Teach on Udemy

Turn what you know into an opportunity and reach millions around the world.

Learn More

Your cart is empty.

Keep shopping

Writing Fiction That Sings: Write Novels With Great Voice

Name: Writing Fiction That Sings: Write Novels With Great Voice
Rating: 4.2 (397 reviews)

Writing novels, blogs, or nonfiction books? Learn editing techniques in this writing course and up your writing skills

Created bySally Apokedak

Last updated 8/2017

English

What you'll learn

add snazz and pizzazz to the fiction you write by using figures of speech!
choose the strongest POV for the novel you're writing.
spiffy up your novel with solid editing tips, before you submit it to agents and editors.
write your novels and creative nonfiction books with an engaging voice.
write books with confidence.

Course content

6 sections • 45 lectures • 2h 52m total length

Writing Fiction With a Great Voice Makes a Great First Impression4:36
Voice is the first thing readers notice, and it is essential to evoking emotion in your readers and drawing them into your stories.
Writing Fiction that Sings: Course Structure3:47
Here's what you can expect from the course. And this is also where I give you permission to skip around if you like. Bypass the early grammar lectures if you don't need them. Because, hey, you paid for the course, so you may take the lectures that help you and skip the ones you don't need.

To Make Your Fiction Writing Sing, Master Grammar and Punctuation17:00
Here is a quick study of the most prevalent punctuation and grammar errors in my inbox. I've also added in my thoughts on time adverbials. If you struggle with these issues, download this booklet, please, and staple it to you forehead. :)
Punctuation Quiz
Point of View ~ Defining POV types That Can Make Your Books Compelling1:51
This is a short slideshow presentation that gives examples of different narrators.
Point of View ~ Past or Present Tense? What Tense Should You Use For Your Novel?2:06
This lecture gives you a quick look at a few verbs in the past and present tense.
POV Quiz
POV ~ Limited and Omniscient6:00
Learn about the two ways that your narrator can view the world--with omniscience or with a limited perspective.
Point of View ~ How to Decide Which One to Use When Writing Your Novel9:33
In this lecture I give you several questions to ask. These will help you narrow down which POV will work for your story.
Narrator QUIZ
New Speaker, New Paragraph1:16
Here's how to help your reader keep track of who is speaking.
Tags and Beats2:36
Here you learn the difference between dialogue tags and action beats.
Dialogue Punctuation1:19
Here you learn how the punctuation differs for tags and beats.
"That tag doesn't work well," she insisted.2:38
Listen to this to this lecture to learn which tags work these days and which tags are presently out of favor with editors.
"That tag is brilliant," she said, brightly.2:13
Listen to this lecture to discover when you should avoid "ly" adverbs in your dialogue tags and when you should use them happily.
The Great Invisible Dialogue Tag3:10
Listen here to find out which tags are invisible and which ones call attention to themselves.

As You Know1:12
Here I rant about what is probably the thing that bothers me most in dialogue.
Umms1:21
Listen to this one if you have a penchant for adding in the little niceties.
Slang1:15
Who should be using them slang words when they speak, and who ain't allowed to use 'em? That's what you'll learn in this lecture.
Little Sir Echo1:57
Incredulous characters often repeat the info they just heard. Should you shush them or not? Listen to find out.
Contractions1:14
Listen to this lecture for my thoughts on why characters ought to use contractions.
Incomplete Sentences0:56
Should you use incomplete sentences? You bet. Listen to this lecture to find out why.
Dialogue Assignment1:00
Post your assignment for an extra chance at winning one of the monthly chapter critiques.
Dialogue Quiz
Nouns, Verbs, and Adverbs, Oh my!9:50
Learn how to power up you writing--cut weak adverbs and adjectives and go, instead, for sound and color that grabs your reader and drags him in.
Specific Words Assignment0:11
Post your assignment for an extra chance at winning one of the monthly chapter critiques.
Compound Adjectives and Adverbs2:26
In this lecture I give you four quick tips to help you give your manuscript that look-at-me-because-I'm-fresh feel.
Contest ~ Compound Adjectives, compound nouns, and Verb-al-ized Nouns1:00
Your assignment is to make up some words and post them in the discussion forum. One winner each month will get a free coupon to one of my courses to keep or to give away to a friend.
Internal Monologue3:00
In this lecture you'll learn three tips to help you write effective internal monologue.
Mood and Tone9:42
Here you learn how to change the mood by using words that create a picture in the readers' minds.
How Words Make us Feel3:24
Figures of Speech, Learning from Picture Books and Poetry0:22
We can improve our narrative voices by spending time in great picture books or reading great poetry. But the operative word there is "great" because there are a lot books and poems out that that not all that good. Read the best stuff and push yourself to write your best stuff. This downloadable PDF is an article I wrote for a rhyming picture book blog. It is not about novel writing, but it is about voice and you may find it helpful. If you study great poetry, your prose will improve.
Figures of Speech Download2:00
Here is a list of figures of speech, with their definitions, and examples. Add these in when you revise your manuscript to lift your voice from flat to fantastic.
A Short List of Cliches1:00
Rewrite several of these cliches for practice.

For Discussion ~ Figures of Speech1:00
Post your work for extra chances at winning the monthly critique.
Repeated Words4:25

Repeating words can tire the reader. Here you will learn how to avoid this problem.
Redundant Thoughts and Actions1:59

This lecture covers the common tendency novelists have to treat their readers like small, dumb children who need to be told the same thing once, twice, three times.
Sensory Words4:21
Avoid these words that distance the reader from your POV character and give them a chance to detach from your story.
Pacing With Sentence and Paragraph Variation4:48

This video tells you how to change your sentences up so you don’t wear you readers down.
Ing/As Construction3:24

This lesson covers when to use, and when not to use, the ing/as construction.
Was That Passive Voice0:13
There Once Was a Lecture2:41
Though "there was" is not always an indication that the narrator has slipped into passive voice, that sentence construction can often deleted in favor of stronger, more picturesque writing.
Micromanaging the Reader3:00

Here I beg you not to bury the reader in minutiae.
Editing Quiz

Requirements

All you need is pen and paper, or a computer, and a story idea.
I am putting basic lectures in, so you can take this course if you know nothing about writing a novel. More advanced students can skip the basic lectures.
Please note that your experience will be enhanced if you join the companion Facebook group associated with this course. Joining is free, but to join you will need to have a Facebook profile. This is not required and you will get much benefit by taking part in course discussions even if you don't join the Facebook group. But the Facebook group offers added benefit as it allows students to share larger pieces of work with each other. Also, I have office hours in that group a few times a month.

Description

Writing a novel or a creative nonfiction book? Even if you're writing a blog, the editing techniques in this course will help you.Join over a thousand satisfied students who have given dozens of five-star reviews in this course where you'll learn how to draw in agents, editors, and readers with your voice.

Writing Novels That Sings: Write Fiction With Great Voice

This is part of a series of writing courses, taught by literary agent Sally Apokedak, that will help you if you are trying to get an agent, sell to a publisher, or sell your self-published books directly to the reader. After reading thousands of queries, Sally has come to believe that four things are essential if you want to write novels that will sell.

VOICE is one of those essentials. It's the first thing agents notice when they open your novel manuscripts or nonfiction books.

Whether you're writing novels or creative nonfiction books, this writing course can help you. If you're unpublished and having a hard time breaking in or if you're published but having a hard time breaking out, this course will help you. You get the voice lectures that Sally gives at writers' conferences around the United States, but you get them at a fraction of what they normally cost. Plus, you can take them in your own home, at your own pace, you don't have to pay for a hotel, and you have lifetime access to these lectures.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING about this course:

~~~~~

THIS is the course that will shower you with confidence and give your voice the punch it needs.

~ Robyn

~~~~~

Sally is a wealth of knowledge . . . I'm looking forward to taking more of Sally's classes on Udemy.

~ Cheryl

~~~~~

Sally is a great teacher and is obviously extremely knowledgable . . . The topics move quickly, and you won't be bored.

~ Hannah

~~~~~~

Sally is a very enthusiastic and involved instructor and makes the course valuable and enjoyable for everyone.

~ Rachel

~~~~~~

I can understand why Sally Apokedak is a sought-after teacher at writer's conferences. First, Sally (if I may) knows her stuff. . . .

~ Deborah

~~~~~~

This class shows you both the science and art of writing. . . . If she produces another course, I will be sure to return!

~ Rebecca R.

~~~~~~

The material is fun and easy to learn . . . I highly recommend any writer or aspiring writer take it to improve their writing.

~ Teresa

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING about Sally's conference classes, retreats, and online courses:

. . . thank you again for a fabulous weekend. I left encouraged and energized . . . It was a wise investment and fun.

~ Jean Wilund

~~~~~~~~~

Sally,

We had so many wonderful comments about you and your class on our evaluations. We hope you'll be able to join us again next summer.

Blessings, Lindy Jacobs, OCW Summer Conference Director

~~~~~~~~

Hello Sally,

I hope you realize how much wisdom and knowledge you imparted during your time at the wik13 conference in Birmingham. . . .

~ Heather L. Montgomery Assistant Regional Advisor Southern Breeze SCBWI

~~~~~~~

Thank you for your incredible class. It was a valuable, valuable learning experience. . . .

~ Kimberly

~~~~~~

Thank you so much. I got a lot out of the class and it gave me a lot to think about. I'm grateful for all the feedback.

~ Christie

~~~~~~

Thank you so much for your feedback . . . throughout the course. I appreciated how much you know about this field and your willingness to share your expertise.

~ Sandy

~~~~~~

In Sally's video lectures, she made me think about writing like I hadn't before, especially the weeks about voice and theme.

~ Margo L. Dill

~~~~~~~

What this course promises:

To teach you how to make your voice more interesting and compelling in the fiction and creative nonfiction you write.

What this course does not promise:

That you'll get a book contract.

Some questions this course answers:

How do I write in the close-third-person point of view?
Should I be writing in past tense or present tense?
How can I improve my narrative voice when I write fiction or creative nonfiction?
How can I make up fresh metaphors in a novel I'm writing?

Who this course is for:

If you want a conference-quality writing course without the cost and hassle of traveling to a conference, this class is for you.
If you have always wanted to write a novel or a creative nonfiction book, this is a good course to start you out right.
If you're writing a novel, this class will give you tips for revision and help you write books that dazzle your readers.
If you want to know what a literary agent really thinks of the novel manuscripts in her slush pile then sign up.
If you're already published and getting starred reviews, then this course will be a waste of your time. :)

Writing Fiction That Sings: Write Novels With Great Voice

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction ~ Write Fantastic Fiction2 lectures • 8min

Laying the Foundation for Fantastic Fiction Books11 lectures • 50min

Furnishings17 lectures • 42min

Finishing Touches ~ Self Editing9 lectures • 26min

Professional Remodeling ~ Monthly Critiques1 lecture • 1min

Critiques5 lectures • 1hr 37min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: