4 Things I Have Learnt About Writing Poetry

Summary

The author shares personal insights on overcoming initial challenges in writing poetry, emphasizing vulnerability, flexibility with rules, immersion in poetry, and mental health care.

Abstract

The article titled "4 Things I Have Learnt About Writing Poetry" aims to assist novice poets in navigating the intimidating early stages of writing poetry. The author, reflecting on their own journey since starting their Medium account, encourages embracing vulnerability to tap into deep emotions, which they've found essential for compelling poetry. They advise against being overly concerned with poetic rules and perfection, suggesting that new poets should focus on expressing what's in their heart. The article also recommends consistently engaging with various forms of poetry to gain confidence and find inspiration. Lastly, the author stresses the importance of mental well-being while exploring heavy themes in poetry, advocating for self-care practices to balance the emotional demands of the craft.

Opinions

The author believes that authentic poetry often stems from personal vulnerability and soul-baring honesty.
They express that obsessing over the technicalities of poetry can stifle creativity and hinder the writing process.
Regular exposure to poetry through reading, listening, and watching performances is seen as crucial for developing one's own poetic voice and confidence.
The author suggests that engaging with the poetry community can provide a sense of belonging and reassurance that there is no single "right" way to write poetry.
They emphasize the necessity of mental health self-care due to the emotionally intense nature of writing poetry.
The author is passionate about poetry as a form of storytelling and feels it is undervalued, particularly in media portrayals.
They encourage everyone to try writing poetry, highlighting its role as a beautiful and expressive art form.

To Help Newbies Overcome The Beginners Nerves

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Since starting my medium account, I have developed a love of poetry. I adore writing it, listening to it and watching performances. It is full of passion, love, sadness, happiness and everything in between. It is thought-provoking and a window into the person’s soul which is beautifully vulnerable.

I found starting on the road to writing poetry daunting and wanted to help others by listing a few key bits of advice which I have learnt.

1- Learn to Be Vulnerable

When I started, I struggled to delve into deep emotions. I did not want to talk about my mental health or the deaths in my family. I did not want to gage into the more traumatic incidents I experienced in the police and make it sound like a beautiful sonnet. The truth is though, the best poetry comes from the soul and vulnerability is a key component of good poetry.

2- Stop worrying about rules.

I was obsessed with the rules of poetry. How should I start? How long should sentences be? Is it too long? The truth is, I was so bogged down with perfection, that I never wrote. I spent all my time googling “How to write the perfect poem” and never came closer to my goal. Just write what is in your heart and worry about the rules later.

3- Read, Listen and Watch

Read, listen and watch anything to do with poetry. Do not absorb is all in one go but I would say read a new poem or watch a clip daily. Not a long one, just enough to keep your mind invested. The other thing that happened when I delved into the Poetry world was that I gained confidence. I saw that people followed their own rules and made me confident enough to follow mine. I know that sounds weird but it made me feel less alone and more immersed in the community.

4- Look After Your Mental Health.

You’ll be delving into some pretty heavy stuff while exploring your inner mind, so make sure you have a plan to relax afterwards. Whether that be crying, watching a good film, or anything that works for you.

Poetry is a beautiful expression of human emotion and a wonderful form of storytelling which I do not think is promoted enough. In the films, anyone who claims to be a poet is mocked and ridiculed.

Since I have started I have fallen in love with it and want to encourage everyone to join me.

So go and give it a try!