Poetry
Ghazal Poetry: How to Write a Ghazal Poem
The ghazal poem is an intricate, richly symbolic poetry form that finds its origins in 7th century Arabia. Ghazal poetry typically ruminates on matters of love (both divine and earthly), and while the ghazal form has some strict requirements, it is also incredibly rewarding to write. What are ghazals, and how do you write one?…
Read MoreNaPoWriMo Prompts for National Poetry Month
Want to do NaPoWriMo with other poets? Check out our April 1st class 30 Poems in 30 Days, designed to celebrate National Poetry Month! April is National Poetry Month in the United States. To celebrate, some poets embark on the NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month) challenge—writing a poem a day for 30 days. Finding the…
Read MoreCapturing the Art of Storytelling: Techniques & Tips
It is hard to describe the art of storytelling, but you know good storytelling it when you read it. You read a passage of prose and it raises your arm hairs, makes your blood tingle, gets your heart racing; suddenly you’re swept up in the experience of beautiful writing. Indeed, writers seem to possess a…
Read MoreHow to Write a Poetry Book and Get It Published
Writing a poetry book requires courage, stamina, and a lot of patience with yourself. The poetry book ranks at the top of many poets’ to-do lists, but getting a manuscript in front of poetry book publishers takes years of writing and planning. This article covers the essentials of getting new poetry books into print, covering both…
Read MoreWord Play: Examples of a Play on Words
It goes without saying that writers are drawn to language, but because we love words so much, the English language is filled with word play. By interrogating the complexities of language—homophones, homographs, words with multiple meanings, sentence structures, etc.—writers can explore new possibilities in their work through a play on words. It’s easiest to employ…
Read MoreCinquain Poetry: How to Write a Cinquain Poem
A cinquain is a stanza composed of five lines, which makes a cinquain poem a poem composed of five-line stanzas. These short poems are the perfect length to find insight through brevity, and if you’re considering tinkering with shorter poetry forms, you might want to play with cinquain poetry. What is a cinquain poem, and…
Read MoreSymbolism in Literature: What Symbolism Is, and How to Use It In Your Writing
Symbolism describes the use of concrete images to convey abstract ideas. Because this literary device is widely open to interpretation, and because many readers form different relationships to concrete objects, this is one of the more slippery elements of literature to both understand and convey to an audience. Nonetheless, understanding symbolism, and knowing what is…
Read MoreExamples of Short Poems and How to Write Them
Great poetry can be any length: long poems can sprawl across pages like interstate highways, but short poems can be just as moving and powerful. Short form poetry, which includes forms like micropoetry, pack lots of meaning in a small amount of space. The best short poems make each word carry tremendous weight, and this…
Read MoreWhat is Theme? A Look at 20 Common Themes in Literature
When someone asks you “What is this book about?”, there are a few ways you can answer. There’s “plot,” which refers to the literal events in the book, and there’s “character,” which refers to the people in the book and the struggles they overcome. Finally, there are themes in literature that correspond with the work’s…
Read MoreHow to Write an Acrostic Poem: Examples and Forms
If you’re a fan of steganography—the art of concealing messages in text—you might enjoy writing an acrostic poem. From the abecedarian to the golden shovel, acrostic poetry hijacks the poem’s use of line breaks. With this form, you can embed hidden meanings, derive inspiration, or simply have fun with the structure of poetry. Famous acrostic…
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