Do I have the potential to be a writer?

Question

I LOVE to write, but am I good at it? I have very strong emotions at times, and let them out through poetry. People I know tell me my poetry is wonderful, but I have doubts, are they just being nice because they love me? Here's a few poems I have written, please be honest but not rude.

Insignificance

The sun shines,
The world goes on.
Who cares about my little life?

Insignifigant, that's what I am.
My friends love me,
But who really cares?

Then who cared about Abe Lincoln?
I suppose everyone is insignificant...
But all those little people weave to form the world.

Is the Earth a quilt?
Some patches are bigger then others,
But God doesn't care.

Live life,
Challenge yourself.
Be yourself.

That's what they all say.
But in truth, why can't you live?
Living and being are different.

I want to become myself,
Not live just another life.
Do something with my insignifigence.
*************************************************
Too Late

Life goes by so quickly,
We must live it.
Before we discover it has passed through our fingertips,
Then it will be too late to live and to love and to learn.

Remember

Life goes by so unbelievably fast,
I am not sure what to savor and what to let fly by.
We all change so much,
I feel as if I don’t know those I love with all my heart.

Life speeds far too fast,
I blink and it is moving already.
Time is unforgiving,
All of us are separated by it’s passing.

We all turn over yearbooks,
And remember as if it were yesterday.
And laugh and cry at the haunting memories,
That we hold on to get through life.

We say, “remember when…”,
And crack up while wishing we were there again.
We think back and wonder how it all fell away so quickly,
How we didn’t see the unknown future looming ahead.

We remember how life was and never will be again,
Because life, by nature, is too quick for it’s own good.
We read those messages as if from another time,
As though the sacred writings weren’t written for us.

So we remember and cherish,
But wish it were still here.
More then a memory,
Or a signature in a yearbook.

We try so hard to cling to the past,
When really all we have is the present and the future.
As we remember, we remark at the unfairness,
Of life, of time, not enough of it.

The memories haunt us,
We want so badly for it to stay as it is, as it was.
But that can’t happen,
So we remember, with sorrow, joy, and each other.

Answer 1

i didn't really care for it, but i'm not much of a poetry reader.

Answer 2

A writer is someone who writes, so yes you are a writer. The question you really want to ask is "do you think I'm talented"? I'm not going to answer it, and neither are others, at least not in any way that will be meaningful to you.

Talent is subjective, and as you have experienced some people will pat you on the back for the most suspect or spurious of reasons. Others may tear your work apart for much the same reasons.

As a fledgling author, I would advise that you stay away from opinion, constructive or not. Do not write for others, but for yourself. Dig deep, and don't be afraid to take chances or to throw away an entire collection that has outlived its purpose.

And read. Read everything, from literary publications to beat poetry. You will see what chances others have taken, and learn to "hear" the poetic beat.

Answer 3

I'm not trying to be rude or anything, but you can't get away with that type of spelling.

On the positive side, I liked the themes you were talking about. You need more flow and variety, however. Metaphors and similes can become unimaginably powerful when used a certain way in poems.

You definitely have the potential, judging by your ideas.

Answer 4

Obviously, you have the potential :) Whether you are "good" or not is so subjective as to be insubstantial. After all, Van Gogh was never appreciated in his day, and now his paintings sell for millions.

Two books every aspiring writer would do well to read are Julia Camaron's "The Right to Write", and Joel Saltzman's "If You Can Talk, You Can Write". Both offer good advice, and inspiring touchstones of wisdom that can function as stepping stones to the would-be or sometimes self-conscious writer.

Good luck!!

Answer 5

I have a daughter that is a published poet. She started on www.poetry.com...They have contests and an editor that chooses the better ones to publish.

Whether you are good or not is subjective. Everyone's opinion will differ from another, so you can only continue writing, and if I were you...I'd only believe the opinions of an unbiased expert.

Answer 6

I enjoyed your poems not because they are good...but they are...but because they made me think. A good writer needs to be able to engage the audience and you did. I am an amateur writer myself but I read a lot and I know good when I read it and I know crap when I read it too. Your ideas were clear and nicely worded. I liked your use of metaphors...some call it cliche' but it gets your point across. I really like Too Late...it's so true. Keep writing...maybe I will read something of yours in Essence or maybe your own book of poetry...it could happen. Good luck.

Answer 7

You definitely have the potential to be a writer. What you have to determine is: Do you have the resolve and discipline to become a published writer? You have to be willing to open yourself up on a very personal level to face the challenges a budding writer faces. a long string of rejections, hard criticism, constant distractions pulling you from your thoughts as you create and trying desperately to re-capture them before they become lost. Even after the taste of success, you cannot relax too much as dead lines become irrepressible commitments, re-writes drag you in mental circles and demands for "hot " marketable stories lead you away from what truly motivates you to write in the 1st place.

Answer 8

Yes you have. Just go and find a publisher who wants to publish your work. Or participate in the poetry contest. Look for it on Internet. Good luck.

Answer 9

The last one is not too bad. The others are a bit too full of cliches. The good thing is that you are thinking AND that you are literate. Try digging for your real insides and write with passion even if it doesn't rhyme

Answer 10

Of course you do. Everybody has potential in writing. you just have to believe that you are a good writer then you will become even better.

Answer 11

Sure, you have potential. And write without concern about what other's think... you will certainly gather an audience if you remain loyal to yourself and your own creativity.