Meet Janice Moore, teacher and poet

by Paula Canup

The area in which we live is blessed, not only with natural beauty, but with a wealth of literary, musical, and artistic talent. Music has always been a part of these mountains. Now writers and artists come here to find inspiration and solitude for their work.

Janice Moore is one of those writers who moved here from Atlanta many years ago. She is now a full-time English professor at Young Harris College. In her spare time, she writes poems inspired by family, childhood, and life in the mountains. Her work has appeared in such prestigious publications as The Georgia Review, Shenandoah, and The Prairie Schooner. Her poetry chapbook, Teaching the Robins, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2005.

Janice began writing poetry as an English major in college. Friends and fellow writers offered support for her work. She also attended workshops at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta where guest poets offered helpful advice.

Her greatest challenge as a writer is finding time to write! Her job at YHC keeps her busy, but she often finds inspiration for a poem in the classroom.

What is Janice’s best advice for aspiring writers? “Do not get discouraged by rejection slips!” Every writer experiences them. She says that writers should just keep sending and sending to various publications, and eventually they will find one that will publish their work.

Today, Janice finds encouragement as a member of the North Carolina Writers Network west, better known as Netwest. This group sponsors monthly critique groups for both poetry and prose. Janice finds that the critique group, which she facilitates, motivates her to have at least one new poem ready each month to share with the group.

Recently, Janice’s poetry was included in a Netwest anthology, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, Stories, Essays and Poems by Writers Living in and Inspired by the Southern Appalachian Mountains, edited by Nancy Simpson and published by Winding Path Publishing.