Learn How To Write Poetry!
A poet isn't born; you must work at crafting your art. If you have the desire to write, you can learn how to write poetry or simply improve your writing. I had no formal training as a poet, and have been published in many print and online publications without ever having to take a workshop or a writing course. You too can learn to write poetry by following these basic rules.
The first step in becoming a poet is to write, write, and write. The more you write, the further you will develop as a writer. Writing helps to sharpen your skills; it feeds your poet brain. It is best to start by writing what you know and are most passionate about. The length of your writing is not important. Begin jotting done words, phrases, things you like, things that bother you, etc. Partaking in this exercise overtime will help you on both structuring and assembling your poem.
As you become more comfortable with writing and constructing your thoughts on paper, the next step in becoming a poet is to practice the art of revision. Revising one's work is very important for a writer. How do you do this? Pay close attention to grammar usage, check thoroughly for spelling mistakes or errors, get accustomed to using a thesaurus, and make sure you are using the right punctuation. There are a variety of grammar handbooks to help you with this if grammar is something you struggle with. Writing for fun is one thing, but, if you want to become a published poet you have to keep this in mind.
You like to write and that's a good thing. But, reading it just as important in learning how to write and for improving your writing skills. Many poets and those who are new to writing don't spend enough time reading the craft that they love. And often don't advance enough to become a published poet. To further your abilities as a writer of poetry: you must read not just your work, but, also the writings of other poets. In particularly, read poems by poets you admire or are inspired by. Reading poetry by other poets helps you to learn how to use language, to write metaphors and imagery. Reading is also a vital part of the writing process and will also help provide more critique to your own work.
These are just a few basic principles and keys to writing poetry. You won't become a poet overnight; but, with time, patience and effort you can develop into the kind of writer that you'd like to become. You do not have to take workshops to write poetry if you make the commitment yourself to develop your craft. Once you compile a number of poems, it will be no time until you are published.
Nadia Brown poetry has appeared in various print and online publications. Her upcoming book of poetry entitled, Unscrambled Eggs, will be her first full-length book collection. You can learn more about her book and read some her poetry at
http://www.nadiabrown.com
