Young Writers Society

How do you write a poem? What is your technique? Can you write a perfect poem in ten minutes, or does it take you a month of revising? Do you sit down with no idea in mind and just write, or is it all planned out before you sit down? Share techniques here.

When I write a poem, I usually have an idea in mind first. Then I write the whole thing in about five minutes. This first draft is always awful. Next I'll fix some small things (line breaks, stanza breaks, puntuation) and save it for tomorrow. I come back the next day, and start editing the bigger things (whole lines, phrases, stanzas) and save it again. Again I come back, and I'll either keep it, or delete the whole thing - and start a new poem with the same idea. If I redo it, I go through the same process I did the first time. It usually takes me about a week to write a poem with this technique.

I usually start a poems in my head. I line or word will catch my attention, and I will start forming it. Then I sit down at my computer or with a paper and pen and start to write it out. Sometimes it takes ten, twenty minutes to flush out a first draft, sometimes it takes weeks. As for revising it. I usually don't touch it for a few days, after I've gotten my head and heart out of the poem, I start my revision.

ooh it takes me ages to write anything. I have a piece of paper. I mind map ideas, select them and then do it.
Then I'll go through ti and pick at every detail and then
I get someone else to pick at it
And then I get someone else to proof read it
and then.. well I put it on here to get improvement ideas!

When I want to write a poem I think to myself, " I need some class A inspiration, eh... ill settle for a C."

After I have that down, I will then think about what leaves prints in my mind, weather it death, astronomy, love, compasion, sleep, food, or fantasy. Then I look for my inspiration, and when I find it I think about my key points on the subject, either things I like or things I dislike. And I write my ideas down, try to put as many ryming words in as possible, and when im done, I put together my piece of work. I start with either the ending or the begining, and work my way to the other end.

I hope this helped, keep writing, and =) happy reading (=

My poetry is usually impromptu. I'm usually doing something like attempting to garden or watching TV or writing an essay when I come up with something I find poetic. Other people are addicted to drugs or sex; I'm addicted to writing. I've drawn and scribbled on homework, exam papers, candy wrappers, clothing, my own skin, and, yes, other people's skin, because I want to remember an idea. I keep a Steno notebook and a Sharpie next to my bed and I take them on long car trips. Sometimes I unwind at the end of the day by writing down whatever comes to mind in my Steno notebook or my journal. I think that writing and reading a lot have helped me become a better writer.
Sometimes I just try to describe an experience or to say something in a different way. That's the most important part of poetry, saying something new or unique that will make the reader feel something. I've trained myself to look at an object or event and think about it in words or pictures that aren't usually used to describe it. It makes the world a heck of a lot more interesting.

Colleen

My poems come quikly. I simply listen to my heart, try it.