An Introduction to Poetry

Price: NZ$ 895 / £ 495 / ZAR 6495

An Introduction to Poetry Course

An Introduction
to Poetry Course

Master the Skills that
Poets Use

Discover your own poetic style and voice in a safe, supportive learning environment

The Introduction to Poetry Course will take you on a creative journey, from the very first step of putting your thoughts and feelings down on paper to penning a complete and polished poem. If you have already dabbled in poetry, we will help you take the next step: getting your work published.

Whether your goal is to see your name in print, share your poems with someone special, or just write to get something off your chest, we’ll help you transform your ideas into engaging and accomplished poetry.

The Introduction to Poetry Course Gives You...

No Automated Marking

We use traditional methods of assessing work, as editors at publishing houses would. No generic feedback!

A Flexible Schedule

Work wherever and whenever you want. You can easily fit our courses around work and other commitments.

Relevant, Usable Content

Easy-to-digest course notes that capture a lifetime of writing experience, ready for you to apply to your own writing.

Ongoing Assessment

Your writing is assessed continuously as your course progresses.

Expert, Individual Feedback

Get prompt, honest, detailed feedback on every assignment from an award-winning writer. We focus on your unique writing strengths.

No Peer Reviews!

You will only be assessed by your tutor, a leader in their field. No more guessing and wondering how to write; you'll be guided line by line.

Explore Your
Poetic Voice

The best way to develop your poetic craft

Work one-to-one with an award-winning poet who will guide you each step of the way, from poetic novice to confident practitioner. Discover the basic concepts and principles of poetry and how to apply them to your work.

Your well-qualified, experienced tutor will guide you through this entertaining, easy-to-understand course, with practical tips on finding inspiration and editing your work to a professional standard. You will also get the opportunity to explore examples of well-written contemporary poetry.

A lot of enjoyable writing practice will ensure you grow as a poet and improve your style.

By the end of the course, you’ll have more writing confidence, as well as five complete poems.

Explore Your
Poetic Voice

The best way to develop your poetic craft

A lot of enjoyable writing practice will ensure you grow as a poet and improve your style.

By the end of the course, you’ll have more writing confidence, as well as five complete poems.

‘I had a great time on the course and produced the best writing I have ever done. My experience was profound and therapeutic. I learnt simple yet valuable ways to move from journaling to writing actual poetry.’

Cindy Jordaan, Introduction to Poetry Course

Course Overview

COURSE FEE

NZ$ 895

£ 495

ZAR 6495

Price includes VAT/GST

NUMBER OF ASSIGNMENTS

15 The assignments vary in length.

NUMBER OF MODULES

4 These modules include around 65 pages of course notes.

COURSE DURATION

6 Work at your own pace – up to a maximum of six months.

START DATE: ANYTIME

Working with an individual tutor means you can start the course at any time.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Basic writing skills are essential.
Computer skills, e-mail and Internet access required.
No previous tertiary qualification required.

Our Graduate Students' Successes

We are proud of our graduates who have achieved success. Here are a few among dozens of our creative writing success stories.

Martin Steyn

Martin Steyn completed the Write a Novel Course. He had his first novel, 'Donkerspoor' ('Dark Traces'), published by Lapa in 2014. The book was an instant success and bestseller, and had to be re-printed. His second book, 'Skuldig' ('Guilty'), received even greater acclaim. Since then, he has written two more novels.

Gareth Ward

Gareth Ward's novel that he worked on during the course went on to win multiple awards. 'The Traitor and the Thief', a rip-roaring young adult steampunk adventure, won the 2016 Storylines Tessa Duder Award, the 2018 Sir Julius Vogel Award for Best Youth Novel, a 2018 Storylines Notable Book Award, and was a finalist in two categories at The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Gareth has this to say about studying with The Writers College: 'Hand on heart, there is no way I would have been published without Alex’s guidance.'

Trish Nicholson

Trish Nicholson, a former Short Story Course graduate, keeps notching up successes on the writing front. Trish won first prize in the Flash500 competition, with four stories shortlisted during that year. She won first prize in the 'shorter story' at the Winchester Writers' Conference in the UK, as well as runner-up in the ‘short story’ category. Two of her stories were commended in the South Island Writers' Association competition. A finalist in both the H.E. Bates Short Story Competition and the Neil Gunn Writing Competition, Trish is one of our most successful creative writing graduates yet.

Suzanne Maine

Suzanne Main completed the Basics of Creative Writing Course. Her children's novel, 'How I Alienated my Grandma', won the 2014 Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award.

Andy Evans

Andy Evans completed the Basics of Creative Writing Course and the Literary Short and Flash Fiction Course. He had his first short story, 'The Wooden Hills', published in 'Takahē' magazine. He placed third in the NZ Writers College Short Story Competition with his story 'Gravity'.

Taemumu Richardson

Taemumu Richardson was shortlisted in the Writers' Forum Short Story Competition. This is a big achievement as this competition draws a huge number of entries globally. She was also shortlisted for the Flash500 flash fiction competition, longlisted in the NZ Writers College Short Story Competition and received an honourable mention in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future contest. Tae had a story published in the literary magazine 'Takahē'.

Megan Frith

Megan Frith completed our Short Story Course and our Novel Writing Course. Her short story ‘Scars‘ came first in the 2014 Page & Blackmore Short Story Competition. She went on to place third in the 2015 Page & Blackmore Short Story Competition for her short story titled ‘Till Death‘. Recently, two of her stories were published in 'Horizons 2', an anthology compiled by the Top of the South branch of the NZ Society of Authors.

Arja Salafranca

Arja Salafranca has been a writer and journalist for over 20 years. She was the lifestyle and arts editor on The Sunday Independent from 2003 to 2016.

She has published three collections of poetry, A Life Stripped of Illusions, which received the Sanlam Award for poetry and The Fire in Which We Burn. Her third poetry collection is Beyond Touch (Modjaji Books/Dye Hard Press 2015), a co-winner in the poetry category of the South African Literary Awards in 2016. Her fiction has been published in local and international journals and anthologies, as well as online. Her debut collection of short fiction, The Thin Line, was published in 2010 (Modjaji Books) and short-listed for the Wole Soyinka Award. She has also edited two anthologies, Glass Jars Among Trees and The Edge of Things.

She holds an MA in Creative Writing from Wits University.

Course Curriculum

Module 1

An Introduction to Poetry: Where do poets find their inspiration?

Where do poets find their inspiration?
Line length and line breaks
Assignments

Module 2

Figures of Speech in Poetry

Why we use figures of speech
Understanding metaphors, similes and poetic devices
Assignments

Module 3

Rhythm and Rhyme

Must a poem rhyme?
Understanding rhythm
Using assonance, consonance, alliteration and other sound effects
Assignments

Module 4

Understanding Mood and Tone

Understanding mood and tone
Identifying tone
Figurative language and mood
Assignments

This course offers an advanced course option

What Our Students Say

I loved the course! It was simple enough for beginners such as myself to understand and follow, but also challenging and stimulating. Fiona was an absolute joy to work with. I have so enjoyed exploring the world of poetry, and The Writers College afforded me that opportunity in ways that went far beyond my expectations.

I had a specific objective in mind when I did this course and the college helped me achieve this. Along the way I gained new skills and ideas. The exercises and assignments helped me to think outside the square and the feedback was extremely helpful and steered me in the direction I needed to go, without being stressful. My tutor was always supportive and always replied even to the smallest questions or queries. Overall a good experience.

I would describe the course as informative and interesting and very useful. It was definitely worth it; you learn all the necessary tools for the trade you’re interested in.

I was very tentative and nervous when I started this course. Now I leave pleased at having endeavoured it but also determined to return to do another course in prose. My tutor was instrumental in not only giving excellent guidance but motivating me in a confident way. Overall I loved it; I learnt more than I expected and I challenged myself and was challenged in turn.

The course has been wonderful, I enjoyed it immensely! Liesl has been a wonderful tutor. Her comments, suggestions and feedback have been very intuitive and helpful. She has really helped me develop my writing practice and courage in writing from my personal experience.

I found the course to be very satisfying. I believe I learnt some very valuable things.

My experience on the course was great. The constructive criticism by my tutor helped me hone my skills. Her comments on my work motivated and inspired me greatly; any criticism she had was fair and always right. The course was awesome, I would seriously consider doing another.

Lifetime Course Access

Benefit from free lifetime access to future course updates and access to our writing resources.

Work at Your Own Pace

Our courses work around you. You can pace your course around your busy life.

500+ Bonus Articles on Our Blog

A superb, constantly updated resource with articles on writing and interviews with writers.

Work Opportunities

Top students are invited to join our writers and editors for hire service.

Be the First to Know About Writing Competitions

We'll help you keep up to date with the latest competition announcements

Join a Community of Writers

You will have access to our friendly Facebook community, daily writing tips and writing inspiration.

Risk-Free 100% Money-Back Guarantee

We are so confident that you will love your course that if you’re not 100% satisfied with the quality of our training, simply ask for a refund within 30 days.

Complete the Application Form to Enrol on the Introduction to Poetry Course

You will receive an approval email and invoice within one working day.

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Should your form not submit, please let admin know at info@thewriterscollege.com

Questions?
We've Got Answers

How does the course work?

The course consists of four modules. Detailed course notes covering the content of each module will be emailed to you.

At the end of each section, you will be required to complete several writing exercises.

Is it interactive? Can I ask my tutor questions?

Absolutely. You have direct communication with your tutor for the duration of the course. The more questions you ask, the more you will get out of the course.

For how long will I get access to the course?

You will get lifetime access to the course. You will also benefit from future updates and improvements to the course.

Will anyone else see my work?

For the majority of our courses, only your tutor will see your work. It will remain completely private unless you get it published. The journalism courses might see your work published in the public domain, but you do have the final say as to whether or not this happens.

What are the conditions of certification?

You will receive a Writers College Certificate upon successful completion of the course, provided you meet the following conditions:

You must have completed all 15 assignments.
The course must have been completed within six months of registration.
A minimum average of 50% for the course must be achieved.

What are the admission requirements?

Proficiency in the English language.
Basic computer skills as well as email and Internet access are required.
No previous tertiary qualification is required.

When can I start a course?

Because you will work with an individual tutor, you can start your course as soon as your application has been approved. There are no specific start dates as would be the case with a traditional college.

An application is usually approved within one working day. Once we receive proof of payment, your can start your course.

You could be starting your course today!

What is the minimum estimated time commitment?

This course requires ongoing informal research. You will read poetry and journals to discover what moves your poetic spirit. Hopefully, this ‘research’ will become an ongoing pleasure that nourishes your writing for life.

Additionally, there is the discipline of writing and reflection on the process of writing. A poet cannot wait for the muse. The muse waits for the poet. When you write, the muse shows up. Inspiration can be sought and achieved even when you are feeling uninspired. Because regular writing and rewriting is integral to the process of writing poetry, the course is designed in such a way that one module takes one month to complete.

After studying each module, the exercises should take an hour or two per week to complete. Ideally, you should spend ten minutes a day writing in a poetry journal, a portion of which will be submitted in your final portfolio.

When will I get access to the course?

Once your application has been approved, you will receive notification of approval and an invoice via email. As soon as we receive proof of payment, the first module as well as your tutor’s email address and your login details will be sent to you. Your tutor will also be in touch to welcome you.

Who owns the rights to the work I produce?

Any work created on our courses is owned by you. We will never make a claim to anything you produce. We follow the rule that copyright subsists with the creator (you).

'I have felt extremely encouraged to write by doing this course. I found my tutor helpful and available, supportive and encouraging and also able to give feedback about things that I needed to develop.'