—from Rattle #64, Summer 2019
Tribute to Instagram Poets
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Gabrielle Nelson: “Instagram is an ideal venue for visual work that can be digested in a single breath or savored. ‘I Should Change the Light’ is one poem from a growing body. It is part of a collection of short, art enhanced, erasure poems I’ve found/created/revealed using The Great Gatsby. Instagram provides real-time feedback on my work by tracking likes and views. It’s the largest (and most casual) writing workshop in the world, and it’s free! Because my collection is in-progress, Instagram is ideal. I can gauge the reactions of viewers, and alter or preserve my writing style accordingly. Two years ago, I came across an article that championed earning 100 rejections a year by Kim Liao. The goal being that 100 rejections would come with acceptances from established magazines and journals, agents, fellowships, etc. With Instagram, I have more options to share my work and can chew through less rejections before finding sweet success. Instagram is like giving a piece of candy to my writing ego. My writing is accepted as soon as I click ‘share,’ and I get a sugar rush of writing inertia. I want to create more and feed my sweet tooth. I’m still aiming for 100 rejections a year, but now I’m also aiming for 100 poems a year on Instagram. Both are valid platforms for finding success as a writer.” (web)
