Kaleigh Johnson

From coastal towns to mountain cities, indie presses are shaping the literary landscape with a deep love for the written word. Below, you’ll find a curated list of North Carolina’s small and independent (indie) presses, each one a testament to what can happen when passion meets the page.

Poetry has never been a one-size-fits-all art form. It stretches, bends, borrows, and reinvents itself, sometimes quietly and sometimes with a sense of rebellion. Beyond the sonnets and free verse many of us are well-acquainted with, there is a wide world of poetic forms that invite play, experimentation, and risk. Let’s explore 22 unique types of poems that move past the familiar and remind us why poetry remains one of the most inventive corners of the literary world.

Dialogue is one of the most powerful tools a writer has, and one of the easiest to misuse. It can pull readers deeper into a scene or quietly push them away. At its best, dialogue feels natural while doing intentional work behind the scenes. At its worst, it rambles, explains too much, or exists simply because silence feels uncomfortable.