Probably my interest in writing began after developing a reading habit for quite a few years. I then developed a natural inclination towards trying to write something.

I began to write “seriously” during the covid outbreak 2020. I started small writing biased opinions about any subjects I could think of. I never posted those writings as I consider them practices.

I then began writing down my dreams. I dream daily, or almost daily, sometimes simple and straightforward, other times vivid and highly detailed. They range from mundane activities, like watching myself process purchase orders on my computer, to complex and bizarre stories worthy of a sci-fi film. Most of the time, I remember what I dream, though I don’t always write them down.

Sometimes I just let them pass, especially the mundane ones, like dreaming about working in the office. Still, writing them down is usually the first thing I do as soon as I wake up.

I then attempted to write short screenplays. Few years ago I pursued Filmmaking production. However, I dropped it due several reasons.

Last year 2024, I began writing poems. From all the types of writing activities I have tried so far — I find poems the most entertaining one. I consider poetry a unique way to express ideas and emotions. Probably because it resembles to songwriting is the reason I like it.

Both share a common element, which is the rhythm and rhyme. It normally evokes concepts or emotions. I like to think that one day I could compose a song, or at least transform one of my poems into one.

I have so far written around 30 poems. My aim is to reach a mark of 100 poems, and decide what to do with them. My writings are 100% entirely rookie work, I do not feel entitled or superior to anyone in any sense. I am just a guy learning this craft.

Poetry Genres

I was unaware which poem genre I was writing when I started. Not until I found it belongs under “Lyrical” and “Narrative” Poetry .

Lyrical Poetry tries to portray personal experiences, emotions, states of mind or perceptions of the author. While Narrative Poetry basically tells a story.

The main Poetry Genres are listed below, here you can find a complete detailed explanation for each.

  • Narrative
  • Lyrical
  • Free Verse
  • Epic
  • Satirical

Currently I have written about personal experiences, like love, loss, mourning, grief, and about concepts like time, nature, cosmos, desires, reading, animals, gods and more.

Large Language Models (LLMs) on writing

Naturally, one can consider relying on Large language models like GPT or Gemini for text creation. These models are incredibly powerful for generating text because they are built on massive computational infrastructure and trained on billions of words. Not to mention the deep neural architectures and the fine-tuning reinforcement processes running behind the scenes—just imagine OpenAI’s data centers filled with thousands of cooled servers working solely to power GPT.

LLMs are good complementary tools for text tuning. They are useful for grammar correction and everyday writing tasks. However, when it comes to artistic creation or the critical thinking process, I am not in favor of using these tools.

Personally, using LLMs takes away the excitement and joy of writing poetry. Creating a personal poem feels special—it carries a sense of ownership and authenticity. When a poem is generated by an LLM, that feeling disappears.

I understand why people use LLMs for content creation, such as YouTube or TikTok creators who need to write scripts quickly. Their job depends on producing content efficiently, and time is their most valuable asset. For them, accelerating the content creation process is essential.

Still, should content creators rely 100% on LLMs for their writing? That raises an ethical dilemma. Tha makes losing the authenticity and true purpose of the content—unless the creator’s main motivation is purely financial. As long as viewers are entertained and the process is profitable, that practice will likely continue.

When it comes to art—like writing poems—it makes little sense to use LLMs. Poetry is usually not profitable, at least not to the same degree as video content creation. More importantly, poetry serves a different purpose: it heals and nourishes the soul.

That is why I do not use LLMs for writing poems—not even for grammar or tuning corrections. I write poems in Spanish, my native language, so is not that hard once have practice. I am not yet as skilled in English for poems, at least not as much as I would like to be. Writing English poems takes me much more effort, time and deep thought.

Poem Stanza

Stanza is the set of lines grouped separated by an indentation or a space. A Stanza can be composed of different quantity of lines or verses. The most typical one is the quatrain, or a four line Stanza.

When it comes to writing the poem, the most natural form to start writing in my opinion, is with the form AABB rhyme structure. For example, this Stanza below I wrote, where the first verse rhymes with the second, and the third with the fourth.

"Es extraño como uno madura a través del tiempo,
Uno vive eventos en diferentes momentos,
La madurez emocional ayuda a entender,
Esas preguntas existenciales que nos acechan sin querer"

Naturally, the person can began to play with other Stanza variations like AABB or ABAB.

"Me pregunto si he alcanzado mi máximo potencial,
Me pregunto si en algún momento haré algo especial,
Seguir aprendiendo en mi camino eso es crucial,
Mi vida es una eterna crisis existencial"

Benefits of Writing

I went a little off topic but the main point of this entry was to denote the several benefits writing habit has to the mind. It is incredible how the writing system, one of the oldest forms of communication, has been preserved since 3500 BCE. However, it is initially challenged by technology. Perhaps anyone reading this would be encouraged to start writing.

I will not debate about hand writing over type writing, as hand writing has better positive effects to the brain but rather emphasize what effect does it occur during the thinking and writing or typing process.

According to PhD Smith Cecil., there are multiples benefits from writing that I will mention and complement with own experiences below:

Writing helps clarifying the way you think. When writing, you have to think about what to write on.This activity stimulates your brain and makes use of your brain power. Specially when handwriting, as it involves more neuronal connections to be active at the same moment. Although I do not demerit typing as a form of writing, because it still is — it will never replace handwriting benefits.

Event this writing I am doing right now is helping on improving my writing communication skills. This skill is key on having the opportunity to share messages and ideas with others effectively.

Writing makes you feel more humble and grateful. As soon as I started writing, my ideas and emotions became clearer. This new habit has helped me cope with anxiety. Life circumstances happen in ways that require each person to adapt. Sometimes circumstances are favorable; sometimes they are not. We must accept that we cannot always control our surroundings or life situations. These life random moments operate independently of whatever effort a person puts towards their objectives.

This realization has helped me recognize both my capabilities and my areas of opportunity. It has reminded me that I make mistakes as any other person but I also have the capacity to learn.

This thought process helps me appreciate life and be grateful for who I am and how far I have come. Writing this text is part of that motivation to celebrate life as it is—full of surprises.

As Anne Le-Cunff, Anne shares:

“Practicing gratitude can enhance your empathy, increase your self-esteem, help you sleep better, improve your overall psychological health, and more. And writing is a great tool to practice gratitude.”

Writing improves your well-being. According recent studies, online writing may have similiar effects as a therapeutic session. Writing online is often associated with reducing stress levels and improving well-being.

When a talking session is not possible, writing down problems or concerns can give a person greater clarity about what is going on. Putting thoughts into words helps organize ideas and can make it easier to identify patterns or underlying issues. Writing things down can also help in creating a better plan, since it allows the person to reflect, prioritize, and approach the situation more objectively.

Conclusion

I encourage people to give writing a chance because of its multiple benefits. Anyone can write, and it’s cheap to do so. The greatest challenge is developing the habit, simply sitting down at a desk and beginning, whether by hand or on a keyboard. Eventually the words will start to flow more naturally.

There are plenty of tutorials on how to start writing available on YouTube or across the web. Explore different approaches and choose the one that resonates with you the most. What matters is taking the first step and letting writing become part of your daily life.

References and Additional Resources