Make Blackout Poetry

Instagram sensation John Carroll’s Make Blackout Poetry is a collection of texts that you can repurpose for your own poems.

Blackout poetry is simply the act of removing or “blacking out” existing text to create a new piece of work. It’s fun and rewarding for word-puzzle lovers, writers, visual artists, designers—really anyone! Make your own ingenious remix of words by Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde, and Victor Hugo. Find hidden gems in vintage etiquette manuals, slang dictionaries, newspapers, and more.

The book begins with an introduction by John Carroll, founder of Make Blackout Poetry, an Instagram community for blackout poets. Carroll includes tips for approaching this genre editorially and visually, and provides examples of finished pieces that range from simple to sublime. If you’re looking for a way to tap your subconscious for new ideas—or to simply feel present in a creative activity—take a pen to this book and transform it page by page into a personal collection of poetry.

“Carroll is demystifying what it means to be an artist, a poet, and a person who struggles with mental health issues . . . through his work, Carroll has given people a way to become more creative, positive, and connected.” —Atlanta magazine