some good points off people so far.
i'm feeling a little out of my depth and wondering why i asked the question now, but here goes anyway; (in no particular order)
1, drop any pretensions has to how good or bad you are and always try and improve.
2, always listen to critique and feedback, it's the poets best friend, if three quarters of the replies say something in particular doesn't work, the odds are it doesn't work. never be too obstinate that you put yourself above sound criticism or feedback. making sure that good, bad or mediocre, you accept it graciously. people have spent time giving it.
3, feedback and critique again, this time it's about giving it. try and be honest and kind, giving honest feedback will actually help yu improve as a poet because you'll learn to see in your poetry what you see as failings in other poets work. you'll come to know what to spot when you do an edit. of course a spot of ego will make you pass over things but you will improve.
4, learn the crafting of poetry. since the short period leanne has been here i'v learnt something i didn't know, not much i know but i found something out which will help me when and if i want to write a certain form. learn some basic poetic devices, read about how to write it. while it is an expressive art form, it tends to work well within it's rules. and better outside it's rules if they have been learned, then discarded.
5, immersion, something i've been guilty of not doing enough of till now. Read poetry, good or bad poetry, interact with others as we're doing in this thread, never mind the arty fart stuff. look for the nuts and bolts. google is a great tool. get an idea from someone and discover the way it works. iambic pentameter...to me (i thought i knew what it was) sounded like some kind of spell. after being told about it i tried to work out it's nuts and bolts. i can't believe i managed to do a poem with them (not necessarily a good one) and get the iambs right. that was because of others helping and giving advise which i could use to find the answers i wanted. immersion isn't just about joining the back slapping poetry group where all you get are smiles and cooing; which is okay if all you want from poetry is interaction with people of a like mind and no intent or need to improve.
6, writing and editing: (they're the same thing) as of late i haven't had enough time and so i haven't written as much as i'd have liked, though i do try and write at least a couple a week. edit, edit , edit, workshop it, and edit it again. if you write and workshop your poetry, are able to leave your ego in the draw and don't mind doing a strong edit now and again i guarantee that six moths from now your poetry skills and you as a poet will have grown.
i'm feeling a little out of my depth and wondering why i asked the question now, but here goes anyway; (in no particular order)
1, drop any pretensions has to how good or bad you are and always try and improve.
2, always listen to critique and feedback, it's the poets best friend, if three quarters of the replies say something in particular doesn't work, the odds are it doesn't work. never be too obstinate that you put yourself above sound criticism or feedback. making sure that good, bad or mediocre, you accept it graciously. people have spent time giving it.
3, feedback and critique again, this time it's about giving it. try and be honest and kind, giving honest feedback will actually help yu improve as a poet because you'll learn to see in your poetry what you see as failings in other poets work. you'll come to know what to spot when you do an edit. of course a spot of ego will make you pass over things but you will improve.
4, learn the crafting of poetry. since the short period leanne has been here i'v learnt something i didn't know, not much i know but i found something out which will help me when and if i want to write a certain form. learn some basic poetic devices, read about how to write it. while it is an expressive art form, it tends to work well within it's rules. and better outside it's rules if they have been learned, then discarded.
5, immersion, something i've been guilty of not doing enough of till now. Read poetry, good or bad poetry, interact with others as we're doing in this thread, never mind the arty fart stuff. look for the nuts and bolts. google is a great tool. get an idea from someone and discover the way it works. iambic pentameter...to me (i thought i knew what it was) sounded like some kind of spell. after being told about it i tried to work out it's nuts and bolts. i can't believe i managed to do a poem with them (not necessarily a good one) and get the iambs right. that was because of others helping and giving advise which i could use to find the answers i wanted. immersion isn't just about joining the back slapping poetry group where all you get are smiles and cooing; which is okay if all you want from poetry is interaction with people of a like mind and no intent or need to improve.
6, writing and editing: (they're the same thing) as of late i haven't had enough time and so i haven't written as much as i'd have liked, though i do try and write at least a couple a week. edit, edit , edit, workshop it, and edit it again. if you write and workshop your poetry, are able to leave your ego in the draw and don't mind doing a strong edit now and again i guarantee that six moths from now your poetry skills and you as a poet will have grown.