Writing advice﹕Focus on details

(明報)2011年2月28日 星期一 05:05
【明報專訊】There are several steps to follow when writing a descriptive poem.

Firstly, you need to decide what you want to describe. Often the most interesting poems describe something really specific. Try looking at a photo for a while and focussing on the details, like the way the light falls on your t-shirt and changes its colour. Jot down a few notes while you think.

Once you have a few notes on something specific you would like to describe, think about the structure of your poem. Does your topic lend itself to an organised, repetitive structure or would a non-rhyming poem with varying structure better capture your feelings towards the topic?

At this stage, think about who will read your poem. How can you draw the reader into your description? What do you want the reader to feel when he/she reads your poem? How can you evoke this feeling through words and structure?

Now start writing your poem. Remember to focus on one thing only; describing too many things at the same time will distract the reader.

Sometimes it is a good idea to wait a few days before editing your first draft so you have a fresh perspective.
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