Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/waynemillerpoet/ Copper Nickelhttps://copper-nickel.org Wayne mentions his website, Instagram, and Copper Nickel as places to connect with him and explore his work. Join the BuildWriting Newsletter Get writing prompts, craft ideas, publishing insights, and behind-the-scenes notes to help you keep writing and build your craft. Join the BuildWriting newsletter:https://buildwriting.com/newsletter/ Chapters 00:00 Building a Life Around Writing with Wayne Miller 00:48 When Poetry Becomes Something You Have to Write 04:39 Why Poetry Needs Compression 06:32 How a Poet's Craft Changes Over a Lifetime 11:15 The End of Childhood and the Collision of Personal Life and History 13:02 The Poem About Violence That Helped Unlock the Book 15:03 How Much of a Poem Should Be Autobiographical? 18:59 Poetry vs Short Stories: Which Is Harder to Write? 23:54 The Secret to Rhythm in Poetry and Prose 25:47 How Do You Find the Right First Line? 29:25 How Do You Know When a Poem Is Finished? 30:34 Why Some Poems Take Years to Finish 32:24 How to Keep Writing When Life Gets Busy 34:07 Wayne Miller's Poetry Revision Process 35:24 When to Listen to Writing Feedback and When to Ignore It 37:27 Why Even Successful Poets and Editors Get Rejected 37:59 What 16,000 Poetry Submissions Reveal About Publishing 39:15 Why Promising Poetry Still Gets Rejected 41:15 The Push It Further Lesson Every Writer Needs 44:33 What Editing Thousands of Poems Teaches You About Writing 47:22 What Wayne Miller Is Reading Right Now 49:00 What Wayne Miller Is Writing Next 49:43 Where to Find Wayne Miller 50:36 Keep Writing and Keep Building Your Craft

  2. 11 Aug

    How to Turn Ordinary Life Into Powerful Writing—Sarah Marie Wells | Ep 98

    What if the stories worth writing aren't hiding in extraordinary experiences, but in the ordinary moments you usually overlook? In this episode of the BuildWriting Podcast, award-winning poet and essayist Sarah Marie Wells joins us to explore how paying closer attention to everyday life can make us better writers. Sarah shares how ordinary conversations, family life, nature, road trips, parenting, and even seemingly insignificant observations can become the starting point for poetry and creative nonfiction. We talk about how she decides whether an idea should become a poem or an essay, why some pieces take an afternoon while others take years, and how writers can capture ideas before they disappear. And if you struggle with editing while you're still trying to create, Sarah offers one of the simplest writing principles from the conversation Whether you write poetry, personal essays, memoir, or other forms of creative nonfiction, this conversation is an invitation to slow down, notice more, and discover how much material already exists in the life you're living. Connect with Sarah M. Wells Website:https://sarahmariewells.com/ Palace in Time:https://palaceintime.substack.com/ Learn more about Sarah's books, poetry, essays, and latest work, To Say One Million Times, Wow!, through her website. Join the BuildWriting Newsletter Become a better writer one piece at a time. Get writing prompts, practical ideas, behind-the-scenes notes, and resources to help you keep writing and building your craft. https://buildwriting.com/newsletter Chapters 00:00 Meet poet and essayist Sarah Marie Wells 01:20 The inspiration behind To Say One Million Times, Wow! 03:52 Why paying attention matters for writers 05:41 What does “paying attention” actually mean in writing? 07:34 Why every ordinary moment can be worth writing about 09:36 How writers know which moments to explore 12:53 Turning mundane experiences into meaningful writing 15:39 How ordinary moments become deeper stories 19:40 Why great writing feels universal 21:53 Combining poetry and creative nonfiction 24:28 How to decide whether an idea should be a poem or essay 27:31 Poetry vs. essays: If Sarah could only choose one 28:32 How long does it really take to write a poem or essay? 30:46 Turning an old poem into a new essay 33:44 Making a living as a professional writer 35:46 Why writing doesn't have to feel like suffering 37:29 Is your life interesting enough to write about? 41:40 Using journals, photos, and notes to capture writing ideas 43:45 Building a daily practice of paying attention 46:24 Project-based writing vs. writing every day 48:22 Write recklessly, edit ruthlessly 50:48 Where to find Sarah M. Wells and her work

  3. 11 Jul

    How to Submit to Literary Magazines: What Editors Really Want—Becky Tuch | Ep 97

    Join the Buildwriting newsletter for writing prompts, publishing opportunities, practical advice, and behind-the-scenes notes for creative writers: ⁠Subscribe to the Buildwriting Newsletter⁠ How do you know which literary magazine is right for your writing? What are editors actually looking for—and what should you do when the rejection letters keep arriving? In this episode, I speak with Becky Tuch, a fiction and nonfiction writer and the founder of Lit Mag News. Becky previously founded The Review Review, where she spent years reviewing literary magazines, interviewing editors, and helping writers better understand the submission process. We explore how writers can research literary magazines without becoming overwhelmed, decide whether a publication is the right fit, and build a submission strategy that reflects their goals. Becky also explains why rejection letters often mean far less than writers assume. Whether you are preparing your first literary magazine submission or trying to recover from another round of rejections, this episode offers an honest and practical guide to navigating literary publishing. Connect With Becky Tuch Read Lit Mag News:⁠https://litmagnews.substack.com⁠ Visit Becky’s website:⁠https://www.beckytuch.com⁠ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:52 How Becky entered the world of literary magazines 03:17 Why writers should read literary magazines 04:59 What causes a promising submission to miss the mark 06:26 What editors want from creative nonfiction 07:21 Can writers avoid the work of researching publications? 09:28 Should you write first or target a magazine first? 12:24 Using themed submissions as a writing exercise 13:44 Why writers should submit in batches 15:07 How to determine whether your work fits a magazine 16:45 Researching literary magazines efficiently 18:35 Making submissions less stressful and more social 19:56 What editors mean when they ask for voice 22:28 Why rejection letters mean less than writers think 24:42 Becky’s Chicago Quarterly Review acceptance 25:51 Do famous writers receive special treatment? 27:53 Matching your publication strategy to your goals 30:24 The 100 Rejections Challenge 32:49 AI, magazine closures, and changes in publishing 35:17 The end of NaNoWriMo and what writers can learn from it 36:11 Creating more specialized writing challenges 40:00 What excites Becky about literary magazines 42:10 Opportunities writers may be overlooking 43:05 What every writer should understand about publishing 45:34 Advice for writers receiving constant rejections 47:57 Why Becky continues to write 49:39 Where to connect with Becky 50:21 Closing

  4. 27 Jun

    How Poets Can Get Published in Literary Magazines—Trish Hopkinson | Ep 96

    Join the BuildWriting newsletter for writing prompts, publishing tips, and behind-the-scenes notes for creative writers: https://buildwriting.com/newsletter/ In this episode of the BuildWriting Podcast, I talk with poet, literary arts advocate, and publishing resource creator Trish Hopkinson about how poets can find the right literary magazines, submit their work with more strategy, and stay encouraged through rejection. Trish shares how she built her poetry blog, why university literary magazines are a great place for emerging poets to start, how to use submission trackers, and why community, revision, and persistence matter so much in a writer’s journey. We also talk about the difference between simply submitting poems and building a real submission strategy, what editors wish poets understood, and why having an online presence can open more doors for writers. Connect with Trish Hopkinson:Visit Trish’s website: https://trishhopkinson.comYou can also find her through: https://selfishpoet.com Timestamped Chapters 00:00 Introduction00:59 Why Trish started sharing literary magazine resources04:01 The story behind “A Selfish Poet”05:24 How to know where to submit a specific poem06:36 Why university literary magazines are great for poets08:52 Why poets should avoid unnecessary submission fees10:29 Why university journals are often overlooked12:50 Submission habit vs submission strategy15:02 Why Trish kept submitting one poem for 10 years17:33 Submission trackers for poets19:25 How many poems should you have before submitting?21:43 When should you revise a rejected poem?23:54 How workshops help poets improve their work27:50 What to track when submitting poems31:14 The decision that changed Trish’s writing career35:00 What literary magazine editors want poets to know37:10 Audio, readings, and performing published poems39:43 Why writers need community and visibility today42:21 Selling poetry books and building an audience44:20 How Rock Canyon Poets started46:44 Tools for running a poetry workshop group49:35 Why Trish writes poetry50:15 Where to find Trish Hopkinson51:22 Closing thoughts

  5. 28 Apr

    3 Creative Poetry Prompts to Sharpen Your Writing | Ep 95

    It's National Poetry Month — and I didn't want to just talk about poetry. I wanted to give you something to actually write. So I took three classic prompts from Ted Kooser, Mary Oliver, and William Carlos Williams and put a creative spin on each one. These aren't assignments. They're warm-ups. Pick one, try it, see what comes out. Here's what I cover:— Ted Kooser's "small thing" prompt, but with higher stakes— Mary Oliver's "pay attention" prompt, but from a different perspective— William Carlos Williams' "this is just to say" prompt, but you write the reply You don't need to be a poet to try these. You just need to be willing to write something small and see what happens. Happy writing. Subscribe to the Build Writing newsletter for more prompts, ideas, and honest writing conversations — https://buildwriting.com/newsletter

  6. 9 Mar

    How to Build a Daily Writing Habit Using Short Stories —Julie Duffy | Ep 94

    Writing consistently sounds simple — but for most writers, it's the hardest part. In this episode, I sit down with Julie Duffy, founder of Story a Day, a global writing community best known for its short story challenges that help writers build consistency without pressure. Julie has been helping writers show up and rediscover joy in the craft for over a decade, and this conversation is full of practical, human, and deeply writer-centered wisdom. We talk about how to stop overthinking and start writing, why finishing a short story teaches you what no amount of drafting ever will, and how a simple Writer's Manifesto can help you stop chasing trends and finally write the stories only you can tell. Whether you're stuck in perfectionism, struggling to write consistently, or just need someone to remind you that creativity takes time — this episode is for you. Chapters 00:00 — Introduction: What it really takes to build a daily writing habit00:45 — Julie's origin story: From childhood writer to founding Story a Day03:54 — The moment she realized it wasn't just about her anymore05:39 — How 100 people showed up before she was even ready07:30 — The power of constraints: Why writing prompts work even when you hate them08:45 — Why our brains resist writing (and how to push through anyway)11:27 — Why short stories are a great entry point for writers13:00 — The Writer's Manifesto: A tool to discover what you truly want to write16:05 — How your core values shape your writing (even when you don't realize it)20:46 — Julie's own writing manifesto: prolific, open-hearted, optimistic22:26 — What surprises writers most when they take the Story a Day challenge25:42 — How to define a "successful writing day" (it's not what you think)29:35 — What finishing a story teaches you that endless drafting never does31:14 — Why short fiction is a destination, not just a stepping stone33:23 — Skills you build writing short stories that transfer to everything else36:47 — "My writing isn't good enough yet — should I still write every day?"39:26 — Show up for your inner writer: The long game of creative life40:56 — Story a Day May 2025: What's coming and how to join Connect with Julie Duffy:🌐 Website & Community: https://storyaday.org📄 Free Writer's Manifesto Workbook (made for Build Writing listeners): https://storyaday.org/buildwriting Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, leave a quick review or rating, and share it with a writer friend who needs to hear this. It really helps others find the show. 📬 Subscribe to the Build Writing newsletter for writing prompts, behind-the-scenes experiments, and more. https://buildwriting.com/newsletter/

  7. 2 Feb

    Poetry as Survival: Writing Through Trauma, Loneliness, and Healing with Patricia Harris | Ep 93

    What happens when writing isn’t just a creative outlet—but a lifeline? In this deeply honest conversation, poet, publisher, and author Patricia Harris opens up about what it means to live with poetry—not as a hobby, but as a way of surviving the world. From writing her first poems as a child to running her own publishing company, Patricia shares how poetry became her language for processing trauma, insomnia, migraines, loneliness, and life itself. If you’ve ever written to cope, read poetry to feel seen, or wondered whether your words matter—this conversation will stay with you.In This Episode, We Explore: How poetry became Patricia’s lifelong coping mechanism The role of poetry marathons in building creative endurance Why discipline and inspiration aren’t opposites The importance of learning poetic forms before breaking them How reading poetry helps writers feel less alone Publishing poetry, running a small press, and supporting other writers Redefining success as showing up and telling the truth Writing through trauma without losing love for the craft Connect with Patricia HarrisExplore Patricia’s poetry, books, and publishing work on her personal blog:https://pattymouseblog.com Learn more about her publishing company and the authors she supports:https://faecorpspublishing.com You can also find her books across major retailers through Books2Read links available on the Faecorps Publishing site. About the Guest Patricia Harris is a poet, children’s author, and publisher. She writes poetry, nonfiction, and children’s books under her own name, and dark fantasy and horror under the pen name Serena Musgraves. She is the founder of Faecorpse Publishing, where she helps indie authors bring their work into the world. Patricia has been writing poetry since childhood and publishing since 2010. Join the BuildWriting Newsletter If today’s conversation inspired you, join my BuildWriting Newsletter — where I send writing prompts, creative reflections, and weekly reminders to return to the page. 👉 Join here: https://buildwriting.com/newsletter/A creative life grows when we grow it together. Chapters 00:00 Poetry as a Lifeline 01:03 What Patricia Writes and Why 02:10 Publishing Poetry and Building a Press 03:52 What a Poetry Marathon Really Demands 06:10 Prompts Pressure and Creative Freedom 07:25 Knowing the Rules Before Breaking Them 09:40 Writing Without Forcing the Work 11:04 Creativity Cooking and Chaos 14:59 Confidence Rejection and Finding Your Reader 17:35 How Poetry Changed Patricia’s Life 20:28 Why Reading Poetry Matters 23:15 The Poems That Stay Close 26:54 What Patricia Hopes Readers Feel 29:06 Defining Success as a Writer 31:49 Writing in Themes 35:11 Cover Design and Creative Control 41:08 Rapid Fire Poetry Rebels and Icons 43:06 If Her Poems Could Speak 43:54 Where to Find Patricia’s Work 45:02 Closing Thoughts Keep Writing

  8. 28/11/2025

    Why We Write: Fear, Courage, and the Human Story —Cindy Watson | Ep 92

    In this episode of the BuildWriting Podcast, I sit down with the incredible Cindy Watson—social justice lawyer, award-winning author, founder of Women On Purpose, and someone whose writing journey blends activism, vulnerability, courage, and deep human insight. What starts as a conversation about writing turns into one of the most reflective, honest, and transformative discussions I’ve ever had on this show. We talk about fiction vs. nonfiction, fear, creativity, parenting, mortality, advocacy, poetry, authenticity, and the real reason we write. This episode changed me. I think it might change you too. Chapters 00:00 Introduction & who Cindy is02:00 Why fiction scares her more than nonfiction05:00 Vulnerability, validation, and the fear of being judged09:00 Making time to write vs. waiting for the “right time”14:00 Her daughter’s surgery & how it changed her life and writing18:00 What publishing really feels like23:00 Writing for love vs. writing for validation30:00 Poetry, emotion, and finding your inner voice36:00 The surprising origin of The Art of Feminine Negotiation51:00 My metaphysical questions on writing, success, and poetry56:00 Where to find Cindy + our closing reflections Connect With Cindy Watson Learn more about Cindy’s work and mission: 🔗 Women On Purpose — https://womenonpurpose.ca🎙️ Check out her podcast: The Art of Feminine Negotiation Podcast She’d love to connect with listeners who care about writing, advocacy, and living with intention. Join the BuildWriting Newsletter If today’s conversation inspired you, join my BuildWriting Newsletter — where I send writing prompts, creative reflections, and weekly reminders to return to the page. 👉 Join here: https://buildwriting.com/newsletter/A creative life grows when we grow it together.

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About

Buildwriting is a podcast for the intersection of creative writers that are both poets and short fiction writers. While we explore writing craft through a variety of podcast show formats we look at how we can make and find time to write in our busy lives. We look at poetry, short fiction and creativity. This is a podcast from a writer figuring how it works and sharing generously with those that care. Buildwriting releases episodes to educate, entertain and inspire you. Answering your questions,exploring ideas and going deep in tutorials with weekly episodes. Subscribe to join the tribe.

Information

  • Creator
    Onyemechi Nwakonam
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Onyemechi Nwakonam
  • Show Website
    Buildwriting