How to Improve your Rhyming Poetry Writing

Poetry Guide Series

Here are some tips on how to improve your rhyming poetry writing:

• Understand the purpose of rhyming: Before using rhyme, ask yourself what poetic device is being utilized through it and what emotive content it conveys. If the rhyme doesn't serve a purpose, consider removing it.

• Focus on the feeling/emotion: To find rhyming words, first determine the feeling or emotion you want to convey (Emotion X), then brainstorm a wordset with connotations related to that emotion. Choose your rhymes from this wordset.

• Read widely: Reading a lot of both poetry and prose can significantly expand your vocabulary, which is crucial for finding rhymes. Reading high-quality poems and analyzing why the author made specific choices can be very beneficial. Explore different poets and styles, including old and new poetry. Consider reading poets you dislike to critically analyze why.