Creative Non-Fiction Writing - You Can't Make This Stuff Up!

Learn the skills writers need to write great true crime, memoir, travel, food, journalism, blogs, essays, books and more

4.45 (255 reviews)
Udemy
platform
English
language
Creativity
category
instructor
1,314
students
2 hours
content
Sep 2022
last update
$69.99
regular price

What you will learn

This is a fun and practical writing course designed to get you excited about creating your own creative non-fiction!

The secrets of good storytelling to apply to all types of writing, including memoir, true crime, or even a blog!

A series of authentic writing projects designed to target the skills you need.

Writing techniques, literary devices, and specialized skills.

How to become a successful and confident writer!

How to discover, perfect, and share your own writer's voice.

Description

Course Overview:

This is a fun and practical creative writing course designed to get YOU excited about creating your own works of creative nonfiction!

Writing techniques, literary devices, and specialized skills will be covered to help you discover, perfect, and share your own unique writer's voice.

While review quizzes over major concepts are provided along the way, the true measure of progress will be in the authentic writing projects that you will complete as you progress toward your goal of becoming a successful and confident writer!


The Course Includes:

  • 26 video lectures organized into 7 easy to understand lessons/subject areas

    • Each lesson is broken down into multiple video lectures that include:

      • A quick writing assignment aligned with the day's goals

      • A lesson covering an area of course content

      • A practical application project to get you using your new skill

  • 7 online review quizzes presented throughout the course

    • Quizzes are designed to reinforce the major concepts discussed in the class

  • 16 graphics, notes, templates, assignments, or outside resources to further your knowledge base

    • Supplemental materials are provided for every lesson

  • Almost 2 hours of video lessons


Course Goals:

Through taking this course, you will develop and perfect your personal writer's voice as you learn about:

  • What exactly creative non-fiction is and what it isn’t

  • What makes for a good storyteller across any genre

  • How to effectively utilize descriptive language in your writing

  • The "motto" of creative non-fiction

  • How you can write in scenes to improve your creative non-fiction

  • How to effectively use and manipulate a plot diagram for writing creative non-fiction

  • Ways to get the most out of your revision

  • The importance of making personal experiences feel universal


Content

Introduction

Introduction
A Quick Word About Your Writer's Journal

What is Creative Non-Fiction?

PART 1 - Writer's Journal
PART 1.5 - Write EVERY Day
PART 2 - Creative Non-Fiction
PART 3 - Picture of Existence
What is Creative Non-Fiction? - QUIZ

Writing the Vignette

PART 1 - Writer's Journal
PART 2 - Making A Good Storyteller
PART 3 - Writing the Vignette
Writing the Vignette - QUIZ

Using Sensory Language

PART 1 - Writer's Journal
PART 2 - Using Description
PART 3 - Vignette #2
Using Sensory Language - QUIZ

Writing in Scenes

PART 1 - Writer's Journal
PART 2 - The CNF Motto
PART 3 - Writing in Scenes
PART 4 - Vignette #3
Writing in Scenes - QUIZ

Using a Plot Diagram

PART 1 - Writer's Journal
PART 2 - The Plot Diagram
PART 3 - Revising the Vignette
Using a Plot Diagram - QUIZ

Making the Personal Universal

PART 1 - Writer's Journal
PART 2 - We're all the Same
PART 3 - Writing the Memoir
Making the Personal Universal - QUIZ

Personal Storytelling

PART 1 - Writer's Journal
PART 2 - The Six Word Memoir
PART 3 - Revising Your Memoir
Personal Storytelling - QUIZ

Course Wrap-up

Congratulations!

Screenshots

Creative Non-Fiction Writing - You Can't Make This Stuff Up! - Screenshot_01Creative Non-Fiction Writing - You Can't Make This Stuff Up! - Screenshot_02Creative Non-Fiction Writing - You Can't Make This Stuff Up! - Screenshot_03Creative Non-Fiction Writing - You Can't Make This Stuff Up! - Screenshot_04

Reviews

Wylie
October 29, 2023
I truly like this course after a very brief time. But I HATE this Uber-esque tactic of asking for peoples' "honest opinion" while we know that anything less than 5 stars amounts to a negative review. So, this is not a real review. This is me playing a silly and pointless game. And it's not the course creator's fault that he has to grovel for 5 stars like a beaten-down Uber driver...it's a stupid system.
Marilyn
September 14, 2023
Best advice so far has been to write every single day no matter what. That has sparked what I thought was writer's block but it's just feeling more comfortable which in turn will help with proficiency.
Chetan
July 2, 2023
Audio is too low. At places it is very difficult to hear what the instructor is saying even at full volume...
Scott
June 26, 2023
The information on this video has helped me greatly. I feel a bit more comfortable about the pursuit of my writing down the road.
Gina
June 16, 2023
Perfect balance between lecture and hands-on experience. Above all, I appreciate the resources provided to use for my writing. Thank you, Trace!
Mary
April 25, 2023
The pace was perfect, the outline of how the course would work, in section 1, was a great start. I went back to the course and I'm writing notes and will do the exercises. I found it more useful to complete the course this way only as my personal preference. Trace has some great tips and inspiration to start the writing journey.
Kim
April 22, 2023
So far so good. I enjoy the support and motivation. I've only done one assignment (writer's journal) so far, and looking forward to more actual writing. I sent in a question, but doubt I did it correctly and have yet to receive a reply.
Candice
March 5, 2023
It is a good match for me. It has been several years since I took writing courses. And along the way, I've written some terrible poetry, not-very-good stories, and essays, and attempted novels and quit too many times. I was a songwriter for many years and could tell a story in 3 1/2 minutes, but I have story ideas that would be better told through novel / novella. I'm looking forward to this!
Dennis
February 1, 2023
Great guidance and teaching sessions. The lectures and presentations are top shelf and will keep you interested and moving forward in your writing.
Dawn
January 17, 2023
After my first lesson, I'm an writing and feeling confident. The instructor is encouraging and well balanced.
Sarah
January 12, 2023
I just started the course. So far the teaching style is very clear and easy to watch. The instructor seems very comfortable teaching. He is passionate about the material. I’m really excited about the daily writers journals.
Suzanne
October 18, 2022
So far this is exactly what I was looking for. I'm excited for the next lessons! "Writing as a practice" is very useful to me and this is something I'll try to keep up (as one of my main complaints/insecurities is that I. am. so. slow. and I think being in the habit of writing will really help with this).
Mallory
August 6, 2022
Yes so far I’m enjoying it! I want to eventually write essays on humanitarian issues so this last video was exciting and spoke to me!
Rachelle
July 22, 2022
I already knew much of the basic building blocks in the course. But the instructor rocks! He explains clearly.
Lari
June 12, 2022
So far I am getting a review of many writing aspects I know. The professor is enjoyable to listen to.

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Enrollment distribution

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2419258
udemy ID
6/18/2019
course created date
4/30/2020
course indexed date
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course submited by