It’s a sad truth that people often prefer to write prose over poetry. Back in its day, poetry was considered the higher art form, but in 2019 its readership and writership are on the decline. Why this is the case is unknown and very likely down to trends. However, writing poetry is a great way to get your creativity levels up and an amazing hobby. Though many people are often intimidated by the technicalities of poetry it’s, in fact, a lot easier to write the more you do it. So, for those of you out there who want to bring a little more poetry into their lives, I wrote this simple step by step guide on How To Write Poetry.
1. Start off Small:
To begin with, don’t write the next Miltonesque epic. Keep it small and achievable. Take your time thinking about the lines you write and what they mean on their own and in terms of the poem as a whole. When you begin writing more poetry you can start thinking about how your poem relates to a series or how it works as part of an anthology. But for now, just a little ditty will do.
2. This does NOT mean you should write a sonnet:
Unless you’re the next Shakespeare, it’s pretty much impossible to rattle off a good sonnet as a beginner. In fact, to start with I’d avoid complex and demanding structures altogether. Better still: don’t rhyme. Unless you’re a more seasoned poet it’s very easy for your poetry to end up sounding like a nursery rhyme. Start off with free verse and see where it takes you.
3. Apply techniques:
Though you are starting small and avoiding complex structures this doesn’t mean you can’t apply all those writing techniques that make poems live and breathe. Use enjambment, use metaphors, use plosive and fricative language! Playing with words and ideas is key to producing something original and that’s an entertaining read. When you write to try and place yourself in the position of the reader; what works? What feels nice to say? What has an impact? Don’t write your standard easy read, challenge your reader or make them laugh- a poet is also an entertainer.
4. Upgrade your writing:
A poem is not like prose in that it isn’t written, read over once and left. A poem is like carving a sculpture: it takes honing and craftsmanship. So, don’t write it and never think about it again. Keep coming back to it, put it in a drawer for a month, then look over it again. You’ll see things you didn’t see the first time. Cut adjectives you don’t need, swap a simile for a metaphor, use a better word. Remember to produce beautiful poetic writing but writing that is also logical and grammatically correct. Try putting it back into prose and seeing if it makes sense. This also helps when it comes to considering your structure: does the poem actually better suit a prose poem format?
5. Let other people read it:
It’s terrifying. I know. Having someone read something that feels as personal to you as a diary is tough. It’s like you’re letting someone see into your head and judge your thoughts. Yet, criticism is the best thing a poet can aspire for. Any means of improving your work is of huge importance. However, do remember that everyone will have a different opinion on what works and what doesn’t. You could drive yourself mad trying to cater to everyone’s needs. It’s important to strike a balance between what you think works and what others think works.
6. Get inspired:
It’s easy to start off writing in a coffee-fuelled frenzy until you realise that you’ve run dry on ideas. Don’t just write poems that are political rants or a giant list of things that have gone wrong in your life. Think outside the box and take inspiration from what you find around you. Use images as a means of inspiration, out-of-the-ordinary newspaper articles, music, or the works of other writers. Everything plays a role in the intertextual world we live in; everything comes from something. Make sure that where your ideas come from isn’t just you.
7. Write, Sleep, Repeat:
Never stop writing. An old school teacher of mine once said that your ability to write well is a muscle, and like any part of your body, for that muscle to run well it must be exercised. Let writing become infectious; let it becomes a first instinct or a habit. Then you’ll find yourself naturally want to start rhyming and using more complex structures and doing it well. You must gain an appreciation and understanding of what works well on a smaller scale before you can begin applying this on a larger scale.
If you enjoyed reading this check out my next How To article on writing techniques. Stay tuned!
“Poetry is what in a poem makes you laugh, cry, prickle, be silent, makes your toenails twinkle, makes you want to do this or that or nothing, makes you know that you are alone in the unknown world, that your bliss and suffering is forever shared and forever all your own”~ Dylan Thomas.
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