To put it lightly, 2020 has been one hell of a year.

There has been so much going on. It's difficult to remember or keep track of all the ups and downs. Most people have been trying to stay positive and productive over the last few months, which is the best thing anyone can do. Here we are in November, and I bet we all feel like we've been confronted harshly by stark reality. At the same time, I'm sure many also feel like we've been living in a post-apocalyptic haze full of equivocation.

On that note, our team at Philosopher's Stone Poetry has been trying to keep busy and avoid the existential woes, too. From publishing our latest e-book to launching a line of apparel and hosting virtual poetry workshops…We're getting stuff done, Covid permitting. We're also taking this time to recalibrate our brand, outlining our current and future endeavors to better serve our global writer's community.

Here is a rundown of everything we've been up to over the last few months.

Earth E-Book

We haven't even begun to touch the surface of going back to "normal." Therefore, pspoets' next publication took the back burner slightly as our editors figured out how to navigate work and life during an ongoing pandemic. We sincerely apologize for this delay because we know how vital poetry is during tumultuous times. Thankfully, no matter how (un)certain our future may be, we know that we always have art and poetry to turn to.

And you all showed up! Not only with your submissions, but your persistence in making sure that we received your poems, that we were still publishing Earth E-Book, and that you'd be a part of it. We know that you care about sharing your voice with the world and about our organization, especially when it comes to such an important subject matter: our precious Earth.

We put our efforts together virtually to make sure our next publication came to fruition as soon as possible. We did this for them, for you, and for us. We did this mostly because of our outstanding contributors' persistence in following up via email, social media, text message, carrier pigeon, pony express, etc...

This compilation of poetry was made possible only by our contributors. Please support us all by purchasing a digital copy of Earth E-Book and share the gift of poetry about the world with the world.

Apparel by pspoets

Rep' the pspoets brand and rock one of our awesome sweaters, hats, or coffee mugs!

We're stoked to have our very own apparel line to spread the word about pspoets and look great doing it. Everything is available to purchase through our website. Choose from different colors of sweaters, dad hats, bucket hats, or large coffee cup. Whatever you like to sport, we have you covered.

And we'll be adding more products soon, so stay in-the-know by signing up for our mailing list or follow us on Instagram.

Downloadable Worksheets and Writing Inspiration

We now have downloadable worksheets available for purchase on our website, too.

Whether you're looking to write a sonnet, a short story, or a blog post, you'll be on the right track to create a fantastic piece of writing with these helpful outlines. We just added these to the store on our website, and we'll be adding more soon.

Looking for more writing inspiration? We have also been very active on Pinterest, adding all sorts of tips and tricks to our boards, including our very own writing prompts. Check out our collection to write your next poem inspired by Philosopher's Stone Poetry!

Writing Workshops

Poetry workshops are back! This time, we're going virtual. So far, we've hosted two events via Zoom for writers to come together and showcase one of their poems and receive constructive feedback on their work. It's an excellent opportunity to put your writing out there and meet new writers within our expansive community. Plus, you get a chance to hone in on your skills as a writer and develop editing skills essential to reviewing other people's work and your own.

We've been doing our workshops about once a month. Stay in touch with us on social media to hear about our upcoming virtual events. Our hope is to build a diverse network and eventually host these workshops more frequently.

Poet of the Month Contest

Though we aren't doing the POM contest every month anymore, we're still doing it at least every other month.

It's been a popular outlet for our community, and we love reading all of your submissions. Especially during this pandemic, opportunities to submit original creative writing are very special. Even if you don't "win." It's so incredible that we have access to so much online. The opportunities are basically endless. Plus, it just feels good to know that your work has been entered into a contest, and whatever happens, you know that you've contributed at least.

Our latest contest winner was Claire Gallagher, who won an exclusive feature, online publication, and interview on our website and social media. We also choose two poets for honorable mention, and their poems are also featured on our website.

Upcoming Projects

One blessing of this turbulent year is that we've been able to rethink our brand and find ways to make moves to turn over some new leaves. We've got more things cooking up for 2021, and we can't be more excited.

What will you be seeing from us?

We're upping the ante on our book publishing for starters, featuring key writers from our Los Angeles poetry community. We're also planning for more contests, including new opportunities to create visual poems in the form of video. And, we're going to be adding more apparel and swag to our product line, as well as many more helpful e-books and downloadables to inspire your creativity.

Stay In Touch With Us: Join Our Community

Communication online is more essential now than ever. That's why we have shifted focus to our virtual writing community.

We want you to join us! Please sign up for our mailing list and follow us on social media to stay up-to-date on our latest books, apparel, contests, workshops, and other opportunities. It is our pleasure to help you grow as a writer and offer access to all the tools necessary for creative fulfillment.

Want to contribute to this blog? Hit us up to find out how you can publish your articles on our website.

News & Updates: Earth E-Book, Apparel, Downloadable Worksheets, Writing Workshops & More