5 Tips for Improving Your Poetry

If you had told me five years ago that I was going to be a poetry loving nerd, I would've told you there's no way I'd waste my time trying to become the next Emily Dickinson or Billy Collins... And yet, here I am.

A few years have passed since I wrote my first poem and posted it to Vocal, and now I couldn't be more in love. Writing poetry has been the most difficult type of writing I've encountered (not that I've dipped my toes into every writing pond) but I think that's what I love most about it – the challenge to communicate something in as few words as possible.

Most of my learning has been self-taught which has been mostly a good thing, but it would've been nice to have a mentor to give me tips and advice. Today, I'd like to be that person for other beginning poets!

Here are my tips to improve your poetry:

Disclaimer: I am NOT an expert at writing poetry, but I have experimented with it a lot. 🙂

1) Constantly observe your world

Observe and explore the world around you – there's nothing more important than this as a writer. The things that you see, that pique your curiosity, and you pull into your poem, is what makes poetry feel real.

It may seem unusual, but try to incorporate the things that annoy or distract you. Again, this will help pull a reader into your poem.

I wrote "The Flooded Path" when I was simply out on a run and encountered a literal flooded path. My imagination turned that scene into a poem:

2) Take a look back in time

Grab some old photos, toys or objects from when you were younger and see what memories they bring up. What can you remember from when a picture was taken (or what can your family remember) and investigate what it feels like looking at it now.

Childhood memories are interesting to write about because, as an adult, you realize how silly or harmless something was even if it didn't seem like it at the time.

3) Step outside of your usual way of thinking

When you write a lot, you develop a style specific to you and while it's good to have something to come back to, it can also leave you in a rut.

Step outside of your usual pattern of writing and try something new! If you don't write about love often, try it out! If you rhyme in your poems, try to write a poem without rhyming. If you're really stuck, try copying the form and style of a poem your really admire.

Writing haiku poetry is my favorite thing to do when I feel like I can't come up with any ideas. It's very different from my usual type of poetry but it helps get ideas flowing and challenges me creatively:

4) Open yourself up to new experiences

In the words of Billy Collins, "... poetry is really the only history we have of the human heart." So when you go out and experience something new, or something new just happens to you, listen to what your heart is telling you – then write a poem.

5) Get outside; be in nature

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to get outside and surround yourself with nature! Observing the natural world is a catalyst for creativity and will help you find really great metaphors and imagery (I'm a sucker for beautiful floral imagery).

Also, a part of writing is about trying to make sense of the world, and even though nature is natural, there's still a lot we don't understand and it can be fun (or deeply terrifying) to imagine the meaning behind certain natural events.

When it snowed here in Oregon, I made sure that I spent at least an hour a day running around like a fool in it, and that caused me to write one of my favorite poems:

And that's all folks! With these five tips, you're ready to start tackling new poetry projects with exciting and creative ideas. I can't wait to read what you create!

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