Poetry is an art form that is difficult for many authors to master because it involves expressing complex thoughts in just a few sentences. Although some authors are not in their comfort zone when writing poetry, every author should read a lot of it. The reason is that poetry can teach authors things they never thought about.

Read many poems

Of course to learn from poems you have to read lots of them. The good thing about poetry is that it is short and you can read poems with many styles. For a start, read a few poems and see if they arouse any particular feelings in you. It is good if a poem causes you to react because you can question what it is about the poem that made you feel the way you did.

Learn the art of stimulating senses

Poets paint some of the most vivid pictures compared to many other writers. They can use simple words to stimulate their readers’ sense of smell, sight, touch, sound, and taste. As an author, you should try to paint pictures in people’s minds just like poets do. It takes a bit of practice but eventually you’ll get there.

Use concrete words

One of the lessons that authors should learn from poets is that using concrete words is better than using abstract ones. For example, when an author uses the word “desolate,” readers will be certain about the message that is being delivered. However by using the word “iffy,” readers will have a hard time pinpointing what the author meant by it.

In poetry, the use of abstract words bypasses readers’ senses and means that readers are unable to get the full picture. The same also applies to other forms of writing. An author must always use the word that leaves no doubt in a reader’s mind.

Avoid or convert clichés

When writing, every author must learn to stay away from clichés. Using them makes their writing lose meaning and become predictable. Overused phrases have no place in poetry and they should also not be used in other types of writing. Sometimes when you find yourself about to use a cliché, you should create your own unique phrase out of it.

Subvert the ordinary

One of the strengths of poets is their ability to see ordinary situations in completely different ways. Almost any poem can be written in plain language that will do little to arouse readers’ imagination. However, poets have a way of creating sentences that convey the message in very unique ways.

Think about themes

One of the most noticeable aspects of poems is their use of themes. Themes are not only restricted to poems but they can be used in any type of writing. People who are new to the writing scene might find themes a bit difficult to wrap their heads around. However, it is a skill that can be learnt and used to great effect. A theme is different from a topic. For instance, if a novel is about history, it is inaccurate to say that history is the theme. A theme would be something like the struggle by native inhabitants to prevent capitalist foreigners from building a railway to exploit natural resources in the area. A theme is like a topic with an attached opinion.