Ever find writing poetry really hard?

[WillOtheWisp]

Like impossible? Like you doubt you will ever be able to write poetry again? Does it then go away and you write again, and you think you have learned that those doubts will always go away, and you won't sweat it the next time? But then. Or is it just me?

 

[butters]

Like impossible? Like you doubt you will ever be able to write poetry again? Does it then go away and you write again, and you think you have learned that those doubts will always go away, and you won't sweat it the next time? But then. Or is it just me?

i've come to terms with the fact i can write at any time BUT it feels fake to me when i force it and there's nothing of myself invested in it, no true creative input in what becomes an exercise.

it's not for everyone, but for me i write when i have to - when there's no stopping it - and it comes, natural as breathing; when i'm not feeling it, i let it rest because know if i get on and do other stuff it tops up the muse. life gives us stuff to write about. so, no, i no longer sweat over it. writing's not all about getting the words down: you have to experience feelings, see things, take the world around you in using all your senses, and then allow these to percolate through till you're ready again. balance.

 

[Magnetron]

No.

I mostly write crap.

But when you do that, you stay exercised and in shape for when better ideas comes along.

 

[greenmountaineer]

Time and again, people on theses pages, as well as others, have written, "if you want to write poetry well, read poetry."

When I don't feel creative, I read poems. An important part of that is reading what others write in critiquing poems. The other thing I do is dust off an old poem and edit. I often come up with an entirely new piece of work.

Lastly, for reasons I reasons I don't quite understand, the Challenges here on PF&D motivate me. Consider participating in the next one, WoW. No one here bites. We nibble at each other's poems sometimes, all in good fun, and in the interest of becoming better writers.

 

[Angeline]

I go through periods where, for various reasons, I feel burned out on writing poems. I used to worry that it meant my poetry skills had evaporated. Turns out that's just me being paranoid because it always comes back. In the meantime I read whatever strikes my fancy--sometimes it's poetry or material about writing poetry. Sometimes I reread stuff I love for the pure escapist pleasure of it. Often I'll google online poetry zines and journals to see what other poets are writing and publishing. Any of these can tickle my muse and get me writing again.

I also find it easier to write form poems when I'm in a lull. Having rules to follow is like a lifeline to me then. This site, which UnderYourSpell discovered some years back, is really useful for that.

I'll second GM's recommendation to try out challenges here. There's a lot of friendly support available here to the sincere poet who's willing to write with us.

Reading new poems and critiquing them is another great way to keep one's focus on poetry and maybe get stimulated to write. You may have to read through a lot of fluff to find poems that really grab you, but they are definitely out there!

 

[Magnetron]

I do get really hard when writing erotic poems.




Especially when they contain the word pluperfect.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

At the end of Survivor I was struggling, not much to be proud of came out of those final days and I didn't write for a long while afterwards. I was drained dry but still elated that I had kept going . I too find the challenges are what keep me writing as if they put new thoughts into my head.

 

[WillOtheWisp]

i've come to terms with the fact i can write at any time BUT it feels fake to me when i force it and there's nothing of myself invested in it, no true creative input in what becomes an exercise.

What is "fake"? I'm asking, because I know the feeling well, but I've learned not to trust the feeling. Some of what others have called my best work felt fake to me. And vice versa. Do professional writers have this problem? Or is there really enough story and inspiration in them to be creative daily? If so, I'm am quite jealous.

 

[WillOtheWisp]

Especially when they contain the word pluperfect.

"Pluperfect" is awfully cute, I agree. But I can't be looking at new words right now. Butters recently introduced me to "wurzel" and I'm trying to make it work.

 

[champagne1982]

What is "fake"? <snip> is there really enough story and inspiration in them to be creative daily? If so, I'm am quite jealous.

Life happens daily. Inspiration may not. But if you write about living, there's always enough to write about and be creative.

A useful exercise is to choose a colour and then write about the way it looks on the first thing you see of that colour. For instance:

I choose red. I looked up just now and saw the heart-shaped pillow that I was given in the hospital 16 years ago to use as a splint for my sternotomy after my valve replacement surgery. Now, that may just have a poem in it.​

 

[legerdemer]

I also have periods when writing - any writing - is hard, others when it's easy. Sometimes poems just blurt out nearly fully made, fairly close to their final state and final length (long as well as short). Other times I get just a whiff of something, write it down, and leave it - either never to revisit it again, or come back to it, days or months later, and finish the poem.

If I think of something, however trivial, I try to write it down - I have a fickle memory, and writing captures the image even if I can't find what I've written. It's as if, knowing that I took a snapshot, the image becomes indelibly burned on my retinas. It's kind of a joke in my household - pen and a notebook go with me everywhere.

I try to write every day, but it doesn't always work that way. I try not to let the pen sit for more than a week, even if I scribble nonsense. I try to read something every day - maybe not always poetry but a good piece of writing. And I give myself time to daydream.

And challenges, as someone said earlier, also work for me - they provide sparks that flare. Could be a word, a feeling, an image.

But it sounds to me like you're well on your way. Best of luck, and post your next thing here as well.

 

[Magnetron]

Writing your own lyrics to the music of a pre-existing song is good exercise.

Or invent your own mental music for the same exercise and make the end result completely original.

 

[Neonurotic]

Find or do something that motivates you to write. Poetry (good or bad) doesn't happen without that spark.

 

[butters]

What is "fake"? I'm asking, because I know the feeling well, but I've learned not to trust the feeling. Some of what others have called my best work felt fake to me. And vice versa. Do professional writers have this problem? Or is there really enough story and inspiration in them to be creative daily? If so, I'm am quite jealous.

that's pretty much my experience, too or they can't tell which have come complete with 'the heart' me and which from are purely from 'the head' me.

no matter how much a 'head me' piece gets praised, though, i still feel like a cheat and haven't moved beyond that yet. nor does it give me the sense of ... relief?, well, catharsis maybe, that a heart piece affords. it feels dry, disconnected, more a word-puzzle with words neatly lined up, (sometimes) cleverly bouncing off one another, still making pictures and stirring something in the reader but leaving me unmoved. the difference between doing a good job of decorating a house and the creativity thrown in to make a home a piece of art. having said that, some of my favourites drop like a stone making no ripples.

as to the latter questions, i wouldn't know - as i said before, i write when the inspirations hits.

ultimately, if i want to feel like i've written ''poetry'' i have to feel invested in it.

 

[Penuche]

Writing your own lyrics to the music of a pre-existing song is good exercise. <snip>

Agreed, and it's fun too - even if you think the results aren't good enough for sharing around.

 

[WillOtheWisp]

Time and again, people on theses pages, as well as others, have written, "if you want to write poetry well, read poetry."

That's good advice. Just curious; do you have any favorite sources for poetry, I mean beside this one?

 

[WillOtheWisp]

I've been meaning to get more involved in the challenges; just like I've been meaning to exercise and eat better.

 

[WillOtheWisp]

I go through periods where, for various reasons, I feel burned out on writing poems. I used to worry that it meant my poetry skills had evaporated. Turns out that's just me being paranoid because it always comes back.

So does the paranoia eventually stop returning? Do you ever feel safe from it?

Any of these can tickle my muse and get me writing again.

My muse isn't so ticklish, but I get you.

I also find it easier to write form poems when I'm in a lull. Having rules to follow is like a lifeline to me then.

I agree here. Too much. I think I've built a crutch out of iambic pentameter, and it's rapidly becoming my wheelchair.

I'll second GM's recommendation to try out challenges here. There's a lot of friendly support available here to the sincere poet who's willing to write with us.

Thank you!

 

[WillOtheWisp]

I too find the challenges are what keep me writing as if they put new thoughts into my head.

You know my favorite challenge I've seen here so far? "Would you".

Would you ever "Would you" again?

 

[WillOtheWisp]

Everyone,

I want to thank you all for your thoughtful replies, to my whining. Your suggestions and empathies are all very much appreciated.

 

[UnderYourSpell]

You know my favorite challenge I've seen here so far? "Would you".

Would you ever "Would you" again?

Sure if it's wanted, I'll have a think and find a subject for you. I'm a bit busy this weekend as I have family staying, but if you keep an eye out I'll post for you later on in the week.

 

[WillOtheWisp]

I choose red. I looked up just now and saw the heart-shaped pillow that I was given in the hospital 16 years ago to use as a splint for my sternotomy after my valve replacement surgery. Now, that may just have a poem in it.

I don't mean to turn helpful advice into homework, but I find myself really wanting to read that poem....

And thank you. I'll give it a try.

 

[greenmountaineer]

That's good advice. Just curious; do you have any favorite sources for poetry, I mean beside this one?

I have 2 RSS feeds that publish a poem daily. One is "Poetry" magazine, although I find some a bit too esoteric. The other is Garrison Keillor's "Writer's Almanac."

 

[MichelleInAsia]

Mine is not very good but it's just for me so that's OK.

More scary is the thought of writing something that will be read by others and that they will not approach my writing in the same way. It's a good exercise I'm sure...... just need to get to the stage of sharing.