Skip to content Skip to footer
Menu
Search term is required
  • Home
  • What we do Toggle What we do sub-navigation
    • Programmes and campaigns
    • Awards and prizes
    • Children's Laureate
    • Impact and research
    • BookTrust Cymru
    • BookTrust Northern Ireland
  • Books and reading Toggle Books and reading sub-navigation
    • HomeTime
    • Bookfinder
    • Our recommendations
    • Tips and advice
    • Disability and books
  • News and features Toggle News and features sub-navigation
    • News
    • Features
    • Writer in Residence
    • Press
  • About us Toggle About us sub-navigation
    • Governance
    • BookTrust affiliates
    • Work at BookTrust
    • Our strategy
    • Contact us
  • Support us Toggle Support us sub-navigation
    • Become a Friend
    • Do your own fundraising
    • Other ways of making a gift
    • Corporate partnerships
    • Challenge
    • Legacy donations
    • Our Partners
Donate
Practitioner login
BookTrust logo
  • Home
  • What we do
    • Programmes and campaigns
    • Awards and prizes
    • Children's Laureate
    • Impact and research
    • BookTrust Cymru
    • BookTrust Northern Ireland
  • Books and reading
    • HomeTime
    • Bookfinder
    • Our recommendations
    • Tips and advice
    • Disability and books
  • News and features
    • News
    • Features
    • Writer in Residence
    • Press
  • About us
    • Governance
    • BookTrust affiliates
    • Work at BookTrust
    • Our strategy
    • Contact us
  • Support us
    • Become a Friend
    • Do your own fundraising
    • Other ways of making a gift
    • Corporate partnerships
    • Challenge
    • Legacy donations
    • Our Partners
  • Donate
  • Home
  • Books and reading
  • Tips and advice
  • Writing tips
  • Writing tips from authors
  • What makes a good poem?

What makes a good poem?

Former BookTrust Writer in Residence Nii Ayikwei Parkes shares his thoughts on what you need to write a good poem.

Nii says:

'I started writing because there wasn't always someone to talk to, and there was always something on my mind. Also, as a child, writing was my way of being right. In stories, my parents and my teachers could be wrong and I could be right!
'Later on, writing really helped me understand myself. By writing ideas down I came to understand how I fit into the world.'

In this section

  • Writing tips
    • Writing tips from authors
      • Patrick Ness's guide to writing
      • Finding a publisher, by Louise Walters
      • 25 rules for writing a novel, by Matt Haig
      • Advice to young writers, by Sarah J Maas
      • Writing historical fiction, by Cora Harrison
      • How technology can help you write, by Nikesh Shukla
      • Joyce Dunbar's guide to writing picture books
      • Blog your head off, by Jean Hannah Edelstein
      • How to write comedy, by Tiernan Douieb
      • Why there are no rules, by Clare Wigfall
      • Writing short stories, by Stuart Evers
      • Five mistakes I made whilst trying to get published
      • David Vann's advice on writing short stories
      • Seven motivational tools every writer needs
      • What makes a good poem?
      • How to turn your memories into a story
      • Michèle Roberts' three big tips
      • Five-second secrets to being a writer, by Anna McKerrow
      • Researching your family tree
      • Successful storytelling, by Vera Waters

Follow us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Youtube

Keep in touch

020 7801 8800

queries@booktrust.org.uk

  • Contact us
  • Work with us
  • Site map
  • Press
  • Help using this site

Sign up to our newsletters full of updates, activities, ways to support us and fun ideas to inspire children to read.

Sign up
  • Cookies
  • Freedom of information
  • Privacy policy
  • Copyright notice

Charity number 313343

Copyright © 2019 BookTrust, No. 1 Aire Street, Leeds, LS1 4PR

  • Arts Council England
  • Fundraising Regulator
Back to top