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.
提供方
教学大纲 - 您将从这门课程中学到什么
周
1完成时间为 3 小时
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 （总计 39 分钟）, 4 个阅读材料, 1 个测验
7 个视频
The Power of Persuasion3分钟
Moving Through Time and Space4分钟
Nothing Can Happen Nowhere8分钟
Shop Talk with Brando Skyhorse10分钟
Feedback Expectations for the Specialization2分钟
Assignment Overview: Slow-Motion Moment1分钟
4 个阅读材料
"The Power of Persuasion" by Mario Vargas Llosa10分钟
"The Odour of Chrysanthemums" by D.H. Lawrence10分钟
A Note on Assignments10分钟
Promo Codes10分钟
周
2完成时间为 3 小时
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 （总计 25 分钟）, 3 个阅读材料, 1 个测验
4 个视频
"Things That Suck"3分钟
Shop Talk with Salvatore Scibona14分钟
Assignment Overview: Habitual Ritual1分钟
3 个阅读材料
Text of "How to Write About Africa" by Binyavanga Wainaina10分钟
"How to Become a Writer" by Lorrie Moore10分钟
"Forever Overhead" by David Foster Wallace10分钟
周
3完成时间为 3 小时
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 （总计 37 分钟）, 1 个测验
4 个视频
Meditation Exercise7分钟
Shop Talk with Amy Bloom14分钟
Assignment Overview: Strange Lands3分钟
周
4完成时间为 3 小时
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 （总计 35 分钟）, 1 个测验
4 个视频
What Is Genre? (including Shop Talk with Amy Bloom on Noir Fiction)10分钟
Visiting Writer: Historical Fiction with Valerie Martin13分钟
Assignment Overview: Primal Landscapes3分钟
4.7
221 个审阅25%
完成这些课程后已开始新的职业生涯
43%
通过此课程获得实实在在的工作福利
来自Creative Writing: The Craft of Setting and Description的热门评论
This course gave a real depth to the importance of describing your character's environment, as a way of deepening and exciting them. excellent work on imagining your characters in the environment
The course was very well organized and quite challenging. Each week gave me the opportunity to develop a piece which I have further developed into longer pieces which I am looking at publishing.
讲师
Amity Gaige
Visiting Scholar in Creative Writing关于 卫斯连大学
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.
关于 创意写作 专项课程
This Specialization covers elements of three major creative writing genres: short story, narrative essay, and memoir. You will master the techniques that good writers use to compose a bracing story, populated with memorable characters in an interesting setting, written in a fresh descriptive style. You will analyze and constructively evaluate peer writing. In the Capstone, you will draft, rewrite, and complete a substantial original story in the genre of your choosing.
Our courses are designed for anyone from the aspiring short story writer to established novelist. Whether you have a finished novel sitting on your desk calling for a fresh look or have had the germ of an idea for a decade, this Specialization gives you tools to achieve your goal. Through 4 courses focused on a key aspect of writing, and taken in any order you choose, you will develop a stronger ability to not only refine your writing, but critique writing in general and find inspiration in the works you are already reading.
Thanks to our sponsors, upon completion of their first assignment, learners in each course will receive up to an 80% discount from Write-Bros and a 30% discount off their first purchase from Scrivener to use on their writing software. Additionally, learners who complete an assignment will receive 30% off membership at the online writing community Scribophile. For more information about our partners, see the FAQ below.
常见问题
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注册以便获得证书后，您将有权访问所有视频、测验和编程作业（如果适用）。只有在您的班次开课之后，才可以提交和审阅同学互评作业。如果您选择在不购买的情况下浏览课程，可能无法访问某些作业。
我订阅此专项课程后会得到什么？
您注册课程后，将有权访问专项课程中的所有课程，并且会在完成课程后获得证书。您的电子课程证书将添加到您的成就页中，您可以通过该页打印您的课程证书或将其添加到您的领英档案中。如果您只想阅读和查看课程内容，可以免费旁听课程。
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