Step One: Preparation

Open a blank document, or if you prefer, prepare a blank page, readying your fingers to churn out some creativity.

Step Two: Your mind is your friend

Be gentle with your mind,

and don’t attack it if the ideas don’t come to surface as quickly as possible. Take your brain for a walk down the path of imagination, and open your mind to a realm of possibilities.

Step Three: The Beginning (DUN DUN DUN)

Just begin. It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t make sense. It’s better to get whatever is in your mind onto a page and out of your mind than stare at a blank page until you give up.

Step Four: It’s okay!

It’s okay to word-blurt! Poetry stems from the heart and your imagination, tending to be just words pouring out of you. It doesn’t have to make sense! Just read something by Lewis Elliot, then you’ll know it doesn’t have to make sense! 🙂

Step Five: Blank Page Syndrome

We understand how it feels to look and a blank page and see it slowly turning into a void in your mind. One of the best ways to get your mind moving is to stop thinking of it as poetry. Too many people this POETRY OH NO NOW I HAVE TO BE POETIC.

Throw this idea from your mind. Start off just putting all your ideas into paragraph form. Worry about sounding fancy later.

Step Six: Finishing up

So you’ve finished writing your poem, but you need to edit it? No problem! There’s many programs you can use, or maybe even enlist a friend to help you out! If you aren’t comfortable with sharing your work, sites like Grammar.ly and others will help you edit it in a non-public way!