Let’s talk about a few of the tips I personally use to keep me inspired to write. These work a majority of the time but of course, there are times when the “block” hits hard and I’m just not inspired to do anything. During those times I’ve learned to let the muse rest. She will speak when she’s ready.
Tips to help keep you inspired to write poetry:
Read More– In the words of Stephen King -“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” I think that’s mostly true. I often find that if I put my pen down and pick up a good book it allows my mind to wander. This in turn opens up my flow of creativity.
Listen to Music– I keep an instrumental playlist titled, Pen Game on my Spotify. I will sit and listen to this before I even start writing. I allow the music to fill me and let my mind go where it wants. This usually sparks a multitude of ideas for me. Most times I’m only listening for a few minutes before I’m penning my next piece of poetry.
Freewrite or Brainstorm– If I’m feeling that “itch” to write and the first two tips have not helped, I’ll sit down with pen and paper. I start by thinking of a word and then just jot down whatever word comes next to mind and continue that pattern. Or I’ll write down as many rhyming words as I can. I might not end up with a poem, but usually I can jumpstart my creative process to get into the mood to write.
Collaboration– I follow a ton of amazing poets and I always feel inspired when I read their work. Many times I’ll search and re-read their work to jumpstart my pen. Sometimes I’ll even reach out to one or more to see if they have anything they want to collaborate on. The act of trying to merge ink always ignites a sort of challenge for me that keeps me inspired.
Prompts– Some of my best poems – I think – have come from a prompt as my initial starting point. You can find all sorts of prompts and challenges online and on social media that challenge you to create within the confines of a theme, idea, subject matter or poetic form. I love doing these because I always end up somewhere totally unexpected when I finish my poem.
Don’t Write for Others– Poetry is one of the most personal forms of writing. So don’t write it for others. There’s nothing more authentic and inspiring than to sit down and write straight from the heart. And if there’s a subject too personal you aren’t required to share it. Poetry for me has always been a form of therapy for me, so I definitely have pieces that are for my eyes only.
Stand Down– As I mentioned at the beginning, sometimes the “block” hits hard. In those moments, I just let the muse do what the muse wants. Sometimes I’m just busy with life and work. Sometimes there’s a piece brewing that isn’t quite ready. Either way, just taking a break and setting the pen down is all you can do.
Now you’re armed with some of my personal tips on how I stay inspired to write poetry. Hopefully this has helped you. Are there any tips that you use that I missed? I’d love to know other ways I can stay inspired, so let me know in the comments!
#loveandink
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