Poetic licence refers to the freedom taken by a writer or artist to deviate from conventional methods in order to achieve a desired effect. There are several synonyms for the term, with varying degrees of usage. These include creative freedom, artistic liberty, imaginative license, poetic freedom, and artistic license, among others. These terms all refer to the same basic concept of the author taking creative control in his or her work, with the understanding that some deviation from the norm is necessary to create something truly unique and meaningful. While the term poetic licence is still widely used and recognized, these synonyms serve to describe the same concept in different ways.