How Did Katie Manning Become a Poet? | Conversations with Poets

TL;DR

Katie Manning became a poet by writing from age four, studying poetry at Point Loma Nazarene University, pursuing graduate school in Kansas City and Lafayette, Louisiana, and returning to Point Loma as a writing professor. She also hosts poetry events, edits Railroad Review, and shares two- or three-minute poetry-book reviews on YouTube. Read on for her teaching philosophy, community work, and approach to reviewing poetry.

Transcript

michael clam here host of conversations with poets with katie manning professor poet mom extraordinaire we're going to read some poems talk about poetry discuss your work a little bit i want to thank the san diego public library we're downtown right now a special thanks to misty jones and mark cherry and i want to give a shout out to all of the sta... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍🏫 Manning's early exposure to poetry ignited a lifelong passion for the craft, shaping her journey as a poet and professor.
• 👻 Hosting poetry events and publishing reviews allow Manning to engage with San Diego's vibrant poetry community and support emerging poets.
• ❓ Manning's prose poetry style in "28 065 Nights" reflects her preference for storytelling and introspection through a distinct structural choice.
• 🖐️ Mentorship plays a significant role in Manning's approach to teaching poetry, emphasizing the importance of exposing students to a variety of poetic voices.
• 👪 Manning's reflections on family, storytelling, and personal connections underscore the profound impact of poetry on shaping identity and preserving memories.
• 👨‍⚕️ The blurriness between genres like prose poetry and micro-essays allows Manning to explore themes with complexity and depth in her poetic work.
• 💦 Manning's reading of Rita Dove's work and her admiration for diverse poetic styles showcase her appreciation for the vastness of the poetic landscape.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Katie Manning become a poet and professor?

Katie Manning began composing poems at age four and later realized at Point Loma Nazarene University that poetry was a craft she could practice regularly. After pursuing graduate study in Kansas City and Lafayette, Louisiana, she returned to Point Loma as a professor of writing, which she described as her dream job.

Q: What does Katie Manning teach at Point Loma Nazarene University?

Manning teaches poetry in both creative writing and literature classes. She also asks students in general education literature courses to write poetry in response to the works they read.

Q: How does Katie Manning contribute to San Diego’s poetry community?

Manning attends local readings, connects with other San Diego poets, and hosts events at Point Loma that are open to the community. Through Railroad Review, she has published San Diego poets and recruited local poets as peer reviewers.

Q: What poetry events does Katie Manning host at Point Loma?

Manning hosts Poetry Day in the fall and invites a different guest poet, sometimes local and sometimes from elsewhere. She also runs monthly sessions where participants write silently together for three hours, which she calls her favorite events because she gets to write too.

Q: Why does Katie Manning make short poetry-book reviews on YouTube?

Manning found that she lacked time to write and submit full-length book reviews once or twice a year. Because she reads many poetry books and wants to share them, she records video reviews that usually last two or three minutes.

Q: What is Katie Manning’s approach to reviewing poetry?

Manning believes reviews should come from a desire to share work with other people. She tells students there is no reason to burn bridges with writers or publishers, or to publicize a book they did not enjoy.

Q: Did working from home during COVID give Katie Manning more writing time?

No. Teaching multiple college classes remotely while helping her children attend school from home created extra work, so she felt she had less time rather than more.

Q: How does Katie Manning encourage hesitant students to engage with poetry?

Manning particularly works to win over students in general education literature classes who may be hesitant about reading poetry. One method is having them write poems in response to the literature they are studying.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Katie Manning, a professor and poet, shares her journey from composing poems at age four to becoming a professor at Point Loma Nazarene University.

• She discusses hosting poetry events, engaging with San Diego's poetry community, and publishing poetry reviews.

• Manning reads poems from her latest collection, "28 065 Nights," reflecting on family, storytelling, and personal connections.