A Guide to Writing Poetry
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Simple Steps To Craft Your First Poem
Poetry can seem hard to grasp at times — some poems are little more than a string of words put together in a confusing and perplexing way that makes absolutely no sense. However, poetry is a beautiful writing form that, when learned and practiced, can evoke emotions and scenery in the reader quicker than any short story.
Here is a short guide to help you write your first poem and start to dip your toes into the wonderful world of poetry.
Choose Your Topic
There are two main types of poetry. Object poetry, and narrative poetry. The difference between them is that object poetry is describing an object or noun, while a narrative poem tells a story or event.
To get started, determine which type of poetry you would like to write a poem about. As a beginner, you might want to start with object poetry, as it’s more straightforward than it’s storytelling counterpart.
When determining the object or broad story you want to tell, keep in mind it should be something that’s meaningful to you. If you have a strong opinion about the subject, you’re passion will translate into the poem.
However, if you’re only choosing it because you think the reader will find it entertaining, but you yourself aren’t interested in it, your poem will come off as bland and fake.
When choosing a specific thing to write about for object poetry, make sure your subject has a special meaning to you. It doesn’t have to be anything too special, it can simply be a teddy bear you’ve had as a child, or a broader subject of books if you’re an avid reader, or basketball if you’re into that sport.
If you’ve chosen to write narrative poetry, and find yourself stuck for ideas, or are having trouble relating to your fiction stories enough to craft vivid and emotional poetry, draw on your own life’s feelings and emotions. The first narrative poem I wrote was inspired from a conflict in my own life, which I dramatized, altering the story slightly but keeping the same core emotions that connected me to the story.
Below are the steps for writing both narrative and object poetry, so you can skip to the part that’s relevant to your poem, or if you want a…
