Writing Creative Non-Fiction

Duration: 2 hours

In this course, you will explore how to research material for a non-fiction work, useful fiction techniques, and ways to utilise your current skill set. Creative non-fiction uses fiction techniques to create an engaging non-fiction work. It can include essays, memoir, and long-form journalism. Althougth it is creative, it is important to remember that creative non-fiction uses facts and research.

1 Lesson

Writing Techniques for Fiction and Non-Fiction

Duration: 1.5 hours

Learn a variety of techniques to help engage you reader. The course includes material on narrative structure, literary devices, and more. You will also learn about story rhythm, pacing, and how to use imagery to help readers create mental pictures of your story. Many techniques can also be used in poetry.

1 Lesson

Working as a Writer

Duration: 3.5 hours

Learn the ins and outs of working as a professional writer. In this course, you will learn how you can develop a specialty area, including tips on research and how to find information. You will also learn important differences in publishing types, and discover useful ideas for working through writers' block.

1 Lesson

Understanding Genres for Writers

Duration: 1 hour

Study common genres in children's writing and how books and stories shift according to a child's age. You'll also learn about other popular genres including science fiction, fantasy, and crime writing. The end of the course focusses on commerical and non-fiction work, including creative marketing.

1 Lesson

Developing Good Writing Habits

Duration: 3.5 hours

Learn how to focus your intent, harness your motivation, and develop a strong writing practice. In this course, you will learn about time management, from plotting out an outline to writing a novel. You will also work through concrete exercises for planning, learn how to avoid disordered messaging, and how you can use narrative arc to increase tension in your unique story.

1 Lesson

What is Creative Writing?

Duration: 2 hours

Learn about creative writing -- what it is, types of writing and story telling, and key terms for new writers. You'll also learn some of the basics of plot, general characteristics of a creative writer and the differences between some more specialty types of writing, such as screenplays vs stage plays. An excellent introduction to creative writing for beginners; a worthwhile refresher for writers looking learn about other styles and approaches to try.

Video Content Included

1 Lesson

Finding Work as an Editor

Duration: 1 hour

Learn how to get started with your editorial business. Discover how to sell yourself, and different approaches to getting work. You'll also learn about freelancing and how to decide if a freelancing job is for you. Includes material on the must-haves for an editor's website. Useful for new editors, or editors transitioning into online services.

1 Lesson

Working as an Editor

Duration: 1 hour

Learn how to manage your work as an editor. Discover characteristics of good editors, tips on the differences between working with fiction and non-fiction, and common editing traps. You'll also learn strategies for good time management, how to work to deadlines, and how to set good professional boundaries.

1 Lesson

Communication Skills for Editors

Duration: 1 hour

Editors require strong communication skills. This is especially important in determining differences between what a client needs and what a client wants. In this course, you'll learn how to listen to your clients, then communicate professionally. You'll also learn how to set boundaries, write clear emails, and ensure everybody is on the same page. Useful for editors new and experienced alike.

1 Lesson

Editing a Project Step-By-Step

Duration: 2 hours

Learn how to work through a project step-by-step. This course starts receiving the document, then steps you through ensuring everyone agrees on the work to be done through to final proofing. The course includes examples of what to work through, how to assess overall structure, and more. A vital course for new editors, and a useful refresher for experienced ones.

1 Lesson

How to Use Common Editing Tools

Duration: 1 hour

Learn common editing and proofreading symbols. You'll also learn useful proofreading tips, including how to work with images. Includes material on useful word processing tools, including track changes, and how to check for plagiarism. Useful for new writers, experienced writers wanting to improve their revision skills, and editors.

1 Lesson

Editing for Accuracy, Clarity, and More

Duration: 3 hours

Learn about different approaches to editing, and how to create a priority list. In this course you'll discover the differences in editing for grammar vs content and readability, and how to edit for clarity, accuracy, tone, and style. Includes material on different text types, including newsletters, blogs, and print material. Useful for writers, people working in community organisations, and editors.

1 Lesson

How to Improve Your Punctuation

Duration: 1 hour

Revise general punctuation, including commas, full stops (periods), and question marks. You'll also learn how to use italics correctly. Includes clear examples and explanations alongside notes for common errors. A useful course for writers, teachers and other educators, editors, and new English speakers.

1 Lesson

General Principles of Grammar

Duration: 2 hours

Learn about the components of language, including word families and structure. You will also review general sentence structure, including different types of clauses. Finally, you'll review differences in thought process and word order for English vs other languages. Useful for additional language learners and native speakers alike.

1 Lesson

Nouns, Verbs, and Other Word Types

Duration: 1.5 hours

Revise parts of speech in English, including verbs, nouns, adverbs, adjectives, and more. You'll learn general rules for word changes (e.g. pluralisation) and clear sentences. Includes clear definitions, explanations, and examples. Useful for editors, writers, teachers and other educators, and additional language learners.

1 Lesson

Capitalisation, Lists, and Other Formatting Issues

Duration: 1 hour

The use of capitals, abbreviations or arrangement of words into lists can vary from place to place and person to person, and the rules that govern these things are not always consistent. In this course, you will review the use of upper and lower case formatting, lists, abbreviations, and more. Useful for additional language learners, native speakers, editors, and educators.

1 Lesson

How to Use Sentences, Phrases, and More

Duration: 4 hours

Sentences and phrases are the basic building blocks of writing. Review the general principles of forming sentences, including clauses, phrases, and predicates. You'll also review the purpose behind different types or writing, the basics of constructing paragraphs, and types of referencing. Useful for additional language learners, native speakers, editors, educators, and people returning to study or work after a break.

1 Lesson

How to Write Scripts for Training and Instructional Videos

Duration: 2 hours

Audio and video presentations are increasingly used for educational purposes. In this course, you will learn to develop scripts for training videos and other materials. Includes material on slideshows, voice overs, storyboarding, flowcharts, and how to incorporate other visuals. Useful for trainers, coaches, HR staff, and writers.

1 Lesson

Writing for Podcasts, Radio and Other Audio

Duration: 2 hours

Writing for voice is different to writing scripts where there are also visuals. With voice-only scripts we rely heavily on the people’s voices and sound effects -- meaning specialty training is essential. In this course, you'll learn how to write scripts for a variety of audio, including radio and podcasts. Includes material on sound effects, music, and tone.

1 Lesson

Writing For Internet, TV, and Film

Duration: 2 hours

Learn how to write scripts for the internet, television, and film. In this course, you'll learn the differences in structure for a variety of media. You'll also learn about time frames, differences between fiction and non-fiction, writing on spec, and more. Useful for trainers, HR people, influencers, content managers, and educators.

1 Lesson

Technical Writing Conventions

Duration: 1 hour

Technical writing is used extensively in academic settings from school essays and assignments through to university dissertations and research papers. Most people are exposed to different forms of technical writing from a young age and become familiar with different types of writing formats.

1 Lesson

Technical Writing Editing

Duration: 2 hours

Editing your own writing is an important skill that, for most people, needs to be developed. Just because you can write well doesn’t automatically mean that you are a good editor. Even the most skilled and widely published authors have their work rigorously edited. When proofreading, look for errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar etc. These can be difficult to find, so it can be very helpful to use spell check on your word processor, and to ask someone else to proofread.

1 Lesson

Planning and Preparation for Technical Writing

Duration: 1.5 hours

A clear idea of expectations, tools required, and general preparation makes writing much easier. In this course, you'll learn how to clarify your writing goals and establish a time management plan. You'll also learn the stages of technical writing, how to work through the writing process, and tips for establishing a writing routine. Useful for educators, course developers, grant writers, trainers, and more.

1 Lesson

Technical Writing Referencing

Duration: 1 hour

There are different referencing systems. For instance, many academic journals have a unique referencing system which only they use. If you were writing or editing an article for submission in one of those journals you would need to be familiar with their referencing system. This course is for those who are willing to work more efficiently.

1 Lesson

Technical Writing Topic Research

Duration: 1 hour

Research is part of adult learning, and will give depth and breadth to your growing knowledge. In all forms of technical writing, research is essential because it enables the writer to source credible information. In this course, you'll learn the basics of evaluating and selecting information, how to keep reference lists, and how to keep notes. You'll also learn about plagiarism and how to avoid it.

1 Lesson

What is Technical Writing?

Duration: 1.5 hours

Technical writing is different to other forms of writing. Other writing may be primarily designed to tell a story or, in a broad sense, to entertain, inform, educate or communicate; technical writing is more about documenting information as a reference i.e. information that is designed to instruct, explain or direct in a clear and concise manner. The purpose of technical writing can be as diverse as preparing a document that can be used by the owners of a new machine or device, a journal article or thesis that records the results of a piece of academic research or to simplify more complex information.

1 Lesson

Principles of Technical Writing

Duration: 2 hours

Technical writing often uses both words (text) and graphics to communicate information. In this course, you'll learn the principles of good technical writing, including how to use lists, analogies, and headings to transmit information effectively. Includes information on technical photography, combining graphics and text, captions, and other labelling.

1 Lesson

Types of Technical Writing

Duration: 2 hours

Technical writing is a broad field. Many people who use technical writing probably only do so for specific purposes e.g. writing a research paper. Those who work professionally as writers may be required to write in a variety of formats depending on the nature of the document(s) required. In this course, you'll learn how to assess your audience, the basics of copyright, general layouts for research reports, and more. Especially useful for HR people, grant writers, editors, and educators.

1 Lesson

Introduction to Script Writing

Duration: 4 hours

A script is a document that tells us what we need to tell a story. It includes aural, visual, behavioural, and spoken elements. In this course, you will learn about different types of scripts and how to write an outline. You'll also learn how to create stories through visual cues and aural cues, and how to deepen a script with behavioural and temporal (time-based) elements. Includes examples and formatting. Useful for copywriters, editors, advertising execs, and other media professionals.

1 Lesson

How to Outline a Script

Duration: 3 hours

An outline is your plan for the script. In this course, you'll learn how to define the purpose of your script, sketch out the storyline, work through character arcs, and start sequencing events. You'll also learn about different types of outlines, how to get started, and how to use cliffhangers to help engage the viewer. Useful for new writers, writers transitioning into new formats, advertising execs, and editors.

1 Lesson

Plotting the Screenplay

Duration: 3.5 hours

Learn techniques for plotting the story for a screenplay. Every script involves a story. Stories can either be based upon an existing story (e.g. a novel, true life), while other stories need to be conceived and built from the beginning. In this course, you'll learn about the story pyramid, how to create effective storyboards, and study techniques for plotting the main story. Pairs well with our courses on outlining and writing the script.

1 Lesson

Writing Believable Characters

Duration: 2.5 hours

Characters are essential to any script. In this course, you will learn how use character profiles to develop a character's motivations, desires, and goals. You'll also learn how to use language and speech to deepen a character. Includes examples, framework questions, and more. Also useful for new and experienced writers across genres.

1 Lesson

How to Write Effective Dialogue for Screenplays

Duration: 2.5 hours

Dialogue is the essence of a script. In this course, you will learn how to differentiate characters through their dialogue. You'll also learn how to distill the key parts of conversation and write tight, flowing dialogue that advances the story. Includes discussion of how to use other audio and sound effects to enhance the story. Aimed at scriptwriters and screenwriters, but also helpful for writers working in other genres.

1 Lesson

Scriptwriting for Advertising

Duration:

Learn how to write for advertising. Writing for advertising requires slightly different skills to writing elsewhere. A TV advertisement, for example, may last only 30 seconds, whilst a film can last three hours. A story will need to be told in those 30 seconds. It will need to have a beginning, middle and an end, so the story will need to be precise and clear and get its message across.

1 Lesson

The Business of Script Writing

Duration: 1 hour

Scriptwriting is a business. In this course, you'll learn about the different types of scriptwriting work available, from mainstream media through to marketing services and the fringe media. Covers some of the ethics of working as a scriptwriter. Useful for writers, copywriters, content managers, and influencers.

1 Lesson

How to Write Scripts for Children

Duration: 3.5 hours

Writers creating scripts for children must understand their audience and the purpose of their scripts. In this course, you'll learn how to develop work for fiction and non-fiction, and how to create hybrids of the two. Includes information on child development and socialisation, and how this relates to writing. Useful for teachers, educators, trainers, and more. .

1 Lesson

How to Develop Characters

Duration: 2 hours

When developing your characters, you are responsible for ensuring that the characters have the correct characteristics to properly develop the story. Take time to think about the roles your characters will play. Who is the hero or protagonist? Who is the villain? How will they interact? With this course, yo will learn about building characters, what to consider, two-dimensional versus three-dimensional characters.

1 Lesson

Dealing with Writer's Block

Duration: 2 hours

There are times when every writer struggles to keep writing. Ideas may dry up, nothing seems to flow, or you can’t maintain your concentration for any number of reasons. With this course, you will learn what is a writer's block, when it happens, how to use mind maps to help you get back in track, notebooks, observation, morning habits, planning, and more.

1 Lesson

Developing a point of view

Duration: 2 hours

Richard Branson said – “My attitude has always been, if you fall flat on your face, at least you’re moving forward”. He had recently fallen and injured his face in a bike accident, but his intended meaning was both literal and metaphorical. With this course, you will learn how to decide on your point of view, the types of perspectives, peripheral narrators, advantages and disadvantages of the third person point of view and more.

1 Lesson

Developing Subplots

Duration: 2 hours

Subplots can add a layer of intrigue to a novel. However, a weak subplot may be swamped by the main plot and fail to be noticed. If a subplot adds little to the story then it may be completely redundant. Be careful though, if you include too many subplots it can become confusing for the reader. With this course, you will learn to decide if a subplot will be important to your story or not, the type of subplot to use, where they come from, the act of developing and writing subplots and more.

1 Lesson

Developing the Main Plot

Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours

All novels need a plot. Without a plot – a beginning, middle, and end – a story is just a set of loose ideas. How much plot matters to your novel will depend on the type of book you’re writing. With this course, you will learn to identify a plot-driven from a character-driven story, the basic framework available to break down a simple plot, what a theme is and timelines.

1 Lesson

Dialogue and Characters

Duration: 1 - 1.5 hour

Dialogue is important. You have described your characters, now you have to think how they would talk and what language would they use. With this course, you will learn the main aspects of a good/effective dialogue, what dialogue tags are, how to set them out, other important points to consider such as the character's voice, local language use, accent, structure.

1 Lesson

Maintaining the Reader's Interest

Duration: 1 - 1.5 h

The pace of any story is important. Will he save the world? Will he find love? Will he get back to his Tardis in time? Will she save her baby? Pacing and the type of tension will change. Not every story is an action story, but all need to maintain their pace to maintain the reader’s interest. With this course, you will learn how make a good use of pace, how to pace your novel, the seven key features used to creating the pace and their descriptions.

1 Lesson

Manuscript Format and Layout

Duration: 45 min - 1 hour

Every publisher and literary agent is different, but there are common standards in format for most. When submitting your work, always check the guidelines for the place you’re sending off too. Learn with this course the basic general information about the format and layout of your manuscript, what a standard manuscript format looks like, standard synopsis format, electronic submissions and blogging.

1 Lesson

Marketing your Novel

Duration: 2 hours

There are many options today for marketing your novel. There is selling your novel to a publisher and there are self-publishing options. With this course you will learn about the traditional publisher routes, how to get literary agents, the process of self-publishing, marketing strategies such as book reviews, launches, talks, lectures, social media, defyining the target market, projecting for the future and more.

1 Lesson

Revising your Novel - The Importance of Editing and Revision

Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours

Revising your novel is important, but it should not become an event in itself that is never finished. With this course, you will learn the basic revision checklist commonly used by writers, how to start with the story, identify if reworking the story is needed, look how much percentage of of each chapter the dialogues take, sentence structure, line edits, and proofreading.

1 Lesson

Structure and Style

Duration: 2 - 3 hours

The structure of a novel is much like the beams, bulkheads, plumbing and cabling that hold all the pieces of a building together and make it usable. Without these pieces, a building is just a pile of bricks or timber. Similarly, without a structure, a novel is just a pile of loosely related and rambling words. With this course, you will learn about the narrative arc, the act structures (if three or five act structures), the use of framing, narrators, order and time shifting, writing styles and more.

1 Lesson

What is a Novel?

Duration: 2 - 3 hours

All novels are stories, but not all stories are novels. Humans have been telling stories since the dawn of time but the advent of the novel (as we know it) came much later in our development and is quite new when compared to the history of story-telling. With this course, you will learn novel characteristics, lengths and word counts, genres, audience, commercial novels, literary novels, creative writing and categories of children's writing.

1 Lesson

Writing a Synopsis

Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours

Many writers hate writing synopses. However, the synopsis is equally as important whether you are trying to get your work published or if you intend to self-publish. Wit this course you will learn about the three types of synopsis (1-2 paragraph, One page, and the Detailed Synopsis) how to motivate children to read.

1 Lesson

A Brief Summary of Grammar

Duration: 3 hours

Learn about different approaches to grammar, how they affect language use and how to review grammar basics.

1 Lesson

Developmental and Substantive Editing

Duration: 5 hours

Developmental editing and substantive editing are more hands on than others forms of editing. Learn about the difference between developmental and substantive editing and other types of editing.

1 Lesson

Editorial Ethics and Relevant Legislation

Duration: 4 hours

Learn about the editor’s rights and responsibilities, potential ethical issues, and the editor's role in advising on legislation and legal requirements.

1 Lesson

Editorial Queries, Corporate Briefs

Duration: 3 hours

Learn about the use of editorial queries, corporate briefs and other business documents.

1 Lesson

Online Editing

Duration: 4 hours

Learn about editorial needs in the online market and online editorial management.

1 Lesson

Referencing, Style Guides and Indexing

Duration: 4 hours

Learn about style guides, style sheets, referencing, citation, and indexing.

1 Lesson

Specialist Academic Editing Work

Duration: 3 hours

Learn about academic writing and editing, and the role of the editor in relation to fact checking and verification.

1 Lesson

The Editor-Client Relationship, Project Management

Duration: 3 hours

Learn about the importance of the editor-client relationship, goal setting and project management in the editorial role.

1 Lesson

The Role of an Editor

Duration: 3 hours

Learn about the different language skills necessary for a specialist editor and understand the role of the editor in a managerial or supervisory position.

1 Lesson