Об этом курсе: At the center of a good story are the characters in it. In this course aspiring writers will discover how to build and bring to life complex, vivid and unforgettable characters. We will study the choices a writer makes to bring all characters to life on the page, and we will perform written exercises in order to develop a variety of writing and pre-writing techniques, in order to create a variety of characters. We will learn how to use our own life experiences, and the people we know (and how not to!). We will develop inner (thoughts and feelings) and outer (appearance, habits, behavior) lives for our characters and see how that can lead us to richer and more interesting stories. We will breathe life into our characters and let them surprise us.

Автор: Уэслианский университет

Преподаватели: Amy Bloom, Distinguished University Writer in Residence and Director of the Shapiro Center for Creative Writing

Основные сведения	Course 2 of 5 in the Литературное творчество Specialization
Выполнение	4 weeks of study, 2-4 hours/week
Язык	English
Как пройти курс	Чтобы пройти курс, выполните все оцениваемые задания.
Оценки пользователей	4.5 звезды Средняя оценка пользователей: 4.5Посмотрите, что пишут учащиеся

Программа курса

НЕДЕЛЯ 1

Discovering Characters from Your Life and Elsewhere

What happens in the writer's mind before any words are written on the paper? Characters then reveal themselves through conflict and drama. Without conflict there is no purpose to the story. We then discuss desire. Human beings want things, even when we don't really know what it is we wish for. Finally, we conclude the module like Michelangelo, chipping away everything that is not the masterpiece statue of David. Learn to find what is germane to the story you are telling by looking closely at the character.

5 видео, 2 материала для самостоятельного изучения

Видео: The Conflict Within (Shop Talk with Brando Skyhorse)
Видео: Desire and Goals
Видео: Hearing, Selecting, and Seeing
Reading: A Note on Assignments
Видео: Feedback Expectations for the Specialization
Reading: Promo Codes

Оцениваемый: Creating a Character from an Idea

НЕДЕЛЯ 2

Creating Characters on the Page

Here, we delve deeper into the characters. What is their physical description, and how can we describe them through action? How do they speak? What makes me want to read about them? When your characters need help or understanding, or even rescuing, this draws the reader in, far more than likability. Finally, we discuss how the plot reveals the inner life of characters through what they do as well as say.

4 видео

Видео: Voice
Видео: Making Them Matter to the Reader (with Visiting Writer Dani Shapiro)
Видео: The Story Reveals Who We Are (Shop Talk with Salvatore Scibona)

Оцениваемый: Observation and Implication

НЕДЕЛЯ 3

Dialogue and Monologue

How do we lead a reader to a world that feels real? Narrators have an attitude, towards subjects and audience, about the world and its events. We discuss in this module considerations involved in planning for these realities, including the differences between first and third person and the construction of dialogue with verisimilitude - the feel of real life - while stripping away the tedium. We ask what idiosyncrasies your characters possess and how to control them to advance the narrative.

4 видео

Видео: Picking Your Point of View (Shop Talk with Amity Gaige)
Видео: Conversation's Greatest Hits
Видео: Idiosyncrasies

Оцениваемый: Location, Location, Location

НЕДЕЛЯ 4

Set Your Characters Free.. and Give Them Somewhere to Go

In this module, we reflect on how our readers learn about our characters - and how we as writers do, as well. We ask questions about who is telling the story, why, and with what goal. We conclude the course with a conversation about the narrator and, distinctly, the narrative, to see how they shape the reader's perception of character and story.

4 видео

Видео: The Relationship Between the Character and the Wide World (with Visiting Writer Valerie Martin)
Видео: Voice of Narrator
Видео: Voice of Narrative

Оцениваемый: Point of View

Часто задаваемые вопросы

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Как это работает

Coursework

Each course is like an interactive textbook, featuring pre-recorded videos, quizzes and projects.

Help from Your Peers

Connect with thousands of other learners and debate ideas, discuss course material, and get help mastering concepts.

Certificates

Earn official recognition for your work, and share your success with friends, colleagues, and employers.

Авторы

Уэслианский университет

At Wesleyan, distinguished scholar-teachers work closely with students, taking advantage of fluidity among disciplines to explore the world with a variety of tools. The university seeks to build a diverse, energetic community of students, faculty, and staff who think critically and creatively and who value independence of mind and generosity of spirit.

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