How to Write Poetry - Easy Connect Test

Class Description

Anyone who has ever endeavored to write a poem knows this: poems are deceptive. At a glance, they look short, sparse, simple–many don’t even bother with full sentences, and are unburdened by the conventions plot that plague our longer works. How hard could it be to jot down 50 loosely associated words?

The reality is that poetry is perhaps the most challenging of all genres, and writers who are hesitant to dip their toes into the swirling whirlpools of poetry are not alone. But at GrubStreet, we think you should try anyway! We’ll help you ease your way in–you bring your curiosity, and we will provide expert guidance and a community of fellow aspiring poets. How to Write a Poem is the perfect place to start down the path of learning how to tackle head-on the challenges of working with a precious few words, within an intricate set of rules or with no rules at all, guided by the goal of tapping into poetry’s unique ability to capture precisely what can’t quite be captured in prose.

In three hours, we’ll cover the fundamentals of poetry writing: we’ll share sources of inspiration for poems, explore different forms poems can take, discuss the contemporary poetry publishing landscape, and look at examples of poems that do what only poems can do. You will have a chance to get started on a draft of one new poem, with the option to share your draft for on-the-spot feedback. Towards the end of class, we will talk through upcoming opportunities to continue developing your poetry in an upcoming GrubStreet workshop.

Writing Roadmap: We've created a simple, goal-based writing roadmap to help you find the perfect GrubStreet course for your writing needs.