When to Give Your Poem a Break

So you're writing. And you're writing. And you've been staring at the poem you've been working on for what feels like hours. You have to admit it: you're stuck.

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We've been there. Many, many times.

As much as I'd love to tell you that the poem you've been working on will find a way to majestically unfold as a glorious finished piece, this one might not be the one.

And that's OK. 

Not every project is going to come to fruition, and if you want to succeed as a writer, you have to detect when it's time to let a poem go. Now, I'm not saying you have to throw it on the ground and never see the poem you're struggling with ever again. You can hide it deep in your notebook and find it again in a few months. Let it breathe a bit, and by the time you come back to that poem, you'll be ready to figure out how to rock it. Trust us; a forced poem never ends up being a good poem.

Here are some signs that your poem may need a break:

1. You're forcing a phrase.

A good poem isn't going to come by force. A good poem flows naturally and doesn't demand certain phrases to work where they just don't.

2. You can't tell where the poem is going to go.

Are we saying you have to have your poem planned from start to finish? Certainly not. but a good piece of writing will spark its own ideas, which will allow you to help it grow.

3. You can't commit to a theme.

Does your poem feel like it's careening out of control? Are you switching emotions or perspectives too often? Are you using language that doesn't mesh? It may be time to let the poem go.

4. You feel bored with your poem.

If you aren't excited about what you're writing, who will be? You owe it to yourself to be excited by what you're working on.

5. You feel anxious about showing someone your poem.

Don't get me wrong, I get anxious about sharing my poetry with people, too, but if you've been writing for long enough, you can likely tell the difference between feeling nervous about something you're proud of and feeling nervous about something you aren't thrilled about.

Repeat after me: it's OK to give your poem a break. By all means, keep writing! But don't push yourself to complete something that doesn't give you all the right feels. When you're ready, don't forget: we have 5 Ways to Get Your Groove Back, poetry style!