How to Write a Poem

How to write a poem? It doesn’t have to be a difficult process and it can make you feel great.

I’ve been a poet for many years and I’ve developed a low-stress way to write poems. So, let’s get started.

Some Things to Keep in Mind before Writing Your Poem

1. Don’t worry about using fancy words; write your poem in a way that feels natural to you using familiar language.
2. Try to avoid clichés—words and sayings that have been used so often that they’ve lost their meaning. Use your own original thoughts.
3. Keep it simple, don’t feel like you have to write a complicated or long poem.
4. Write about what is meaningful to you.
5. Keep practicing, every poem you write makes you a more proficient poet.

Getting Started

1. Take a deep breath and relax, all you’re doing is writing some words, there are no rules or judgments.
2. Pick a topic for your poem that means something to you.
3. Think about how your topic makes you feel, what you see and hear, as well as any memories that may come up.
4. Take a minute and write down as many words as you can related to your topic; no pressure, no rules, just write down words.

Writing Your Poem

1. Without worrying about what your lines look like or whether they rhyme, start writing your poem. Also, don’t worry about how long the lines or the poem are.
2. Take a look at what you’ve written; read it out loud. Move words around or change them if you wish.
3. Feel free to edit as much or as little as you need to to complete the poem. Avoid trying to make your poem “perfect.”
4. Decide on a title for the poem or leave it untitled. Don’t worry about the title having to be “perfect,” just give it one.
5. You’re done. Share your poem with the world and keep writing more.

Writing poetry doesn’t have to be difficult, it can be a fun, enjoyable way to express yourself. If you’d like some help developing and refining your wonderful poems, please feel free to check out my one-on-one online poetry workshops.

Cheers,

Guy