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English
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The modern form of the essay may be seen daily in blogs, although not all blogs are essays—instead, many are no more than personal journals, rants, or fantasies without broader connections and appeals. Professor Cognard-Black provides examples of what components are required for a piece to be a fully formed blog essay. While looking at examples from her students and professional writers, including long-term essay blogger Robin Bates, you’ll discover...
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English
Description
Great mystery and suspense writers have created some of the most unforgettable stories in all of literature and they continue to grow in popularity. How did the genre become so prevalent? Why is it a go-to for so many readers around the world? What makes the dark and sometimes grisly themes appealing? Professor David Schmid examines these questions and more in this illuminating course.
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English
Description
Imagine having written thirty-eight plays…being an actor who became the most popular playwright of his time…and who’s legacy was to become the most enduring playwright of all time. Imagine writing something some four hundred years ago, and having us stand here in a theatre today still exploring, enjoying, and marveling at those golden words? Join our troupe of actors in various stages of rehearsal, presenting some of the bard’s most poignant...
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English
Description
Learn how to use unpredictability so your readers don’t get bored with cliche characters or trite traits, and see how to develop flaws and baggage to make your characters relatable and human. Plus, get hints about building secondary characters, villains, and what it takes to keep a character interesting through an ongoing series.
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English
Description
Enter the world of utopian and dystopian fiction. After a brief foray into the definition and origin of utopia, dive into Ursula K. LeGuin's short story The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas and explore the ambiguities of "perfect" worlds. Then, get a deeper understanding of the ways genre functions and how it shapes literature.
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English
Description
Take an in-depth look at the world of writing and getting published: the history of the business, the competition in the modern market, and the major and minor players in the industry. Clear up some common misconceptions about what it takes to become a published writer and get an overview of what to expect if you pursue a career as a writer..
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English
Description
Many agents and editors rely on their experience and instinct and can tell within the first page whether or not a manuscript is worth reading further. Discuss the two rough categories of red flags: narrative or structural problems and surface-level errors that can lead to a make-or-break decision before the second page. You’ll also get invaluable tips on creating a strong opening, including the pivotal first sentence..
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English
Description
In the last century, with the increased interest and research into how our minds work, the concept of “whydunit” became just as intriguing as the concept of “whodunit.” Once authors began to reverse the traditional methods of mystery by revealing the killer in the early parts of the story, they had to explore new ways to motivate readers to continue to the end.
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English
Description
The most famous characters in mystery and suspense are often revisited again and again in many forms. Professor Schmid takes you through a number of variations of Sherlock Holmes, from versions that perfectly represented the original intent of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to depictions of Watson being the brains behind the duo, while Holmes is more of a bumbling buffoon.
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English
Description
As society changed, and the grim story lines of mystery and suspense more often reflected harsh reality, a new type of novel emerged to keep the audience shaken. Authors began springing shocking situations in what were typically considered “safe” environments: dinner parties, countryside estates, utopian suburban neighborhoods.
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English
Description
Writing a visual essay requires you to detach yourself from how you have been taught to view images your whole life. Rather than passively observing and judging, you must challenge yourself to get into the visual. Repeated and lengthy viewings of visual artifacts are one step. Once you start writing, though, the goal is to not recreate the exact image that you saw, but instead to reimagine it—to view it anew. Professor Cognard-Black discusses an...
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English
Description
Inheriting the legacy of mystery and suspense from American writers, Europe took the genre far more seriously. Travel through France, Germany, Italy, and Spain to see how the genre manages to address location-specific issues and cultures, while maintaining the core elements of a successful mystery and suspense story.
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English
Description
Characters breathe life into your story, but without plot, even the most engaging character can fall flat. Begin a six-part unit on plotting, a critical skill for any writer who wants to keep the reader turning pages. Professor Hynes begins the unit by breaking down story and plot into a few fundamental components.
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English
Description
Professor Schmid moves away from fiction to look at the novelization of true crime stories. Although considered a modern phenomenon, he traces examples back to 16th century America, where they rose to prominence through sensationalist news stories, which opened the door to true crime novels and demonstrated how mystery and suspense fiction and real-life stories have always influenced each other.
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English
Description
Even if you have an agent, you're still responsible for some aspects of marketing. Mr. Bell introduces you to the most important marketing tools. Get tips on selecting a marketable title, creating taglines, finding customers, using social media, building a website, using emails and newsletters, and knowing which self-publishing tools are worth the investment.
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English
Description
Revisit beginnings. How do you get started with a story? Here, Professor Hynes shifts from the techniques of plotting to offer several clear strategies for putting these techniques into action. He also provides invaluable advice about making choices on the page - and understanding the implications of those choices.
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English
Description
In this important lecture, you’ll learn why you might be rejected, even if you’ve done everything correctly. Dissect some of the common reasons for rejection, how to let go of rejection or react to it in a constructive manner, and what your options are if you’ve been rejected. Interpret common or form rejection phrases to learn what feedback is really being conveyed..
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English
Description
Understand how weaving in smaller conflicts and challenges (subplots and parallel plots) is a great way to expand a story’s range. See how authors successfully integrate subplots into their main story lines. Mr. Bell introduces a formula for determining how many subplots your book should have and a simple grid you can use to manage multiple plots.
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English
Description
Dissect the elements in a book proposal, which is essentially a business plan that persuades a publisher to invest in your book. Because publishers look for a viable idea with a clear market, paired with a writer who has credibility and marketing savvy, your proposal will need to demonstrate both of these, which will require investigation into the target market, audience, competition, authors, and more. Learn the five essential components you need...
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