Poetry Writing Tips

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Move the body.

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Be weird (I just high-fived myself in the air in a room by myself. WHATEVER).

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Get out of the house, neighborhood, state, country.

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Music. Listen to it. Dance.

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Swim. Bathe. Water is your friend.

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Sweat. Oh yes. Poems love sweat.

 

Shut the door. 

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Surrender to it.

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Wear earplugs.

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Drink coffee.

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Drink wine.

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Hydrate.

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Shadowbox the air.

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Have an orgasm.

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Cook something.

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Organize something.

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Hang out with a child.

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Talk to an older person.

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Touch something velvet or lace.

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Be a passenger.

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Walk. A lot.

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Sleep. A lot.

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Nourish yourself with other types of art.

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Find someone to really admire.

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Admire yourself.

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Get it together. Your routine, your hygiene, your breakfast smoothie.

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Meditate. 

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Ignore the yapping in your mind.

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Take out the trash.

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Think about your first crush.

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Remember elementary school.

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Figure out which pen you like the most.

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Ask yourself: "Does that even matter now?”

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Get off social media while you write.

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Admire your hands.

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Write about the difficult things.

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Write about the lovely things.

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Look at the ocean. 

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Climb a mountain.

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Hug a dog.

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Think about what your grandmother might make for dinner.

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Imagine what your grandfather kept in his coat pocket.

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Ask yourself: "Who am I friends with in my family?"

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See your 22-year-old self. What can you offer her?

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Make your bed.

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Don’t make your bed.

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Definitely choose your battles.

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Your energy is not infinite.

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Your time is very precious.

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Poetry is medicine.

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Let it heal you.