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Position:Home>Poetry> Are you satisfied with what you write or are you constantly making changes?Question: Are you satisfied with what you write or are you constantly making changes!? I have become unsatisfied with what I write and constantly make changes!. I also have noticed I have made a few terse comments and at times feel like I am ranting!.!.!. Is this some kind of muse virus!? I need to find out what causes this so I can go back to being me!.
Where do poets go for therapy!? I want back the nice guy in me!. Www@QuestionHome@Com Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Hey, Welcome to the world of writing! I'm a semi-pro poet and also edit a literary zine/blog, and I get HEAPS of people emailing me going "why do I hate my stuff!? Why am I an asshole!?!" Ever heard of the 'artistic temperament'!? I think you got it! Weirdly, I think the better you get as a writer, the less good you think you are!. You get people who totally suck, but who think they're the greatest writer ever!.!.!. then you get people who are amazing but hate themselves!. I think the better you get, the more you want your work to be perfect, the more you want to fix things and make it as good as it can be!. It sucks because you're always dissatisfied!.!.!. but it's a good thing, because it shows you're dedicated, you care about the end result!. As for always changing things -- that's also a good thing!. Writing a poem in five minutes and then never looking at it again generally means that you haven't written the greatest poem ever!. Good poetry is all about editing, redrafting and sometimes just ripping it up and starting again -- trust me, it's a good sign!. Keep doing it!. (If you don't already, I'd also recommend that you read your poems aloud to yourself!. That really helps with the editing process, and sometimes you look at a line and think 'that looks rubbish,' but then you read it and think 'hey, but it sounds great!' Try it!) Terse comments - happens!. People who live with you and around you need to learn that that's part of the package!. Most artists are quite defensive people, because they produce something very personal -- poetry in particular is a really personal thing!. And I think you're then really aware that people will be judging it and potentially criticising it, so you get defensive of it, sometimes you just get defensive because it's what you do!. I'm afraid it's the curse of the artist, and the best thing to do is just tell yourself, you're a good writer, it doesn't matter what other people think, you don't need to defend your work because it's yours and it makes YOU happy and that's what matters!. Make sense!? Therapy!? I think I write for therapy, so that doesn't help! Whatever relaxes you and takes your mind off worrying about your work - whether that's making more poems, playing sport, having a shower, whatever!. Put your head under a pillow and scream if that's the best stress-reliever! I do that sometimes and it makes me feel much calmer! This is a really interesting question and I don't think you're alone!. Check out the link below if you need more info, it has some good poetry-related stuff!. Good luck, and keep writing! xWww@QuestionHome@Com I too look at previous work and feel that I would do it differently if I were to write it now!. However, I also look at it as a window upon my self at that time and as such I feel able to leave it alone, poor thing!. I also look back on comments made at other times and similarly feel 'Ouch! That was a tad harsh!.' The moment though, has passed and the words have left home!. I often think poems are a bit like children, you love them dearly, they sometimes don't do exactly as you would wish but they are their own people!. They should be allowed to stand on their own feet and be stronger for it!. With regard to therapy, the coast does it for me every time!. rock pools and salt spray on my glasses, crabs, sandcastles and laughing children!. Soul food!.Www@QuestionHome@Com I have some wonderful poems inside my head but they have rarely reached my keyboard, indifferent to most of the works I have and the best being deleted from a computer breakdown!. Poetry is evocative, it evokes, inspires, changed the mood and mindset of all viewing, listening and learning!. For an oppressive power it becomes a weapon of danger!. Thus it is stifled and the brain remains dulled, knowing so much, yet knowing nothing , having so much and feeling bereft!. Being with so many yet so remiss!.!.!. Words are powerful missives and are able, if used with adeptness, to change the course of history and the thinking of the majority!. Free speech is anything but free !.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com i make changes!. i cant say what i mean the first try, i have to play with it to get it right!. some people say poetry is best raw, unedited!. but im just not satisfied with mine that way!. if my mind is wandering i freewrite and then pick out what i want to shape!. also, if i get to the point of wanting to throw the whole thing out i'll store it for later!. that way i get to go over it again when my head has cleared!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Change is but natural , my friend, but what you are going through is something different!.Everyday you grow and you know more than that you knew the previous day!. I have been writing books for many years and I have learned one thing and that is never look back!. You can see some of my works at: http://www!.mobipocket!.com/en/ebooks/publ!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Don;t be so hard on yourself, you have always been a nice guy!.I am neither a poet or writer, just a fan!.Get it out, all out, then write whatever!.If it is ranting and raving or light,fluffy stuff or poetry of love, abandonment I will be looking forward to it!.Write or Right on my friend!.Www@QuestionHome@Com The happy muse seeks not to amuse it rests within!. Rid the din and greet him with a grin! Go have a beer!. Get melancholy!. Go to bed!. Get yourself up!. Get going again! Nominal should not be a word for you!. Www@QuestionHome@Com The poem evolves until it is carved in stone, but knowing when to let go & when to move on halves the battle!.Www@QuestionHome@Com I'm never really happy with anything I've ever tried to write!. Www@QuestionHome@Com |