Writing
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- July 1, 2020
- Writing
- Poetry Writing: Taking the Poetic Leap
Poetry Writing: Taking the Poetic Leap
Summary
Revise and refine your poetry to achieve publishable work. Be propelled through dynamic exercises, in-depth analysis, and craft tips that you can use right away. At the end of each unit, polish and submit a one-page poem for professional critique.
Enrollment for this course is open through June 30, 2021, but exercises must be completed by June 30, 2021. Please enroll early enough to allow time for interaction with your instructor.
Success stories
Unsolicited Press in Oregon will be publishing Sandler’s chapbook, A Long Way from Kansas. Her manuscript, which gives voice to her generation of Baby Boomers and their elders, was in a three-way tie with two other poets, and all three will be published in one book in 2021. Sally worked with Angela Rydell in the online courses Poetry: Taking the Poetic Leap and Poetry: A Guide to Poetic Forms.
Elizabeth Mathes had two poems accepted for publication in Trestle Creek Review. “What to Head, Here to There” and “Instincts Still” debuted in the journal’s 2019 edition. A graduate of the online poetry workshops Getting to Good and Taking the Poetic Leap taught by Angela Rydell, Elizabeth began writing at age 55 after raising a child with autism. This is her first official publication.
Details
Make your poetic leaps higher and more ambitious than they’ve ever been before!
Poets of all levels can strengthen their skills. This course is for writers looking for professional feedback to help polish their work, beginners ready to get their poetry off the ground, intermediate-to-advanced poets ready to publish, and anyone who wants to take their poetry to the next level.
How the course works
You can start our workshops anytime, and there are no required hours to log on. It’s all done with one-on-one correspondence with the instructor using email. You can read and print course materials in the course Web site, which you can access at your leisure with a password that we will give you. We have writers from around the world participating in our workshops. A lot of great writing gets accomplished via email. Because of the one-on-one nature of our workshops, you’ll find them an excellent “coaching” or mentoring situation that will keep you going. And if you want to just work on your own — hey, that’s fine too. Of course you can do the suggested exercises on your own without the feedback if you’d rather do that. We’re also here throughout the year if you have questions.
You offer two poetry courses. Which should I take first?
Take either course first. The instructor gears each one to your needs. Every poet — from beginner through advanced/already published — can benefit from either course.
What’s the difference between the two offerings?
“Getting to Good” gives you:
- Reflection and warm-up exercises
- In-depth discussion of one-liners from Shakespeare, Dickinson, and contemporary poets
- A look at how theme creates a poem greater than the sum of its parts
- A foundation in the history of poetry
“Poetic Leap” gives you:
- Practical tips on drafting and revision
- In-depth discussion of 1 or 2 contemporary poems per unit
- A look at how line breaks tease meaning or deliver it
- Bonus exercises for your Writer’s Notebook
Outline
What we cover in this course
You’ll discover dozens of techniques in Poetry Writing: Taking the Poetic Leap. The 5 units include:
- The Power of Sensory Detail
- The Magic of Metaphor
- The Meaning of Musical Language
- The Art of Line Breaks
- The Nature of Voice
The course also includes:
- A writer’s notebook component with more than 30 exercises that help you practice your new skills
- A glossary of terms
- Useful references and links
- Interactive quizzes that offer instant feedback on what you’ve learned in each unit
- Lists of Top Ten tips
- Practical and eloquent quotes help fix key ideas in your mind
You have a full year to finish the course. Feel free to e-mail your instructor with questions on feedback and unit concepts any time. Page by page, experience how leaps can be surprising, joyful, challenging—and often downright fun.
Revise and refine your poetry to achieve publishable work. Be propelled through dynamic exercises, in-depth analysis, and craft tips that you can use right away. At the end of each unit, polish and submit a one-page poem for professional critique.
Enrollment for this course is open through June 30, 2021, but exercises must be completed by June 30, 2021. Please enroll early enough to allow time for interaction with your instructor.
Success stories
Unsolicited Press in Oregon will be publishing Sandler’s chapbook, A Long Way from Kansas. Her manuscript, which gives voice to her generation of Baby Boomers and their elders, was in a three-way tie with two other poets, and all three will be published in one book in 2021. Sally worked with Angela Rydell in the online courses Poetry: Taking the Poetic Leap and Poetry: A Guide to Poetic Forms.
Elizabeth Mathes had two poems accepted for publication in Trestle Creek Review. “What to Head, Here to There” and “Instincts Still” debuted in the journal’s 2019 edition. A graduate of the online poetry workshops Getting to Good and Taking the Poetic Leap taught by Angela Rydell, Elizabeth began writing at age 55 after raising a child with autism. This is her first official publication.
Details
Details
Make your poetic leaps higher and more ambitious than they’ve ever been before!
Poets of all levels can strengthen their skills. This course is for writers looking for professional feedback to help polish their work, beginners ready to get their poetry off the ground, intermediate-to-advanced poets ready to publish, and anyone who wants to take their poetry to the next level.
How the course works
You can start our workshops anytime, and there are no required hours to log on. It’s all done with one-on-one correspondence with the instructor using email. You can read and print course materials in the course Web site, which you can access at your leisure with a password that we will give you. We have writers from around the world participating in our workshops. A lot of great writing gets accomplished via email. Because of the one-on-one nature of our workshops, you’ll find them an excellent “coaching” or mentoring situation that will keep you going. And if you want to just work on your own — hey, that’s fine too. Of course you can do the suggested exercises on your own without the feedback if you’d rather do that. We’re also here throughout the year if you have questions.
You offer two poetry courses. Which should I take first?
Take either course first. The instructor gears each one to your needs. Every poet — from beginner through advanced/already published — can benefit from either course.
What’s the difference between the two offerings?
“Getting to Good” gives you:
- Reflection and warm-up exercises
- In-depth discussion of one-liners from Shakespeare, Dickinson, and contemporary poets
- A look at how theme creates a poem greater than the sum of its parts
- A foundation in the history of poetry
“Poetic Leap” gives you:
- Practical tips on drafting and revision
- In-depth discussion of 1 or 2 contemporary poems per unit
- A look at how line breaks tease meaning or deliver it
- Bonus exercises for your Writer’s Notebook
Outline
What we cover in this course
You’ll discover dozens of techniques in Poetry Writing: Taking the Poetic Leap. The 5 units include:
- The Power of Sensory Detail
- The Magic of Metaphor
- The Meaning of Musical Language
- The Art of Line Breaks
- The Nature of Voice
The course also includes:
- A writer’s notebook component with more than 30 exercises that help you practice your new skills
- A glossary of terms
- Useful references and links
- Interactive quizzes that offer instant feedback on what you’ve learned in each unit
- Lists of Top Ten tips
- Practical and eloquent quotes help fix key ideas in your mind
You have a full year to finish the course. Feel free to e-mail your instructor with questions on feedback and unit concepts any time. Page by page, experience how leaps can be surprising, joyful, challenging—and often downright fun.
Earn Credit Hours
By participating in this class you will earn:
Continuing Education Hours
20
Continuing Education Units, CEU
2
What Attendees Are Saying:
“Thank you for answering my questions so thoroughly, and for another excellent critique. I appreciate that you keep pushing me to dig into the marrow of the poem, and suggest ways to do it — that’s exactly what I was hoping for from this course!”
“I really appreciate the insight you are giving me into my writing. It is making me look at my written words more closely than I have ever before.”
“Your feedback on my writing has been invaluable. Under your guidance, I have felt free to experiment and grow as a writer.”
Upcoming Dates
All times shown are central time.
Register by phone: 608-262-2451
Register by mail: printable registration form
Schedule
Start anytime
Instructor(s)
Fee
$195
Location
Complete online
Earn Credit Hours
By participating in this class you will earn:
Questions?
Registration:Questions about this program:
- Christine DeSmet
- christine.desmet@wisc.edu
Cancellation Policy:
Our cancellation policy varies by type of program. View our policies page for more details about cancelling a program.
Accessibility Accommodations:
Please email the contact person listed above at least 2-3 weeks prior to the start of class if you require an accessibility accommodation.
What Attendees Are Saying:
“Thank you for answering my questions so thoroughly, and for another excellent critique. I appreciate that you keep pushing me to dig into the marrow of the poem, and suggest ways to do it — that’s exactly what I was hoping for from this course!”
“I really appreciate the insight you are giving me into my writing. It is making me look at my written words more closely than I have ever before.”
“Your feedback on my writing has been invaluable. Under your guidance, I have felt free to experiment and grow as a writer.”
ANGELA RYDELL
ANGELA RYDELL (MFA, Warren Wilson College) has been a writing coach and instructor for Continuing Studies since 2006. She's a recipient of the Poets & Writers' Writers Exchange Award and a Pushcart Prize nominee. Her fiction and poetry have been published in many journals.
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Upcoming Dates
All times shown are central time.
Online, start anytime
9026-21-LSA
Register by phone: 608-262-2451
Register by mail: printable registration form
Schedule
Start anytime
Add to CalendarInstructor(s)
ANGELA RYDELL
ANGELA RYDELL (MFA, Warren Wilson College) has been a writing coach and instructor for Continuing Studies since 2006. She's a recipient of the Poets & Writers' Writers Exchange Award and a Pushcart Prize nominee. Her fiction and poetry have been published in many journals.
Fee
$195
Location
Complete online
Earn Credit Hours
By participating in this class you will earn:
Continuing Education Hours
20
Continuing Education Units, CEU
2
Questions?
Registration:Questions about this program:
- Christine DeSmet
- christine.desmet@wisc.edu
Cancellation Policy:
Our cancellation policy varies by type of program. View our policies page for more details about cancelling a program.
Accessibility Accommodations:
Please email the contact person listed above at least 2-3 weeks prior to the start of class if you require an accessibility accommodation.
What Attendees Are Saying:
“Thank you for answering my questions so thoroughly, and for another excellent critique. I appreciate that you keep pushing me to dig into the marrow of the poem, and suggest ways to do it — that’s exactly what I was hoping for from this course!”
“I really appreciate the insight you are giving me into my writing. It is making me look at my written words more closely than I have ever before.”
“Your feedback on my writing has been invaluable. Under your guidance, I have felt free to experiment and grow as a writer.”
- Christine DeSmet
- christine.desmet@wisc.edu
Cancellation Policy:
Our cancellation policy varies by type of program. View our policies page for more details about cancelling a program.
Have Questions?
We have collected answers to common questions in our
FAQs.
You can also contact Customer Service at or
608-262-1156.
Continuing Studies FAQs
Previous Class
9026-20-LSA
Schedule
Start anytime
Instructor(s)
ANGELA RYDELL
Location
Complete online