Writing Literary Criticism with Declan Fry

How to get started in writing criticism

Join renowned writer, poet, and essayist Declan Fry in this insightful and practical course on writing literary criticism.

Whether you're looking to kick off your criticism career, or interested in exploring reviewing alongside your other writing, learn how to get started with experienced literary critic Declan Fry. Criticism shares a great deal in common with essay, fiction, and even poetry—it is not about what's black and white, good or bad—it is concerned with the grey areas of life and how a piece of writing makes you feel. This course will focus primarily on reviewing fiction, poetry and non-fiction, but these teachings can be applied more widely across your writing practice.

You will learn:

  • The difference between criticism and reviews
  • How to read as a critic
  • To write both short-form and long-form criticism
  • How to approach reviewing different genres
  • Self editing and how to critique your own criticism

The course is designed to take you 5-6 hours in total, and can be completed in short stages at your convenience. Scroll down to see the full course curriculum and a list of frequently asked questions.

"Thank you Declan for encouraging me to continue to create and construct reviews that reflect me as a writer and for giving me the courage to put my finished work out into the world!"

KYD Members receive a 10% discount on this course and all other KYD online courses throughout the year. Become a member here, or contact [email protected] for more information.

Want to buy a course for a friend? Purchase a gift voucher here.


Your Instructor


Declan Fry
Declan Fry

Declan Fry has written for Meanjin, Memo Review, Overland, Westerly and elsewhere. He writes regularly for the ABC, Age/SMH and Guardian and is a board member of Australian Book Review and of the Melbourne Writers Festival. His poetry has been shortlisted for the Judith Wright Poetry Prize and selected for The Best Australian Science Writing 2021. He was a winner of the 2021 Griffith Review Emerging Voices Competition, received the 2021 Peter Blazey Fellowship, and in 2022 was nominated for the Pascall Prize in criticism. His latest writing appears in Another Australia (Affirm Press), The Cambridge Companion to the Australian Novel, and in Griffith Review 79: Counterfeit Culture.


Course Curriculum


  Welcome
Available in days
days after you enrol

Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish. We encourage you to approach this material not just as lessons to be finished once and for all, but also as a collection of resources to which you can return time and again.
How long do I have access to the course?
Forever! After enrolling, you have unlimited lifetime access to this course - across any and all devices you own.
Does the teacher provide feedback?
No. If you are interested in receiving feedback on your project, we encourage you to check out KYD's Manuscript Assessment Service: https://killyourdarlings.com.au/shop/manuscript-assessments/
How do I access my course?
All our online workshops are hosted at workshops.killyourdarlings.com.au, via the Teachable platform. You can access your workshop by logging in at that link, or by following the link in your welcome email when you enrol. Please note that as the Teachable platform is a separate website to KYD you will need to create a new account, and will not be able to use your KYD login details.
I'm a KYD member. How do I receive my 10% discount?
Click on 'Enrol in course for $169'. Enter the coupon code that was emailed to you when you became a KYD member at checkout, underneath the tutor's photo.
What if I have another question?
You can email us at [email protected] and we'll be happy to help!

Get started now!