Finally understand what makes a poem work—and learn to write poetry with craft and confidence.
By the end of the course you'll have written 23 new poems.
You're drawn to poetry as a creative outlet, and a source of beauty.
You have complicated emotions and perceptions that can't be expressed any other way.
You want to contribute something beautiful to the world.
But you want your poems to be good.
If you feel unsure about the poems you write, or even worry you might be writing poetry "wrong,"
you're not alone.
Because poems are short and often look simple and spontaneous, people expect to be able to write them without any special training.
But behind effective poems, there are craft techniques.
If you don't understand these techniques, it's very hard to write a successful poem. It's like trying to fix a car if you don't understand the machinery. You need to understand how a poem is put together.
The great news is that this is something you can learn. And learning it is a pleasure!
Suddenly, you see whole new dimensions and layers of poetry that you never saw before. Poetry becomes even richer and more beautiful.
Online Course: The Craft of Poetry
The Craft of Poetry uses examples to teach techniques in a way that you can use right away in your own poems.
The course includes 24 written lessons that are sent to you by email over 69 days (1 lesson every 3 days). Course assignments are open-ended enough that you can write in your own style and voice, about subjects that interest you. But they're also carefully designed to spark new ideas and expand your range as a poet.
Techniques are taught using examples by poets like Anne Sexton, Rita Dove, Ezra Pound, Robert Frost, W.H. Auden, Sylvia Plath, John Keats, Elizabeth Bishop, Seamus Heaney, Langston Hughes, William Shakespeare, Rainer Maria Rilke, and many others. Learn from the world's best poets.
Discover how to...
- write powerful beginnings and endings (of poems, and of poetic lines)
- find inspiration and make any poetic subject more interesting
- build layers of meaning into the poem's design
- use images and sound to create an emotional atmosphere
- use traditional forms (e.g., sonnets, villanelles, pantoums, sestinas) as well as free verse
Plus 18 more lessons covering everything from enjambment, caesuras, meter, rhyme schemes, and refrains, to strategies for building suspense and surprise twists into a poem.
Your teacher
Nancy Strauss has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan, where she also taught writing classes. In 2009, she founded Creative Writing Now, which helps writers all over the world. Over the past fifteen years, she's taught thousands of writing students.
Here are comments from a few of them...
"I am an inveterate ‘course taker’ and yours is best ... I also have an actual degree in Creative Writing from NYU circa 1985, and I have taught writing in numerous schools in NYC. Your writing program is the best program I have come across: innovative, accessible, technically strong—and supportive! "
- Mary Ellen Hancock
"I have actually been writing everyday. This is the first that I have done that in over 20 years.... somewhere in the last couple of days, the log jam in my mind was jarred free and my inner poet was set free. I am writing freely and openly like I never have before... Well worth every dollar spent, and I'm only 6 days in."
- Todd Bourgeois
"This was the best class I've ever taken for writing. I've purchased many books, magazines and joined several writing groups, but have never gotten the effects of this course out of any of those resources. I was excited every day to see the new lesson and get down to writing."
- Lorraine Methot
"I really have learned many things that have changed the way I think about writing. I've taken many college, even Masters level writing courses, and must tell you that I have learned much more from your courses than I have from any of those classroom courses."
- Prue Prentice
Who this is for
Whether you're new to writing or a more experienced poet, this course is for you if...
- You feel drawn to poetry (even if you've never written a poem before), or...
- You're already writing poetry and want to go deeper
- You used to write poetry and want to find your path back
Your guarantee
Try The Craft of Poetry risk-free. If you change your mind any time in the first two weeks after you sign up, you can request a full refund.
Which do you choose?
You have two choices:
Option 1: You can continue to worry you might be approaching poetry "wrong," OR...
Option 2: You can finally understand what makes a poem work — and write with the craft and confidence your poetry deserves.
SIGN UP NOW
The Craft of Poetry - Includes 24 email lessons with assignments and the chance to ask a teacher general questions. Feedback on assignments is not available for this course.
Total price: $87
Feedback on our courses
“Let me put it like this Nancy. For a long time I dabbled around with a few ideas in my mind but never could get it down on paper because of lack of confidence or no discipline. I was like someone in an Art Museum up close to the painting and only seeing the dots of paint. Nancy you directed me to stand back and see the picture in a whole new light. My ideas have been moulded into something new and now I am the artist... Thanks for helping me to develop this gift. ”
- Agnes McWey
"This course has provided me with structure, creative thinking, and confidence. My writing has really blossomed and found its footing."
– Heatherly Kates
“It has got me writing again, (something I had "lost" for about 4yrs). It has brought back to me my one "passion" in life that I have always loved.”
– Karen Connell
“This course has taught me to be more focused and more serious about my writing. I have enjoyed the writing options at the end of each lesson. Absolutely thrilling to just pick up a pen and write. No more staring at a blank sheet of paper with the pen in my hand hovering over the paper. Thank you for giving me confidence in my writing and believing that I could do this!”
- Karen Cardwell
"This has been the most productive, creative month I’ve had.”
- Nancy Pazner
"Thank you for a course that builds writing skills with direction to excellence. Everything was included, possibly more than college courses can offer."
- Janett Lee Wawrzyniak
“I have found that after only 30 days, my writing is now more focused and it certainly flows easier. Sometimes now, I have to staunch the words pouring out of me, just so I can get some sleep. I no longer compare writing to bleeding a rock and for that alone Nancy, you have my absolute gratitude! Thank you so much for enabling me through your knowledge, to gift myself writing!”
- Jessica Clarke
"I saw that my writing had improved 100%."
- Jill Gairdner
“I find my writing flows better and ideas seem to flood into my brain. Since starting the course I have a new confidence when starting a piece of writing."
- Christine Henderson
“This course totally taught me how to be a writer. It was the best investment I have ever made.”
- Mary Jean Westerlund
"I want to thank you for all of your support and the wonderful writing lessons that you provide. I have learned so much about the craft of writing and I am finally doing what my heart desires."
- Dorothy Anderson
Frequently asked questions
Here are some answers to questions you may have about the course:
Q: How/when will I get my lessons?
A: Your lessons will be sent to you by e-mail, once every 3 days for 69 days (24 lessons total). You should receive your first lesson within a few minutes after you confirm your course registration.
Q: What if I don't have time to do the lessons right now?
A: That's okay! Since this is a self-study course, you can complete the lessons on your own schedule. There is no deadline for finishing the course.
Q: I live outside the U.S. Can I complete the course from my country?
A: Yes. Since the course is taught online, you can complete it from anywhere in the world.
Q: Is this just a one-time payment?
A: Yes, the price listed on this page is a one-time payment. There are no recurring fees associated with this course.
Q: What if I don't understand something in one of the lessons?
A: No worries. You can email us, and a teacher will answer your questions about the course.
Q: How soon do I have to decide?
A: We are limiting course registration, and we expect the course to fill up quickly. If you're interested, it's better to sign up now.
Q: What if my question was not answered here?
A: Please just send us an e-mail, and we'll be delighted to answer all your questions.
Try the course risk-free
If you change your mind during the first two weeks after you sign up, you can ask for a full refund.
SIGN UP NOW
The Craft of Poetry - Includes 24 email lessons with assignments and the chance to ask a teacher general questions. Feedback on assignments is not available for this course.
Total price: $87
"Through poetry, we can transform ourselves and change others as we sit around each other's poems like campfires for warmth and sustenance."
- Kamilah Aisha
Questions? Please contact us.
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