
This is an introduction to the course, and an exploration of why we tell stories. Also learn how to decide on what to write your novel about.
Learn how to outline your novel, including the characters, setting, and plot.
Learn all about the various points of view you can use to write your novel.
Learn about the verb tenses you can write in. We also have a brief English verb review.
Learn all about the theme, tone, and mood of your novel.
We look at examples of tone and mood from literature and learn how to write your general plot summary with an example to follow.
Learn about The Hero's Journey and several other story structures and decide which one you want to use.
It's time to write your first chapter! Learn about the different ways to start a novel, and how to engage and hook the reader.
Learn about writing style: Germanic versus Latinate English words and how they work.
A brief grammar lesson on joining sentence together to improve writing style.
A brief grammar lesson on joining sentence together to improve writing style.
We take a small "field trip" to talk about writing software and look at my own character sketches.
Many people dream of writing a novel, but have no idea where to even start or what to ever write about. Writing is an art and a science, and without understanding both, writers will struggle. By learning everything about writing novels, new writers can develop the confidence and skills to produce a polished, finished product. Writing an entire novel can seem, daunting, but by taking it step by step and breaking it down into manageable lessons, you will find that it is actually an enjoyable, creative activity.
This is a course for new writers who want to write their first novel. We will cover all aspects of writing fiction, from conceptualizing and planning, to outlining, to style, to structure, to plot, characters, and setting, to publishing marketing, to selling, and everything in between. This is a university-level, comprehensive writing course.
This course is aimed at beginning writers or people who have not done much writing but want to learn how. All you need is an imagination, the willingness to learn, and the willingness to do the work. If you love to read books and have always wanted to write your own, then this course will take you through that entire journey from beginning to end.