BellaOnline Forums Books and Music Poetry The 6 Don'ts of Writing Poetry

Hello everyone!

New article up this week takes a look at what you DON'T want to do when writing poetry. You can read it here:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1173.asp

Do you agree with my list? Think I left out an important "Don't", or that one of them doesn't belong? Join the discussion.

I think it might help those beginning to write poetry but in the end, whether the expression arrives mimicked by a favorite style or by force of discipline to try new things will not matter as much as how the poem connects to the authors vision or intent. Poetry is explosive, internally. Within that, less rules are better to expand and grow in the art.

Yes, I already knew all those tips of poetry!
I mostly let my poems flow, sometimes they rhyme, sometimes they don't. But I don't make rhyming a necessity.

Good points, from both GoodMorningSunshine and jodiemt. Lists of rules like this are often helpful to beginning poets and writers, who may be a bit unsure and unsteady in the craft. Those with more experience will no doubt have discovered most or all of this on their own.

Rules in poetry, as in any of the creative arts, are tricky. You both need to follow and not follow them. Poetry is a very personal format, and not following the rules doesn't mean it will be bad- quite the opposite, usually. Yet as someone famous said, you need to know the rules in order to break them. It isn't necessary to know/follow the rules, but it helps.

Thanks for sharing your opinions!

That was well written Jessica I enjoyed it very much.