Write Then Re-write . . .

. . . then re-write again. But always keep your drafts. Like when your maths teachers asks to see how you worked out a sum and not just the answer it's important to see how you got to your final draft in case one day you decide it's not your final draft and that actually you preferred an earlier version or line you used.

Don't over think the first draft too much

Just let your pen write whatever it wants to. If a poem wants to rhyme it will probably start doing this without you having a say. Rhymes will just pop into your head and if they're the right ones for the poem they will drive the story on.

And don't worry about the spelling and punctuation to start with either. Just focus on the words and what you want to say. You can tidy it up and make corrections later when you've typed it up.

Don't be afraid to start a poem with no idea where it's going.

Some people say the hardest thing to write is the first line. But not always. Sometimes a funny or interesting sentence just leaps onto the page and you have to drag the rest of the poem out of your head. But be patient and it will come eventually.

Write everyday

Write about anything and everything and the more you write and the more you read the better you'll become and the faster rhymes and ideas will come to you.