As a writer, I’ve found that poetry and fiction can work together in surprising and powerful ways to improve my craft. At first, I thought they were completely different—poetry seemed like a lyrical, emotional expression, while fiction felt more structured, with its plots and characters. I assumed poetry was free-flowing and abstract, while fiction demanded precision and planning. But the more I experimented, the more I realized they can complement each other beautifully.
When I write poetry, I focus on the rhythm of words, and the emotions they evoke. Poetry taught me to see the world through a magnifying glass, noticing things I might otherwise overlook—like the way sunlight catches on a spider’s web or the distant hum of traffic late at night. This attention to detail has made my fiction richer. Instead of describing a scene as “the sky was blue,” I might write, “the sky stretched endlessly, a canvas of soft, watercolor blues dappled with golden light.” Poetry has taught me to slow down and paint pictures with my words, adding layers of meaning and emotion.
On the other hand, fiction pushes me to think about the bigger picture. Stories need structure—characters, conflict, and resolution. When I apply that mindset to poetry, it helps me create pieces that aren’t just beautiful but also tell a story or convey a deeper meaning.
Another thing I’ve noticed is how poetry improves my dialogue in fiction. Poetry is all about word choice and rhythm, and when I write dialogue, I’m more mindful of how people speak—the cadence, the pauses, and even the unsaid words. This makes my characters feel more alive and authentic. For instance, a character’s hesitation might be reflected in a fragmented sentence, or their excitement in a rapid, rhythmic flow of words.
Likewise, fiction gives me the space to develop characters and explore their inner worlds in ways that poetry can’t always do. But when I take those character insights and infuse them into a poem, it’s like I’m distilling their essence into something pure and powerful.
So if you’re a writer, I encourage you to explore both poetry and fiction. Or any form of art that inspires you to be more creative. Let them influence each other and see how they can transform your work. You never know what might come from it.
Happy Writing ^_^
Sara's Writing Sanctuary 