A guide to improving your poetry - 10 easy steps

Improve your poetry in 10 steps

A poem can be anything. That said, we have some tips to write professional poetry in the 2026 age. These are guidelines, not rules.

Many beginning poets think they need to study sonnets or other forms to get started - this is not true. Poetry is about expression and storytelling - master those first.

1. What is poetry? A condensed story to create an emotion in a reader. Take a sentence, remove unnecessary words, and read it out loud. Add line breaks where you need to pause.
2. Why improve? When your expression improves, you get more satisfaction from your writing - many poets write as therapy, and aren't sure if they want to improve or edit. We argue you should!
3. How can I learn more about poetry? Read, Read Read! The professional poetry journals at your local bookstore are a great place, as is our front page.
4. Rhyming is a common distraction for new poets - we suggest poets master non-rhyming poems first. The left-brain skill of matching word endings distracts strongly from the primary purpose of an emotional story. More on rhyme & forced rhyme
5. Associate with poets you admire. Allpoetry is perfect for this! Take your friendships here to the next level by email, IM, phone. Don't be afraid to ask for help or for someone to be your mentor.
6. Keep a journal and write every day - collect your notes until they're ready to be combined into a poem. Write at least 30 minutes every day.
7. Editing is required - take it seriously - is generally made from two parts - Inspiration and editing. Some poets stop after their initial inspiration and never edit - editing is an absolutely necessary part of a strong poetic process.
8. Join an online writing group - see our great ones. Get comfortable with people you trust to critique your work.
9. Read your poem out loud every day. And work on a single poem for at least a few days - as you read it you'll see different things each time.