Poem Style??

[hi4heather]

I have a poem, written by a friend, and I don't even know what type of peom it is. It needs to be edited for a newsletter...where do i begin? Can anyone help??

[Paige19]

It's hard to answer this without seeing the poem. And why is it important to know what "type" of poem it is in order to edit it? As a poem, it either works or it doesn't.

Are you doing this as a favor to the author of the poem or as an editor for the newsletter? And if you are doing it as a favor to the friend, is the friend an experienced writer who really is asking for (and can handle) a full-on critique?

When a friend gives me their writing to "edit," I take a moment to think about what this person really wants from me. Do they really want me to put on my editor's hat and go to work? Or are they looking for affirmation and support? The way I respond in each case is very different.

Paige