Write your story like the great writers. Create an original story that will capture the reader’s interest from beginning to end.
Suggested by: Coursera (What is Coursera?)
No prior knowledge required
No unnecessary risks
This specialization covers elements of three key genres in creative writing: the short story, the narrative essay, and the memoir. You will learn the techniques that great writers use to create a compelling story, populated by memorable characters in an interesting setting, written in an innovative descriptive style.
You will analyze and constructively evaluate the writing of peers. In the final project, you will write, rewrite, and complete a significant original story in a genre of your choice.
If you have a finished novel waiting for a fresh look or an idea that has been in the works for a decade, this internship will provide you with the tools to achieve your goal.
Thanks to our sponsor, upon completion of the first assignment, learners in each course will enjoy a discount of up to 80% from Write-Bros and a 30% discount on their first purchase from Scrivener for the writing software.
Additionally, learners who complete an assignment will receive a 30% discount on membership to the online writing community Scribophile. For more information about our partners, see the FAQ below.
Course 1
5 hours
4.7 (4,815 ratings)
In this course, aspiring writers will be exposed to the most basic and challenging element of storytelling: plot. We will learn what drives it, how it affects our emotions, expectations, and desires. We will examine the choices that storytellers make to capture our imagination and immerse us in a fictional world. We will learn how to outline and construct a plot, and we will also discuss narrative processes, pacing, surprises, and discover the inevitable surprise: the connection between the beginning, the middle, and the end.
Course 2
6 hours
4.5 (1,890 ratings)
At the heart of a good story are its characters. In this course, aspiring writers will discover how to build and bring complex, vivid, and memorable characters to life. We will study the choices a writer makes to bring all of the characters to life on the page, and we will do writing exercises to develop different writing techniques and before writing, to create a variety of characters. We will learn how to use our life experiences, and the people we know (and how not to!).
Course 3
7 hours
4.7 (1,356 ratings)
In this course, aspiring writers will be exposed to the techniques used by writers in the field to set a story in a tangible world. From the most realistic settings to the most imaginative, writers will learn how to depict the physical world in sharp, sensory detail.
Course 4
7 hours
4.7 (1,154 ratings)
Your style is as unique and distinct as your face, as your voice, only you can choose it and improve it. In this course, we will introduce aspiring writers to the art of honing written language. We will learn about the use of metaphors and imagery, and demonstrate how clarity, grace, and innovation in word choice are essential to the success of a story.
Course 5
7 hours
4.6 (421 ratings)
Everything comes together in the final project. You will plan a complete story, narrative essay, or memoir of 8-15 pages. With the advice of fellow readers, you will edit, rewrite, and complete it. The skills you have learned in plotting, setting, physical description, character, and clarity and stylistic innovation will be realized in an original work that is all yours.
