关于此课程： In this course aspiring writers will be introduced to the techniques that masters of fiction use to ground a story in a concrete world. From the most realist settings to the most fantastical, writers will learn how to describe the physical world in sharp, sensory detail. We will also learn how to build credibility through research, and to use creative meditation exercises to deepen our own understanding of our story worlds, so that our readers can see all that we imagine.
制作方： Wesleyan University
教学方： Amity Gaige, Visiting Scholar in Creative Writing
| 基本信息 | 课程 3（共 5 门，创意写作 Specialization ） |
| 承诺学习时间 | 课程周期：4周 学习时长：每周1-3小时 |
| 语言 | English |
| 如何通过 | 通过所有计分作业以完成课程。 |
| 用户评分 |
授课大纲
第 1 周
Persuasive Settings: Why Description Matters
Writing a great short story is like conveying a dream. As we will see from studying one famous master, a "persuasive" setting is necessary in order to build mood, character, and even plot.
7 个视频, 4 个阅读材料
- Reading: "The Power of Persuasion" by Mario Vargas Llosa
- 视频: The Power of Persuasion
- 视频: Moving Through Time and Space
- Reading: "The Odour of Chrysanthemums" by D.H. Lawrence
- 视频: Nothing Can Happen Nowhere
- 视频: Shop Talk with Brando Skyhorse
- Reading: A Note on Assignments
- 视频: Feedback Expectations for the Specialization
- 视频: Assignment Overview: Slow-Motion Moment
- Reading: Promo Codes
已评分: Slow Motion Moment
第 2 周
If You Build It, They Will Come
Pack your fiction with "vitamin-rich" detail. Looking at the work of both masters and students, we will discuss how funny, meaningful, and powerful details can be.
4 个视频, 3 个阅读材料
- 视频: "Things That Suck"
- Reading: Text of "How to Write About Africa" by Binyavanga Wainaina
- Reading: "How to Become a Writer" by Lorrie Moore
- Reading: "Forever Overhead" by David Foster Wallace
- 视频: Shop Talk with Salvatore Scibona
- 视频: Assignment Overview: Habitual Ritual
已评分: Habitual Ritual
第 3 周
Credibility and Research
Create settings both familiar and unfamiliar to you, while avoiding common missteps. You will be guided through several meditation exercises as you practice "imaginative research".
4 个视频
- 视频: Meditation Exercise
- 视频: Shop Talk with Amy Bloom
- 视频: Assignment Overview: Strange Lands
已评分: Strange Lands
第 4 周
Realities
Setting and description works in realist and non-realist fiction, as well as across literary genres. Consider how to write about your own "primal landscape".
4 个视频
- 视频: What Is Genre? (including Shop Talk with Amy Bloom on Noir Fiction)
- 视频: Visiting Writer: Historical Fiction with Valerie Martin
- 视频: Assignment Overview: Primal Landscapes
已评分: Primal Landscapes
常见问题解答
运作方式
Coursework
Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.
Help from Your Peers
Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.
Certificates
Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.
制作方
Wesleyan University
At Wesleyan, distinguished scholar-teachers work closely with students, taking advantage of fluidity among disciplines to explore the world with a variety of tools. The university seeks to build a diverse, energetic community of students, faculty, and staff who think critically and creatively and who value independence of mind and generosity of spirit.
价格
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评分和审阅
Until now I was hasty, wanting to tell the story - Now I want to show the story through character and setting. I realise the reader is disinterested unless they can walk in the shoes of my characters seeing the landscape as I see it.
I didn't love the videos in this course very much – they just weren't very helpful. They had some interesting thoughts, but for the most part they felt repetitive and for someone who hasn't written much creative writing.
However, I really liked the assignments and peer editing. This course challenged me to think about descriptions I wouldn't have otherwise, and made me think more about how the heart of a story is really in the description and setting. I got a lot more out of challenging myself with the assignments and getting surprising feedback than watching the videos.
I have learned so much from this course.And this might be the best of the 5 courses
I absolutely loved this course and it taught me how to better describe a setting and where I've gone too much in detail and where I could explore and focus more :) Thanks!