The University of North Florida hosted Sandra Simonds, an award-winning author and poet, for an event focused on book architecture and publishing on April 14.
Word by Word is a series sponsored by the UNF English Department that brings writers and creators to UNF every year for free, public events.
Simonds said visual and linguistic patterns, forms, and shapes are used to create book architecture. She explored the transition from writing individual poems to examining ordering and pacing, and how these choices guide a reader’s journey.
At the event, Simonds read from her latest book, “Burning Oracle,” followed by a question-and-answer session and a book signing.
In the final section of “Burning Oracle”, a self-cento is used. Simonds said the narrator writes a poem using lines from throughout the book.
Audrey Deetz, a UNF history major, said, “I thought Word by Word was insightful. [It] allowed students to learn how to reach the impossible end goal of writing a book,” Deetz said.
Simonds has written nine poetry collections, including “Burning Oracle,” published in 2026, and “Triptychs.” Her work explores capitalism, class, ecology, and gender through experimental approaches to genre and form, according to her personal website.
As a poet, critic, and creative nonfiction writer, she has been published in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Best American Poetry, American Poetry Review, and Chicago Review.
Simonds earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and English from the University of California, Los Angeles. She also earned an MFA from the University of Montana and a PhD in creative writing from Florida State University.
According to Wesleyan University Press, “Burning Oracle” is part of the Wesleyan Poetry Series. It is a visionary, book-length poem told from the fractures of a world on fire where myth, memory, and contemporary life collide.
Jessica Stark, assistant professor of English and creative writing coordinator at UNF, organized the event.
“This event was a vital opportunity to hear about the creative process and related practicalities, joys, and frustrations from an experienced practitioner,” Stark said.
“The English Department has had plenty of readings and featured authors over the years, but this year the Word by Word series highlights specific elements of craft and publishing,” said Stark.
“A large portion of the English department’s undergraduate and graduate students are interested in publishing their own creative writing. Ultimately, I hope this event made creative writing more tangible and approachable for both UNF students and the wider community of Jacksonville creatives,” Stark said.
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