Features

NFL Draft

By Brady Hamm, on Monday Apr. 28 

It’s 8 pm and the clock is ticking. The pick is in and the Tennessee Titans select….. Cam Ward QB from University of Miami! Night 1 of the NFL Draft happened Thursday night, and with it came many different emotions from fans, managers, and most importantly the players drafted. This is their chance to prove their skill in the big leagues. One of the most important nights for college football athletes with the draft depicting where they will live and what team they will play the lovely game of football for. After the draft ended, fans from most of the 32 teams were excited about the guy their favorite team selected, but how did the players feel about being selected in the first round and drafted to the team that chose them? 

The New England Patriots had the fourth overall pick and selected Will Campbell LT from the LSU Tigers, who was ecstatic to join their team. Campbell was interviewed shortly after being drafted and asked how he felt in the current moment. Campbell responded with tears in his eyes, stating “I’m gonna fight and die to protect them with everything I’ve got.” Most of the players selected in round 1 while happy were confident and almost positive they would be drafted near that spot but what happens when you expect to be drafted way sooner than you are? 

QB Shedeur Sanders was a top prospect and expected to be drafted extremely early. Sanders was even rumored to be a top 5 pick, and was almost guaranteed to be drafted in the first round but that didn’t happen. He was eventually picked by the Cleveland Browns, but he wasn’t selected until the fifth round at pick 144. He was obviously quite disappointed, as he was confident he would be a top two QB selected and ended up being the sixth QB off the board. 

On the subject of surprises, one of the big surprises in the draft was when the Cleveland Browns traded the second overall pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for the fifth overall pick, the 36th overall pick and the Jaguars’ first round pick next year.  With the pick, the Jaguars traded WR/CB Travis Hunter from the Colorado Buffaloes. Hunter has insane talent and plays two positions very well, even winning the 2024 Heisman trophy. Meanwhile the Browns were able to get one of the best offensive linemen in the draft, a promising RB, and the Jaguars first round pick for the 2026 draft, boosting their chances and confidence for the future. 

The Browns are definitely feeling good after it all, but how did you feel about the 2025 NFL Draft? 

Safety around Sheridan High School with John Fleming 

By Danielle Kellough, on Friday Feb. 28      

In 2024, there were a total of 39 school shootings around the world. 62% of those shootings took place in a high school. It’s the sad reality that we have to live in. Schools used to be a safe place, but now, students fear what could come their way when they’re least expecting it. To help reduce the fear, Sheridan High School has hired Deputy Sheriff John E. Fleming III.

Fleming said that he chose Northern Local because it’s rich with history and tradition. He mentioned to me that Northern Local and Perry Country embodies the small town values that he grew up with. It reminds him of where he grew up in Trumbull county (Liberty Township), and of his own high school, which he graduated from in 2015. “Now that I’m here, I understand why It’s great to be a General!” Fleming said. But what is he hoping to accomplish here?

“I’m looking forward to building positive relationships with the student body and providing a different look into law enforcement officers that students may not have experienced otherwise. Police Officers are just like you: we have families, hobbies, and interests. Many people look at police officers as “robotic,” and part of my job that I look forward to as an SRO is showing the human side of our profession,” Fleming said.

Fleming is like any other person in the world. It seems to me that he is trying to show us that his personality isn’t just about the uniform. He has faced challenges just like the rest of us, which is why he is a perfect fit for our school community.

“I’ve faced challenges ranging from loss, to overcoming difficult circumstances. I would say overall one of my most challenging experiences I’ve had both physically and mentally was attending and graduating US Army Infantry school. The experience contributed to my maturity, and my drill instructor and leaders helped shape me as a man by pushing me past my physical and mental boundaries to show myself I can overcome them. I am grateful to them and the lifelong friends I’ve made throughout my time in the military,” Fleming said.

I finished my interview by asking Fleming if there was anything he would like students to know. “My office is located across from the nurses room in the main office. I welcome any student to stop by, and I maintain a strict open door policy. Also, feel free to come up and say hello if you see me during your lunch period or in the hallway.” 

I think it’s safe to say that Fleming will fit right in here at Sheridan High School.

Super Bowl LIX

By Isaac Young, on Monday Feb. 10

This past Sunday, Feb. 9, Super Bowl LIX (59) was played in New Orleans, Louisiana between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. In comparison to other recent Super Bowl games, it was fairly out of hand but entertaining. Nobody thought the Chiefs were going to lose, but most Americans were very pleased with the final score of the game. 

Philadelphia won 40-22, and the 22 that Kansas City scored were points they probably shouldn’t have. The dominant victory came in an unexpected way, the same way the MVP was chosen for this year’s Super Bowl.  Despite Patrick Mahomes’, the Chiefs’ quarterback and Super Bowl MVP for the previous two years, someone different was selected for the honor after the Eagles’ win on SUnday. Jalen Hurts, Eagles quarterback, was named Super Bowl MVP, getting the award with two interceptions. Hurts wasn’t the only viable option, though, with Saquon Barkley having 57 yards with over 20 carries, and Cornerback Cooper DeJean, known as Jackie Robinson Jr for being the first caucasian cornerback in the NFL in over 20 years, having an interception returned for a touchdown. 

“I just want to give all glory to God. Without Him I would not be in this situation. Thank you to the fans, the city of Philadelphia, Coach Sirianni, my family, and my teammates for guiding me through this wonderful season of my life. It’s an honor to be in this situation, and for that I’m blessed,” said Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts after the game. This was his first appearance, and he defeated the multi-time champions Kansas City Chiefs. 

The Kansas City Chiefs were on the verge of being the first NFL team to ever win three consecutive Super Bowls, but unfortunately for them, that dream was not achieved. Although success was not on the Chiefs’ resumés for the night, there were a few records broken. Travis Kelce surpassed Rob Gronkowski for the most receiving yards in the playoffs by a tight end of all time. On the other sideline, wide receiver Devonta Smith became the first player from the University of Alabama to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl. Smith’s accolade is shocking to me, considering how dominant Alabama’s collegiate program has been historically.

After the conclusion of the game, Reed Blankenship and Cooper DeJean of the Eagles’ secondary have announced that they’re starting a podcast. The podcast is expected to be called Exciting Whites, and is set to release its first episode in the next few months. 

Super Bowl LIX was the most anticipated event of the year so far, and it’s safe to say that its turnout was disappointing to many Chiefs and Taylor Swift fans, but not to those who were supporting the Eagles. 

Point Pleasant West Virginia

By Kameron Van Balen, On February 6, 2025

You may have heard the term “MothMan” before in short videos about cryptids and other such things, but have you ever thought about what the real place is like? Point Pleasant W.V or, the Mothman Strip is a lot smaller than you would think, containing a small number of shops, all centered around the creature that the very strip is named after. 

In the strip you will find a lot of locations, including: MothMan mini-golf, The MothMan Museum, MothMan Ice cream, MothMan coffee and of course MothMan shops selling Merchandise of the creature. 

You also may be wondering why this small strip just across from the bridge is so popular. Well, on November 15, 1966 the creature was said to be sighted, often being described as a Man-Sized Bird ... Creature ... Something! Then on  December 15, 1967 the collapse of the Silver Bridge and the death of 46 people, the incident gave rise to the legend and connected the Mothman sightings to the bridge collapse! This sparked the now famous line in the local newspaper “Mommy, Look! The bridge is falling.”

After the tragic accident of the Silver Bridge (having gotten its name by the color of its bright aluminum paint) many theories came to light, including one that said the Mothman had done the horrid deed.

The Mothman museum hosts many of these records if you are interested in learning more about the history of the small strip, or spend a day and go down, make it a  small road trip to support the small town and the lovely people who work there!

NFL Pro Bowl Analysis: Waiting for the Super Bowl

By Isaac Young, on Monday Feb. 3

As the NFL Pro Bowl weekend comes to an end, we are one week away from the most watched sporting event in the nation: the Super Bowl. Eleven of the players who will be in the Super Bowl were removed from the Pro Bowl in order to prepare for the bigger event the following week. With many events played, few were watched by many, leading the NFL to question the setup of Pro Bowl weekend. 

When it comes to the events, some were more entertaining than others. Overall, the NFC had double the points of the AFC throughout all competitions. The NFC won the passing and receiving challenges, relay race, dodgeball, and tackling challenge. The AFC won the spiking competition and won three rounds of dodgeball. I personally only watched the relay race and dodgeball, because I just can’t get behind the idea of flag football. 

The Pro Bowl was much more entertaining when there was an actual game, and you could see players like Tom Brady, Luke Kuechly, and Calvin Johnson putting effort into the game against the best players in the league. Instead, flag football, a sport with no defensive effort, was chosen and was really a time where the NFL players messed around. With flag football being the main event, I also don’t understand why it was not televised. With that being said, the NFC won 76-63. Each player on the winning team received $96,000, while the losers got roughly $45,000.

I believe that the Super Bowl will be one of the best we’ve seen since 2016, and hope the halftime show doesn’t disappoint. If the Eagles win on Sunday night, and Kendrick Lamar performs as well as he does during his concerts, it should make for an enjoyable night of football. The money line is set with the Chiefs being 1.5 point favorites, and I think that’s honestly too close. Realistically, it should be about 4.5, but I guess that’ll make people lean towards betting on the Chiefs, which could benefit Vegas heavily if Philadelphia wins. 

Either way, whoever you’re rooting for, I know one thing for sure: the Pro Bowl was just a prelude for the Super Bowl, and we’re all waiting on the edge of our seats to see what happens. You can watch the Super Bowl this Sunday, Feb. 9, on Hulu, NFL+, Youtube TV, and on live television.

  Was the Jake Paul v Mike Tyson Fight Rigged?

By Brady Hamm, on Tuesday Dec. 4

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson boxed each other on November 15 for the Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) In Arlington Texas at The AT&T Stadium. The fight was streamed exclusively on Netflix.  Over 100 million people tuned in to watch. 

  It was an 8 round bout, each round being 2 minutes long. Paul dominated Tyson throughout the entire fight with the judges scoring being 80-72 79-73 and 79-73 all in favor of Paul. Most people were disappointed in the fight being lackluster, boring and uneventful. 

After the fight a lot of the viewers claimed they believed the fight was fixed in favor of Paul as it looked as though Tyson was pulling his punches and holding back on Paul. Although Tyson is currently 58 many people still believed he had it in him after watching his sparring videos. Paul made $40 Million while Tyson only made $20 million. 

In an interview with Fox News Digital Nakisa Bidarian, manager and co-founder of the promotion MVP addressed the allegations by saying “It was sanctioned by the athletic commission. Our partner was Netflix, who is the biggest media company in America and is a public entity. There was professional sports betting on the event. So, if you were to rig such competition, it is a federal crime. And myself, Jake Paul, Mike Tyson, executives from Netflix would all be going to jail, they would be risking their entire company, and we would be risking our entire lives to do that..."This was 100% real from beginning to end," said  Bidarian.

I interviewed Slade Spencer on this topic. Spencer believes the fight was a fixed fight. He thinks that the training showed just how good Tyson could have been and that the plan was Tyson earning $20 Million if he let Paul win. “ My mind told me Paul would win by a scripted decision but my heart wanted Tyson,” said Spencer.

I also interviewed Zack Gibbens about this. Gibbens believes it wasn’t necessarily fixed but the contract was in favor of Paul and if Tyson wanted to make good money he had to lose. Gibbens believed before the fight that Tyson would win and was disappointed afterwards. “ I thought the fight was fine, but nothing more,” said Gibbens.

My opinions on the fight are that it was not a fixed fight. I think people were overestimating Tyson’s abilities at 58. He had a lot less stamina, his hand eye coordination is so much worse, and he's not as fast as he used to be. I predicted that Paul would win by a dominant decision as I was completely correct. 

Do you believe the fight was fixed? 

UFC 309 

By Zack Gibbens, on Tuesday Dec. 19

On November 16, 2024 in Madison Square Garden New York UFC 309 took place. Many talented fighters fought that night including big names like Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic, Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler and more. 

The fights brought a lot of attention to the UFC because of Jon Jones having his first fight after a five  year break of no fights in the UFC. Olavera and Chandler also brought a lot of attention because they are both incredible fighters who almost everybody enjoys watching.

The outcome of the Jon Jones vs Stipe Miocic fight was a victory for Jon Jones by knockout in round three. In my personal opinion I thought Jon Jones was going to win by knockout knowing how talented of a fighter he is. The outcome of the Charles Olivera vs Michael Chandler fights was a victory for Olivera by decision. I also thought Olivera was going to win his fight but it could have gone both ways.

I asked Tyler Blackburn his thoughts on UFC 309 “I thought Jon Jones and Charles Oliver were gonna win” Blackburn said. Overall he seemed like he enjoyed the event and had some accurate predictions.

The early prelims and the prelims weren't very exciting. A lot of the hype for 309 was for the main event.  The early prelims fight was Mauricio Ruffy vs James Llontop ending in a win for Mauricio Ruffy by decision. The prelims fight was Paul Craig vs Bo Nickal  ending in a win for Bo Nickal also by decision.

I asked Harper Powell his thoughts on UFC 309.  “It was really fun to watch. We have been watching men fight since the stone age” Powell said. To me it seems like Powell really enjoys watching UFC.

Overall I feel UFC 309 was a very entertaining event. I felt all of the fights were very entertaining. I just feel like the prelims got a little overlooked because of how much hype people had for the main event but overall I feel it was a very good event and I hope the UFC continues to have amazing fight cards in the future.

Top Five Hiking Trails and Locations Near Perry County

Zachary Riffle, Wednesday Nov. 20

Natural beauty is all around us and there is no other way to experience such beauty than hiking. Hiking trails are all around the Perry County area and some are simply too beautiful to pass up. If you’re up for an adventure (locally), I can think of five places that you can take a hike to!

1. Whispering Cave-Cedar Falls Loop

Located just south of Logan, Ohio in the beautiful Hocking Hills area, 

Whispering Cave-Cedar Falls Loop offers the full package of natural beauty. Starting at Old Man’s Cave, you hike to Whispering Cave to view the beautiful valley. After Whispering Cave, you hike to Upper Falls and hike upward to Rose Lake. A 5.8 mile trip will end right where you started in Old Man’s Cave. When I hiked it myself, it took me 3 hours and 15 minutes. This trail tops the chart by offering the beauty of multiple locations and a breath of fresh air. The trail is usually quiet besides the beginning at Old Man’s Cave. Hikers are always abundant and come from around the nation to see the splendor of the Whispering Cave-Cedar Falls Loop. If you’re into science and history, there’s an amazing visitor center to offer info on the area.

2. Old Man’s Cave

Let’s say you don’t want to hike the full 5.8 mile Whispering Cave-Cedar Falls Trail. Luckily for you there is a loop trail just to see the Old Man’s Cave area. Old Man’s Cave provides spectacular beauty and natural wonders with the large overhanging cliffs to the waterfalls at the bottom. “I would highly recommend it,” says Zack Gibbens. “When I went I went with my family and it was a really good bonding experience there.” Gibbens is just one of many people who have hiked the popular Old Man’s Cave trail. It also works as an amazing place for picture day or to tell an amazing story about where you went over the weekend!

3. Black Hand Gorge

16 minutes from Newark, Ohio lies an 8.6 mile back and forth trail. Black Hand Gorge is a great place to take a hike if you’re in the mood for an easy walk. Black Hand Gorge is also a historical landmark, as it served as a canal for the famous Erie Canal. Before becoming a canal, it served as a harvesting spot for Native American flintstones. On top of the beautiful nature of the area, Black Hand Gorge is a wonderful hiking place. “The gorge is absolutely stunning. I hike there often just for the views,” says Kameron Van Balen. Unfortunately, Black Hand Gorge will be closed for a year to repair trails. “It makes me quite upset. I need to find another hiking place now,” says Van Balen.

4. Buckeye Lake Shore Trail

Buckeye Lake offers a wonderful trail for walking and biking. While the trail itself isn’t a hike, the 8 mile to-and-back trail offers a beautiful place for sunsets and sunrises. During the summer you can watch boaters pass by and jet skis zoom past. Buckeye Lake also has some restaurants on both ends of the trail if you want to grab a quick bite to eat!

5. The Dawes Arboretum

The Dawes Arboretum contains plenty of trails and walkways to examine the natural wonders of trees and plants. Just outside of Jacksontown on State Route 13, The Dawes is a wonderful spot to be one with nature and take some pictures. The Dawes does require a fee to get in, but if you spend a good chunk of your day there it’s worth it. For this trail, I highly recommend taking your family for some family photos or to take them along for the grand adventure!

ACT Retakes: Worth the Stress?

By Kenzi Perkins, on Friday Nov. 15

Ten minutes left to go in this section. Your heart pounds as you try to fill in each and every one of the bubbles on your answer sheet, the lead of your pencil squeaking against the paper. You’ve studied for months to be ready for this test, but now that you’re here, everything you’ve crammed into your brain seems to have gone on vacation. You’re worried you’re not going to finish. 3…2…1… Times Up! You put your pencil down and heave a sigh of relief: you’re done with the ACT. Now, all you can do is wait to receive the results, and hope that you got the score you were shooting for.

Every high school student dreads the spring of their junior year because of one impending doom: the ACT. This standardized test is four hours worth of grueling evaluation of English, Math, Reading, and Science material. Stuck behind a tiny desk in a silent room, the only noise is the sighs of the student next to you, or the ticking of the clock on the wall. Many students prepare for this test for weeks, taking prep courses and practice tests, hoping that they’ll be ready when the big day comes. 

The anticipation of the test alone is enough to burden a high school student with enough nervous energy to rival that of the sun, but add to it the pressure from teachers and parents, and they’ll become a supernova, ready to implode at any given moment. Then, of course, no matter the amount of studying you do, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll forget something simple when you get to the test: wait, what is Pythagorean Theorem, again? The stress builds and builds, throughout preparation, 

As a high school senior, I took the ACT with my class my junior year, and I studied and took all the practice tests that were available to me— only to have them all slip my mind the minute the first section started. I was sure that I had failed the test, but afterwards, the relief of having the test finally over was immense, almost worth taking the tanked score. 

When my results finally came, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I hadn’t failed, but I wasn’t quite satisfied with my score. Thus, I was presented with the cruel reality of my situation: I was going to have to retake the ACT. At first, I could think of nothing more terrible, but nevertheless, I knew I would have to suck it up and do it. 

So, almost a year later, I began the process of preparing for the ACT. Yet again, I did the practice tests, researching methods and answers that I needed clarification on. Eventually, I had taken and retaken the practice tests so many times that I had memorized the passages, and even some of the questions: I was ready to face my retake. 

The fateful day came, and I woke up early and headed to my testing location. A ball of nerves sat knotted in the pit of my stomach as the test booklet was laid out in front of me. The test supervisor started the timer, and we were off. The English and Math section seemed to go well, but I could already feel my brain beginning to turn to mush. After the 15 minute break came the Reading and Science sections. I trudged through the reading comprehension and charts and graphs, feeling as all of my thoughts were subsequently liquidized. I was spent.

As the supervisor called out that we were officially finished with our ACT test, I’d never felt more relieved. On the drive home, I thought back to the test, and realized how much more confident I felt in my performance than I had the first time. Now, just as before, it turned into a waiting game.

After just a week, I received an email that my ACT test had been scored. Feeling light-headed, I opened the app to inspect the damage. Expecting to feel disappointment, I was filled with elation as I surveyed the results: I had increased my English score by 5 points, my Math score by 2, and my Reading by 4! My Science score had stayed the same, but I couldn’t have cared less. The increase in my scores across the board brought my composite up two points! My preparation had paid off.

While the ACT is not fun to take, by any means, it is a test whose score can help you get into a good college, and even earn you scholarships: it’s worth it to try and get a good score. As someone who has taken it twice, I can honestly say that it is the most stressful test I’ve ever had to prepare for, however, I can also vouch that it is the most worthwhile studying I’ve ever done. Though it might not seem like it at first, the stress of retaking the ACT is absolutely worth it in the end.

Spooky Season

By Ali Sims, on Wednesday Nov. 6

What is ‘Spooky Season’? You hear the phrase all the time, but what does this alliteration allusion actually mean? ‘Spooky Season’ is generally the blanket term used to cover all things October; Halloween, trick-or-treating, fall leaves, and so much more. Everyone celebrates their spookiness in different ways: do you prefer to creep through haunted houses and be left on the edge of your seat with horror movies, or would you rather spend the chilly evenings curled up to watch your favorite fall films? Sheridan High School students each have their favorite ways to spend October, and they’re not afraid to share them!

Some people, like freshman Wyatt Sweeny, prefer to spend their Spooky Season outdoors in the crisp fall air. “My favorite things to do in October are riding dirt bikes and hunting, because it’s the perfect type of weather: not too rainy or too muddy to be outside,” Sweeny says. “Also, football is one of the best things to watch in the fall.” Students like Sweeny definitely have the right idea about spending their autumn outdoors: with the chill in the air and the bright leaves, it’s a sight to behold.

Staying outside isn’t for everyone, though, but don’t worry: there’s plenty of fun things to do inside! Sheridan High School Junior Kerstin Ferguenson prefers to stay cozy indoors. “I love to curl up with horror movies and bake pumpkin cookies,” gushes Furguenson. “Oh, and carving pumpkins, of course.” Ferguenson, and I’m sure many others, would rather stay inside for their Spooky Season, out of the cold fall air with a mug of their favorite hot beverage and a good film. 

Lastly, there’s the people who equate the whole of ‘Spooky Season’ with Halloween. Sophomore Ali Sims is one of these. “I think that Spooky Season is about watching scary movies, eating candy, and of course trick-or-treating in costume!” explains Sims. “I love seeing everyone dressed up!” While there’s lots to do during ‘Spooky Season,’ there’s lots who gravitate towards the classic approach like Sims: Halloween is Spooky Season!

This October, Spooky Season came in full swing, (if a bit warmer than usual), and there were so many great ways people spent it, whether it be hanging out under the crisp fall leaves, staying cozy inside with their favorite films, or keeping it classic with trick-or-treating and hayrides. Whichever you decided to do, we at the General Idea hope that you had the Spookiest Season yet!

Sheridans Library: Behind the Scenes

By Nora Covey, on Thursday Aug 29, 2024

The library is a great place for kids at Sheridan High School to go find somewhere quiet to work or a new good book to read. Which is why keeping our books up to date and intriguing to the students is valued. As a senior at Sheridan, I have taken the liberty of digging around and finding these gems recently added to the library, as well as where Mrs. Mcgrath - the librarian at Sheridan - gets all of her attention grabbing novels from. A little bit about our librarian here at Sheridan, Mrs. Mcgrath expresses her gratitude toward the general idea by saying,”I am very honored and grateful that the library is being highlighted in the General Idea paper. In my 30 years of work I have always been at Sheridan. I have always felt supported by the administration and am so grateful for the job I have.” 

Mrs. Mcgrath runs a busy job, deciding what books are ordered based on subject need, latest publication, high interest and student referral.  These books are ordered from the public state of Ohio library. Mrs. Mcgrath utilizes this resource and is therefore able to order any book when she sees fit. Students are even allowed to “request any books needed” to Mrs. Mcgrath so that in a week's time the book(s) will be here for them to enjoy, free of charge. 

Some recent books that she has added to the library include several Colleen Hoover collections, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and the latest in the scythe series. Colleen Hoover is a contemporary romance fiction writer as well as psychological thriller and is popular in the young adult age group. Fourth Wing on the other hand is a duology in the fantasy genre. It’s a 2023 new adult fantasy romance novel by American author Rebecca Yarros. It is the first book in the Empyrean series. Released on May 2, 2023, the novel achieved viral success on TikTok's reader community BookTok, which contributed to its No. 1 The New York Times bestseller list success. Unlike the other two books mentioned, the Scythe series is a chilling YA dystopian series by National Book Award-winning author, Neal Shusterman. The books are set in a world without hunger, disease or war, in a future where humanity has even conquered death

. Even though there are many amazing book choices in the library, students at Sheridan are more than welcome and encouraged to request orders for books they are specifically looking for. That being said, if you are a student at Sheridan looking for a specific book that you can’t find, go on up to the library that is located upstairs, in room number 215 where you can order a book of your choice today.

Writing Poetry: A Brief

By Alexandria Sims, on Tuesday Oct. 29

Poetry is a type of writing that uses rhyming words in small paragraphs. But, it also doesn’t have to rhyme! Sometimes it has a certain theme, and in some cases, it can be nonsense. Poetry is really fun to write. Here are some basic steps to help you learn how to write poetry!

Step 1. Get a piece of paper and pen/pencil, or open a black document on your computer.

Step 2. Think of a topic you're interested in, know a lot about, or something meaningful.

Tip: Think of a topic that you can connect to on a personal level!

Step 3. Start writing! Use 4 to 15 words per line and once finished move on to the next.

Tip: When writing, use strong words to illuminate your personal feelings within the piece. This way, when others read your poetry, the emotions you were trying convey.

Tip 2: Make it at least 3 lines or more. Try to have metaphors to it or represent something related to the topic and how the topic makes you feel.

Step 4. Look over what you wrote, and then have someone else read it to see if you like it!

Tip: You don't have to do this if you don't want to, unless you’re doing the poem for a class assignment, of course; then, someone should definitely peer edit it.

Even though I outlined some basic steps here, poetry doesn’t have any real rules! It can rhyme, it doesn’t have to rhyme, it can be ten words or 1,000; the art is up to you!

I use these steps when I write poetry for fun, or if it is for an assignment. The number one thing to make your poetry stand out is not by how long it is or if it rhymes or not, but about how it affects others with the message you’re trying to express. 

Here is a better example of what your poem could look like based on these steps. 

Humans and Roses

Ali Sims

Humans have their petals but also their thorns

Humans love and hate

Humans can be rude on the outside

But humans can be kind on the inside

Roses have beautiful petals that look lovely to look at

But once you see a rose's thorns you walk away

Humans are not always rude on the outside

But kinder on the inside as long as you give them a chance

This is why first impressions are not always as they seem

Humans are like roses more than you think

Hopefully after reading this, you feel ready to go create some poetry! Ready, set, write!