The Leap from Poetry to Fiction

from Ginny Wiehardt, About.com Fiction Writing Guide:
Poet Marlys West Talks about Novel-Writing
Marlys West, author of the book of poetry, Notes for a Late-Blooming Martyr, (University of Akron Press), recently discussed her experiences switching from poetry to prose. For poets, who often do not deal with elements like plot, the switch to fiction brings unique challenges. On the other hand, many of West’s reflections were applicable to all writers new to the craft. “It’s like taking up a new sport at a late age...,” she says. “You just KNOW you aren’t going to be graceful...and I think that’s good, really, to be bad at something, to not know how to do something and to stick with it and figure it out.”