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As you start to write poetry, do not concern yourself about publication or what other people think. Just let your poems flow onto the page or into a computer file. Without censoring yourself, write down whatever comes to mind. After the poem has had its say, let it sit a while before you go back later to revise.
Usually poetry writing gets better and revising gets easier with practice. To ease the process even more, read and analyze poems in anthologies, poetry books, poetry journals, and e-zines to help you improve your poems. Also:
- Study classics and the works of Nobel and Pulitzer prize-winning poets.
- Get familiar with poetry publishers whose work you like.
- Consider what draws you to a poem, chapbook, or book of poems.
- As objectively as you can, look at your poems to see if your work has any poetic traits or qualities that you admire in poems written by other poets.
- Objectively review each observation, insight, or fact in the poem.
- Research all factual data to be as accurate as possible.
- Read each poem and revision aloud as if someone else had written it.
- Listen for anything that seems “off” in the sound, sense, or rhythm.
- Identify each problem. As you see a problem, you may see a solution too.
- Revise to make each word, phrase, and line as effective as you can.
- If you’re unsure how to improve your poem, get a professional critique.
- If you like your poems or feel they’re finished but suspect they have mistakes in grammar, syntax, spelling, or punctuation, get an edit.
- Follow (free) The Poetry Editor Blog. Read the articles. See the online critiques. Learn from the strengths and mistakes of other poets.
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