HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR POETRY- SOME TIPS THAT WORK FOR ME

I came across an old tip sheet yesterday that I used to hand out when I ran poetry workshops. I thought I'd write a special post and share it with you.

• Always have paper and pencil on you for when inspiration strikes. It may not be a fully realised idea, it may be a phrase or an image that holds the kernel of a concept. Whatever it is write it down while it is fresh in your head. 
• When you are writing try to show your idea rather than telling people. Information dumps are not poetry. You are trying to turn personal experience/thought into something universal and unique. 
• Never be too much in love with a phrase or a line. Sometimes you have to remove a line to make the poem work. Put it to one side, it may be useful later.
• Look at your finished draft and scrutinise each word. Ask yourself whether the poem still works if you remove this word and if it does remove it. Pare the superfluous from your work. Make it lean. 
• Read it out aloud as you write, remember poetry is meant to be heard as much as read. How do the lines sound? Do the words flow? If not change them.
• Revise your work. No matter how perfect you think your first draft is revise it and then revise it some more. 
• Get someone you trust to read it aloud so you can hear how it sounds. Your work sounds different when you hear someone else speaking it.
• When you think the poem is complete put it in a drawer and leave it alone for a couple of weeks. Time grants a more critical eye. You will see the faults believe me. 
• Show your work to others. Join a writing group. You will get useful feedback and you will learn how to structure your opinions. Get a writing buddy and offer each other constructive feedback. 
• Read as much as you can. Not just the poets you like but different ones. Read the classics and ask yourself how does this poem work? How has the poet structured the poem? You can learn a lot from each poem you read. 
• Look at different poetic forms [for example villanelles, sonnets, rondels] and try and write your own. Exploring form gives insight into how poems work. Don't be afraid to experiement.
• Lastly, keep on writing. 

I hope this is of use to you, it is the distillation of sixty years writing. Good luck.