My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice: A Guide to Writing Poetry & Speaking Your Truth

The ultimate writing guide that is "a helping hand to anyone who dreams of telling their truth through words on a page.” —Ellen Bass, author of Indigo


"[This book] gives us endless ways to access our creative selves and shows us how to shape our experiences into poetry...This book reassured me that we all have the capacity to create something beautiful.'"  —Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, author of Children of the Land

Ever had an emotion or experience you wanted to express, but didn't know how? This guide by Patrice Vecchione encourages new writers of all ages to find their voices, step up and speak their truths, and articulate what matters to them most—both personally and politically—whether it be boldly to an outside audience or just privately for themselves.

Young adults are reading and writing and performing poetry more than ever before. Written in short, easy-to-digest chapters by the editor of Ink Knows No Borders, My Shouting, Shattered, Whispering Voice includes prompts and inspiration, writing suggestions and instruction, brief interviews with some current popular poets such as Kim Addonizio, Safia Elhillo, and others, and poem excerpts scattered throughout the book. 

My Shouting, Shattered Whispering Voice offers ways to express rage, frustration, joy, and sorrow, and to substitute apathy with creativity, usurp fear with daring, counteract anxiety with the joy of writing one word down and then another to express vital, but previously unarticulated, thoughts. Most importantly, here you can discover the value of your own voice and come to believe that what you have to say matters.

Patrice Vecchione is a poet, nonfiction writer and teacher who discovered poetry when she needed it most--as a teenager. She has edited several highly acclaimed anthologies for young adults including most recently, Ink Knows No Borders: Poems of the Immigrant and Refugee Experience (Triangle Square Books for Young Readers/Seven Stories Press, 2019), which Newbery Award winning author, Matt de la Peña, called "the most important book we will read this year," Truth & Lies, which was named one of the best children's books by School Library Journal, Revenge & Forgiveness, and Faith & Doubt, named a best book of the year for young adults by the American Library Association. She's the author of Writing and the Spiritual Life and Step into Nature: Nurturing Imagination and Spirit in Everyday Life, as well as two collections of poetry. For many years, Patrice has taught poetry and creative writing to young people (often working with migrant children) through her program, "The Heart of the Word: Poetry and the Imagination." She is also a columnist for her local daily paper, The Monterey Herald, and has published essays on children and poetry for several outlets including the California Library Association Journal. patricevecchione.com.