Chrissie Gittins.
‘Chrissie Gittins knows just what words can do: she makes them dance, sing, sit still for a moment and then leap across the page with joy!’ Ian McMillan
Chrissie Gittins is the author of 'I Don't Want an Avocado for an Uncle' and 'Now You See Me, Now You...'.

You can find out more about Gittins's work by checking out her website

Here are Chrissie's top poetry writing tips:

If I look at the poems I’ve written recently I’ve got ideas from seeing a wasp trapped
in a tube carriage, from a girl who told me what kind of cheese she likes, from a boy who told me about his imaginary friend, from a girl who has wonderful corkscrew curls, and from a boy who likes rockets! So ideas can come from anywhere – a walk in the park, shopping at the supermarket, conversations, or seeing something interesting or funny.

Always carry a notebook, or a piece of paper, in your pocket. You never know when a poem idea might strike and it’s good to be ready when it does. Note down a few words to remind you of the idea, and note any details if you’re looking at something or hearing/smelling/tasting/touching something. We experience the world through our bodies so it’s always a good idea to include the senses in our poems. That way you can reproduce the experience in the poem for your reader.

This really depends on what the poem is about. Some subjects take longer to write out than others. You might want a jaunty rhythm for a funny poem, but not so for a serious poem. I would concentrate on what it is you want to say rather than on trying to rhyme. Generally I would suggest a unit of meaning in each line – so make each line make sense on its own, then start the next line. Another thing to decide is the patterning – how many lines in each verse and how many verses? It’s good to do this when you have all the words and lines down which you want to use. Count your lines and decide if you want four verses with two lines in each, or three verses with three lines in each – whatever fits.

Having said all this, rules can be broken – some poems have one word on each line and some poems are written in shapes. Once you have written a few poems you’ll know what you are doing and you can play around.

I cross out what doesn’t work and I keep reading what I’ve got which I think does work. I also keep writing out this part until my brain goes off in a different direction and comes up with the next part. I don’t let myself give up. If an idea has presented itself to me there’s usually a poem in there somewhere.

Read as much poetry as you can. This will give you ideas about what’s possible. Don’t think that poetry has to be written in a particular kind of language. Writing as you speak is often the best way!

Logout from SFW

storiesfromtheweb@birmingham.gov.uk

'Stories from the Web' is a Reader Development Programme managed by Birmingham Libraries

Click here for Subscribing Partner Authorities

Web site hosted by UKOLN at:

www.storiesfromtheweb.org

COPYRIGHT © Stories from the Web