the craft. novels in verse with Hannah V Sawyerr.

We promise, we did not forget that it is National Poetry Month! You will often hear me say that poets are the best of us. Poetry remains a constant source of inspiration for me. When I’m feeling lost or stuck, I love to read poetry, especially when revising fiction at a line level. I want to be able to write sentences that make you stop in your tracks, and read, and re-read, until you can finally move on from its beauty. Sentences that convey a mundane emotion, but in a uniquely challenging way. That’s what poetry helps me do. 

In that vein, I’m excited to bring you guest features for the next two weeks. 

This week we caught up with poet and storyteller Hannah V. Sawyerr. The awards and honors are many to name! I first heard Hannah’s work at a reading for Empty Trash hosted by my friend Greg Mania. Her powerful voice immediately captivated the crowd and we were locked in as she shared some works that the series dubs “trash,” discarded or killed, but were treasured by an eager audience.  

In this thoughtful Q&A, Sawyerr shares about her powerful debut novel All the Fighting Parts, her creative process in crafting a #MeToo narrative through verse, and her perspective on how this poetic form uniquely conveys emotional depth while creating meaningful space for difficult stories.

Your debut novel All the Fighting Parts is told through verse as opposed to traditional prose. Can you tell us a bit about the novel and what went into your decision to write the novel this way?

All the Fighting Parts is a Young Adult #MeToo novel in verse told through the voice of sixteen-year-old Amina Conteh. When Amina is sexually assaulted by the popular and well-liked pastor of her church, she wonders who will believe her in a world that doesn’t always believe survivors. When Amina eventually comes forward, she’s met with some support and animosity. I wrote the book to examine how our communities can be both a beacon of light and a roadblock for survivors. I consider the book autofiction because while Amina and I have similar experiences, I still created a story that was unique to her. The novel is told through poetry and mixed-media like court transcripts, text messages, and news articles.

I’ve always been called to poetry, and even as a reluctant reader in middle and high school, the one exception for me was poetry collections and slam poetry. For verse, I love that we are able to stay in a character’s emotions. Verse novels tend to have a very close and personal narrative, so a lot of verse novels are able to hold emotional weight in a way that feels particularly unique compared to traditional prose. When I first sought out to write All the Fighting Parts I originally wrote the first few chapters in prose before scrapping them and starting again in verse. Since All the Fighting Parts is such an emotionally driven book, the poetry allows us to access Amina’s thoughts and feelings in a way that feels close but I am also able to add a bit of breath and levity with the white space on the page.

What are some of the challenges that you faced writing a novel in verse? 

I think in terms of the market, novels in verse have gained a lot of popularity within recent years. Verse novels that have gained a lot of literary and commercial success like The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo and Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds for example have really opened the doors for verse novels in terms of showing publishers that readers want verse! And there is a real space for that. Now I see verse novels being acquired a lot more regularly which I am grateful for!

In terms of craft, I actually find, (at least for me!) that verse novels usually require a lot more revision. The word count is significantly lower so while I may be able to crank out a first draft of a verse novel fairly quickly, I spend a lot of time in revision really considering each word. I ask myself questions like: Does this line break work here? How exactly is this word enhancing the line? Is there a particular poetic form that may compliment the scene here? In addition to that, because novels in verse are still novels that require a beginning, middle, and end, I’m also revising the story and making sure I have hit all of the necessary beats.

When approaching the novel in verse, do you have any rituals or traditions that you subscribe to?

I love reading my work out loud and performing while I’m writing the work. My background is in slam poetry, so sound is incredibly important to me. If I’m home, I may pace around my apartment while repeating the words aloud. I also really love writing in coffee shops and to be quite honest, I still might read aloud there. (Just a bit quieter!)
If you could recommend a few novels in verse to someone who is just becoming familiar with the form, which novels in verse would you recommend?

Limiting to a few is hard! But I would definitely recommend:

  1. Saints of the Household by Ari Tison

  2. Blood Water Paint by Joy McCullough

  3. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

  4. Dear Medusa by Oliva A. Cole

  5. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

  6. Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam

As a bonus, I also just blurbed Under the Neon Lights by Arriel Vinson. It’s out in June and I absolutely adore it. It’s available for preorder now!

What’s next? Do you have any forthcoming verse novels? Do you ever see yourself writing a novel in prose?

My next novel in verse Truth Is is a pro-choice novel in verse that follows seventeen-year-old slam poet Truth Bangura who makes the decision to get an abortion without telling her mother. When Truth performs a poem about her decision, it’s recorded and posted online for people to see–including her mother. Truth is also navigating senior year and is making big decisions regarding her future. The novel centers choice, agency, and moving forward. It hits shelves in September and is available for preorder now!

As for seeing myself writing a novel in prose, I definitely do! I think a few years ago the answer would have been no. But as I’m learning more about verse, I find that there are some stories that really are better suited for prose. I have a couple of stories that I think prose would compliment, and hopefully those stories will hit shelves one day too!

Hannah V. Sawyerr was recognized as the Youth Poet Laureate of Baltimore in 2016. Her debut novel in verse All the Fighting Parts was recognized as a William C. Morris Debut Award finalist, a Walter Dean Myers Award Honoree, a Rise Feminist Book Project Top Ten Title, and a Kirkus Best Book of the Year. Her spoken word has been featured on the BBC’s World Have Your Say program as well as the National Education Association’s “Do You Hear Us?” campaign. Her written word has been included in Essence, xoNecole, and gal-dem. She holds a BA in English from Morgan State University and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. Sawyerr’s sophomore novel in verse Truth Is (Abrams/Amulet) is slated for release on September 23, 2025. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

For the 2025 prize, the Autumn House staff as well as select outsider readers serve as the preliminary readers, and the final judge is May-lee Chai. The winner receives publication of their full-length manuscript and $2,500. (Closes Apr. 30) 

Teachers & Writers Magazine is accepting applications for the T&W Magazine Editorial Fellowship. The fellows will join the T&W Editorial Board and assist with the production of Teachers & Writers Magazine. In addition to supporting the operations of the magazine, the Editorial Fellowship is intended to give students and recent graduates editorial and publishing experience through hands-on assignments and mentorship from experienced editors. By the end of the fellowship term, the fellow should have a body of knowledge and work which may be shared in a resume and/or portfolio. Up to two fellows may be selected. (Closes Apr. 30)

One Story is seeking a paid apprentice to join our team from September 2025 to May 2026. The apprentice will have a chance to learn about all aspects of a literary organization, including the editorial process, grant writing, and online educational programming. (Closes May 5)

The Emerging Critics Fellowship is open to critics of all experience levels who seek to review and write about books for print and digital outlets. Applicants may or may not have previously published book reviews. The NBCC seeks a broad range of diverse applicants, especially those who have demonstrated a genuine interest and commitment to engaging in a critical conversation about books. Applicants must be 21 years or older. (Closes May 9)

Ashley M. Coleman