• Logo

Playing with Poetry: Creative Writing and Poetics

Have fun writing poetry as you explore and create various forms of poetry and experiment with different poetic ideas.

3,907 enrolled on this course

An arrangement of paper, scissors, pencils and clips

Playing with Poetry: Creative Writing and Poetics

3,907 enrolled on this course

  • 3 weeks

  • 2 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Open level

Find out more about how to join this course

This course is part of the program Creative Writing: Poetry and Poetics, which is one of the building blocks that leads to a degree in Bachelor of Arts. Find out more.

Get creative with a playful and practical exploration of poetry

Poetry often has the reputation of being an abstract and complicated form of expression, guarded by the pretentious elite.

On this three-week course, you’ll discover the fun and value that can be found in writing your own poetry.

This practical and hands-on course gives you the opportunity to learn the common rules of poetry and then decide how best to turn those rules into an enjoyable creative writing experience.

Explore different techniques such as lineation

What is the effect of rhythm and rhyme on a poem? Does it matter where we decide to start a new line? How do we make use of the power of the lyric? On the course, you’ll explore these questions and learn how to answer them with confidence.

You’ll cover topics such as the basics of poetry, lineation, creative writing, and lyric poetry to gain a comprehensive understanding of the techniques and theories used to shape a poem.

Build your confidence alongside experts

This course will equip you with the knowledge needed to start writing poetry as well as showing you the fun and creative side of poetics.

Learning from David Musgrave, poet, and teacher of Creative Writing and English literature at the University of Newcastle, you’ll finish the course with the skills and confidence to unleash your inner poet.

Download video: standard or HD

What topics will you cover?

  • The basics of poetry
  • Lineation
  • Lyric poetry

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Identify a range of different forms of poetry.
  • Discuss key techniques involved in shaping a poem.
  • Evaluate the poetic ideas and theories which inform particular kinds of poetry.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in poetry.

It will be of particular interest if you want to build your understanding of poetry and creative writing.

Who will you learn with?

I teach Creative Writing and English literature at the University of Newcastle. I'm a poet, publisher and novelist with a publishing record extending over four decades.

Who developed the course?

The University of Newcastle Australia

The University of Newcastle is a world-class university distinguished by a commitment to equity and excellence. Ranked in Australia’s Top 10 universities, and 173rd in the world (QS rankings, 2024).

  • Established

    1965
  • Location

    Newcastle, Australia
  • World ranking

    Top 180Source: QS World University Rankings 2024

Ways to learn

Buy this course

Subscribe & save

Limited access

Choose the best way to learn for you!

$89/one-off payment

$39.99/month

Automatically renews

Free

Fulfill your current learning needDevelop skills to further your careerSample the course materials
Access to this courseticktick

Access expires 10 May 2024

Access to 1,000+ coursescrosstickcross
Learn at your own paceticktickcross
Discuss your learning in commentstickticktick
Certificate when you're eligiblePrinted and digitalDigital onlycross
Continue & Upgrade

Cancel for free anytime

Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$39.99/month

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$89/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 10 May 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Learner reviews

Learner reviews cannot be loaded due to your cookie settings. Please and refresh the page to view this content.

Advance your career with a degree

Since 2017 you have been able to take a degree on FutureLearn. This free course is a bit like a starter course for a degree — it should give you a flavour of the degree subject but can also be your first step towards a degree qualification.

If you enjoy this course you can apply to join the program it’s part of to start working towards a degree on FutureLearn.

Don’t worry, you can still take the course without doing a full degree!

Do the free course
Join and complete the program
Get academic credit for an online degree from The University of Newcastle Australia
This course is part of the program Creative Writing: Poetry and Poetics, which is one of the building blocks that leads to a degree in Bachelor of Arts.

Get a taste of this course

Find out what this course is like by previewing some of the course steps before you join:

Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...

You can use the hashtag #UniNewcastle to talk about this course on social media.