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Do you need to increase motivation or find a bit of direction for your life? Creating a vision board with images that inspire you can help you focus on what's important.

A vision board (also called a dream board) is a collage of images, pictures, and affirmations that represent your dreams, goals, and desires. It's a visual representation or roadmap of how you envision your best life.

Making a vision board is meant to excite you about the future. You can use it as a chance to express yourself and begin self-discovery.

We're going to walk through how to create a vision board, from gathering inspiring images, words, and materials to arrangement ideas and tips for displaying it. If you want help coming up with vision board ideas, use this resource to guide you.

What is a vision board?

Vision boards are collections of images, drawings, and other visuals arranged together to represent your goals and ambitions. Each one is an inspiration board that can help clarify your aspirations so you can manifest your vision. Also called a goal board or dream board, this collection of images can be physical or digital.

Vision boards are highly versatile tools. You can use them as a manifestation method for your personal goals or professional goals . Vision boards focus on creating a visual representation of a personal vision statement . They're perfect for helping you imagine the specifics of your life.

How far ahead your vision board should look is up to you. You can create a vision board for the year ahead or one that considers long-term goals like your 5-year plan . If you have time, why not create a vision board for each phase of your ?

People who use vision boards usually place them where they'll see them often. For instance, you can put a vision board on your mirror to refocus on your goals while you get ready in the morning. Or, you might choose to hang it in a room where you often relax to read or .

What to include in your vision board

How do you create a vision board that accurately displays your dreams and aspirations? Creating a vision board representing your ideal life can be overwhelming at first.

There are so many possibilities that it may take time to decide what to include. Do some Inner Work® and think deeply about what you want your vision board to be. Considering some examples can narrow your focus and help you decide how to begin.

Vision board ideas

How to create your vision board

Vision board creation can be fun and easy. You don't need to overthink the process. Engage with your creativity to build your dream board. Your vision board is totally personal to you, so don't worry about defending yourself or impressing anyone.

To create a physical vision board that you can hang anywhere in your home or office, try following these steps:

1. Take some time to clarify your vision and intention

2. Gather your materials, like images and art supplies

3. Find images and words that represent your vision

4. Arrange your materials

5. Place your vision board where you'll see it often

Let's break down each of these steps of the process.

1. Take time to clarify your vision

A vision board requires you to reflect on your desires and aspirations. Before starting your vision board work, clarify your goals. What do you want to manifest with your vision board?

Get as clear as you can about your personal vision. Don't rush this step, as it's the foundation for your entire vision board. You will find that you get even more clarity and detail as you create the board.

Avoid distractions while thinking about your vision. It's important to maintain self-awareness as you clarify things. You can start journaling as a brain dump and a way to gain clarity about your life.

2. Decide on a medium

There are several mediums you can choose from when creating a vision board. Here are some popular options:

Physical board

Foam board

Poster board or cardboard

Wooden board or canvas

A wire board

A whiteboard

A magnetic board for your fridge

Cork board

However, your vision board doesn't have to be a literal board like a poster board. You can use paper or other materials. For a cheap alternative, you can cut out a piece of cardboard from a box you already have. A nearby dollar store or secondhand store may also have a suitable material.

Digital vision board

PowerPoint or Google Slides

Canva or other design software

Pinterest board or private online board

Digital boards are easy to update frequently as your visions change. You can re-size and rearrange elements seamlessly.

Journal or binder

Scrapbook or blank notebook

3-ring binder with page protectors

This portable option lets you carry your visuals with you and add items as you go.

Photo album or box

Physical photo album

Decorative box or memory box

Useful for a 3-D collage style board you can hold items in.

3. Gather your materials

Images

Once you've decided on the base and format, you'll need images or items to add to the inspiration board. Your images can come from a variety of sources, including:

Old magazines and catalogs

Digital images

Photos from your personal collection

Postcards

Stickers, sketches, and other elements

Adhesive tools

If using a physical base, you'll need something to secure your items to it. Pins and clips work well. You can also use glue sticks or tape. If you're making a magnetic board, you'll need small magnets to secure each image.

Here are some common adhesive tools that can be useful when creating a physical vision board:

Glue sticks: These are great for adhering lighter items like printed images, words cut from magazines, and lightweight paper items to your board surface. Look for acid-free, photo-safe glue sticks.

Rubber cement: This thick, re-positionable adhesive allows you to temporarily mount heavier items like fabric scraps or three-dimensional objects, and adjust positioning before it dries permanently.

Foam adhesive squares: These double-sided adhesive foam squares create dimension by raising images and objects slightly off the board surface.

Washi tape: This decorative, gentle masking tape can adhere light items while also adding splashes of color and pattern to your design.

Straight pins or thumbtacks: For using a corkboard or foam board surface, pins allow you to easily rearrange images and elements as desired.

Hot glue gun: A hot glue gun provides strong, Quick-drying adhesive for permanently mounting bulkier three-dimensional items securely.

Adhesive putty or poster putty: This reusable adhesive allows you to temporarily mount images and objects, making rearranging easy.

Having different adhesive options gives you flexibility in incorporating various materials and creating textured, multi-dimensional effects on your vision board.

Additional crafting tools

Finally, you'll need a variety of crafting tools, such as pens, markers, paint, stickers, or anything else you want to use to embellish your vision board. You can use as little or as much of these materials as you desire.

Scissors: a good pair of sharp scissors will allow you to precisely cut out images, quotes, and shapes from magazines, photos, fabric, etc.

Paper trimmer/paper cutter: this tool gives you a straight, clean edge when trimming paper elements.

Hole punch: use different sized hole punches to create patterns, borders, or to punch holes for stringing items together.

Stencils: alphabet stencils let you add motivating words and phrases. Shape stencils allow you to trace and cut out designs.

Markers/pens: colorful markers and metallic gel pens are great for writing affirmations and doodling decorative elements.

Stamps/ink pads: rubber stamps with inspiring words or symbols can add visual interest when stamped repeatedly.

Stickers: motivational quote stickers, puffy alphabet stickers, or themed decorative stickers coordinate nicely.

Ribbons/trims: incorporate different textured ribbons, frayed fabric strips, lace or other fiber embellishments.

4. Find images and words that represent your vision

Once you've gathered your materials, it's time to add images and other details to display on your board. Photos and images are the most popular media to use on a vision board. The type of images you use will depend on the focus of your vision board.

Here are some ideas for images to add to your vision board:

Images of graduation caps or degrees

Images of sports trophies

Images of vacation destinations

Images of things representing dream jobs, like an image of ocean animals for marine biology

In addition to images, you can find inspiring quotes to add to your vision board. You can print out words representing your ideas or write them yourself.

You can even add craft items like scraps of fabric or confetti. You can also include natural items like tree branches if they symbolize your goals or best life. For example, adding some pressed flowers could remind you that you want to spend more time in nature.

It's common practice to add words to your vision board as well. Try including inspirational words or words you want to associate yourself with. Much like with positive affirmations , the words you see and use have the power to shape your reality. Positive and negative self-talk has been found to impact athletic performance. Research has also found self-talk impacts brain functional connectivity in cognitive tasks .

5. Arrange and place your materials

Now, it's time to arrange everything you've prepared on your vision board. Lay out magazine images from your collection, writing utensils, and anything else you plan on using.

You have endless options when laying out your images. Here are some ideas to inspire your creativity:

Here are some tips for arranging images in an effective and visually appealing vision board:

Layout

Use a grid or section off your board into categories like career, relationships, health, travel etc. This creates a nice flow. Alternatively, you can arrange images more randomly for an artistic, free-flowing look. Or you can start with a central image that represents a key aspect of your vision. You can build outwards from there, grouping related items. Remember to leave some blank space - too many images can feel cluttered.

Prioritization

Place your most important, inspiring images in the center or at eye-level to draw focus. Arrange secondary images around the perimeter or in the corners. Use larger images/fonts for top goals and smaller ones for supporting visuals.

Color Scheme

Create a cohesive color palette, even if eclectic, to provide visual harmony. Use contrasting hues or a background color to make images pop.

Textures & Layers

Include fabrics, quotes on colored paper, stamps etc. to add tactile interest. Overlap and layer images in a visually appealing way.

The most effective vision boards are those that excite you and keep your eyes moving across all your motivating images and words. Have fun with this step. Get inspired by the momentum and play with different layout options until it feels right. This arranging process is part of developing a clearer, more detailed vision for the future.

When you're happy with the layout, secure everything in place with your chosen binding. Take time to make sure you're happy with your design. If you're using pins or clips, it's easy to change things around as you go. But if you're gluing or taping your materials, it'll be much more difficult to change your mind afterward.

6. Place your vision board where you'll see it often

It's finally time to place your vision board. A key part of your vision board's value is looking to it for continued inspiration. When it comes to placement, choose a location where you can access it daily.

You can try placing your vision board in one of the following locations:

Your fridge

An empty wall in your kitchen

An altar

A mirror

Your nightstand

In your work-from-home office

The back of your front door

Across from your bed

No matter where you place your board, be sure to check it regularly. Looking at your board is essential to remembering why you created it to manifest your dreams.

7. Continually update your vision board

Your vision board should evolve as your goals change. Regularly replace old images with new ones representing your latest dreams. When you achieve a goal, celebrate by moving that image to a "victory" board or scrapbook.

Continuously add fresh visuals and words inspiring you toward your next ambitions. These suggestions with help keep your vision board updated to match your ever-growing aspirations.

Backed by science: why do vision boards work?

In a 2024 study, researchers at the Journal of Research in Personality found that visions inspire and create positive emotions . They create positivity because they make you believe your dreams are within reach. By putting your goals on something you see daily, you can focus on what matters.

Vision boards are just one type of visualization technique . Such techniques work by cementing an image in your mind until you believe it's possible.

Finding images and words that inspire you can increase your motivation to create an ideal life. Inspirational tools like vision boards can be powerful for making your dreams a reality. By reminding yourself of your life goals on a daily basis, you can start being more intentional . You can direct your daily actions toward a greater purpose or goal.

A vision board helps you stay focused on the bigger picture. When you have a clear direction for your life, you can take actionable steps to achieve your dreams. Each day becomes an opportunity to work toward your big goals.

Vision boards encourage you to think deeply about what you desire so you can live a . They're an opportunity to see if your personal values align with your vision. Plus, creating a vision board is a customizable activity that's fun to do alone or with friends. Learning about each other's goals can strengthen your relationships.

Using a vision board to manifest your dream life

Manifestation is the act of bringing something into reality through visualization. There are plenty of things to manifest in your life, whether getting the job of your dreams or making friends .

Manifesting something is just placing your focus and energy into that area of your life. When you make a vision board, you're welcoming a path for your future. You're saying yes to the possibility of getting what you want.

Working with a coach can help you achieve the dreams you've outlined on your vision board. Coaching is a tool to help you identify your life goals and create a plan for reaching them. You've already done the first part with your vision board. By pairing with a coach, you can clarify your ambitions and create a life you're proud of.

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How To Make A Vision Board And What to Include

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Creating a vision board can help you identify and focus on your goals. Learn how vision boards work and techniques for making a vision board of your own.

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Draw path that represents your journey from childhood to adulthood. Illustrate milestones, challenges, and goals.

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Write poems about your thoughts on maturity and immaturity, what you look forward to, and what they fear.

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To learn how to write a poem step-by-step, let's start where all poets start: the basics.

This article is an in-depth introduction to how to write a poem. We first answer the question, "What is poetry?" We then discuss the literary elements of poetry, and showcase some different approaches to the writing process-including our own seven-step process on how to write a poem step by step.

So, how do you write a poem? Let's start with what poetry is.

What Poetry Is

It's important to know what poetry is-and isn't-before we discuss how to write a poem. The following quote defines poetry nicely:

"Poetry is language at its most distilled and most powerful."
-Former US Poet Laureate Rita Dove

Poetry Conveys Feeling

People sometimes imagine poetry as stuffy, abstract, and difficult to understand. Some poetry may be this way, but in reality poetry isn't about being obscure or confusing. Poetry is a lyrical, emotive method of self-expression, using the elements of poetry to highlight feelings and ideas.

A poem should make the reader feel something.

In other words, a poem should make the reader feel something-not by telling them what to feel, but by evoking feeling directly.

Here's a contemporary poem that, despite its simplicity (or perhaps because of its simplicity), conveys heartfelt emotion.

Poem
by Langston HughesI loved my friend.
He went away from me.
There's nothing more to say.
The poem ends,
Soft as it began-
I loved my friend.

Poetry is Language at its Richest and Most Condensed

Unlike longer prose writing (such as a short story, memoir, or novel), poetry needs to impact the reader in the richest and most condensed way possible. Here's a famous quote that enforces that distinction:

"Prose: words in their best order; poetry: the best words in the best order."
-Samuel Taylor Coleridge

So poetry isn't the place to be filling in long backstories or doing leisurely scene-setting. In poetry, every single word carries maximum impact.

Poetry Uses Unique Elements

Poetry is not like other kinds of writing: it has its own unique forms, tools, and principles. Together, these elements of poetry help it to powerfully impact the reader in only a few words.

The elements of poetry help it to powerfully impact the reader in only a few words.

Most poetry is written in verse, rather than prose. This means that it uses line breaks, alongside rhythm or meter, to convey something to the reader. Rather than letting the text break at the end of the page (as prose does), verse emphasizes language through line breaks.

Poetry further accentuates its use of language through rhyme and meter. Poetry has a heightened emphasis on the musicality of language itself: its sounds and rhythms, and the feelings they carry.

These devices-rhyme, meter, and line breaks-are just a few of the essential elements of poetry, which we'll explore in more depth now.

Understanding the Elements of Poetry

As we explore how to write a poem step by step, these three major literary elements of poetry should sit in the back of your mind:

1. Rhythm (Sound, Rhyme, and Meter)

2. Form

3. Literary Devices

1. Elements of Poetry: Rhythm

"Rhythm" refers to the lyrical, sonic qualities of the poem. How does the poem move and breathe; how does it feel on the tongue?

Traditionally, poets relied on rhyme and meter to accomplish a rhythmically sound poem. Free verse poems-which are poems that don't require a specific length, rhyme scheme, or meter-only became popular in the West in the 20th century, so while rhyme and meter aren't requirements of modern poetry, they are required of certain poetry forms.

Sound

Poetry is capable of evoking certain emotions based solely on the sounds it uses. Words can sound sinister, percussive, fluid, cheerful, dour, or any other noise/emotion in the complex tapestry of human feeling.

Take, for example, this excerpt from the poem "Beat! Beat! Drums!" by Walt Whitman:

Red - "b" sounds

Blue - "th" sounds

Green - "w" and "ew" sounds

Purple - "s" sounds

Orange - "d" and "t" sounds

This poem has a lot of percussive, disruptive sounds that reinforce the beating of the drums. The "b," "d," "w," and "t" sounds resemble these drum beats, while the "th" and "s" sounds are sneakier, penetrating a deeper part of the ear. The cacophony of this excerpt might not sound "lyrical," but it does manage to command your attention, much like drums beating through a city might sound.

To learn more about consonance and assonance, euphony and cacophony, and the other uses of sound, take a look at our article "12 Literary Devices in Poetry."
https://writers.com/literary-devices-in-poetry
Rhyme

It would be a crime if you weren't primed on the ins and outs of rhymes. "Rhyme" refers to words that have similar pronunciations, like this set of words: sound, hound, browned, pound, found, around.

Many poets assume that their poetry has to rhyme, and it's true that some poems require a complex rhyme scheme. However, rhyme isn't nearly as important to poetry as it used to be. Most traditional poetry forms-sonnets, villanelles, rimes royal, etc.-rely on rhyme, but contemporary poetry has largely strayed from the strict rhyme schemes of yesterday.

There are three types of rhymes:

Homophony: Homophones are words that are spelled differently but sound the same, like "tail" and "tale." Homophones often lead to commonly misspelled words.

Perfect Rhyme: Perfect rhymes are word pairs that are identical in sound except for one minor difference. Examples include "slant and pant," "great and fate," and "shower and power."

Slant Rhyme: Slant rhymes are word pairs that use the same sounds, but their final vowels have different pronunciations. For example, "abut" and "about" are nearly-identical in sound, but are pronounced differently enough that they don't completely rhyme. This is also known as an oblique rhyme or imperfect rhyme.

Meter

Meter refers to the stress patterns of words. Certain poetry forms require that the words in the poem follow a certain stress pattern, meaning some syllables are stressed and others are unstressed.

What is "stressed" and "unstressed"? A stressed syllable is the sound that you emphasize in a word. The bolded syllables in the following words are stressed, and the unbolded syllables are unstressed:

The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables is important to traditional poetry forms. This chart, copied from our article on form in poetry, summarizes the different stress patterns of poetry.

2. Elements of Poetry: Form

"Form" refers to the structure of the poem. Is the poem a sonnet, a villanelle, a free verse piece, a slam poem, a contrapuntal, a ghazal, a blackout poem, or something new and experimental?

Form also refers to the line breaks and stanza breaks in a poem. Unlike prose, where the end of the page decides the line breaks, poets have control over when one line ends and a new one begins. The words that begin and end each line will emphasize the sounds, images, and ideas that are important to the poet.

To learn more about rhyme, meter, and poetry forms, read our full article on the topic:
https://writers.com/what-is-form-in-poetry
3. Elements of Poetry: Literary Devices

"Poetry: the best words in the best order." - Samuel Taylor Coleridge

How does poetry express complex ideas in concise, lyrical language? Literary devices-like metaphor, symbolism, juxtaposition, irony, and hyperbole-help make poetry possible. Learn how to write and master these devices here:
https://writers.com/common-literary-devices
How to Write a Poem, in 7 Steps

To condense the elements of poetry into an actual poem, we're going to follow a seven-step approach. However, it's important to know that every poet's process is different. While the steps presented here are a logical path to get from idea to finished poem, they're not the only tried-and-true method of poetry writing. Poets can-and should!-modify these steps and generate their own writing process.

Nonetheless, if you're new to writing poetry or want to explore a different writing process, try your hand at our approach. Here's how to write a poem step by step!

1. Devise a Topic

The easiest way to start writing a poem is to begin with a topic.

However, devising a topic is often the hardest part. What should your poem be about? And where can you find ideas?

Here are a few places to search for inspiration:

Other Works of Literature: Poetry doesn't exist in a vacuum-it's part of a larger literary tapestry, and can absolutely be influenced by other works. For example, read "The Golden Shovel" by Terrance Hayes, a poem that was inspired by Gwendolyn Brooks' "We Real Cool."

Real-World Events: Poetry, especially contemporary poetry, has the power to convey new and transformative ideas about the world. Take the poem "A Cigarette" by Ilya Kaminsky, which finds community in a warzone like the eye of a hurricane.

Your Life: What would poetry be if not a form of memoir? Many contemporary poets have documented their lives in verse. Take Sylvia Plath's poem "Full Fathom Five"-a daring poem for its time, as few writers so boldly criticized their family as Plath did.

The Everyday and Mundane: Poetry isn't just about big, earth-shattering events: much can be said about mundane events, too. Take "Ode to Shea Butter" by Angel Nafis, a poem that celebrates the beautiful "everydayness" of moisturizing.

Nature: The Earth has always been a source of inspiration for poets, both today and in antiquity. Take "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver, which finds meaning in nature's quiet rituals.

Writing Exercises: Prompts and exercises can help spark your creativity, even if the poem you write has nothing to do with the prompt! Here's 24 writing exercises to get you started.

2. Journal

At this point, you've got a topic for your poem. Maybe it's a topic you're passionate about, and the words pour from your pen and align themselves into a perfect sonnet! It's not impossible-most poets have a couple of poems that seemed to write themselves.

However, it's far more likely you're searching for the words to talk about this topic. This is where journaling comes in.

Sit in front of a blank piece of paper, with nothing but the topic written on the top. Set a timer for 15-30 minutes and put down all of your thoughts related to the topic. Don't stop and think for too long, and try not to obsess over finding the right words: what matters here is emotion, the way your subconscious grapples with the topic.

At the end of this journaling session, go back through everything you wrote, and highlight whatever seems important to you: well-written phrases, poignant moments of emotion, even specific words that you want to use in your poem.

Journaling is a low-risk way of exploring your topic without feeling pressured to make it sound poetic. "Sounding poetic" will only leave you with empty language: your journal allows you to speak from the heart. Everything you need for your poem is already inside of you, the journaling process just helps bring it out!

3. Think About Form

As one of the elements of poetry, form plays a crucial role in how the poem is both written and read. Have you ever wanted to write a sestina? How about a contrapuntal, or a double cinquain, or a series of tanka? Your poem can take a multitude of forms, including the beautifully unstructured free verse form; while form can be decided in the editing process, it doesn't hurt to think about it now.

4. Write the First Line

After a productive journaling session, you'll be much more acquainted with the state of your heart. You might have a line in your journal that you really want to begin with, or you might want to start fresh and refer back to your journal when you need to! Either way, it's time to begin.

What should the first line of your poem be? There's no strict rule here-you don't have to start your poem with a certain image or literary device. However, here's a few ways that poets often begin their work:

Set the Scene: Poetry can tell stories just like prose does. Anne Carson does just this in her poem "Lines," situating the scene in a conversation with the speaker's mother.

Start at the Conflict: Right away, tell the reader where it hurts most. Margaret Atwood does this in "Ghost Cat," a poem about aging.

Start With a Contradiction: Juxtaposition and contrast are two powerful tools in the poet's toolkit. Joan Larkin's poem "Want" begins and ends with these devices. Carlos Gimenez Smith also begins his poem "Entanglement" with a juxtaposition.

Start With Your Title: Some poets will use the title as their first line, like Ron Padgett's poem "Ladies and Gentlemen in Outer Space."

There are many other ways to begin poems, so play around with different literary devices, and when you're stuck, turn to other poetry for inspiration.

5. Develop Ideas and Devices

You might not know where your poem is going until you finish writing it. In the meantime, stick to your literary devices. Avoid using too many abstract nouns, develop striking images, use metaphors and similes to strike interesting comparisons, and above all, speak from the heart.

6. Write the Closing Line

Some poems end "full circle," meaning that the images the poet used in the beginning are reintroduced at the end. Gwendolyn Brooks does this in her poem "my dreams, my work, must wait till after hell."

Yet, many poets don't realize what their poems are about until they write the ending line. Poetry is a search for truth, especially the hard truths that aren't easily explained in casual speech. Your poem, too, might not be finished until it comes across a necessary truth, so write until you strike the heart of what you feel, and the poem will come to its own conclusion.

7. Edit, Edit, Edit!

Do you have a working first draft of your poem? Congratulations! Getting your feelings onto the page is a feat in itself.

Yet, no guide on how to write a poem is complete without a note on editing. If you plan on sharing or publishing your work, or if you simply want to edit your poem to near-perfection, keep these tips in mind.

Adjectives and Adverbs: Use these parts of speech sparingly. Most imagery shouldn't rely on adjectives and adverbs, because the image should be striking and vivid on its own, without too much help from excess language.

Concrete Line Breaks: Line breaks help emphasize important words, making certain images and ideas clearer to the reader. As a general rule, most of your lines should start and end with concrete words-nouns and verbs especially.

Stanza Breaks: Stanzas are like paragraphs to poetry. A stanza can develop a new idea, contrast an existing idea, or signal a transition in the poem's tone. Make sure each stanza clearly stands for something as a unit of the poem.

Mixed Metaphors: A mixed metaphor is when two metaphors occupy the same idea, making the poem unnecessarily difficult to understand. Here's an example of a mixed metaphor: "a watched clock never boils." The meaning can be discerned, but the image remains unclear. Be wary of mixed metaphors-though some poets (like Shakespeare) make them work, they're tricky and often disruptive.

Abstractions: Above all, avoid using excessively abstract language. It's fine to use the word "love" 2 or 3 times in a poem, but don't use it twice in every stanza. Let the imagery in your poem express your feelings and ideas, and only use abstractions as brief connective tissue in otherwise-concrete writing.

Lastly, don't feel pressured to "do something" with your poem. Not all poems need to be shared and edited. Poetry doesn't have to be "good," either-it can simply be a statement of emotions by the poet, for the poet. Publishing is an admirable goal, but also, give yourself permission to write bad poems, unedited poems, abstract poems, and poems with an audience of one. Write for yourself-editing is for the other readers.

How to Write a Poem: Different Approaches and Philosophies

Poetry is the oldest literary form, pre-dating prose, theater, and the written word itself. As such, there are many different schools of thought when it comes to writing poetry. You might be wondering how to write a poem through different methods and approaches: here's four philosophies to get you started.

How to Write a Poem: Poetry as Emotion

If you asked a Romantic Poet "what is poetry?", they would tell you that poetry is the spontaneous emotion of the soul.

The Romantic Era viewed poetry as an extension of human emotion-a way of perceiving the world through unbridled creativity, centered around the human soul. While many Romantic poets used traditional forms in their poetry, the Romantics weren't afraid to break from tradition, either.

To write like a Romantic, feel-and feel intensely. The words will follow the emotions, as long as a blank page sits in front of you.

How to Write a Poem: Poetry as Stream of Consciousness

If you asked a Modernist poet, "What is poetry?" they would tell you that poetry is the search for complex truths.

Modernist Poets were keen on the use of poetry as a window into the mind. A common technique of the time was "Stream of Consciousness," which is unfiltered writing that flows directly from the poet's inner dialogue. By tapping into one's subconscious, the poet might uncover deeper truths and emotions they were initially unaware of.

Depending on who you are as a writer, Stream of Consciousness can be tricky to master, but this guide covers the basics of how to write using this technique.

How to Write a Poem: Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a practice of documenting the mind, rather than trying to control or edit what it produces. This practice was popularized by the Beat Poets, who in turn were inspired by Eastern philosophies and Buddhist teachings. If you asked a Beat Poet "what is poetry?", they would tell you that poetry is the human consciousness, unadulterated.

To learn more about the art of leaving your mind alone, take a look at our guide on Mindfulness, from instructor Marc Olmsted.
https://writers.com/mindful-writing
How to Write a Poem: Poem as Camera Lens

Many contemporary poets use poetry as a camera lens, documenting global events and commenting on both politics and injustice. If you find yourself itching to write poetry about the modern day, press your thumb against the pulse of the world and write what you feel.

Additionally, check out these two essays by Electric Literature on the politics of poetry:

Okay, I Know How to Write a Good Poem. What Next?

Poetry, like all art forms, takes practice and dedication. You might write a poem you enjoy now, and think it's awfully written 3 years from now; you might also write some of your best work after reading this guide. Poetry is fickle, but the pen lasts forever, so write poems as long as you can!

Once you understand how to write a poem, and after you've drafted some pieces that you're proud of and ready to share, here are some next steps you can take.

Publish in Literary Journals

Want to see your name in print? These literary journals house some of the best poetry being published today.
https://writers.com/best-places-submit-poetry-online
Assemble and Publish a Manuscript

A poem can tell a story. So can a collection of poems. If you're interested in publishing a poetry book, learn how to compose and format one here:
https://writers.com/poetry-manuscript-format
Join a Writing Community

writers.com is an online community of writers, and we'd love it if you shared your poetry with us! Join us on Facebook and check out our upcoming poetry courses.

Poetry doesn't exist in a vacuum, it exists to educate and uplift society. The world is waiting for your voice, so find a group and share your work!

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How to Write a Poem, Step-by-Step: Examples and Analysis | Writers.com

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What is poetry? This article covers everything you need to write a poem step by step, including the elements of poetry and writing methods.

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In 2018 I started learning chinese in china and I was confused to How to learn chinese,because when I was there I cant understand what they are speaking.And nowadays I can speak chinese but not fluent and will continue learning How to write and speak chinese.