Writing Poetry with Evelyn Araluen

Learn about fundamentals of poetic language and form

Join award-winning poet Evelyn Araluen in this practical and inspiring course all about craft and style in poetic practice.

Whether you’ve been writing poetry all your life or you’ve never written a verse, this course will enhance your confidence to play with language and embrace complexity and coincidence. Through a series of writing exercises you'll be encouraged to find literary inspiration and build your own skills.

You'll learn:

  • about poetic fundamentals like line and syntax
  • how your favourite poems can help you write your own
  • how poetic language is distinct from everyday language
  • how constraints can open up new opportunities
  • how editing and experimentation can get your poems to the finish line

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.

"This was beautifully delivered. There was a terrific balance of content and opportunities to explore in the exercises. Often exercises feel a little tacked on in an asynchronous workshop like this, but these really invited me to have a go, and I think this was due to the both the nature of the exercises themselves and the care taken when providing direction. The examples used throughout were thoroughly engaging."


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


​Evelyn Araluen
​Evelyn Araluen

Evelyn Araluen is a poet, researcher and co-editor of Overland Literary Journal. Her widely published criticism, fiction and poetry has been awarded the Nakata Brophy Prize for Young Indigenous Writers, the Judith Wright Poetry Prize, a Wheeler Centre Next Chapter Fellowship, and a Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund grant. Born and raised on Dharug country, she is a descendant of the Bundjalung Nation.


Course Curriculum


  Introduction
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  Part One: Poetry as Unordinary Speech
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  Part Two: Learning From What You Love
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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!