by R. Renee Bembry

Created on: August 02, 2009

For the simple reason that poetry is an art form, tips for writing poetry will vary from poet to poet. Each poet has his or her own unique style just as sketchers have their own unique styles, painters have their own styles, and sculptures have their own styles. Style is what separates one artist from another and, in fact, when comparing artists, style is one of the means by which one artist may be distinguished from another artist.

Free verse, the style of poetry that does not require rhymes of any sort, is preferred by some poets and by some poetry lovers. Although free verse poetry does not require rhymes, the writers should concentrate on forming distinguishable patterns and phrases throughout their poems. When free verse poems contain meaningful patterns and phrases, free verse poems are more understandable and enjoyable.

Rhyming poems may require poets to work a little harder in forming their poems. When writing rhyming poetry, poets must still take into consideration their creation of meaningful patterns and phrases. On top of this consideration, however, rhyming poets must place rhyming words at the ends of some of their lines. When placed at the ends of lines, rhymes are labeled end rhymes. Rhyming poems may also rhyme within lines to create certain patterning effects.

When writing poetry of any kind, do not get discouraged if your first poems do not come out the way you want them to. Poetry writing, just as all art forms, requires practice. To help yourself prior to beginning your poems, try thinking of poetry writing as playing a game with words. Just as you would get better over time with each game of chess you play, each bowling ball you toss, and each time you swing a bat at a baseball or softball, you will become better at poetry writing with each poem you write.

Once you begin the actual writing process, the following tips will help you along your way. Bear in mind that these are basic poetry writing tips. As you move through the poetry writing process you will enable yourself to add to your technique.

~ Preparing to Write A Poem - The first thing you need to do is decide on something to write about. What ever you decide to write on will be your theme. Your theme will serve as the most important aspect of your poem. Straying too far from your theme will leave you with a bunch of goobledy gook.

~ Poetic Foundation or Skeleton - Think of the initial writing as the "foundation" or "skeleton" of what is to come. If the foundation concept

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