TWSA140
Fiction 1
Do you have a story to tell, but aren’t sure where to start?
This course will introduce you to the tools that all fiction writers use to craft their narratives and help you understand how to apply them to your own work. You’ll learn how to structure a story, create believable characters, and find your own unique voice, while being part of a supportive community.
Along the way, you’ll read compelling fiction by writers at the top of their craft, engage in lively discussion, complete writing exercises to get your creativity flowing, and give and receive feedback on works in progress. You’ll leave the course with not only the first draft of a short story, but also the tools to revise it.
Workshopping and feedback: This course includes instructor feedback on weekly assignments. You'll also submit two pieces for workshopping and receive written feedback from your instructor and other students. In turn, you'll provide feedback to your classmates, and benefit your own writing by seeing feedback on others' work.
Overview
Location: Online
Format: Self-paced within deadlines set by instructor
Duration: 10 weeks
Tuition: $628.95
You may also be interested in:
The Writer's Studio
Upcoming Offerings
- Wed, Jan 22 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Jan 29 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Feb 5 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Feb 12 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Feb 19 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Feb 26 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Mar 5 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Mar 12 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Mar 19 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Mar 26 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Sep 24 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Oct 1 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Oct 8 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Oct 15 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Oct 22 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Oct 29 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Nov 5 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Nov 12 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Nov 19 (self-paced all week)
- Wed, Nov 26 (self-paced all week)
What you will learn
By the end of the course, you will be able to do the following:
- Write and revise the first draft of a short story
- Identify the key elements that make up a work of fiction
- Choose a narrative arc and point of view that serve your story
- Create believable characters with clear motivations
- Choose language that enables you to control the pace and atmosphere of your writing
How you will learn and be evaluated
- Read weekly modules
- Complete additional weekly reading (if assigned)
- Complete a writing assignment each week for feedback from the instructor
- Participate in weekly discussions based on readings and activities
- Read and provide feedback on other students' work each week
- Submit two pieces of your own writing for feedback from the instructor and other students
This course is graded using a competency-based grading scale.
Learning Materials
No textbook is required. We will provide all course materials online.
Technical Requirements
For online courses, you will need a computer with audio and microphone that is connected to the internet. Canvas is the online system that will be used for the course. For more information and online support, visit Online Learning.