How to do a 30-day poem-a-day challenge

Writing a poem every day for a month sounds daunting. It is also a good way to build a writing habit. You stop waiting for inspiration and start turning up.

Thandie did this on TikTok with a 30-day spoken word series, a poem a day, which finished with “We made it 30/30”. If you would like to try your own, here is a simple plan.

Where the idea comes from

One well-known version is NaPoWriMo, short for National Poetry Writing Month. Its website describes it as an annual project in which poets try to write a poem a day for the month of April (NaPoWriMo). It was started by the poet Maureen Thorson, who wrote a poem a day through April 2003 and posted the poems on her blog. Other people joined in, and it grew from there. During April, the site posts an optional prompt each day, and past prompts stay online.

You don’t have to wait for April. You can start in any month.

Why do it

• You write far more than you would otherwise, and some of it will be good.
• You learn to write on ordinary days, without waiting for a mood.
• You start noticing more, because you are always looking for material.
• You build a discipline that can carry into other parts of life.

For Christians, it can also become a form of prayer. “So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, NKJV). Paying close attention to each day, and offering it back to God, is a good practice.

Before you start

1. Pick your dates. Choose a start date and mark all 30 days on a calendar.
2. Decide on your form. You might write page poems or spoken word, or mix them. If you are new to spoken word, read what is spoken word poetry?
3. Set a minimum. Decide what counts as a day done. Four lines? Ten minutes of writing? A small minimum stops you skipping days.
4. Choose a time. First thing in the morning or last thing at night both work. The same time each day helps.
5. Decide whether to share. Posting every day keeps you accountable. Keeping it private takes the pressure off. Either is fine.

Ten prompts to get you started

1. A verse that has stayed with you
2. Your earliest memory of church, or of God
3. A letter to your younger self
4. Something you saw on the way to work or school today
5. A prayer you have never said out loud
6. A place where you feel close to God
7. A question you would ask Jesus face to face
8. The view from your window, written as a psalm
9. Someone you are finding it hard to forgive
10. Your name: what it means, and who gave it to you

When you run out, go back through the list with new subjects, or look through NaPoWriMo’s past prompts.

Write from the Psalms

The Psalms are full of material. Pick one and write your own response to a single line. Some places to start:

• Psalm 13, for days when God feels far away. Our post on when God feels silent may help too.
• Psalm 42, for days of longing. Read more in As the deer: what Psalm 42 means.
• Psalm 96, which begins “Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!” (Psalm 96:1, NKJV).
• Psalm 136, where every verse ends with the same line. Try writing a poem with a repeated line of your own.

How to keep going

Expect weak days. Some poems will be poor. Write them anyway. The habit is what you are building.

If you miss a day, start again the next day. One missed day doesn’t cancel the rest. Don’t try to write three poems to catch up.

Keep a list of ideas. Note phrases and images on your phone as they come to you.

Read back at day 15. Look over what you have. You may find themes you hadn’t noticed.

Do it with someone. Ask a friend to take part, and check in with each other every few days.

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” (Galatians 6:9, NKJV)

When you finish

Thirty poems is an achievement, so mark it. Then:

• Pick your five best and edit them properly.
• Choose one to perform or record. Our guide on how to write a spoken word poem about your faith has tips on performance.
• Write down what you learned about yourself and about God.
• Decide whether to keep a smaller habit going, such as one poem a week.

If fear of being seen stops you sharing, read Christian creatives: using your gifts without hiding them.

You can watch Thandie’s spoken word film “That I May Know You” on the watch page, and hear more of her storytelling on Tea Time With Thandie.