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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Creative Writing: The Craft of Plot by Wesleyan University

4.7
stars
4,727 ratings

About the Course

In this course aspiring writers will be introduced to perhaps the most elemental and often the most challenging element of story: plot. We will learn what keeps it moving, how it manipulates our feelings, expectations, and desires. We will examine the choices storytellers make to snag our imaginations, drag them into a fictional world, and keep them there. We will learn how to outline and structure a plot, discuss narrative arc, pacing and reversals and reveal the inevitable surprise: connecting the beginning, middle and end....

Top reviews

SD

Jul 13, 2020

It seems easy at the start; give it a week or two and you will be very surprised -- with yourself and your reaction to the feedback.

The instructions are easy to follow, the insights are priceless.

BM

Nov 4, 2019

The course was informative on how to build, structure and develop the plot of our own stories. It was also very helpful in guiding us through the editing process. A useful course for aspiring writers.

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176 - 200 of 1,595 Reviews for Creative Writing: The Craft of Plot

By Shellie K

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Sep 25, 2018

I enjoyed the assignments and felt the instructor, Brando Skyhorse, was clear in his explanations and assignments. This course helped me organize and pace my stories in a meaningful way. It also reminded me of the power of revision. If you have to pick 1 course out of the entire series, this one is probably the one to pick.

By ANDREA C C S

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Jul 16, 2020

This course is really good for starting, getting to know and think about some aspects about writing. Most importantly, you get to actually start writing, week after week. It also really makes a difference when you not only do it, but also share it with other people. That's the actual craft of the story after all, isn't it?

By Ibrahim N

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Nov 11, 2016

An excellent course which will lead you to the significant entrance into creative writing. I am a beginner writer and I think this course helped me a lot to understand the general philosophy and some methods in creative writing. I strongly recommend this course to every person who is interested in any kind of text writing.

By Kathryne A H

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Jun 26, 2016

Fantastic class! The teachers is organized, charismatic, a respected author of such interesting subject matter. He brings relevant outside writers to interview about their viewpoints. The assignments are clear and really opened my mind to other ways of thinking. This series of classes is more than worth time and cost.

By ChandraPerkins

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Jun 12, 2016

The course is easy to follow and informative. Challenging assignments and guest speakers add variety, clarity, and creativity to the way you think about telling a story. It touches on important points like structuring and editing. Plus, the instructor compares much of what he's teaching to how it's used in popular novels.

By Rian G

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May 9, 2016

Very well presented, clear and concise. I have always just flowed a story out. This course offers insights into why some of my stories work and others don't. I found I do many of these things subconsciously but am now able to apply a solid foundation to build upon to ensure more consistency with my writing. Thank you

By Marilyn G

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Apr 6, 2020

So far, this has been my favorite course in the specialization -- two more to go, including capstone. I liked the "feel" of the delivery, I felt more like I was in a lecture and Brando seems so at ease in front of the camera. I learned a lot in all the courses but preferred the delivery of this one the most. Thanks!

By benard o o

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Oct 6, 2017

A great guide to any aspiring writer and thespian. The course gives a new approach in understanding the basic fundamentals to get you charged for your get go in writing. It might seem challenging at some point but once you pass the threshold where you are about to give up you realize how simpler the journey becomes.

By Liliane M

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Jul 1, 2017

I have in these four weeks, learned far more than I expected, and my eyes have been opened up to a whole new world, A big thank you to Brando Skyhorse, but also to the wonderful mentors, that helps guide us through the in's and out's of the challenges, which face us, from used the homepage, to doing our assignments.

By Trudy S

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Apr 4, 2023

I loved this course. I have never understood how to structure a plot, rising actions, etc. This class explained is so clearly, and included challenges to help me practice. Now I know how to structure a plot, and look forward to trying to structure a real short story (beyond the 1000 word assignments) in the course.

By Tania M

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Sep 11, 2020

Me encanta este curso. Aprendí muchísimo y ahora he comenzado a corregir una de mis novelas. Te dan una base sólida para que tu escritura avance. Sólo a los compañeros le hace falta opinar con mayor objetividad sobre los trabajos enviados; pero en sí, si pones en practica lo explicado tendrás resultados positivos.

By Christian M

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Jan 14, 2020

Very interesting. I was totally new to the concept of creative writing - though I'm an avid reader and write a lot at work, but mostly on technical subjects - and it was enlightening to learn a bit about the mechanisms which help building truly believable, entertaining stories. I recommend this course, definitely.

By Crystal C

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Mar 17, 2018

Thank you professors for your time creating this course. It really empowered my writing... I've written over 100k words since starting this course. I gained the confidence to just start writing and not to worry about making it perfect the first time. Loved this course and have recommended to others. God bless you!

By PallaviPandavula

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Sep 30, 2020

I enjoyed taking this course. The insights and carefully crafted assignments helped me write better than I have ever imagined. This course unleashed my writing abilities. I feel happy that I took this course. Peers gave me valuable feedback and also lot of love & encouragement, which truly boosted my confidence.

By LAVANYAH A A

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Jul 9, 2020

It's thrilling to have people read your work and tell you what they think. The best part for me was reading what others have written. Once or twice, I was unable to write the things that I could write best because of the parameters given by the assignment question. It was a challenge but I discovered my weakness.

By Rebecca D

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Aug 20, 2016

I absolutely loved this class. I found this course fun, interesting and informative. I feel that I have a better understanding on how to create interesting characters and how to make scene's that captivate and hold a reader's attention. I would highly recommend this class to anyone who has an interest in writing.

By Poiema D

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Jun 28, 2019

I learned a lot from this course because it required people to communicate with each other and be inspired by other people's work. Although I gave this five stars, I think there could be a more efficient note system. One thing I don't like about it is how you cannot take notes when at full screen in the videos.

By Marianna M G

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Nov 7, 2018

Curso de alto nível. Excelente para em especial, novos escritores e também, para escritores já experientes que queiram revisar e aprender ainda mais. Incrível! Mais ainda, pois temos a possibilidade de sermos analisados nas atividades após finalização das Semanas e também analisar trabalhos de outros colegas.

By David H

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Aug 11, 2017

This course is not easy and really opened my eyes to the dedication and understanding of what a writer is all about. Being assessed by my peers was the most useful for me, nothing better than to hear if ya got something or not. Thanks, I plan on continuing with my studies and become a very successful writer.

By Hawra

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Aug 8, 2020

Short and sweet! I really loved the case study thing at the start of the course. I loved the interviews with authors. What you need to know is that this course consists of peer-reviewed assignments each week. So, you need to put effort into reviewing others' work so that the community as a whole improves :)

By Kateryna N

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Mar 10, 2017

This course is amazing because it really helps a lot. I've greatly improved my writing and discovered a new world of important structures that are very useful and make the writing process easier. This Creative Writing course is very helpful and I'm looking forward to completing the specialization. Thanks ;)

By Niranjan K

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Dec 7, 2019

This course is amazing. It teaches you the nuts and bolts of storytelling. I'm amazed at the kind of stories I'm able to come up with after completing this course. Once you understand structure, the rest is easy. Highly recommend it. I personally feel wealthier after doing this course. Thank you, Brando.

By Kecia R

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Mar 12, 2016

I expected to hear the usual "show don't tell" mantra that I have heard in other fiction writing courses. Instead I learned the one thing that makes that statement make sense to me. I learned what they mean when someone says "show don't tell" and then I learned how to do it. Thank you Brando Skyhorse.

By Braden D

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Jul 25, 2019

Every week, with every video and assignment, i learned so much. The valuable information was easy and clear to understand and yet still challenging to put into practice which made the assignments so effective. As a result of this course i definitely have a stronger understanding of writing and plot.

By Cynthia E M

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Sep 11, 2020

This course forced me to think both more creatively and far more strategically, within my writing. I appreciated the "conversations" with other writers as well. I also enjoyed the teaching style of our instructor; the "21 Points" along with the ABDCE modules were particularly helpful!

Thank you!