Dana Gioia: Why Poetry Matters | How I Write

Dana Gioia is a poet, former Chairman of the NEA, and one of America's most insightful writers on the craft of poetry and prose. This is the deepest conversation I've ever had about writing. Dana breaks down the writing process from his first drafts to revision, and shares practical wisdom about finding your voice and creating work that lasts. His straightforward approach makes writing less intimidating and more accessible to anyone who loves language. Enjoy! Get 60 days free Readwise Reader at https://readwise.io/davidperell/ 0:00 First Drafts 7:52 The Power of Saying No 11:48 Objectivity in Writing 18:05 Learning from Writers 21:29 Daily Writing Routine 28:30 Poetry Analysis: Catullus 29:05 Production vs Consumption 36:07 Opera as Poetic Drama 43:47 Finding Your Voice 46:09 Personal vs Universal Writing 52:17 Breaking into Publishing 57:01 Writing Through Grief 1:05:21 Emotional Directness 1:10:16 Teaching Poetry 1:14:30 Poetry in Education 1:20:48 Unifying Literary Works 1:23:15 Patience in Writing 1:26:17 Improving Your Poetry 1:30:48 The Art of Description 1:34:34 Reading to Write Better 1:38:08 Creating a Masterpiece 1:45:08 Book Writing Process 1:47:45 The Art of Revision 1:48:45 Peer Feedback 1:55:47 The only app I use to read articles [Readwise Reader] 1:57:11 Anatomy of a Poem 2:02:29 Writing with Gratitude 2:08:00 Corporate World Lessons 2:16:40 Writing in Digital Culture 2:24:30 Poetry and Magic 2:28:55 Being a Catholic Writer 2:36:17 Catholic Literary Culture 2:37:40 Biblical Language in Poetry 2:39:51 Commonplace Books 2:45:24 Literary Influences 2:51:38 Cheever on Death 2:53:11 Tarantino vs. Tolkien 2:54:54 Tolstoy vs. Dostoevsky 2:55:47 The Modern Novel 3:01:18 Characters in Opera 3:09:06 Understanding Your Genre Dana Gioia https://danagioia.com I also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/ Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv X: https://x.com/david_perell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices