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Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
The non-fiction world is also broken into categories including memoir, education, creative or narrative non-fiction, and practical or self-help. Delve into the various genres of non-fiction writing, and learn how to determine which publishing house best aligns with your non-fiction manuscript..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Every narrative has a tempo. Some stories are short, while others are long. Some move at breakneck speed, while others linger over every detail. Discover how to strike the right balance between length and time (the pacing), between length and detail (the density), and between scene and summary.
83) The Memoir Essay
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
A memoir is often confused with a personal essay, but Professor Cognard-Black shows you the difference, once again using examples from her own students’ work. She then provides numerous tips to help you recreate your memories and turn them into fascinating pieces of writing. Learn techniques that allow you to get as detailed as possible in your descriptions while still maintaining a central focus and writing concisely.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Looking at examples from writers including John Grisham, Michael Connelly, George Pelecanos, J. D. Salinger, Suzanne Collins, Thomas Harris, and more, Mr. Bell analyzes first what makes a novel, and then, what makes a novel successful. He also provides his own insights by exploring the role luck plays in creating a best seller.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Understanding where your fiction book falls in the general categories of literature is an essential step to getting published, as there is a plethora of genre-specific publishing houses. Differentiate between the various categories of fiction writing, including defining commercial and literary fiction, and examine the various types of children’s books..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
So far, this study has focused on the individual elements of good fiction. Now that you have a complete toolkit of writing techniques, how do you put it all together to create a whole story? Professor Hynes discusses the process of writing an entire draft, and offers some words of wisdom to help you maintain momentum.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Learn how essays can break the rules of conventional writing, allowing you to design essay forms to match your needs rather than being forced to fit the rules of more conventional forms. Examine structures that reimagine the essay, such as the microessay and the prose poem or “proem.” Professor Cognard-Black shares her own students’ work to explore what elements went into these examples to make them successful essays.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Explore the different stages of writing and reviewing, examine the different types of editing you can consider, and learn what an editor can and can’t do to make your work publishable. Then, find out the three reasons you may consider hiring a professional to review your work..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Mickey Spillane noted, “The first chapter sells the book. The last chapter sells the next book.” Mr. Bell has already provided the tools to get your reader hooked with the first chapter, and potentially the first line! Now, he provides the five strategies that will help you end your book in a way that gets your reader craving your next title.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Dive into the writing styles of “pantsers” versus “plotters” and get a better understanding of whether you want to aim for a plot-driven or a character-driven story. And using the writings of John Grisham, Ernest Hemingway, Lee Child, and others, evaluate the traditional mythical structure of a three-act story.
91) A Children’s Guide to Folklore and Wonder Tales: Episode 24,Happily Ever After: How Our Stories End
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Dr. Harvey reviews the fundamentals of storytelling and expands on common themes that can be found across tales that span time and location, such as protection of family, being resourceful, demonstrating bravery, overcoming entrapment, and more. She shares her favorite tale, "The Wonderful Pot" from Denmark, and concludes with a Scottish tale called "Death in a Nut."
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
The 19th century was the "century of utopia" and also marked the transition from utopian to dystopian stories in popular literature. Look at Americans who attempted to build real-world utopias, and in turn examine the work of two authors who reacted to the American attempt at perfect societies. Consider the ways that optimistic, utopian thinking is integral to the idea of the American Dream.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Dive deeper into the use of transformation in stories as Dr. Harvey presents a version of "Beauty and the Beast." Compare that version to the German story by Ludwig Bechstein in 1847 called "Beauty's Stone Sisters." Dr. Harvey concludes this lesson with an Ancient Greek tale called "Cupid and Pysche," which demonstrates how bravery can be the root of transformations.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Continue your exploration of the early history of utopia by examining notable works produced during the two centuries following More's initial work. Compare and contrast the ideas of "classical utopia" and "critical utopia" and understand how laughter was an integral part of 18th-century utopian storytelling, focusing on Voltaire's Candide and Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Many fictional stories are an attempt to explain why things in the world are the way they are. Dr. Harvey shares several pourquoi tales from around the world, including Kipling's "How the Camel Got His Hump" from his "Just So Stories" published in India. She also shares an African-American tale "Why the Rabbit has Long Ears and a Short Tail" and the 1929 Norse story "Why the Sea is Salty."
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Professor Schmid concludes the course by speculating on modern changes such as mash-ups with other literary genres, twist endings, and lack of resolution. You’ll wrap up with a review of the evolution of the mystery and suspense books, and why this is a golden age for fans as the genre continues to grow in popularity.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a writer like facing the blank page. Start your adventure in fiction writing with some strategies for beginnings. You'll examine several ways to ease into a story, including the "5W's" of journalism, outlines, and opening in medias res ("in the midst of things"). The good news, as you'll see, is that there are no hard and fast rules.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Take an international journey starting in early 20th century Japan with Taro Hirai to modern Japanese suspense writers such as Natsuo Kirino. Then, travel to Africa and discover the lesser-known Darko Dawson series. In Latin America, you’ll look in depth at two influential contributors: Leonardo Padura Fuentes and Paco Ignacio Taibo II.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Language
English
Description
Repetition and patterned verse are often the backbone to some of our most beloved tales. Dr. Harvey presents a wide-range of formula tales including, "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" from Norway, Joseph Jacob's "Henny Penny" from Australia, "The Gingerbread Man," and "The Three Bears" which was written by English poet laureate Robert Southey and therefore lends itself to being a cante tale.
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