Hi everyone, I hope you’re well! I’ve been reading and writing a lot of poetry lately, and I’ve found that I really enjoy it. I never thought I’d have the slightest interest in poems – my mind has always been geared more towards fiction – but sometimes, life surprises us, and we end up travelling down different paths and exploring new things. But, I digress.

Here are 5 Tips for writing Poetry.

Poems don’t have to Rhyme
It’s a common misconception that a poem is something that must rhyme and, while there are certainly some that do, there are many other different kinds of poetry, including free verse,  and the haiku that don’t rhyme at all.

Know your Poem’s Purpose
Before you begin to write your poem, it’s a good idea to have a clear purpose or intention in mind. What is it that you want to accomplish by writing the poem? What do you want it to do? Poems can do lots of things, for example, a poem can elicit an emotional, response from the reader, or help the reader to gain understanding about a particular subject or opinion. Knowing the poem’s purpose before you begin will help you to keep your writing tight and focussed.

Focus on a Subject You Care About
Poetry, as with any other form of writing, works best if you’re writing about something for which you care deeply. It can help you to develop a deeper connection with the reader by imbuing your work with a sincerity that it may otherwise be lacking if you were to pluck an idea out of thin air and write about it.

Read a lot of Poetry
The key to writing anything well – and it can not be said enough – is reading. If you want to write poems, then read a lot of poetry. There are lots of different types of poetry, and you may be better suited to writing one sort over another. Reading a wide variety of poems will not only help you to learn how they’re written, but you will also discover what you like and what you don’t.

Be Specific
A poem can literally be about anything in the world, though sticking to one specific subject matter or theme will help ensure that your poem flows smoothly from beginning to end. Jumping around from one subject to another can be confusing and spoil the flow.

As always, thank you for reading my words, I really do appreciate it!

Until next time,

George

© 2019 GLT

Categories: Poetry, Writing Tips

Tags: creativity, Focus, poem, poems, Poetry, tips, Writer, writing