How to Become a Successful Poet

Study poetry from every era. If you don't know Keats from Kerouac, you're not going to be a successful poet. Try to learn about the different periods and movements in poetry, from the Romantic era to the Beats, as well as contemporary poetry being written by people who are still alive. If you're going to write poetry in the 21st century, you need to read other poets living in the 21st century.^[1]

• Poetry anthologies are good ways of learning about different poets you might want to read more of. Norton anthologies are full of historical poetry, while each year the "Best American" series publishes a selection of great poems published over the course of the last year. Getting a basic Norton and a recent "Best American" would be a great way to have literally hundreds of great poets at your fingertips.
• Online, the Poetry Foundation is a great database of poetry both old and new, featuring the monthly magazine "Poetry" in full on the website. Brand new poetry for free? You gotta.

Write constantly. A successful poet is one who is constantly engaged with poetry, reading, writing, and revising their work. Successful poets don't wait until "inspiration" strikes to write a poem, they get to work at their desk, computer, or journal, treating the writing of a poem as the work that it is. Like a successful businessman heads to the store and a successful doctor heads to the office each day, the successful poet heads to the poem.^[2]

• Many successful poets write early in the morning, while other night-owls find it more effective to stay up late and madly dash out their wild verses. Whatever works for you is appropriate, but it's important to develop a writing routine and stick to it. You don't need to write every day, necessarily, but learn what routine will allow you to produce the most good poetry.

Keep a poetry image journal. Carry it everywhere you go, so that if you come up with a poem or idea, you can jot it down. You don't have to write a full poem every time you sit down to write, as many successful poets build their poems like sculptures, by collaging together little fragments of lines, images, and found language from their image journals. Keep an ear out for weird turns of phrase and nice bits of language that might sneak into your poems.

• May poets keep a portfolio or journal of all the poems they're currently working on, to have them in a convenient place for gradually editing and finalizing.

Kill your darlings. A successful poet revises their work. Aggressively. A poem isn't finished just because you typed it up and printed it out, or because it rhymes, or because you like it. An effective poem moves a reader outside of yourself, and communicates. An effective poem is difficult to write, and will only come with great effort and careful revision. Invest in a good craft book and read lots of poetry, finding out what you like and learning from the tricks of the masters. Let poems sit in the drawer for a few weeks, or even months before you return to them with fresh eyes and reevaluate them. In the meantime, keep writing new poems, and keep reading poems you like.^[3]

• Kim Addonizio's "Ordinary Genius" is a wonderful and practical craft book that makes the writing of poetry a daily exercise, and it's full of tips and tricks that'll help you write the poems you want to write.

Share your work with good poets and accept criticism gracefully. Some people will like your poetry, others won't. Don't dwell on what the haters say, but take advice graciously and continue writing and revising your work constantly. Learn everything you can from people who know more than you.^[4]