Sometime in the middle of 2022, the idea to create a poetry class around writing a poem a day got ahold of me. Little did I know at the time about the vast world of writing a poem a day that already existed on the internet…but as with new cars and children who share your own child’s first name, once you invest in something you start seeing it everywhere, and I now have had three years of being finely tuned to daily poetry practices. I thought I would put together this guide to serve as a portal for the concept of writing a poem every day (at least for the resources that are online), and hopefully help others learn more about how to make the habit serve them, and find the particular community where they fit.
If you’re into the idea of writing a poem every day, you might want to skip the section I’m about to write, as it got lengthy, and get straight into the links below. But before I share the resources I have, I want to address what some of you might be thinking: Is it really necessary to write every day? Is writing a poem a day too much pressure to place upon oneself? Just like we could say there’s a write a poem every day “movement” out there, there’s also a movement in favor of being kind and forgiving with ourselves (much-needed in my opinion), and of rejecting old “mandatory” practices that do more harm than good. For some of us, the call to establish a daily writing practice is questionable at best.
Is Writing Every Day Important?
In the mid-aughts, I did the on-the-ground work for a series of talks that brought prominent writers living in Iowa City to speak to a group of first-year University of Iowa undergraduates that was organized around their interest in writing. Someone much higher up on the university food chain than I was as a graduate student in her first semester used his networking prowess to invite the writers, then I took care of the nuts and bolts of making the event happen. That fall, the poet Mary Ruefle was visiting faculty at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and she agreed to come to the dorm to give the second talk. Few if any of the undergrads knew who she was, but the first talk had gone well enough and university life was still shiny and new for them, and so most of them gave me the benefit of the doubt and politely showed up (even those who wanted to be fiction writers and weren’t really into poetry).
Mary, with her lithe sophisticated aura and that great full head of wavy red hair, walked into the lobby of Currier Hall to meet me. Despite the hotel-like front desk, with all the students milling around this was clearly not the natural habitat of an urbane woman in her early 50s. She said something like: “Chris didn’t give me a lot of details. Could you please tell me about this event and what I’m supposed to do here?” I began to feel unsure how this would work out.
Since this is a 20 year-old memory, all the details are hazy, but I took her back to the lounge where the students were waiting, and I seem to remember her declining the set-up I had with a table or maybe even a podium in favor of just a chair or couch. She clearly knew what she was doing, and talked to us person-to-person, intimately, about the reality of life as a poet, sharing the advice she had earned the right to give, but with her honesty about her flaws she deftly avoided it sounding anything like a lecture.
At one point, she indicated she wanted to share something important. The room took on a stillness. She leaned in, and in a quiet, confessional voice said, “I…I don’t write every day.” You could feel the wave of redemption run through the crowd, and at that moment she fully won us over. There were lots of great writers who came through for those talks and the bar was high, but I think Mary’s turned out to be one of the most successful.
I think about that moment whenever debates about writing every day come up. For me, if someone as badass and successful as Mary Ruefle (even Reddit likes her)* says she doesn’t write every day, then not writing every day is a valid choice. Your permission slip has been signed; you are excused. Further, in all the workshops and talks I’ve attended, I’m not sure I’ve ever actually heard another poet say you have to write every day (though I have heard some say that they themselves do). Despite teaching a course on it, I only write a poem every day in spurts – it’s not a permanent state for me or something to evangelize. Rather, it’s a tool for the toolbox, to be employed at the right time, if you like working that way or want to at least try it. It’s a sprint that can accelerate your progress through the marathon, and asking whether that sprint can do more harm than good is a fair question that will depend on your circumstances. Talk to your doctor. *[Use those exact links to make sure you’re viewing “old Reddit” and can see the poems.]
If I remember right, after admitting to not writing every day, Mary said it’s not a great idea to go too long without writing. Unfortunately, I don’t remember specifics. But I’ve come to believe that the answer to how often to write is like the answer to how often to exercise. You don’t need to do it every day, and rest (space) plays a role. Yes, working too hard can be counter-productive in some cases. However (if you want to be a writer, at least), it’s unequivocally good for you to do it most days, more often than not. Like some of us can, at least for a time, get away with not formalizing an exercise routine, and can rely on simply having an active lifestyle to stay in decent health, so too can some of us be casual about writing. For those lucky people, just following the urge when it hits can lead to a body of work they’re proud of. Some will need to be mindful of their routine because they know that if they aren’t, it’s too easy to let it go for too long. Others will be so in love with the act of pen to page or words on the screen that a day without doing it is a bad day. (Not that the lack of such a level of activity means you’re not meant to write.) And finally, the bigger your goals, the more you want to make your mark on the writing world, like an athlete hoping to make the Olympics or break a world record, the more attention you will likely need to give your routine.
My advice boils down to: experiment, and take into account your particular abilities, tendencies, and history. See what works for you as an individual. And have grace towards others whose needs are different than your own. You may or may not decide to write every day, for a period of time or ever. But a manageable writing routine where you write most days will benefit you, and establishing a habit where you write most days is not too different from establishing a habit where you write every day. Really, it’s just a matter of loosening or tightening the slack in the toughest spots.
Perspectives on Writing a Poem Every Day
Now that I’ve said my piece on the to write or not write every day debate, I’d like to share what’s out there.
First, a lot has been written about writing a poem a day. These are some of the best posts and essays and examples I’ve found online, if you want to explore the experiences of others:
Five years of writing a poem a day! – This post from 2015, which celebrates Luisa Igloria hitting the milestone of writing a poem a day for five years, is a portal to the fascinating Via Negativa blog, where ten years later Igloria is still going, and Dave Bonta posts daily erasures (going back to 2013). The post covers her writing process, and what she would say to other would-be daily poets who worry they’re too busy to do this. The second paragraph of the About section of the website brings up an important point: posting your poems somewhere in public every day (a blog like theirs or a social media account) makes those particular pieces ineligible for publication in most literary magazines. But I would say don’t worry: the habit of writing every day is itself the antidote to that problem. You know another poem will come along that you can submit instead. Just keep going. (More discussion on poetry publishing related to writing a poem every day here.)
Ten Things I Learnt from Writing One Poem a Day Every Day for a Year – This post talks about how one of the blocks to developing a writing routine is the belief that “I’m not the sort of person who does that,” and it recounts how the author exploded that negative mindset by writing a poem every day despite not thinking of herself as disciplined: “My boundaries were as disappointing as a weak cup of tea.” “The journey I went on changed my life, but most importantly, it changed my mind. It changed my mind about what was possible.” Note that Luisa Igloria from the previous link didn’t think she could keep up her daily practice either when she started 15 years ago.
A Poem a Day, Every Day, for a Month: How Poetry Can Make You a Better Writer – This post discusses why non-poets might benefit from trying to write a poem a day, or even just from dipping their toes in to try a few poems: “I discovered something I’d lost in all the years of working in earnest of improving my writing: Delight.” While it might sound paradoxical, I’ve seen evidence both in my life and from talking to others that when you don’t take writing poems seriously and you approach them as a playground, magic can happen. A prose writer whose “real work” does not involve poetry is perfectly set up for this.
Writing as Ritual – Poet Kim Stafford on the four-part daily writing process of his father, the poet William Stafford. The last couple paragraphs got mangled in some internet snafu, but you can still read most of the essay.
A Poem a Day: with two friends and the US Postal Service – An account of exchanging poems with a couple friends by mail, and the imperfections of the routine, how rules get bent both ways. Some days bring you six poems. Sometimes you send your poems to those holding you accountable in the middle of the next month, and that’s OK. As long as it gets written at some point, it’s all OK.
Communities and Challenges for Writing a Poem Every Day
There are more daily writing challenges than these out there (and new ones popping up all the time), but in my opinion these are the most promising to check out first. Thanks to A.Y. and V.M. for mentioning a few resources that were unknown to me before they brought them up.
NaPoWriMo (National Poetry Writing Month) – NaPoWriMo has been taking place every April since 2003, and is one of the biggest communities created around writing a poem a day, with a variety of poets. The comment section for each of the daily prompts is a lively place, and is really successful at helping you feel there’s many other poets doing the challenge along with you. It’s completely free. Just remember that, with this or any other challenge where you’re publicly posting your work online, the poems will be difficult to impossible to place in literary magazines.
Poetry Postcard Fest – Cascadia Poetics LAB’s annual Poetry Postcard Fest technically is not a daily poem challenge: the assignment is to write and send 31 postcards between July 4th and August 31st to 31 other poets on a list you receive, who in turn send postcards to you. However, years ago I believe it started as a daily challenge, and participating this year convinced me that the way to do it is to treat it as a daily challenge (or at least, a weekday challenge), so that you aren’t scrambling to catch up at the end of August. (Keep an eye out for a post from me in the future about my experience doing the Postcard Fest this past summer.) Indeed, unless you’re disciplined about writing a poem every other day, you’ll need to write a poem a day to catch up at some point. A bonus of this one is all the interesting mail you get throughout the summer. During the course of the year, they run online events (or in person, if you’re near Seattle) that can help you feel a part of a community. You almost certainly won’t get postcards from every person on the list, but there is a devoted group doing this, with some people registering more than once so that they get multiple lists. While people around the world do participate, keep in mind that the pool of non-American poets in this challenge is much smaller and as I understand it, that leads to differences in set-up and experience.
I especially like that this takes place at a time that’s not already full of daily poem challenges (ahem, April…when Poetry Month means there’s already a feast of events). The festival website (see the Resources menu on this page) and the website of Cascadia Poetics LAB founder and poet Paul E. Nelson (see here and here) are also a treasure trove of information on spontaneous / organic writing that those writing a poem a day would likely find interesting to explore.
Center for New Americans and City of Refuge Poetry Challenges – These organizations run poem-a-day challenges as fundraisers to benefit refugees to the United States (a little like a literary version of a walk-a-thon). CNA’s event takes place in November and City of Refuge runs their challenge in April. Poet-created prompts are provided as part of both events. If you’re going to write a poem a day anyway, why not harness it for the good of someone else?
The Stafford Challenge – If you’re up for it, The Stafford Challenge, named for poet William Stafford and his daily process, asks that you write a poem every day for a year. It includes monthly Zoom events with accomplished poets, bi-weekly inspirational emails, and a Facebook community. The challenge starts on Stafford’s birthday, January 17th. While you can participate for free, there’s a suggested pay-what-you-wish contribution of $60 to $180.
Beth Kempton’s Tiny Poems Challenges – I can’t find a dedicated page or schedule for these challenges, but writer Beth Kempton will periodically host seasonal poem sprints with a single-word prompt plus the instructions “10 minutes. No editing.” As I’m writing this, a round of #tinyautumnpoem is ongoing. The best place to quickly browse the prompts is her Instagram stories. Peruse the participant poems in her Instagram comments and what she reposts on Substack, and follow her if it’s for you.
Hollie Hardy’s 30/30 Challenges – These challenges of 30 poems in 30 days run in April and October, with prompts from Hardy, a private community, and a Zoom call to open and close the 30 days. “No feedback, no judgment” – though positive comments are allowed. The October 2025 challenge was $85. There’s no always-live page for this challenge, but join Hardy’s email list or check her site in the weeks prior to sign up. She also hosts periodic “Write-Ins” that allow you to get to know what she offers. Her writing prompts are detailed yet flexible, opening up options while grounding you in a particular concept, and include a number of sample poems from some great poets as inspiration. She publishes one publicly each month as part of her Saturday Night Special series: see an example at the bottom of the page here or browse her events page for “SNS” to find more.
April Poem a Day (PAD) Challenge – Writer’s Digest runs their own daily poem challenge in April, similar in format to NaPoWriMo (prompt in a daily blog post with poems and community in the comments) and also completely free.
November PAD Chapbook Challenge – Another Writer’s Digest challenge, but in the fall and focused on creating poems for a chapbook. You can then take some time to revise and submit a 10-20 page manuscript in January, and challenge host Robert Lee Brewer will choose a winner. Full details here.
Ah – the Sea’s How to Write a Poem Every Day course – My own course is a 21-day challenge (3 weeks of prompts). At the time I’m posting this, there’s a new cohort starting in January and an early-bird discount available for a little while longer. You can pick up the self-led version anytime for $10, or keep an eye out for the “Intensive” live version which offers optional private community and feedback (if there’s no upcoming date, leave your email in the form after the course description to express interest and be notified of the next live version). I think the flexibility and variety of the prompts are what makes mine different than anything else out there right now. Most of the prompts can be used again and again to create very different poems, and many include a wealth of examples, related essays, and other resources. The first half or so of the course encourages you to deepen your poetic seeing and listening, and explores several ways to use poems written by others as a springboard for your own. It’s a chance to learn or revisit some basic techniques. Then on Day 12 we start a tour of strangeness, shaking up the idea of what it means to write a poem, giving you new ways to work and play with words even when you feel completely uninspired. My hope is that by the end, you feel you have a well-equipped toolbox for starting a new poem on your own, and that even experienced writers discover some new possibilities.
Which challenge is right for you? After seeing a lot of these challenges and taking part in some of the above, I think the main differentiators are the personal fit of the particular community (are they “your people?”) and how well the particular prompts meet your needs and wants. Time of year is also of course a factor – I enjoyed NaPoWriMo, but wish it wasn’t in April, when there are too many poetry events to choose from! Writing a poem a day and taking advantage of the community does mean you don’t want too much else planned for the same time. (Though others may feel April is a great time because so many other people are doing a challenge then.)
Make Your Own Poem a Day Challenge
None of the above is what you’re looking for? Make your own poem-a-day challenge. Start tomorrow. If you think it would be helpful to have a community of writers to hold you accountable every day, and you don’t already have writing friends, London Writers Salon offers hour-long large group writing sessions at four times every weekday (and Saturdays if 9 am UK time works for you). They’ll give you a prompt, too. Or come to one of the more intimate, free Writing Together sessions I host every two weeks and announce it to the group. Or feel free to leave a comment below along with your link, if you’re writing in public. I can’t promise I’ll follow along closely, but I love to know about these things.
If you like the idea of having daily prompts to guide you, I’ve published a list of my favorite books of poetry exercises. But once you get thinking about it, you’ll probably realize that there are so many ways to organize your own unique version and you may feel less of a need for someone else to give you ideas.
Do you know of a resource helpful to those who want to try writing a poem every day that belongs on this page? Post it in the comments or email me, and if it seems like a fit I’ll add it to the post. And do bookmark this guide, as I’ll be adding more resources as I find them.
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