So You Want To Become A Poet ...

So You Want to Become a Poet …

Whatever your ambition or purpose in wanting to become a poet, there are essential components in training that are verifiably used for successful exposition. Nothing should be absolutely adhered to if it pushes you out of balance as a person. So take these mandates in a moderate manner, as it appeals to your well-being.

Many poets prescribe a poet in training to read a mass of materials before entering into the actual writing stage. But we can do it either way, really. If you feel uncomfortable writing without being familiar with technical aspects, then read. But if we desire to just write, that is not a problem.

First thing you should do is buy a notebook paper and a binder. It doesn’t have to be big, or small, medium sized is best. In this notebook, you will have two sections: observation and reflection. Each day, write in this notebook, marking each top of the page, or section of the page if it is a reflection or observation. In observation, write only what is there, without any embellishment. Describe anything: a bottle, or a table, or a person. But don’t reach into the abstract things, keep it matter-of-fact. But when you are in a reflection, be abstract, use your imagination, envision things, play with the images that come to your mind. But the key thing in this exercise is that what you write may become poetry – when you feel that your lines are becoming more poetic, or just plain better, work on it as a poem. This sense will come innately, and you do not have to be mental about it.

Besides writing every day, one should read something, at least small, every day. When first starting to write poetry it is important that you understand all the styles that poetry offers. Read first older writing, that you will see the progression of poetic writing, and that your vocabulary can have a good base. For the older generation, I recommend reading William Blake, then Emily Dickinson. After reading a considerable amount of these two great poets, slide into reading more contemporary poets, such as Carl Sandburg and Stanely Kunitz. When you have read a large portion of Sandburg’s and Kunitz’ work, go on to read modern day poets, namely Ted Kooser, Rita Dove and Samuel Green. You don’t have to read a large amount every day, only one poem or two is sufficient.

When your routine of writing every day and reading every day is secured, make the dictionary your best friend. Buy a nice big one (they look cooler, and have more words, but mainly they look cooler) that you can leave around the house. Every day, look through it randomly and find a new word to add to your arsenal. And when you read poetry, when you don’t know the word, go straight to your beautiful dictionary and look up the word.

Now that you have made the dictionary your best friend, you are writing everyday in your notebook (and maybe some poems are popping out of that writing), you are reading every day a poem or two, you can pick up a book at the library or bookstore about the techniques of poetry. I recommend The Poetry Home Repair Manuel by Ted Kooser and Triggering Town by Richard Hugo for people who like information more casual than dry like textbook reading. But those who are in love with their textbooks may checkout The Norton Anthology of Poetry. Read a bit out of your technical book every day, relishing in the technical examples in your reading of poets, and in your own poetry.

When all these activities (every day writing in your notebook, reading poetry, reading about technical terms/examples, learning a new word every day) have been done for three months without exception, collect all your writing, whether it is prose or poetry, and determine what writing is among the best. Give your writing to a few trusted friends or maybe teachers to review them and make their own selection. When you have considered your selection and the choice of others, make your final pick. Now what do you do with this writing? You make a book! Look at the poetry books you have read, and copy the format, more or less, in a word document.

When you have finished your first book, print it up and read it as someone who has never known who you are. If you feel satisfied with book, schedule for your first poetry reading! Read first to your family and friends to get comfortable in your poetic persona, then head off to an open mic, or organize a reception among the people you know and invite them

Having completed your first book and reading, you have officially become a poet!

But that doesn’t mean you should stop your routine. The best thing is to keep going, and all will work out for the best. In this routine you can produce a book every three months, and by the end of the year, after your four books have been written, gather all your favorites from all your books thus far and make it into a book of its own.