The Everything Writing Poetry Book Read Online Free Page A

Does it remind you of someone you love? With practice you will begin to notice which lines have specific effects on you. Remember these when you write your own poems.
    You should also consult a dictionary each time you come across an unfamiliar word. And always consider all of the possible meanings listed. Even if you think you know the meaning of a word, look it up anyway. Common or familiar words may have additional meanings you're not aware of, and the writer may have chosen the word for its duality or to create a play on words.

    It is a good idea to reflect on what you have read for five or ten minutes immediately after setting down your book. Studies show that this can increase your retention rate up to 40 percent. In addition to making time for personal reflection, try to engage in conversation with someone about the information you read.
    Another way to reflect on poetry is to memorize poems. You may have memorized and recited lines at several points in your education, but the pressure of performance for a grade is long gone. You can now memorize poems to recite to friends and loved ones or just to remember in your own mind. The exercise of memorization will sharpen your attention to future poems and familiarize you with certain forms and styles.
    Read Poems for Study
    As you read, you should create a dialogue with the poems. By writing your responses and questions in the margins, you can become more engaged in the study of poetry. If you cringe at the idea of writing in a book, then buy a second copy, or have lots of Post-its or notepaper handy to keep track of your thoughts.
    There are several things you can take note of when reading poetry. You can write out your impressions, the definitions of words you look up, questions about passages that puzzle you, and any observations you make about the poet's use of language. These last observations are particularly important because they will aid you in the next step of your poem study: line-by-line analysis.
    You will read more about such analyses later in the book, but for now, you should try to jot down a few key observations about the lines you read. How many words and syllables does each line contain? What sorts of words come at the end of each line? Do you detect any rhymes? Do the sentences in the poem end when the lines end, or do they go beyond the line breaks? Are the sentences short or long? Do you see places where the poet chose not to use complete sentences?
    If you can answer each of these questions about a single poem, you will gain much insight into the writing of poetry itself. Finding similarities and differences between your poems and those of published writers will reveal your own strengths and weaknesses. You can then take this information and apply it to your own writing, while composing or editing.
    Writing Tools
    Because the writing process will likely keep you at a desk for hours at a time, you must find a tool that helps you write comfortably. You may choose a specific brand of pen for its smooth ink flow. Perhaps you'll choose an especially thick pencil or one that makes strong, dark marks on the paper. If you choose to write using a computer, you must be comfortable with your keyboard and mouse, the brightness of your screen, and other various details.
    Accessories
    There are many products and accessories available to help you write more comfortably. Many pens and pencils come with special grips to protect your fingers and secure your grasp, and all have point sizes or hardness levels that will affect the writing quality. If you prefer a typewriter, look for one that won't distract you with its noises, that will offer your fingers the right amount of striking space, and that won't give you difficulties when you change the ribbon. If you prefer a computer, make certain that all the keys of your keyboard depress fully, your computer screen is adequately bright and clear, and your mouse glides smoothly over your desk surface. You may also want to