diamond absolutes

try to be as specific as you can! vague poetry can sound pretty, but the best poetry - the kind that makes you feel like you were kicked in the stomach - is extremely specific.

avoid using overly-flowery language. trying to sound “poetic” muddies your point most of the time and will pull the reader out of your narrative.

don’t limit yourself to one particular style! try out lots of different styles, be it free verse or a specific form. challenge yourself to write in a form that makes you uncomfortable sometimes.

read a LOT of poetry to figure out what kind you like to create, and once you have some favorite poets, read their work before you sit down to write. that can help you find the tone you’re looking for.

poetry doesn’t have to be about nature or romance or loss (although it can be, if that’s what you’re up for). write a biography. write a ghost story. write a list. poetry can and should be about anything that you’re interested in and passionate about, there are no rules.

let a poem sit for a couple days after your first draft before you try to edit it. let it breathe for a while. 

remember, you only have to please yourself with your poems! your audience is and always will be secondary. if you like what you’re writing, that is more than good enough.

And all at once, I was alone.