How to Write Poetry for Beginners
By amy wilson
editor and writing teacher.
Poetry is one of the most powerful, evocative forms of expression, but getting into poetry for beginners can feel difficult. The good news is, poetry for beginners is also easy to demystify. This guide will walk you through the steps of writing poetry for beginners, from understanding the basics ingredients of a poem, to exploring various types of poetry, coming up with ideas for what to say, and using different creative writing techniques.
The Basics Ingredients of Poetry for Beginners
Poems come in all shapes and sizes—from haikus to sonnets to free verse. But regardless of which style you choose to use in your poem, there are several elements that all poems share in common. These include rhyme scheme and meter (the rhythm of stressed and unstressed syllables), imagery (the use of words that evoke sensory experiences), symbolism (the use of symbols to convey emotion or meaning), and structure (how the poem is put together). It's important to understand these poetry for beginners basics before beginning your own work.
Various Types of Poetry for Beginners
and conventions. Haikus are three-line poems that typically focus on nature or personal observations; sonnets are fourteen-line poems arranged in a specific rhyme scheme; blank verse is unrhymed iambic pentameter; free verse is poetry without any specific pattern or structure; concrete poetry uses words arranged into visual patterns; odes celebrate something beautiful or meaningful; limericks are five-line humorous poems; epic poems tell stories about heroes and their adventures; ballads tell stories that are meant to be sung; narrative poems tell stories from a particular point of view.
Understanding these different types can help you decide which form best suits your needs as a writer. Or explore them all and see what resonates with you! (A great resource for learning more about poetic form is Rules for the Dance by Mary Oliver.)
Coming Up With Ideas For What To Say
Once you have an understanding of the basics ingredients and different types of poetry for beginners, it's time to come up with ideas for what you want to say. Think about topics that interest you or experiences that have had an impact on your life. You can pull from anything, like a moment shared with someone special or a beautiful image in nature.
Once you have settled on a topic, brainstorm how you might explore it through words or images or comparisons. Get creative—try looking up synonyms for key words that are related to your topic. You can also try reading other poems for inspiration, as long as you add your own twist or spin to the subject in the end.
Poetry for Beginners Techniques Available To You
Now that you have some ideas for what to write about, it’s time to dig into some poetic technique! A big part of writing successful poetry for beginners is knowing how and when to incorporate these techniques effectively into your work. You don’t want to overload your poetry, even if there are plenty of various tools available.
Examples of poetic technique include:
alliteration (repeating consonant sounds at the beginning of words),
assonance (repeating vowel sounds within words),
simile (comparing two unlike things using “like” or “as”),
metaphor (comparing two unlike things without using “like” or “as”),
personification (giving human characteristics or qualities to nonhuman things).
Knowing which techniques work best in certain contexts will help give your poem depth and nuance—it will also make it easier for readers to connect emotionally with your topic. After all, that’s what you want to achieve by writing poetry for beginners—connection with others who love the poetic form!
Writing poetry for beginners can be intimidating when you're new at it, but don't worry. Poetry is all about exploration. From understanding basic ingredients like rhyme scheme and meter, to exploring different types like haikus and sonnets, to finding creative ways to express yourself through technique like alliteration and personification, to having fun coming up with fresh ideas—you'll be crafting beautiful works before long.
Don't forget that the possibilities don't end once you've written one poem, either. You might want to write more, and then you can enter contests or submit your work to literary magazines and online publications. Writing poetry for beginners can be rewarding and fulfilling—even after you’re no longer a beginner.
This post contains affiliate links.
unlock your writing potential
As an agented writer and highly experienced editor, Amy Wilson can quickly identify strengths and opportunities for growth in your plot and prose, help you build a compelling submission package, and provide the encouragement you need to reach your writing goals. Take your writing to the next level with Amy’s professional eye.
