The only time I start to get writer’s block is in summer—that’s when I’ll be writing poetry.
Writing Tip for Today: Let’s talk about 3 ways to outwit writer’s block by writing poetry.
Distill Emotions
If writer’s block hits, some recommend writing nonsense, others say write a journal to get the creative juices flowing. I write poetry to find where my heart truly lies and what it needs to say.
I hear some of you saying, “But I can’t write poetry! It’s too hard.” Maybe. But poets also must rewrite to put the most meaning in as few words as possible. I recommend trying to write poems—even if they are limericks! Even silly or not-so-great poems can uncover where your heart wants to write.
Poetry brings your emotions closer to the surface. No matter if the world or just you reads your efforts, try to write a poem that speaks to the heart. Whatever else you write, you’ll want that emotional connection so readers can be moved emotionally too.
Identify Themes
Haiku is a poetry form that uses a 5-7-5 syllable set-up. With haiku, you must choose particular words that aren’t multi-syllabic. Those longer words tend toward abstract concepts and in haiku you aim for one specific image or emotion.
You might start out with a writer’s block haiku: I have writer’s block.
Each day is a struggle,
An algae-green pool.
Traditionally, the poem focuses on nature, a specific season, or a brief, present-moment observation. That brief present moment of “I have writer’s block” can give way to the deeper frustrations, longing or passions toward a certain event or topic. A poem written “by” your protagonist might help you understand your character in fiction.
Try your hand at poetry, even if that’s your weakest skill set.
Rediscover Passion
Whether you rhyme your poem or tackle a sonnet or villanelle, writing poems when you’re stuck or having writer’s block can loosen up your right-brain creativity. The poem doesn’t have to be great literature, and it’s not necessary to submit for publication (although you may want to do so).
Getting unstuck might take your writing a poem from your protagonist’s viewpoint in fiction or expound upon a nonfiction topic/event. You can even use poetry to unlock a deeper, more honest assessment of your emotions in a memoir.
Try your hand at poetry, even if that’s your weakest skill set. When writer’s block strikes, write haiku, rhymed or free verse or a fancy type of poem like a Shakespearean sonnet. Use specific images and avoid abstract words, instead using simile and metaphor to appeal to the emotions. You’ll find your blockage disappearing so you can get back to your main work-in-progress. Who knows, maybe you’ll decide to write poems full-time.
