06-16-2011, 03:29 PM
Had to think about this for a while 
So, the countdown:
6. Don't just disregard someone's feedback because it seems stupid or annoying at the time. Leave it alone, but always keep it to remind you that not everyone sees your poems the way you do. (Unless it's a cut-and-paste job, in which case you should hunt them down for violence whenever possible)
5. Don't throw away anything you've written. Even if you doubt it at the time, the day might come when you regret it.
4. Don't assume that because someone doesn't know as much as you do, they're stupid and not worth your time. This applies in more than just poetry, obviously -- but as a writer, you have to accept that people won't always have the same knowledge as you do. That doesn't mean you should dumb it down, but you shouldn't make it impossible for them to get enough of a grip to smarten themselves up.
3. Inspiration can be found anywhere. Make a habit of finding out as much as you can about everything you're offered, and try to get different viewpoints.
2. Learn to read poetry properly. Good poetry has more than one layer and it's probably smart not to always take things at face value.
1. However good you think you are, you're not.
So, the countdown:6. Don't just disregard someone's feedback because it seems stupid or annoying at the time. Leave it alone, but always keep it to remind you that not everyone sees your poems the way you do. (Unless it's a cut-and-paste job, in which case you should hunt them down for violence whenever possible)
5. Don't throw away anything you've written. Even if you doubt it at the time, the day might come when you regret it.
4. Don't assume that because someone doesn't know as much as you do, they're stupid and not worth your time. This applies in more than just poetry, obviously -- but as a writer, you have to accept that people won't always have the same knowledge as you do. That doesn't mean you should dumb it down, but you shouldn't make it impossible for them to get enough of a grip to smarten themselves up.
3. Inspiration can be found anywhere. Make a habit of finding out as much as you can about everything you're offered, and try to get different viewpoints.
2. Learn to read poetry properly. Good poetry has more than one layer and it's probably smart not to always take things at face value.
1. However good you think you are, you're not.
It could be worse