i think im the only competitive poet here lol

I don't write to be the best or anything, but I don't really love it when my poems get rated below 4.3. I think I'm just deluded and obsessed. I've not yet got to the point where I give others low ratings to make myself feel better (I would never feel like a poet if I did that) so I'm happy about that. Still.....

I too am the most competitive person in most everyday situations but when it comes to my writing I am quite the opposite. I will try to be the best at everything I do except writing, writing is a relief for me and that relief I get is satisfaction enough really just being able to express my feelings as I like and freely to me is the best and a success on its own. I can appreciate your striving to be the best though...I think we all should at something :o)

I'm sorry, but this is just terrible. You write to "be the best". That's just... well, I can't think of the word. It's just bad...

~Ciao Lipton

When I write poems it is never done with any hope or intention of competing to be "the best."

But different individuals are guided by different motives. I don't see anything wrong in writing with the desire to be the best unless by doing so you are compromising your values and principles.

Im not going to lie, I am happy when my poems get rated well but at the same time its the comments and the contructive criticism that keeps me getting better and evolving as a poet, still. I do like to be "good."

HAHAHAHA competitive you have to be kidding me! Most of the poems on here are written by little kids if you are trying to be competive w/ a 13 year old thats great!

Me I just write for me and nobody else.

I'm not competetive. I host my own website and post all my poems there, but thats mostly what my friends check every week to read my new stuff, I really like to know what others think of my poems. I just want honest people, who are also interested in poetry, to tell me what they think. But Im not trying to be better than anyone, though I do try hard to write good works to keep my rating up, but for personal satisfaction.

Tyler

a poet isnt a competitive poet, if your writing poems to be competitive then you arnt putting your heart into it, everyone will agree with me
a poet doesnt sit down and tell himself to write a poem
the poet lives
and his life is the poem
its how he writes it
his emotions are his poems

not some ego

Poetry should be about what you think, your emotional being, and how you present it. Not, "my poetry should/will/I hope will be the best on the site.
Granted, there are different motives to write poetry, but if your main drive is how much you want to be the best, then where does your heart come in? Any poet must admit that they put some form of their heart into their poetry.

~Ciao Lipton

I too disagree with this...poetry is about putting your feelings into words...not about beating anyone...you are very wrong

I don't write poems because of that I write poems because it lets out feelings I think many people think the same to

I think everyones competitive to a point, and that's really just how we were made. but in terms of poetry, i think u should feel more concerned about the quality of what your writing, if u put your true feelings into it, and how it will impact others, rather than if it's going to get high marks and everything. I don't want to be a hypocrit, because I do like it when my poems are rated highly, but I don't think that's what really matters in the end.

i agree with harriet
jacki, what;'s wrong with competing with a 13 year-old? are you saying it's pointless because they have no chance. i'm 13 and i hardly know any other 13-year-ols- most of the people i comment on and who comment on me are betwen 16 and 25

If you always have to be 'the best' then I feel sorry for you because you'll always be disappointed.

What do you do when you become 'the best?' Give up?

Yes, but it's easy to decide who is the best football team. Deciding on the best poet is a far more difficult task.

As far as poetry is concerned, there is and always will be room for improvement. Everyone can always do better, so there really is no such thing as "best."

A lot of poets here are competitive, moreso than most would admit.

Writing, I think, is a way to release emotions and say things that one could not really say to anyone else, so you shouldn't do it just to be the best. However, being proud of your work when it gets high ratings is only natural.