There has been an increase in interest in the experimental poetry series that I began recently, and so, after a hiatus, I am back again with some more ideas about how to jump-start your poetry writing. All the previous posts in the experimental poetry series are linked below. Click on the links and they will take you to the posts in question.
I have heard it said by some of my poetry friends that setting a time limit on the writing of a poem can wonderfully focus the mind. One of our published Wheelsong authors swears that if he hasn't finished a poem by the time 15 minutes has elapsed, he dumps it and moves on. A little severe perhaps, but the method works for him! Now, this may create some pressure on you, or you may feel a little stressed because you have set yourself a time limit. A sense of urgency can often bring out creativity in poets, but it may just as easily stifle creativity. You probably won't know until you try it, but timed writing not for the faint-hearted.
Method 18: If you want to try this technique out, my advice would be to have a title or a theme in mind before you start. Set a timer to go off at a time of your choice. Begin writing, and keep writing until the timer goes off. At this point, you might wish to go off and spend some time doing something else. When you return, a few hours or even a day or two later, take a look at what you have written. It may make little or no sense, or it may be a fully formed poem! Usually it's something in between, and you may have fragments that can be transformed into two or more poems.
Steve Wheeler
Previous posts in this series
Experimental Poetry 1: Found Poetry
Experimental Poetry 2: Stream of Consciousness
Experimental Poetry 3: Fake Translations
Experimental Poetry 4: Overlapping Voices
Experimental Poetry 5: Random Prompts
Experimental Poetry 6: The Movie Method
Experimental Poetry 7: Unexpected End Rhymes
Experimental Poetry 8: Calligrams
Experimental Poetry 9: Anarchic Poetry
Image by Garry Knight on Flickr
