In this course, creative nonfiction writers will explore traditional storytelling methods, especially those which overlap between fiction and memoir. By looking at examples from a wide range of genres, including film, song, painting—even the theme music for Jaws!—we’ll practice exercising the creative muscle that sees ourselves as characters and the experiences we’ve had as tales. We’ll focus on critical elements, like how to begin a story, what makes for worthy content, the essential use of detail, the strengths and limits of dialogue, the power of the white space. The ultimate goal is for us to become aware of an “audience” when we write, so that the documentation of our lives will begin to resemble a “performance” crafted onto paper rather than a private entry in a journal.
This course is part of the Memoir and Personal Essay: Write About Yourself Specialization
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Course 4 of 4 in the
Beginner Level
Approx. 9 hours to complete
English
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Try Coursera for BusinessFlexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Course 4 of 4 in the
Beginner Level
Approx. 9 hours to complete
English
Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?
Try Coursera for BusinessOffered by
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
2 hours to complete
What Can We Learn From Fiction?
2 hours to complete
5 videos (Total 37 min)
2 hours to complete
Train Your Eye Like a Filmmaker
2 hours to complete
5 videos (Total 38 min)
3 hours to complete
Opening the Story
3 hours to complete
4 videos (Total 20 min)
3 hours to complete
The Joys and Pitfalls of Dialogue
3 hours to complete
5 videos (Total 25 min)
Reviews
- 5 stars58.13%
- 4 stars19.76%
- 3 stars13.95%
- 2 stars3.48%
- 1 star4.65%
TOP REVIEWS FROM WRITING STORIES ABOUT OURSELVES
by MDJun 5, 2020
Overall good, but not as effective as expected. More contents were needed.
by DVApr 3, 2021
The insights gave by Mr Said Sayrafiezadeh helps a lot in my writings. Thanks a lot.
by SMJun 17, 2019
It is a good course. I learnt many simple yet valuable lessons on writing.
by MEDec 3, 2020
I learned so much about writing, and the instructions were clear and encouraging.
About the Memoir and Personal Essay: Write About Yourself Specialization

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