i read a lot of unpublished poets who ask for honest feedback.
here is a list of suggestions for better writing.
1. all stars are above you unless you are writing from an outer space perspective. so, writing they are above is citing the obvious and poor creative writing.
2. nights are usually dark, so it’s a boring and obvious way to describe night.
3. reserve capitalization for emphasis. if all of it is in capitals, it looks like you are yelling everything.
4. spell check is your friend.
5. if you find yourself using the same words over and over in your writing, peruse a thesaurus. m-w.com has a good one.
6. a journal is not the same thing as an anthology of poetry.
7. use language creatively and effectively meaning use writing tools like alliteration, parallelism, proper punctuation, and correct tenses.
8. instead of writing “a rose,” do some research and specify what kind of rose or use the rose’s latin or genus name. this will make your writing more specific and more filled with novel imagery.
9. reserve cursing for emphasis. constantly using vulgar language numbs your readers to your work. using it thoughtfully and sparsely, jars and effects your readers.
10. try working with different poetry structures to broaden your writing skills. trying to express yourself in very tight creative quarters can lead to a lot of growth as a writer. haiku, limericks, and sonnets are great places to start.
11. reduce passive tense and nominalization, and use more active voice.
and, final tip…if you want to be a better poet, read more.
hope my suggestions help!
do you have any, you would like to share?
