If you are a writer!

I may not be the best writer out there, and I most surely have not written for the longest duration either. Seeing as I am only twenty nine years old.

However, it doesn’t take a genius to notice that every person out there; has something unique to express.

Don’t give up!! A true writer never gives up on their passion; heck this is true about anyone who is serious about something.

Whether you’re a Writer, a Musician, an Artist, or even an Olympic Swimmer.

When you give up, you are stating that ‘you’ believe that you don’t have what it takes to succeed; in whatever it is you are doing. If you are passionate about something, then you must break past what is holding you down, or back. Don’t give in, and most certainly don’t give up.

We all have something inside of us, waiting to break through to the surface. Show the world you can be original, and that you have a unique voice inside you!

I’ve read hundreds, neigh thousands of works, papers, and stories; written by individuals ranging from ages ‘eight’ to nearly a ‘hundred’ years old, and each written piece expresses a person’s individuality.

It doesn’t matter how good you write, what matters is the effort you put into your work! With time, quality will come, just as long as you keep writing and expressing yourself.

Don’t copy others, don’t model your writing after another, just be yourself; because that is where all the magic is.

One of the Biggest Mistakes that beginning Writers make!

Writing is great, but not all writing is presented in a great way.

Vladimir Bach

This post is going to focus on one of the key mistakes that starting writers tend to make.

~Extravagant Words and Over-complexity~

One of the mistakes that new writers make; is complicating their writing. While a post may sound unique with so many large, exotic, or extravagant words; it also can backfire and become too complicated for the intended reader to even understand.

While it’s true that discovering new words and new ways to express something, is important; it’s also important that you know when to use them.

Simplicity leads to easy understanding, and is one of the most effective forms of writing.

If your reader can understand what you’ve written and does not need to re-read or research to get a better understanding of it; they are more likely to continue reading it.

Simplicity also helps to paint a better picture for those reading your content; if they can understand what’s written, they can easily get a better picture of the content.

Some of the best books in the world only are so, because they have readers of all levels and ages in mind.

Whether you are a seasoned writer, or a new writer, I urge you to keep it simple.

If you can get your ideas across and if it makes sense to almost everyone; then it’s a success~

To improve your simplicity but keep your writing interesting; work on discovering simple but powerful words.

Keep your word-usage to words that are popular, and well known.

Read various content that you consider well written and focus on modeling the way you write in the future, after what you’ve already read.

Focus on your grammar and how you structure your sentences. Always strive to find easier ways to express what you are trying to say.

There are endless ways to structure sentences; finding the best way to do so, is not always the easiest.

Tips for Writing Better Poetry

Read good poetry

The first key to writing better poetry; is of course to read good poetry. Start by reading all kinds of varying poetry: love poems, lyrical poems, haiku poems, narrative poems, sonnets, free verse and so on. Read them out loud, if it helps you; listen to the sounds of the words, let the thoughts sink in let them touch your senses. This also trains your brain to pay attention to every little detail and helps you learn to write better poetry.

Word sounds

When writing poetry, it’s not simply enough to see if the words rhyme, or when it’s free verse to just string the words together. What is also important is the sound the words make.

Each line must belong to the poem

Each line of your poem should feel like it belongs to the poem. The best poetry line, will fit smoothly with the rest of the poem; in intention, tone and in rhythm. If it does not, try rewriting it.

Theme of your poem

Don’t give away the theme of your poem to easily! Try not to mention the theme of your poem by word, or name. Instead, build and write around your theme; using metaphors to get to the core of your idea.

Do not give meaning to your poetry

Do not simply attempt to give meaning to your poetry. Just express your thoughts as clearly as you can, leaving a few things unsaid, and others unexplained. It’s best to leave the rest to your readers. This is the main difference between prose and poetry. Prose is expository, while poetry lets the readers truly decide for themselves.

Let the words flow

Do not be afraid of writing bad poetry! Everyone has flaws, and no one is a perfect poet. Just do your best and be yourself; let the words simply flow. Taking risks is what leads to great poetry, and of course a lot of other great achievements in the world.

Use plenty of imagery

Don’t be afraid to use plenty of imagery in your poems. People tend to forget words, but images bury themselves deep into the minds. The image might be funny, dramatic, devastating, inspiring, melancholy, or just about anything. The more vivid and well-formed the image, the better the image sticks.

The Time the Water Fell – Curtis Pierson

The water falls,
and it makes me pause,
on my arm,
sparse droplets roll,
looking to the skies,
all clouds are gone,
back to my arms,
and the droplets grow,
from where,
does the water flow,
looking down,
the water falls,
looking up,
the water stops.