Quick Tips for Poets
I have to admit it; the high I get from writing non-stop for however long is the same high I get when I’m editing someone’s work. I haven’t done either for a while, and I definitely have been missing it.
I had a request earlier to take a look at someone’s poetry. I haven’t critiqued poetry for a while, so I thought I’d dust my editor’s hat off and go for it. I looked at her first poem and put up a few basic suggestions. Afterward, I felt good about myself and recognized that long-missed high I get from editing and critiquing.
Because I missed it so much and felt so good after, I thought I’d put up a few quick tips for the poets out there.
*Double-check your basics. Just because it may be MySpace or Facebook or whatnot doesn’t mean you don’t need to respect your reader by proofreading.
*Don’t just throw in line breaks. Try reading your work out loud. Where do you pause for breath? Where do you emphasize? Use breaks to define and get your point across.
“I won’t give in or give up, but with you I am so done” is a dramatic line, but it could be more dramatic as:
I won’t give in or give up,
but with you
I am
so
done.
*Remember punctuation is your reader’s guide to rhythm. The absence of it will make it more difficult to read. Teach them the dance you’re putting down by putting all the steps (punctuation) in there for them to follow.
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