DO'S & DON'TS OF CONTEMPORARY POETRY
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SHOW - DON'T TELL
IMAGINE WHO THE READER IS
ARREST THE READER
KEEP THE READER'S ATTENTION
BE SPECIFIC - DON'T GENERALIZE
DON'T WRITE ABOUT FEELINGS
NO SENTIMENTALITY OR GUSHINESS
DON'T ALLUDE TO OTHER LITERARY WORKS
USE SAME TENSE THROUGHOUT
KEEP SAME VOICE THROUGHOUT
DROP ARTICLES IF POSSIBLE
BE VERY CAREFUL WITH ALLITERATION
PERSONALIZE, IF POSSIBLE
DO SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH WORDS
PAINT A PICTURE WITH WORDS
A POEM IS NOT JUST AN ANECDOTE IN LINES
DON'T USE WORDS ENDING WITH 'ING
DON'T USE WORDS ENDING WITH 'LY
SPELL CORRECTLY
REMEMBER YOU ARE THE POET, USE YOUR IMAGINATION AND IMPROVISE - IGNORE ANY RULE(S) YOU LIKE!
Please, Please don't take these as any sort of "Gospel" or must do things, they are some of my personal rules, ONLY! Why not add some of your thoughts and feelings and let's get a real discussion going?
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Comments: 14
Don't write about feelings? No bathos but how about pathos?
I offer one rule: Have fun.
The group: We Comment Back
I DO encourage many folks to only pay attention to the very LAST RULE!
- Disagree, I dont really care who reads it
ARREST THE READER
- Haha yeah
KEEP THE READER'S ATTENTION
- Agreed
BE SPECIFIC - DON'T GENERALIZE
- Depends on the situation
DON'T WRITE ABOUT FEELINGS
- Yes in a way, but mostly no. I'd say write in a way that exudes emotion, but does not actually make a direct attempt to describe the emotion itself
NO SENTIMENTALITY OR GUSHINESS
- Couldnt agree more ... well, at least not for the sake of being gushy
DON'T ALLUDE TO OTHER LITERARY WORKS
- True
USE SAME TENSE THROUGHOUT
- True but I doubt I actually keep this rule sacred
KEEP SAME VOICE THROUGHOUT
- Sure
DROP ARTICLES IF POSSIBLE
- I dont know what this means
BE VERY CAREFUL WITH ALLITERATION
- I love alliteration. I think writing skillfully with rhyming and alliteration takes the most talent
PERSONALIZE, IF POSSIBLE
- Yes
DO SOMETHING SPECIAL WITH WORDS
- Thats the idea!!!
PAINT A PICTURE WITH WORDS
- Sure, but try not to be lame about it
A POEM IS NOT JUST AN ANECDOTE IN LINES
- sure
DON'T USE WORDS ENDING WITH 'ING
- Hmm .... idk if I do that or not. prolly do
DON'T USE WORDS ENDING WITH 'LY
Same as above
SPELL CORRECTLY
Of course