Writing Tip: Helpful Poetry Advice
Read good poetry
The key to writing good poetry is to read good poetry. Read all kinds of poetry – love poems, lyrical poems, haiku poems, narrative poems, sonnets, free verse and so on – out loud, listen to the sounds of the words, let the thoughts sink in and touch your senses. This trains your brain to pay attention to every little detail and helps you learn to write good poetry.
- Word sounds
When writing poetry, itâs not just enough to see if the words rhyme, or when itâs free verse to just string the words. What is important is the sounds the words make.
- Each line must belong to the poem
Each line of your poem must belong to the poem. It should fit smoothly with the rest of the poem in intention, tone and rhythm. If it does not, try rewriting it.
- Theme of your poem
Donât mention the theme of your poem by word. Instead, write around your theme using metaphors to get to the core of your idea.
- Do not give meaning to your poetry
Do not attempt to give meaning to your poetry. Just express your thoughts, leaving a few things unsaid, others unexplained. Leave the rest to your readers. This is the main difference between prose and poetry. Prose is expository, while poetry lets the readers decide for themselves.
- Let the words flow
Do not be afraid of writing bad poetry. Just be yourself and let the words flow. Taking risks is what leads to great poetry.
- Use plenty of imagery
Use plenty of imagery in your poems. People tend to forget words, but images sink deep into the minds. The image may be funny, dramatic, devastating, inspiring, melancholy, or just about anything. The more vivid and well formed the image, the better the image sticks.
- Stanza breaks
Stanza breaks in your poetry should depend on the development of your theme. Let the breaks come naturally as the poem is formed (like paragraphs in prose). In case you want to have an equal number of lines in each stanza, organize your thoughts beforehand. Or, first write the whole poem with no stanza breaks, and then go back and make adjustments in order to give the right breaks.
- Be careful with rhymes
If you want your poem to rhyme, be very careful. Very often the meaning changes when words are substituted for the sake of rhyme. Let the words come naturally. If you still want a rhyming word, use a good Thesaurus.
- Use concrete words
Use concrete words and not abstract words in your poems. Concrete words help the reader get a picture of what you are writing. For example:
He was happyâ¦.. Can be improved as â His face lit up brightly â¦â¦.
By: Word-Mart
Reblogged this on poetgeneral and commented:
Very Helpful