Manuscript Assessment

  • Success Stories
  • Reading Room
  • Novel Writing
  • Fiction Development
  • Non-Fiction
  • Writing for Children
  • Short Story

Starting Out

  • How’s My Driving
  • An honest assessment of your work-in-progress, with advice to help you with the rest of the draft.
  • Full Report
  • Our most comprehensive report – a full MOT on your manuscript.
  • Submission Review
  • Ready to send your novel out into the world? Have your submission documents reviewed to make sure everything's in the best possible shape to impress an agent.
  • Magazine Submission Review
  • Ready to submit your poems to magazines, journals or websites? Get feedback on a selection of four to six of them to check you're on the right track.
  • Pamphlet Review
  • Designed for poets preparing a pamphlet for possible publication, this report will offer constructive feedback on a group of up to twenty poems.
  • Collection Review
  • Put your poems through their paces with an in-depth evaluation of your entire collection.
  • Creative Writing Exercises
  • Writing Competitions

The last page you viewed...

  • by location
  • Can't find the right course? Book a professional reader's report on your manuscript.

writing nonfiction course

  • Writing a Novel
  • Our flagship course is available in London, Newcastle and online – spend six months working on your novel with help from experienced tutors and industry experts.
  • Prose Assessment
  • Poetry Assessment

writing nonfiction course

  • Q&As with our tutors and alumni, reading lists and deep dives into all aspects of creative writing – and lots more.

Features

  • Whether you're stuck on dialogue, plot, character or something else, we've got a whole range of exercises to help and inspire you.

Creative Writing Exercises

  • Here you'll find all of our past, ongoing and upcoming writing competitions, plus details of any others we think you should know about.

Writing Competitions

  • Afterwords: Reflections on Writing a Novel
  • Shelley Weiner reflects on some of her students' key takeaways over the years.

Non-Fiction Writing Courses

Popular Categories

  • Non-fiction

Non-Fiction Writing Courses

Our creative non-fiction courses offer an inspiring and supportive environment for memoirists and life writers.

writing nonfiction course

Our non-fiction writing courses: an overview

Our non-fiction courses are offered online and in-person and will give you all the tools you need for your project: how to research, how to select and shape story material, how to edit and where to take things next.

Our online non-fiction courses include five-day events, month-long self-paced courses and longer, more advanced options.

Your tutor – themselves an experienced memoirist or narrative non-fiction writer – will offer their own expertise as well as creating a sensitive, respectful and energising space for the group to share and develop their projects with each other.

writing nonfiction course

Who are these courses for?

Aspiring memoirists.

Always wanted to write an autobiography? Start here – with introductory and intermediate courses available to help, you'll learn how to best begin putting your story on the page.

Life Writers

Whether the life you want to document is yours or someone else's, our courses will show you how to collect and organise your material into the most compelling narrative shape.

Fiction writers moving genre

You have some experience with fictional narratives, but telling a life story is something different. Learn how to apply the skills you already have and gain new ones to help with a creative non-fiction project.

  • Level Advanced Starting out Improving
  • Location Newcastle Online London
  • Length 1-5 days 4 weeks 8 weeks 12 weeks 6 month +
  • Featured Featured Upcoming Lowest Price A-Z Z-A

Our advanced courses in fiction and poetry offer the next step for the committed writer – serious writing time, industry advice and expert guidance, along with a close-knit group of fellow writers to keep you on track.

Non-Fiction Writing Courses ( 2 )

writing nonfiction course

Writing Lives

What do these levels mean?

Richard Skinner

Monday 12 Aug 2024

13 spaces left

writing nonfiction course

Start Your Memoir

Patti Miller

Monday 09 Sep 2024

15 spaces left

Non-Fiction Tutors

Our non-fiction writing courses are led by acclaimed memoirists and authors, each experienced in helping writers get to the heart of their non-fiction project.

julia-blackburn-tutor

Julia Blackburn

Julia Blackburn was born in London in 1948, the daughter of the poet Thomas Blackburn and the painter Rosalie de Meric. Her first book...

miranda-doyle-tutor-crop

Miranda Doyle

Miranda Doyle's family come from the tiny island of Coney in Sligo Bay. She grew up in Edinburgh alongside three brothers and...

katherine-angel-tutor

Katherine Angel

Katherine Angel is the author of Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again (Verso, 2021), Daddy Issues (Peninsula Press, 2019), and...

philip-marsden-tutor

Philip Marsden

Philip Marsden is the award-winning author of a number of works of travel, history and fiction, including The Bronski House...

The whole experience was fabulous and exceeded my expectations... [it] opened my eyes and my book came to life. This course was a wonderful experience and I will never forget it and always be grateful for it.

[it] opened my eyes and my book came to life. This course was a wonderful experience and I will never forget it and always be grateful for it.

writing nonfiction course

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main types of non-fiction.

There are many types of non-fiction writing, including histories, academic texts, journalism and self-help. Most of our courses focus on memoir and life-writing, though some, like our Fiction Skills: Reseach online course, cover more general skills to aid non-fiction writing.

How experienced do I need to be to take these courses?

You don’t need to have written any non-fiction before to take the majority of these courses. You’ll find a level guide on each of the individual course pages to indicate whether it’s suitable for beginners or if a little more experience is required.

Can't find the right course?

writing nonfiction course

Get comprehensive editorial feedback on your manuscript from our experienced readers – whether it’s still a work-in-progress or you’re preparing to submit to literary agents.

writing nonfiction course

We offer a range of mentoring options if you’d prefer to work one-on-one with an established writer to help you shape your project and realise your writing ambitions.

Browse the Reading Room

From author interviews and writing tips to creative writing exercises and reading lists, we've got everything you need to get started – and to keep going.

Five Tips for Writing YA

Recommendations from Faber

Normal People

Sally Rooney

Normal People

An exclusive edition of Sally Rooney's modern classic, designed for Faber Members.

Conversations with Friends

Conversations with Friends

A Members' edition of Sally Rooney's celebrated debut and international bestseller.

The Whitsun Weddings

Philip Larkin

The Whitsun Weddings

A centenary edition of Philip Larkin’s much-loved first collection.

Founded in 1929 in London, Faber is one of the world's great publishing houses. Our list of authors includes thirteen Nobel Laureates and six Booker Prize-winners.

We use cookies to personalise your experience. By continuing to visit this website you agree to our use of cookies.

Course Level Guide

There’s something for everyone at the Faber Academy, whether you’re a complete beginner or a seasoned writer or somewhere in between. To help you select the right course for you, this guide breaks down what the different levels mean.

These courses are ideal for those who are curious about writing and have little to no prior experience in the field. There are no pre-requisite for these courses – all we ask is that you come with an open mind and a keenness to learn. That’s not to say they aren’t suitable for someone with more experience, though – if you’re looking to refresh your skills or experiment with a new area of writing, you’re also welcome to enrol.

These courses are ideal for those who have some experience in writing – as a hobby, or perhaps through academic or professional work – and are looking for challenging courses to hone their skills further. These courses are also a good next step if you’ve already taken a beginners’ class but don’t feel ready to commit to an advanced course yet.

These courses are ideal for seasoned writers who are serious about getting published. Entry to most of these courses is on an application basis and writers will usually be asked to submit samples of their work-in-progress or a past project.

CNF Education

Connect & learn.

Since 2011, Creative Nonfiction’s education programs have helped thousands of writers from all over the world tell their stories better.

Looking for Classes?

From online classes to webinars, all year round, CNF offers a variety of ways you can connect with the broader creative nonfiction community and learn new skills, generate new writing, stay focused, and create your best work.

Browse by type

Online course.

At every level, our 5- and 10-week courses offer firm deadlines, a flexible schedule that fits your needs, and feedback to help you keep writing and improving your work.

Courses are offered Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer term.

Self Guided

Weekly lessons and regular writing prompts on a variety of subjects designed to keep you motivated and moving ahead with your project. Self-guided courses run for 4 weeks and are offered six times a year.

Live Online Workshops

These thoughtful yearlong progressions of courses will help you learn (or revisit) the fundamentals of the genre, develop your craft, enrich your knowledge, and sharpen your skills. Pathways begin every January.

Our online seminars cover a specific aspect of the writing life in real time, from writing to revision to publishing–and are taught by working, professional writers. New webinars are offered nearly every week.

Featured Courses

writing nonfiction course

The Art of Applying

How to write winning fellowship, residency, and grant applications.

Get to know

Our instructors

Get Feedback

Manuscript Review

Teaching Resources

CNF In the Classroom

writing nonfiction course

Special Program

Writing the Tough Stuff

A Free 8-Week Writing Workshop for Teens It’s hard to be a teen any time, but maybe even more so this year. Writing about challenges—whether personal or political, big or small—can help.

CNF Learning Corner

What is creative nonfiction.

Dive in with CNF Founder Lee Gutkind

Recommended Reading

Get started with the best CNF has to offer

Explore Creative Nonfiction

Search 25+ years of essays

Email Newsletter

The best of Creative Nonfiction in your inbox. Sign up to stay up-to-date on genre-related news and updates from the Creative Nonfiction Foundation.

  • Utility Menu

University Logo

English CMFG. Past Selves and Future Ghosts

Instructor:  Melissa Cundieff Please login to the course catalog at my.harvard.edu for meetings times & location Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site As memoirist and author Melissa Febos puts it: “The narrator is never you, and the sooner we can start thinking of ourselves on the page that way, the better for our work. That character on the page is just this shaving off of the person that was within a very particular context, intermingled with bits of perspective from all the time since — it’s a very specific little cocktail of pieces of the self and memory and art … it’s a very weird thing. And then it’s frozen in the pages.” With each essay and work of nonfiction we produce in this workshop-based class, the character we portray, the narrator we locate, is never stagnant, instead we are developing a persona, wrought from the experience of our vast selves and our vast experiences. To that end, in this course, you will use the tools and stylistic elements of creative nonfiction, namely fragmentation, narrative, scene, point of view, speculation, and research to remix and retell all aspects of your experience and selfhood in a multiplicity of ways. I will ask that you focus on a particular time period or connected events, and through the course of the semester, you will reimagine and reify these events using different modes and techniques as modeled in the published and various works we read. We will also read, in their entireties, Melissa Febos's  Body Work: The Radical Work of Personal Narrative,  as well as Hanif Abdurraqib’s  They   Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us , which will aid our discussions and help us to better understand the difference between persona(s) and the many versions of self that inhabit us. Supplemental Application Information:  Applications for this class should include a 2-3 page (double-spaced if prose, single-spaced if poetry) creating writing sample of any genre (nonfiction, fiction, poetry), or combination of genres. Additionally, I ask that students submit a 250-word reflection on their particular relationship with creative writing and why this course appeals to them. This class is open to students of all writing levels and experience. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm ET on Saturday, November 4)

English CMDR. Creative Nonfiction: Departure and Return: "Home" as Doorway to Difference and Identity

Instructor: Melissa Cundieff Please login to the course catalog at my.harvard.edu for meetings times & location Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site

In this workshop-based class, students will be asked to investigate something that directly or indirectly connects everyone: what it means to leave a place, or one's home, or one's land, and to return to it, willingly or unwillingly. This idea is inherently open-ended because physical spaces are, of course, not our only means of departure and/or return-- but also our politics, our genders, our relationships with power, and our very bodies. Revolution, too, surrounds us, on both larger and private scales, as does looking back on what once was, what caused that initial departure. Students will approach "home" as both a literal place and a figurative mindscape. We will read essays by Barbara Ehrenreich, Ocean Vuong, Natasha Sajé, Elena Passarello, Hanif Abdurraqib, Alice Wong, and Eric L. Muller, among others. Supplemental Application Information:  Applications for this class should include a 2-3 page (double-spaced if prose, single-spaced if poetry) creating writing sample of any genre (nonfiction, fiction, poetry), or combination of genres. Additionally, I ask that students submit a 250-word reflection on their particular relationship with creative writing and why this course appeals to them. This class is open to students of all writing levels and experience. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm ET on Saturday, November 4)

English CGOT. The Other

Instructor:  Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah Thursday, 12:00-2:45 pm | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site

In this class, we will consider how literary non-fiction articulates or imagines difference, disdain, conflict, and dislike. We will also discuss the more technical and stylistic elements present in strong non-fiction, like reflection, observation, retrospection, scene-setting, description, complexity, and strong characterization. As we read and write, we will put these theoretical concerns into practice and play by writing two or three profiles about people you do not like, a place you don’t care for, an idea you oppose, or an object whose value eludes you. Your writing might be about someone who haunts you without your permission or whatever else gets under your skin, but ideally, your subject makes you uncomfortable, troubles you, and confounds you. We will interrogate how writers earn their opinion. And while it might be strange to think of literature as often having political aims, it would be ignorant to imagine that it does not. Non-fiction forces us to extend our understanding of point of view not just to be how the story unfolds itself technically–immersive reporting, transparent eyeball, third person limited, or third person omniscient--but also to identify who is telling this story and why. Some examples of the writing that we will read are Guy Debord,  Lucille Clifton, C.L.R. James, Pascale Casanova, W.G. Sebald, Jayne Cortez, AbouMaliq Simone, Greg Tate, Annie Ernaux, Edward Said, Mark Twain, Jacqueline Rose, Toni Morrison, Julia Kristeva, and Ryszard Kapuscinski. Supplemental Application Information:   Please submit a brief letter explaining why you're interested to take this class. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm ET on Saturday, November 4)

English CMCC. Covid, Grief, and Afterimage

Instructor: Melissa Cundieff Wednesday, 3:00-5:45 pm | Location: Barker 269 Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site In this workshop-based course we will write about our personal lived experiences with loss and grief born from the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as how grief and grieving became a collective experience that is ongoing and persistent, like an afterimage or haunting. As part of our examination, we will consider intersections with other global, historical experiences and depictions of loss, including the murder of George Floyd and the AIDS epidemic. Readings will include essays by Leslie Jamison, Arundhati Roy, Susan Sontag, Eve Tuck and C. Ree, Matt Levin, and Alice Wong, among others. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Saturday, August 26) Supplemental Application Information:  Applications for this class should include a 3-5 page (double-spaced if prose, single-spaced if poetry) creating writing sample of any genre (nonfiction, fiction, poetry), or combination of genres. Additionally, I ask that students submit a 250 word reflection on their particular relationship with creative writing and why this course appeals to them. This class is open to students of all writing levels and experience.

Instructor: Melissa Cundieff Wednesday, 12:00-2:45 pm | Location: Barker 316 Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site As memoirist and author Melissa Febos puts it: “The narrator is never you, and the sooner we can start thinking of ourselves on the page that way, the better for our work. That character on the page is just this shaving off of the person that was within a very particular context, intermingled with bits of perspective from all the time since — it’s a very specific little cocktail of pieces of the self and memory and art … it’s a very weird thing. And then it’s frozen in the pages.” With each essay and work of nonfiction we produce in this workshop-based class, the character we portray, the narrator we locate, is never stagnant, instead we are developing a persona, wrought from the experience of our vast selves and our vast experiences. To that end, in this course, you will use the tools and stylistic elements of creative nonfiction, namely fragmentation, narrative, scene, point of view, speculation, and research to remix and retell all aspects of your experience and selfhood in a multiplicity of ways. I will ask that you focus on a particular time period or connected events, and through the course of the semester, you will reimagine and reify these events using different modes and techniques as modeled in the published and various works we read. We will also read, in their entireties, Melissa Febos's  Body Work: The Radical Work of Personal Narrative,  as well as Hanif Abdurraqib’s  They   Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us , which will aid our discussions and help us to better understand the difference between persona(s) and the many versions of self that inhabit us. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Saturday, August 26) Supplemental Application Information:  Applications for this class should include a 3-5 page (double-spaced if prose, single-spaced if poetry) creating writing sample of any genre (nonfiction, fiction, poetry), or combination of genres. Additionally, I ask that students submit a 250 word reflection on their particular relationship with creative writing and why this course appeals to them. This class is open to students of all writing levels and experience.

English CRGS. The Surrounds: Writing Interiority and Outsiderness

Instructor:  Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah Thursday, 12:00-2:45 pm | Location: Lamont 401 Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site

The essayist, the writer of non-fiction, has historically been an oracle of opinions that most often go unsaid. They do not traditionally reinforce a sense of insular collectivity, instead they often steer us towards a radical understanding of the moment that they write from. The best essayists unearth and organize messages from those most at the margins: the ignored, the exiled, the criminal, and the destitute. So, by writing about these people, the essayist is fated, most nobly or just as ignobly, to write about the ills and aftermaths of their nation’s worse actions. It is an obligation and also a very heavy burden.

In this class we will examine how the essay and many essayists have functioned as geographers of spaces that have long been forgotten. And we read a series of non-fiction pieces that trouble the question of interiority, belonging, the other, and outsiderness. And we will attempt to do a brief but comprehensive review of the essay as it functions as a barometer of the author’s times. This will be accomplished by reading the work of such writers as: Herodotus, William Hazlitt, Doris Lessing, Audre Lorde, Gay Talese, Binyavanga Wainaina, Jennifer Clement, V.S. Naipaul, Sei Shonagon, George Orwell, Ha Jin, Margo Jefferson, Simone White, and Joan Didion. This reading and discussion will inform our own writing practice as we write essays.

Everyone who is interested in this class should feel free to apply.

Supplemental Application Information:   Please submit a brief letter explaining why you're interested to take this class. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Saturday, August 26)

English CNFD. Creative Nonfiction

Instructor: Maggie Doherty Tuesday, 12:00-2:45 pm | Location: Sever 205 Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site This course is an overview of the creative nonfiction genre and the many different types of writing that are included within it: memoir, criticism, nature writing, travel writing, and more. Our readings will be both historical and contemporary: writers will include Virginia Woolf, James Baldwin, Joan Didion, Audre Lorde, Hilton Als, and Carmen Maria Machado. During the first half of the semester, we will read two pieces closely; we will use our class discussions to analyze how these writers use pacing, character, voice, tone, and structure to tell their stories. Students will complete short, informal writing assignments during this part of the semester, based on the genre of work we’re discussing that week. During the second half of the semester, each student will draft and workshop a longer piece of creative nonfiction in the genre(s) of their choosing, which they will revise by the end of the semester. Students will be expected to provide detailed feedback on the work of their peers. This course is open to writers at all levels; no previous experience in creative writing is required. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Saturday, August 26) Supplemental Application Information:  Please write a letter of introduction (1-2 pages) giving a sense of who you are, your writing experience, and your current goals for your writing. You may also include writers or nonfiction works that you admire, as well as any themes or genres you'd like to experiment with in the course. Please also include a 3-5-page writing sample, ideally of some kind of creative writing (nonfiction is preferred, but fiction would also be acceptable). If you don't have a creative sample, you may submit a sample of your academic writing.

English CACD. The Art of Criticism

Instructor: Maggie Doherty Monday, 12:00-2:45pm | Location: Barker 018 Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site

This course will consider critical writing about art—literary, visual, or cinematic—as an art in its own right. We will read and discuss criticism from a wide variety of publications, paying attention to the ways outlet and audience shape critical work. Our focus will be on longform criticism (narrative and/or argumentative) as opposed to short-form, primarily evaluative reviews. The majority of our readings will be from the last several years and will include pieces by Andrea Long Chu, Tausif Noor, Namwali Serpell, and Justin Taylor. Students will write several short writing assignments (500-1000 words) during the first half of the semester and share them with peers. During the second half of the semester, each student will write and workshop a longer piece of criticism about a work of art or an artist of their choosing. Students will be expected to read and provide detailed feedback on the work of their peers. Students will revise their longer pieces based on workshop feedback and submit them for the final assignment of the class.

This course is open to writers of all levels, but writers should have studied or worked creatively in the field of art they plan to engage critically. In other words, if you plan to write art criticism, you should have taken some classes in art history, or you should have a creative practice in the visual arts. Similarly, if you’d like to write film criticism, you should have taken some film studies classes, or you should have a filmmaking background. If you are unsure whether you have the necessary background for this class, please email me. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Saturday, August 26) Supplemental Application Information:  Please write a letter of introduction (1-2 pages) giving a sense of who you are, your writing experience, and your current goals for your writing. Please also describe your relationship to the art forms and/or genres you're interested in engaging in the course. You may also list any writers or publications whose criticism you enjoy reading. Please also include a 3-5 writing sample in which you write about art. This sample may be creative (a personal essay, an excerpt from a piece of fiction) or it may be academic. 

English CNFR. Creative Nonfiction

Instructor: Darcy Frey Section 1: Wednesday, 3:00-5:45 pm | Location: TBD Section 2: Thursday, 3:00-5:45 pm | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students. Course Site- Section 1 Course Site- Section 2

Whether it takes the form of literary journalism, essay, memoir or environmental writing, creative nonfiction is a powerful genre that allows writers to break free from the constraints commonly associated with nonfiction prose and reach for the breadth of thought and feeling usually accomplished only in fiction: the narration of a vivid story, the probing of a complex character, the argument of an idea, the evocation of a place. Students will work on several short assignments to hone their mastery of the craft, then write a longer piece that will be workshopped in class and revised at the end of the term. We will take instruction and inspiration from published authors such as Joan Didion, James Baldwin, Ariel Levy, Alexander Chee, and Virginia Woolf. This is a workshop-style class intended for undergraduate and graduate students at all levels of experience. No previous experience in English Department courses is required.

Supplemental Application Information:  Please write a substantive letter of introduction describing who you are as writer at the moment and where you hope to take your writing; what experience you may have had with creative/literary nonfiction; what excites you about nonfiction in particular; and what you consider to be your strengths and weaknesses as a writer. Additionally, please submit 3-5 pages of creative/literary nonfiction (essay, memoir, narrative journalism, etc, but NOT academic writing) or, if you have not yet written much nonfiction, an equal number of pages of narrative fiction. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm ET on Saturday, November 4)

English CLPG. Art of Sportswriting

Instructor: Louisa Thomas Tuesday, 9:00-11:45am | Location: TBD Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site

In newsrooms, the sports section is sometimes referred to as the “toy department” -- frivolous and unserious, unlike the stuff of politics, business, and war. In this course, we will take the toys seriously. After all, for millions of people, sports and other so-called trivial pursuits (video games, chess, children’s games, and so on) are a source of endless fascination. For us, they will be a source of stories about human achievements and frustrations. These stories can involve economic, social, and political issues. They can draw upon history, statistics, psychology, and philosophy. They can be reported or ruminative, formally experimental or straightforward, richly descriptive or tense and spare. They can be fun. Over the course of the semester, students will read and discuss exemplary profiles, essays, articles, and blog posts, while also writing and discussing their own. While much (but not all) of the reading will come from the world of sports, no interest in or knowledge about sports is required; our focus will be on writing for a broad audience.  Supplemental Application Information:  To apply, please write a letter describing why you want to take the course and what you hope to get out of it. Include a few examples of websites or magazines you like to read, and tell me briefly about one pursuit -- football, chess, basketball, ballet, Othello, crosswords, soccer, whatever -- that interests you and why. Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm ET on Saturday, November 4)

English CLLW. Life Writing

Instructor: Louisa Thomas Tuesday, 9:00-11:45am | Location: Lamont 401 Enrollment: Limited to 12 students Course Site

How does one tell -- vividly, interestingly -- the story of a life? How do we access a private life, or situate it in a public world? What if the subject is dead, or is famous, or is oneself? What if the subject is a dog? How do we navigate archives or reporting? This course will examine the art of writing narrative nonfiction about individual lives. We will read and discuss examples of profiles, biographies, and memoir/personal essays, paying special attention to structure, language, and style. We will also read and discuss each other’s work. Students are expected to produce (and to revise) two pieces of longform nonfiction writing. Readings by authors such as Hilton Als, Rachel Aviv, Robert Caro, Wesley Morris, Hua Hsu, and others.  Apply via Submittable  (deadline: 11:59pm EDT on Saturday, August 26) Supplemental Application Information:  To apply, please write a letter introducing yourself and explaining why you want to take the course. Include a couple of examples of profiles, biographies, memoirs, or essays that you admire, along with a sentence or two explaining why. All levels of experience are welcome.

  • Fiction (18)
  • Nonfiction (11)
  • Playwriting (2)
  • Poetry (23)
  • Screenwriting (3)
  • Find a Course
  • For Business
  • For Educators
  • Product News

Learn How to Write Great Nonfiction

December 26, 2018

writing nonfiction course

The Memoir and Personal Essay Specialization offered by Wesleyan University aims to teach you how to write with confidence. Taught by award-winning essayists and memoirists, this Specialization gives you tips, prompts, exercises, readings, and challenges that will prepare you for writing compelling nonfiction. Learn more about the Specialization in this Q&A with instructor Amy Bloom, author of two New York Times best-sellers and a distinguished writer in residence at Wesleyan University’s Shapiro Center for Creative Writing.

What is the Memoir and Personal Essay Specialization ?

The Memoir and Personal Essay Specialization focuses on these two popular forms of creative writing about the self. One of the wonderful opportunities in this kind of work is that memory and observation are even more important than imagination and the ability to create fictional plot lines. Here, you weave all these skills together to help you put to paper the story you’ve always wanted to share.

Who should take this Specialization?

Our ideal learner is anyone who wants to tell their story. Age ain’t nothing but a number! Whether you are a twenty-year old with something to say about yourself and the world in which you live, or an eighty year old with a lot of memories and stories, this Specialization is for you. Your audience could be as wide as the world or as narrow as your family; if you have a story you’d like to share, this is the Specialization to help you create writing from within that people will enjoy reading.

Why was this Specialization created?

In 2016, Wesleyan launched a popular Specialization on fiction writing , and feedback from those courses suggested further interest in nonfiction. So we gathered more writers — award-winning memoirists and essayists — and turned our attention to these enormously popular genres, with the intention of presenting answers to the essential questions about writing about the self: how to find your story, how to develop your own distinctive voice, how to create an interesting and powerful narrative, how to pull your story pieces together, and how to make it engaging for the reader. I think we’ve succeeded!

What will learners take away from the Memoir and Personal Essay Specialization ?

This Specialization is all about creative non-fiction. When our students finish each course in the sequence, they will have written multiple scenes from their life, many of which may be part of a final memoir or essay. Each course presents the ideas of writing creative non-fiction from a new perspective, and students will be able to learn, from each of these four masters of the genre, tools and strategies to further their own works.

What part of the Specialization excites you the most?

We all just love the interview segments. The opportunity to talk to great writers about their observations, their techniques and their own experience in writing has been more fun, and more fascinating, than we’d even expected. We can’t wait for you to hear these dialogues!

What is one of the most surprising things about writing memoirs that you will cover?

It is sometimes a surprise, and a little daunting, for people to discover that having a good story, or an interesting event, in one’s background is not enough to create a compelling piece of writing. This Specialization is designed to help our students get from an interesting moment — or a lifetime of moments — to memorable writing.

What do you want prospective learners to know about the Memoir and Personal Essay Specialization ?

This is a course by writers, for writers at all levels of experience. Our goal is to open up the possibilities to people who have a wish–even a need–to write about the world without and the world within.

Keep reading

  • Unilever joins Coursera to launch two entry-level Professional Certificates, addressing global demand for data and analytics skills 
  • How to stay motivated
  • Google and the University of London provide a pathway to a BSc Computer Science degree

Open Menu

Online Class: Nonfiction Writing 101

writing nonfiction course

  • 25 Exams & Assignments
  • 1,964 Students have taken this course
  • 9 Hours average time

Course Description

Mastering the Craft of Nonfiction Writing

In a world oversaturated with information, the art of nonfiction writing stands as a testament to the pursuit of truth, authenticity, and in-depth exploration of experiences and events. From the comprehensive histories penned by biographers to the daily news snippets curated by journalists, nonfiction embodies an expansive spectrum of writing that roots itself in verifiable reality.

Recent data suggests that the consumption of nonfiction content, particularly online, has seen a surge with the growing demand for genuine, insightful, and well-researched information. In such a climate, equipping oneself with superior nonfiction writing skills can be a game-changer.

Welcome to our advanced course in nonfiction writing, where we endeavor to hone your skills beyond rudimentary levels, readying you for the competitive world of content creation and publishing. This course delves deep into not just the 'how' but also the 'why' of nonfiction writing, ensuring a holistic learning experience.

Lesson 1: The Editor's Perspective Before pen meets paper, learn the mindset of an editor. Understand the nuances of content selection, quality control, and reader engagement from an editorial vantage point.

Lesson 2: Deciphering the Format Is it an article, a project, or a book you wish to write? Determine the ideal format for your content based on its length, depth, and target audience.

Lesson 3: Crafting the Perfect Subject & Title Discover techniques to select compelling subjects, design captivating titles, and engage your reader from the get-go.

Lesson 4: In-depth Research Good nonfiction is grounded in thorough research. Acquaint yourself with tools, methodologies, and ethics in collecting and presenting information.

Lesson 5: Scouting the Competition In a competitive landscape, understanding what others are doing can give you an edge. Learn to analyze the market and identify gaps you can fill with your unique perspective.

Lesson 6: Building Structure Organize your thoughts coherently. Grasp the principles of logical flow, chapter divisions, and maintaining a consistent tone throughout your work.

Lesson 7: Embrace the Writer Within Delve into the psychology of writing. Explore personal barriers, understand your writing style, and celebrate the unique voice you bring to the table.

Lesson 8: Conquering Writer’s Block Stagnation hits the best of us. Unearth strategies to rejuvenate your creativity, maintain momentum, and ensure consistent progress in your writing journey.

Lesson 9: Rhythmic Writing Good writing resonates. Unravel the art of pacing, tone variation, and how to revise content to maximize impact and readability.

Lesson 10: Technical Perfection No content shines without impeccable grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Reinforce your command over the language, ensuring clarity and precision.

Lesson 11: The Editing Mantra The first draft is just the beginning. Immerse in iterative editing processes, refining content to mirror publishing standards.

Lesson 12: Upholding Authenticity Nonfiction's essence lies in its truthfulness. Grasp the importance of fact-checking, sourcing, and proper notation to uphold your credibility.

Lesson 13: The Final Presentation Once written, the presentation is paramount. Learn about layout decisions, spacing nuances, and formatting techniques to ensure your work is not just well-written but also well-presented.

In essence, this course promises not just to teach you nonfiction writing, but to immerse you in its universe. By its culmination, you should not only be adept at creating compelling content but also be well-versed in presenting it to publishers and readers alike. Remember, the essence of a writer lies in writing. So, let's dive in and start crafting!

Creative Writing Workshop

Course Motivation

Your Subject and Your Treatment of Your Subject  

The Marketability of Your Subject     

Remember, the editor you submit your book or article to will look at the marketability of the subject. How broadly will the book hit public interest? How specialized and in demand is the subject? How specialized and small is the market? Does the writer bring a fresh and unique treatment to their subject? Do they touch on a concern that has been overlooked or ignored? Make your treatment of the subject one that increases your book's marketability. 

Core Buyers  

How Broad is Your Market?  

For example, if you are writing a nonfiction article on art history, you may want to broaden your market by writing on a specific or obscure local artist that impacted the regional art sensibilities in a permanent or a trendy way. By choosing your subject with such concerns you accomplish some important marketing needs of your editor. You are selecting a broad market, art history, and you are specializing at the same time. This is a powerful combination that editors appreciate because it helps eliminate their concerns for a broad appeal. In taking this approach, your editor knows that they can market broadly to local, regional, and national niches of art lovers. You have your editor's attention and interest. 

Buyer Value  

When you tackle your subject with freshness and authority, then you are adding value to the buyer. You are giving the editor a good ROI for the money he pays you and the reader feels that he or she has spent their time (and possibly money) well. If the editor or reader does not have a sense of added value when they read your article, then you will likely not receive a contract.  

  • Completely Online
  • Printable Lessons

writing nonfiction course

  • 6 Months to Complete
  • 24/7 Availability
  • Start Anytime
  • PC & Mac Compatible
  • Android & iOS Friendly
  • Accredited CEUs

Universal Class is an IACET Accredited Provider

Course Lessons

writing nonfiction course

Lesson 1: Before You Start, Think Like An Editor

writing nonfiction course

Lesson 2: Article, Project, or Book?

Lesson 3: subject, title, and subtitles, lesson 4: researching your subject, lesson 5: reviewing your competition, lesson 6: structure and organization, lesson 7: writers write; getting comfy in your own skin, lesson 8: get to the finish line; what to do when you hit a block, lesson 9: rewriting and rhythm; polishing for your audience, lesson 10: spelling, grammar, and proper punctuation, lesson 11: edit and edit again, lesson 12: fact checking and proper notation, lesson 13: layout, proper spacing, and format - your finished product, learning outcomes.

  • Summarize how to think like an editor.
  • Define article, project and book.
  • Identify subject, title and subtitles.
  • Research your subject.
  • Review your competition.
  • Identify structure and organization.
  • Summarize what to do when you hit a block.
  • Identify what needs to be polished for your audience.
  • Perform spelling and grammar check.
  • Edit and edit again.
  • Fact check and provide proper notation.
  • Demonstrate layout, proper spacing and format, and submit your finished product.
  • Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.

Additional Course Information

Online CEU Certificate

  • Document Your Lifelong Learning Achievements
  • Earn an Official Certificate Documenting Course Hours and CEUs
  • Verify Your Certificate with a Unique Serial Number Online
  • View and Share Your Certificate Online or Download/Print as PDF
  • Display Your Certificate on Your Resume and Promote Your Achievements Using Social Media

Document Your CEUs on Your Resume

Choose Your Subscription Plan

Student testimonials.

  • "So far she is my favorite instructor on Universal class. Her classes are packed with very informative lessons. Nothing is fluff." -- Erin C.
  • "The course give me valuable information concerning how professional writing is done; how to please an editor, how to displease an editor, where to look for potential markets, developing a rhythm in writing ,using headings and subheadings to hold a reader's interest, etc. Most of the lessons, I realize, will be most valuable in use as reference materials. I wish to thank the instructor for an enjoyable class. I plan to take more from her. I would recommend her highly to friends planning to take courses in this area." -- Bill M.
  • "Very helpful instructor." -- Tracy C.
  • "This course was great." -- Janet M.
  • "The various lessons were very helpful in gaining knowledge about writing." -- Tenika J.
  • "I liked how the instructor didn't just grade the assignments, but gave comments about my work. She seemed very knowledgeable in the subject. I will be taking other classes from Universal." -- Laura V.
  • "The lesson material and the related links were most helpful. I liked the condensed comprehensive lessons, they contained essential information without being overwhelming. The links contained excellent resources that I can use any time. The lessons were well thought out and flowed in a logical manner and was very useful. The instructor was prompt in marking." -- Dyanne C.
  • "The instructor gave excellent advice and was very knowledgeable and helpful. The entire course was helpful; learning everything to get started with nonfiction writing; how to succeed at it. Lots of excellent advice; extremely helpful." -- Heather P.
  • "What a great teacher for this class, I thought." -- S. Marie V.

Related Courses

Writing Help Course Bundle

  • Course Catalog
  • Group Discounts
  • Gift Certificates
  • For Libraries
  • CEU Verification
  • Medical Terminology
  • Accounting Course
  • Writing Basics
  • QuickBooks Training
  • Proofreading Class
  • Sensitivity Training
  • Excel Certificate
  • Teach Online
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy

Follow us on FaceBook

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction

Taught by: Azul Terronez

Having a great non-fiction book idea is one thing. Writing a book and having it accomplish what you want it to for you and your readers is another. In this 10 day course, publishing coach Azul Terronez goes through which common writing mistakes to avoid, which questions to ask yourself before you get started, and finally, how to stay motivated throughout the writing process. 

As Azul says, "writing a non-fiction book is about writing quickly, and making sure you get to the finish line before the topic is no longer relevant." Why not get started now?

What you'll learn in this course:

  • Understanding the vision, purpose, and positioning of your book
  • Writing-hacks for getting started
  • How to use Amazon reviews of similar books to enhance your own writing
  • How to organize your book to avoid writer's block
  • Tips and apps for staying productive and hitting your word-count goals
  • The importance of hooking your readers

Brought to you by:

Azul Terronez - Writing Non-Fiction

When Azul is not writing or coaching other authors, he can be found relaxing in a yoga class, obsessing over tiny houses on Pinterest, or just enjoying his family’s cute dogs, Scooter and Oliver.

Continue learning

People who enjoyed this course also looked at the following:

writing nonfiction course

How to Write a Novel (Premium)

Write a novel in three months in this premium course led by author and ghostwriter Tom Bromley. Join our next class, September 2023.

Taught by Tom Bromley

writing nonfiction course

Poetry: How to Spark Creativity with Verse

Curious about poetry but don’t know where to start? Join us for 10 days of easy poetry exercises and get your creative juices flowing.

Taught by Emma Murf

writing nonfiction course

How to Write Mind-Blowing Fantasy Fiction

Want to become the next Frank Herbert or N.K. Jemisin? With this free 10-day course, you can learn the basics of writing fantasy.

Taught by Campfire

writing nonfiction course

How to Master the 'Show, Don't Tell' Rule

Learn how to follow the golden writing rule in this free 10-day course from the Reedsy team.

Taught by Reedsy

writing nonfiction course

How to Turn Up the Heat in Your Romance

Ready to steam up your romance? Kelly Palmer's free course takes you through the essentials of hot writing: from creating tension to writing appealing sex scenes!

Taught by Kelly Palmer

writing nonfiction course

How to Write an Irresistible Romance

Romance editor Kate Studer presents this amazing course that will get you started on of the most popular genres in publishing.

Taught by Kate Studer

Learn about a new topic

Browse our free publishing courses by category:

Design courses ⭢

Distribution courses ⭢

Editing courses ⭢

Marketing courses ⭢

Publishing courses ⭢

Writing courses ⭢

Join a community of over 1 million authors

Reedsy is more than just a blog. Become a member today to discover how we can help you publish a beautiful book.

Reedsy Marketplace UI

1 million authors trust the professionals on Reedsy, come meet them.

Enter your email or get started with a social account:

NEW REEDSY COURSE

How to Write a Novel

Finish your book in three months

UCLA Extension

Creative Nonfiction I

Discover the varied forms of creative nonfiction from memoir to personal essay and beyond in this introductory course.

What you can learn.

  • Learn to use artful language, dialogue, and character development to tell true stories
  • Practice developing structure and plot for real-life events
  • Read nonfiction by established authors to learn effective techniques

About this course:

Spring 2024 schedule.

format icon

Enrollment limited to 15 students; early enrollment advised. Visitors not permitted. Internet access required.

Internet access required to retrieve course materials.

format icon

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PUBLIC SYLLABUS FOR THIS COURSE.

phone-icon

Corporate Education

Learn how we can help your organization meet its professional development goals and corporate training needs.

vector icon of building

Donate to UCLA Extension

Support our many efforts to reach communities in need.

Innovation Programs

Student Scholarships

Coding Boot Camp

Lifelong Learning

  • Accounting & Taxation
  • Architecture & Interior Design
  • Business & Management
  • Design & Arts
  • Digital Technology
  • Engineering
  • Entertainment
  • Environmental Studies & Public Policy
  • Finance & Investments
  • Health Care & Counseling
  • Humanities & Social Sciences
  • Landscape Architecture & Horticulture
  • Legal Programs
  • Osher (OLLI)
  • Real Estate
  • Sciences & Math
  • Writing & Journalism
  • Specializations
  • Online Courses
  • Transfer Credit Courses
  • Conferences & Boot Camps
  • Custom Programs & Corporate Education
  • Instruction Methods
  • Environmental Studies
  • Accounting Fundamentals
  • Business and Management of Entertainment
  • College Counseling
  • Data Science
  • Digital Marketing
  • Feature Film Writing
  • Human Resources Management
  • Marketing with Concentration in Digital Marketing
  • Personal Financial Planning
  • Project Management
  • Sustainability
  • User Experience
  • Payment Options
  • How to Purchase Parking
  • Enrollment Conditions
  • Concurrent and Cross-Enrollment Programs
  • Bruin ID Cards
  • UCLA Recreation
  • Course Drops, Transfers, and Withdrawals
  • Accessibility & Disability Services
  • Textbooks & Libraries
  • Financial Aid
  • Scholarships
  • Military & Veterans Benefits
  • Tuition Discounts
  • Tax Advantages
  • Grading Scale
  • Credit Options
  • Course Numbers
  • Transcripts and Enrollment Confirmation
  • Receiving Your Academic Credentials
  • Keynote Speaker
  • Parking & Lodging
  • Career Resources
  • Alumni Benefits
  • Rights and Responsibilities
  • Career Services
  • Featured Jobs
  • Browse Certificate Programs
  • Certificate vs. Master’s Degrees
  • Dates and Fees
  • How to Apply
  • Academic Requirements
  • OPT, CPT, and Internships
  • Upon Completing Your Certificate
  • Hummel Scholarship
  • Program Details
  • Online International Programs
  • International Student Services Office
  • New Student Orientation
  • Maintaining Your F-1 Visa
  • Health Insurance
  • Academic Advising
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • UCLA Campus Amenities & Activities
  • Daily Needs
  • Public Transportation
  • Request a Proposal
  • Board of Advisors
  • Instructors
  • Join Our Team
  • Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
  • Accreditation
  • Student Home
  • Canvas Log In
  • Student Log In
  • Instructor Log In

Cookie Policy

We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience, including personalizing content and to store your content preferences. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy .

Writers.com

$ 645.00

Dive into all forms of creative nonfiction writing, in our course with acclaimed author and educator Wendy Call.

Discover how to elevate your creative nonfiction storytelling techniques—from structure to style—in this 10-week online course with author, editor, and educator Wendy Call. Access her insights and direct, specific weekly feedback on your writing from anywhere in the world.

Co-editor of the best-selling anthology Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers’ Guide and author of the award-winning book No Word for Welcome , Wendy guides students through developing a project (up to 3,000 words) from first idea to final polish. She welcomes writers working in all nonfiction subgenres, including memoir, lyric and personal essays, travel writing, and literary journalism. While intermediate and advanced writers will benefit most, this course also can inspire emerging authors just beginning to explore this rich style.

This course is text-based and asynchronous, so students will not have to plan for live meeting times.

Over ten weeks, the course explores eight essential elements of successful creative nonfiction. A written “lecture” posted on Wednesday morning explores the week’s craft element in detail, supplies short readings from literature, offers writing prompts, gives a short assignment, and suggests a bibliography for further exploration.

I learned so much. Wendy’s lessons were thorough and the assignments were valuable. Wendy was very encouraging, answered questions quickly and with great insight, and she always gave detailed feedback. —Elizabeth Sharp

Course readings include excerpts from the works of nonfiction masters: James Baldwin, Jo Ann Beard, Joan Didion, Annie Dillard, Eduardo Galeano, Zora Neale Hurston, Rubén Martínez, George Orwell, Luis Alberto Urrea, Alice Walker, and David Foster Wallace. Through online discussion, we will discover how to apply their tools of the trade to our own writing projects. We’ll also review craft essays by Vivian Gornick, Adam Hochschild, Phillip Lopate, Brenda Miller, Sue William Silverman, and others.

Finally, we’ll roll up our sleeves and get to writing, applying new skills to our nonfiction prose. Students will post assignments weekly, receiving detailed critiques from Wendy, plus commentary from the class. (That is to say, this is a workshop setting . Your writing will be reviewed by several of your peers and made available to everyone in the class. Wendy’s feedback on your work will also be shared with the group.)

Please plan on at least five to six hours a week for this class: two hours reviewing the lecture and readings, two to three hours per assignment, and another hour or two for critiquing your peers’ work and participating in the online discussion forum.

Note: This class concentrates on writing craft, not publishing. We will not devote time to pitches, approaching editors and agents, or other freelancing concerns.

Creative Nonfiction Course Syllabus

Week #1: Crafting Good Questions ~ What can I write about? Every true story begins with a question the writer wants to answer. Every successful story ends with the reader learning something new. In our first week together, we’ll read craft essays from several well-known writers on how they find the perfect story idea, and then we’ll seek out our own.

Assignment: Generate a list of ideas for true stories you would like to write, each one with a question that you will answer for the reader — and for yourself.

Week #2: Research Strategies ~ How can I discover what I need to know? No matter what sort of information you need, this class can help you find it. From ten-year-old court records to three-hundred-year-old manuscripts, where there’s a will, there’s almost always a way. Our reading this week will be a tour of research and library sources, both on and offline, as well as tips for interviewing.

Assignment: Devise research questions. Describe what you need to know in order to complete the story you have chosen. Then, offer feedback to your peers on how they might find what they need to know. Wendy’s feedback this week will be ideas for how to answer your research questions. (Obscure questions most welcome!)

Week #3: Narrative Arc ~ What makes a good (true) story? Now that we have done some research, how can we mold that material into a story? How do you create a narrative arc? Why have one, anyway? Should it be overt or covert? Inspired by examples from master storyteller Eduardo Galeano, we’ll build sturdy structures for our stories.

Assignment: Plot the narrative arc for a story you are telling, then describe your plan to your peers.

Week #4: First-Person Narrator ~ Just who is telling this story, anyway? We’ll delve into the multi-faceted role of the first-person narrator in nonfiction prose. Looking at examples from Zora Neale Hurston, Bob Shacochis, and Alice Walker, we’ll explore the differences between the author, the first-person narrator, and the “I-character” that appear on the page.

Assignment: Write a “character sketch” of your first–person narrator. That is to say, not you-in-the-world, but the “you” who appears on the page.

Week #5: Character Development ~ Who gets to star in my story? Character development is just as important in nonfiction as it is in fiction. This week, we’ll explore this crucial question: How do we make compelling characters out of real people – without making anything up? Examples from Jo Ann Beard, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Sandra Cisneros will guide our work.

Assignment: Answer a series of twenty questions about a real-life character. Turn those answers into a character sketch.

Week #6: Putting the Tools To Work ~ Developing Your Draft You will devote this week to developing your story draft and asking questions about anything that comes up for you as you write.

Assignment: Turn in a full draft of the story you have chosen to tell (up to 3,000 words).

Week #7: True-to-Life Scenes ~ How can I make a (good) scene? We’ll talk about what goes into a powerful scene in creative nonfiction (one or more characters taking action in a specific setting). Looking at examples of strong scenes by Annie Dillard, Rubén Martínez, and a favorite writer of your choosing, we’ll break those scenes down into their component parts. Then, we’ll build our own.

Assignment: Work your way through a twelve-step process (this one is fun!) to create a fully rendered scene on the page.

Week #8: Self-Editing Techniques ~ How can I tell the best story possible? This week, we’ll each review the work we’ve produced over the previous seven weeks (and feedback received on the Week #6 draft) and begin to revise. Informed by examples of how Raymond Carver, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway revised their work, we’ll explore the four different levels of editing (developmental, substantive, copyediting and proofreading), and learn why it’s important to separate them.

Wendy will offer you two-dozen self-editing exercises to revise and improve your prose. You will learn how to create your own, personalized “self-editing checklist.”

Assignment: No assignment (or peer feedback) this week, just an open forum for discussion as you work on your final drafts and try out self-editing tools.

Week #9: In the Home Stretch ~ Finalizing Your Draft This week will be devoted to completing your story revision. Feel free to ask for guidance as you do!

Assignment: Submit a completed piece of literary nonfiction (all subgenres welcome) of up to 3,000 words for feedback from Wendy and from your peers.

Week #10: That Elusive Thing Called “Style” ~ How do I find my true writer’s voice? How do they do it? How do writers create voices on the page so singular that we recognize them immediately? We’ll look at short examples from literary giants Joan Didion and David Foster Wallace and parse their styles, as well as read what poet Emily Hiestand and master editor Ben Yagoda have to say on the twin subjects of style and voice.

Assignment: Complete a few exercises that explore the literary styles of different writers, then scrutinize examples of one another’s writing, as we explore the individual voices we each bring to our nonfiction.

Why Take a Creative Nonfiction Writing Course with Writers.com?

  • We welcome writers of all backgrounds and experience levels, and we are here for one reason: to support you on your writing journey.
  • Small groups keep our online writing classes lively and intimate.
  • Work through your weekly written lectures, course materials, and writing assignments at your own pace.
  • Share and discuss your work with classmates in a supportive class environment.
  • Award-winning instructor Wendy Call will offer you direct, personal feedback and suggestions on every assignment you submit.

Reserve your spot in this creative nonfiction writing class today!

Student feedback for wendy call:.

Wendy is very practical and creative; patient and encouraging. She has an innovative way of teaching that leads the writing student through a productive journey. This is the best approach to creative nonfiction narrative I have seen. Jeanmarie Morelli

Wendy is wonderful to work with. She has a keen eye as an editor and is skillful at offering both encouragement and critique. She relates to her students in a genuinely kind and personal manner that is both motivating and educative. It is a delight to work with her.  Jessica Kulynych

It was phenomenal! Immeasurably valuable to my writing progress (on too many levels to list them simply here.) The workshop far exceeded what I hoped to gain by participating. It was evident that Wendy invested an extraordinary amount of time, effort, and self in meticulous preparation of each week's lesson and supporting materials -- readings and links. Frankly, I was ecstatic to gain possession of what I now view as my Go-To CNF Primer Workshop book.... Wendy's broad range of sensibilities in responding to workshop participants of various levels of writing skills, life experience, and communication styles, was as instructive to me as the overall workshop itself.   Mary Godfrey

The content was excellent and there was a wealth of information and optional readings. The lessons were well structured. I felt it was easily college level in terms of the content. Wendy clearly knows her stuff and she was very generous with her feedback on the weekly assignments.  Allison Allen

Wendy is absolutely top level and I really benefited from someone going line by line through my work saying what worked and what needed changing. Her clinical look at the prose and her suggestions for improvements were always spot on. This course delivered exactly what I wanted.  Timothy Stannard Great class ! Wendy builds a sense of community with the students, provides precise individual feedback and excellent lessons. I plan to take another online class when offered.  Janice Secord Neilson Very happy. I learned so much. Wendy's lessons were thorough, and in addition to the information contained in the readings, she provided a reference of other websites and books to check out. The assignments were valuable. Wendy was very encouraging, answered questions quickly and with great insight. And [she] always gave detailed feedback. Elizabeth Sharp

Wendy has provided an extremely strong foundation in the writing craft lessons. There's something for every writer, no matter your level or step in the journey, in her array of resources and tips. Wendy is an amazing source of knowledge, and her feedback was spot on!  Joy Hoppenot I was happy with the lessons and assignments. Wendy was very knowledgeable and professional. I enjoyed the weekly readings and her analysis as to how they illustrated her subjects. For me, in my phase of writing, the most valuable part was the feedback from other students. Wendy did a great job of teaching us how to give and receive feedback and it’s the first time I’ve had other writers comment on my work. It was very interesting. Four of us have formed an online Writers Group to continue learning from each other. I would recommend this class to others. I would definitely consider another one in the future. I thought the online platform was easy to use and a good way to collaborate. Thanks! Heather von Bargen

This course celebrates the power of non-fiction writing within a unique and successful structure. The process presented is detailed but manageable, the readings insightful and pointed. Wendy is positive, informative and responsive. I highly recommend!  Valerie Ashton

I was very happy with the content, lessons and assignments. I found all the material very informative. Wendy gave very good feedback and I think her insights were wise and pragmatic. For me, this was a whole new area and I’m still digesting all the amazing materials Wendy gave us to read. The course opened up a new horizon for me and I’ve learned so much. I would recommend the course and I will definitely do another. Linda Master I found the lessons in this class to be extremely informative and helpful. This was exactly the class I was hoping to take! We went over topics that I found illuminating, we had interesting readings, and she recommended several books that I ordered and am finding very helpful as well. Wendy was great. It is obvious that she is a practiced and knowledgeable writer and she had valuable insights to offer. She was a wonderful teacher to learn from. I have already suggested Writers.com classes to a friend and already signed up for another. You provide a good spectrum of classes for different writers and different interests. McKenzie Long I took this course specifically because it was being offered by Wendy Call, the editor of Telling True Storie s. I enjoyed Wendy’s positive approach to each of our assignments and drafts, and I appreciated her feedback and guidance. Her tone was always encouraging, and her criticism was always constructive. I have published two books of narrative nonfiction, and I have taken other courses about narrative/creative nonfiction, but Wendy’s course introduced me to new writers and readings and allowed me an opportunity to refresh my learning. I took this course to coincide with my efforts to develop a topic for a new book project. The first week’s subject was how to choose a topic. The second week’s subject was research techniques. As we moved through the readings and lessons for each week, I focused on my own specific project, which was very useful. The course helped me to feel as if I was not going through that process alone. As a result, by the end of the course, not only did I produce the 3,000 word piece of creative nonfiction as a final assignment, I also put together a ten page book proposal and another article for publication. I am happy to know that Writers.com is there as a resource for the future. Thank you very much to Wendy and to Writers.com!! Christa Kuljian , author of Sanctuary (Jacana 2013) and Darwin’s Hunch (Jacana 2016) The content and assignments, especially the readings, were wonderful and eye opening. I ended up buying some of the books, including Wendy's, and really am loving using them. [Wendy] was very responsive and helpful.   Nancy Napier

“Wendy is very practical and creative, patient and encouraging. She has an innovative way of teaching that leads the writing student through a productive journey. This is the best approach to creative nonfiction narrative I have seen.” —Jeanmarie Morelli

Wendy Call

About Wendy Call

Wendy Call  has been writer in residence at two dozen institutions, including five national parks, four universities, two visual arts centers, and a historical archive, including at Everglades National Park , Harborview Medical Center , New College of Florida , Richard Hugo House , and Seattle University . She co-edited the widely used craft anthology Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers’ Guide (Plume/Penguin) and wrote No Word for Welcome (University of Nebraska Press), winner of Grub Street’s 2011 National Book Prize for Nonfiction. She teaches creative writing at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA. and on writers.com. Read her literary work at Guernica , Orion , Witness , and Yes! magazine, and her philosophy of teaching creative writing .

Wendy's Courses

  • Name * First Last
  • Classes You're Interested In

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Creative Nonfiction in Writing Courses

OWL logo

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

These resources discuss some terms and techniques that are useful to the beginning and intermediate creative nonfiction writer, and to instructors who are teaching creative nonfiction at these levels. The distinction between beginning and intermediate writing is provided for both students and instructors, and numerous sources are listed for more information about creative nonfiction tools and how to use them. A sample assignment sheet is also provided for instructors.

Introduction

Creative nonfiction is a broad term and encompasses many different forms of writing. This resource focuses on the three basic forms of creative nonfiction: the personal essay, the memoir essay, and the literary journalism essay. A short section on the lyric essay is also discussed.

The Personal Essay

The personal essay is commonly taught in first-year composition courses because students find it relatively easy to pick a topic that interests them, and to follow their associative train of thoughts, with the freedom to digress and circle back.

The point to having students write personal essays is to help them become better writers, since part of becoming a better writer is the ability to express personal experiences, thoughts and opinions. Since academic writing may not allow for personal experiences and opinions, writing the personal essay is a good way to allow students further practice in writing.

The goal of the personal essay is to convey personal experiences in a convincing way to the reader, and in this way is related to rhetoric and composition, which is also persuasive. A good way to explain a personal essay assignment to a more goal-oriented student is simply to ask them to try to persuade the reader about the significance of a particular event.

Most high-school and first-year college students have plenty of experiences to draw from, and they are convinced about the importance of certain events over others in their lives. Often, students find their strongest conviction in the process of writing, and the personal essay is a good way to get students to start exploring these possibilities in writing.

A personal essay assignment can work well as a prelude to a research paper, because personal essays will help students understand their own convictions better, and will help prepare them to choose research topics that interest them.

An Example and Discussion of a Personal Essay

The following excerpt from Wole Soyinka's (Nigerian Nobel Laureate) Why Do I Fast? is an example of a personal essay. What follows is a short discussion of Soyinka's essay.

Soyinka begins with a question that fascinates him. He doesn’t feel required to immediately answer the question in the second paragraph. Rather, he takes time to consider his own inclination to believe that there is a connection between fasting and sensuality.

Soyinka follows the flowing associative arc of his thoughts, and he goes on to write about sunsets, and quotes from a poem that he wrote in his cell. The essay ends, not on a restatement of his thesis, but on yet another question that arises:

This question remains unanswered. Soyinka is not interested in even attempting to answer it. The personal essay doesn’t necessarily seek to make sense out of life experiences; rather, personal essays tend to let go of that sense-making impulse to do something else, like nose around a bit in the wondering, uncertain space that lies between experience and the need to organize it in a logical manner.

However informal the personal essay may seem, it’s important to keep in mind that, as Dinty W. Moore says in The Truth of the Matter: Art and Craft in Creative Nonfiction , “the essay should always be motivated by the author’s genuine interest in wrestling with complex questions.”

Generating Ideas for Personal Essays

In The Truth of the Matter: Art and Craft in Creative Nonfiction , Moore goes on to explain an effective way to help students generate ideas for personal essays:

“Think about ten things you care about deeply: the environment, children in poverty, Alzheimer’s research (because your grandfather is a victim), hip-hop music, Saturday afternoon football games. Make your own list of ten important subjects, and then narrow the larger subject down to specific subjects you might write about. The environment? How about that bird sanctuary out on Township Line Road that might be torn down to make room for a megastore?..."

"...What is it like to be the food service worker who puts mustard on two thousand hot dogs every Saturday afternoon? Don’t just wonder about it - talk to the mustard spreader, spend an afternoon hanging out behind the counter, spread some mustard yourself. Transform your list of ten things into a longer list of possible story ideas. Don’t worry for now about whether these ideas would take a great amount of research, or might require special permission or access. Just write down a master list of possible stories related to your ideas and passions. Keep the list. You may use it later.”

It is this flexibility of form in the personal essay that makes it easy for students who are majoring in engineering, nutrition, graphic design, finance, management, etc. to adapt, learn and practice. The essay can be a more worldly form of writing than poetry or fiction, so students from various backgrounds, majors, jobs and cultures can express interesting and powerful thoughts and feelings in them.

The essay is more worldly than poetry and fiction in another sense: it allows for more of the world and its languages, its arts and food, its sport and business, its travel and politics, its sciences and entertainment, to be present, valid and important.

Writing Nonfiction

Although many say writing nonfiction is more manageable than writing fiction, it is no less work. Nonfiction is, broadly speaking, the most common form of writing out there. This course focuses on commercial nonfiction genres, and concentrates on helping authors turn their ideas into a solid book proposal. The course looks at the principles of writing nonfiction and what’s involved, and explores the various forms of nonfiction. Tutors will provide resource materials for authors to absorb and guidelines to implement in their own time. Aimed at seasoned writers who are ready to take their writing to the next level, the six weeks are designed to help writers package a sellable idea. BONUS : The last two weeks will feature round tables with HarperCollins published authors, sharing their writing experience with students in a live online environment. At the end of the course students should be able to go away and produce a concrete nonfiction proposal.

The Principles of Nonfiction: (2 hours)

Writing creative nonfiction (2 hours), structure, organization, and research (2 hours), preparing your nonfiction proposal (2 hours), genre breakout sessions: 1 (1 hour each but times will vary from normal class times depending on guest speaker availability), genre breakout sessions: 2 (1 hour each but times will vary from normal class times depending on guest speaker availability), reading resources:.

A comprehensive list of further reading resources is also available for enrolled authors to use and absorb in their own time.

Privacy Overview

Online Creative Writing Courses

Become the best writer you can be, monthly or annual subscription.

The Writers Guild is like a writing conference you can access from anywhere 24/7. Instant access to video training on any writing topic. Additionally, several times each month Jerry answers your questions live, hosts new writing workshops, interviews industry experts, and so much more. Click below to learn more:

One Payment, Lifetime Access

Your Novel Blueprint provides a proven guide to writing the best novel you can imagine —all the way from the idea stage to the printed page. Jerry teaches you everything he’s learned from writing 130+ novels (with sales over 60 million copies). Click below to learn more:

Did you purchase before July 26, 2021? Click here to log in.

6 monthly payments.

Dreamer to Author provides a proven process for crushing writer's block, conquering fear, and consistently finishing manuscripts. Jerry teaches you everything he's learned over his 40+ year career writing nearly 200 books to help you finally finish yours and become an author.

The Jumpstart Series

Fiction jumpstart.

COURSES-fiction-jumpstart

Fiction Jumpstart gives you a roadmap to writing stories and novels that hook your reader from the first page to the last. This course will help if you’ve had trouble getting started or making progress with your novel. 

Confidence Jumpstart

COURSES-confidence-jumpstart

Confidence Jumpstart helps crush your fears so you can finally write your book. Jerry shows you how to overcome the fear of rejection, stay motivated, beat writer’s block, find your Why , get your writing sale-ready, and so much more. 

Nonfiction Jumpstart

Nonfiction Jumpstart is a course that will help you reach the audience waiting to be changed by the power of your story. It contains dozens of lessons that will help you employ storytelling techniques to the facts so you know how to keep your reader engaged.

Additional Online Writing Courses

Thick-skinned manuscript critique.

COURSES-thick-skinned

The Thick-Skinned Manuscript Critique clinic shows you how to become a ferocious self-editor. In this 3-hour recording, Jerry dissects the opening pages of 10 manuscripts —revealing his proven editing process. Click below to learn more:

Anatomy of a Bestselling Story

COURSES-anatomy

In this 3-hour recording of a live workshop, you’ll discover the surprising secrets that make readers obsess over compelling stories—and you’ll discover how to use them to make your own novel irresistible. Click below to learn more:

Art of the Start

COURSES-art-start

This 2-session recording of a live workshop is designed to help you break through self-doubt and finally begin your writing journey with confidence. You get both encouragement and a proven strategy for starting. Click below to learn more:

Writing for the Inspirational Market

COURSES-inspirational

This course serves as a guide to writing in the faith-based arena. Jerry reveals the secrets behind the success of his bestselling Left Behind series—and shows you how to craft your own message to share with the world. Click below to learn more:

Explore Greyhound Nation

  • Loyola Today

Course Descriptions for Spring 2024 Offerings

Wr200.01: intro to creative nonfiction.

Counts as a Peace and Justice Minor Studies elective.

Instructor:  Prof. Jane Satterfield  TTH 1:40-2:55

Creative nonfiction is true stories artfully told. Nonfiction writers hail from all disciplines and walks of life; they top bestseller charts with styles that range from the traditional to the experimental. They pay witness to and advocate for the common good. In Introduction to Creative Nonfiction, you’ll learn strategies successful writers use to protest, persuade, and entertain while drawing on the dynamic energy of great fiction.

We’ll read personal essays and profiles with a special focus on today’s cutting-edge flash nonfiction to help you explore outlets for your publishing future. Our class will offer a supportive atmosphere where you can receive feedback and cultivate creativity. By semester’s end, you’ll have a portfolio of work that showcases your unique take on stories that matter most to you.

Whether you want to preserve the people and places and things you love, share your discoveries with the world, or speak out for social justice, our class will help you harness the power of real-life stories to reach a wider audience in the classroom, in the workplace, and beyond. All majors and levels of experience welcome!

WR200.02: Introduction to Creative Nonfiction

Instructor: Dr. Terre Ryan TTH 12:15-1:30pm Creative nonfiction is the art of telling true stories. By reading and analyzing various works of nonfiction, students learn techniques that writers use to shape truth into vibrant, engaging stories. You’ll gain practice writing in various styles and forms of nonfiction, including flash nonfiction, memoir, literary journalism, and more. You’ll share and critique one another’s work in an encouraging, creative environment. And you’ll have the opportunity to tell your stories in ways you may not have imagined. By semester’s end, you’ll have produced a portfolio of polished works that you can share with the world. What stories do you want to tell? Students from all majors are welcome.

WR220D.01: Intro to Rhetoric

Instructor: Dr. Martin Camper MW 4:30-5:45

We know that great speakers and writers—from Cesar Chavez to Shirley Chisholm—are able to persuade their audiences to change their beliefs and actions. But how? To answer this question, we will mine the rich tradition of classical rhetoric, developed by Greco-Roman language theorists such as Aristotle and Cicero. As you will learn, rhetoric is more than the verbal spin of politicians, though we’ll certainly examine political discourse. Rhetoric is the art of writing and speaking to move people to change. Rhetoric is also a way of seeing how we are constantly persuading other people or being persuaded ourselves, and many students find this course alters their view of the world. As a domestic diversity-designated course, we will be especially concerned with the connections between persuasion, diversity, identity, and power in the U.S. Through the close analysis and production of non-fiction texts, you will learn and practice how to produce prose that is sensitive to diverse audiences and capable of addressing complex social issues in a variety of academic, public, civic, and professional settings. 

WR230.01: Introduction to Poetry and Fiction

Instructor: Prof. Karen Fish TT 10:50-12:05

This is a foundational course for those with little or no experience with fiction and/or poetry. You might simply want to “try it out.” I find it impossible to teach writing without teaching close reading. This semester you will read like a writer and gradually learn how to notice the many technical choices that authors make. Reading closely can give us ideas and provide context. I am interested in inspiring you and fostering an atmosphere where it is enjoyable to experiment and practice, rewrite and revise. Writing is finally about studying good writing and finding things worth writing about.

WR230.02: Introduction to Poetry and Fiction

Instructor: Prof. Helen Hofling MWF 11:00-11:50

Is a poem like a message in a bottle, as Celan wrote? Or is a poem, in the words of Valéry, “really a kind of machine”? How do great stories build imaginary worlds, involving readers in characters whose minds feel as real as our own? This class will explore how poetry and fiction work and how to translate our observations as readers into skills as writers.

We will learn about writing through exploration, experimentation, practice, and dialogue. This class aims to foster a community of writers who are excited about what they are creating—generating ideas, attempting new forms and techniques, developing their voices, and responding to each other’s work. Students can expect to read and write poems and stories, as well as short forms that blur the distinctions between the two. No previous creative writing experience is required to take this class.

WR244.01: Fundamentals of Film Studies

Fundamentals of Film also counts toward the Film Studies minor

Instructor: Dr. Brian Murray TTH 3:05-4:20pm

In Fundamentals of Film students watch and analyze movies that represent different eras and countries, and reflect a variety of styles and genres, including Comedy, Horror and Science Fiction. We will also become acquainted with the language of film—with the wide variety of shots, angles and special effects that have made movies by such directors as Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, and Steven Spielberg both highly popular and critically acclaimed. Along the way, we will also discuss and write about such related topics as violence and censorship, as well as the technological and economic factors likely to change the way movies are made and watched in the future. Course requirements include weekly written responses and a critical essay on a related film topic of the student’s choice. 

WR305.01: Writing for the Web and Social Media

Instructor: Dr. Andrea Leary MWF 1:00-1:50

“Billions of people use digital tools and technologies every day to communicate. It is worth examining how these tools can be used effectively and ethically.” –Dan Lawrence, Digital Writing

Why? Because nearly everyone is writing for the web, and you want to do it well—you want to stand out. How will you do that? With your voice. We will focus on developing your own brand voice and writing with the voice of your service partner. A clear, unique voice will set your writing apart. Writing for the Web will focus on the practicalities of web writing—ethics, distinctiveness, persuasiveness, vivid writing style. You will produce social media marketing packages, reviews, e-newsletters, blogs, infographics, press releases, and a website. You’ll use multi-modal strategies appropriate for your audience and genre as you write persuasively. And nearly every assignment will be produced for your service partner—a nonprofit who will be able to use the portfolio of materials that you produce. By the end of this course, you’ll have honed your own distinct voice, have a portfolio of a variety of genres of web writing that are ready for your next internship or job opportunity, and you’ll have served an organization in our community. 

WR311.01: Style

Instructor: Dr. Martin Camper MW 6:00-7:15

In this course, we will explore the rhetorical art of style. We will study and use a number of tools for recognizing, discussing, and shaping forms of discourse at the levels of the word, phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, and whole text. Throughout the semester, we will consider the intimate relationship that style has with argument, audience, representation, and ethics. To help us achieve these ends, we will read masters of English prose style, past and contemporary, as models. Throughout the semester, you will focus your analytical and productive attention on a public relations or marketing campaign in order to make the stylistic concepts we encounter your own. The fruits of attending to style are multiple. The stylistic skills that you will acquire in this course can be adapted for a variety of academic, creative, public, and professional situations.

WR 326: Technical Writing 

Wr333.01: writing fiction .

Instructor: Dr. Marian Crotty TTH 10:50-12:05    This course is an introduction to writing short stories. We’ll read a variety of short stories and study how they are put together. You’ll learn to write dialogue, manipulate time and point of view, and experiment with voice and language; and, by the end of the semester, you’ll have two revised short stories of your own. This course is designed to foster your creativity and give you the technical skills needed to transform your ideas in the art. Throughout the semester, you’ll also exchange writing with your classmates and encourage each other along the way. 

WR342.01: Advanced Poetry

Instructor: Prof. Karen Fish TTH 12:15-1:30

WR352: Biography and Autobiography

Instructor:  Prof. Jane Satterfield  TTH 3:05 PM - 4:20 PM

Everyone’s life includes elements of drama, humor, and insight. In Biography and Autobiography, you’ll learn how to shape memory and experience into compelling writing. Why do others’ life stories fascinate us? What challenges do authors face when their experience is at odds with cultural expectations? What are the social benefits and ethical dimensions of writing about our lives? About other people’s lives? We’ll answer these questions, and many more.  Our class will explore the varied traditions of life writing through works by celebrated contemporary writers such as Natasha Tretheway, Marjane Satrapi, Brian Turner, and more. We’ll look at the history and conventions of both memoir and biography to show how writers push boundaries and innovate within these forms. Lively class discussion, informal writing exercises, and supportive workshop sessions will push your writing in new directions as you create a portfolio of work that blends your own unique voice with the key techniques of today’s best life writing. All majors and levels of experience welcome!

WR354: Writing about the Environment

Counts toward the Environmental Studies Minor, the American Studies Minor, and the Peace and Justice Program.

Instructor: Dr. Terre Ryan TTH 9:25-10:40am

Writing about the Environment is a discussion-based, nonfiction writing course exploring representations of the American environment. Through analyses of film, poetry, nonfiction, news articles, webpages, scholarly articles, advertisements, and other cultural texts, we’ll explore what myths influence American perceptions of the environment. We’ll consider how our lifestyles impact the environment, what is just, and what is sustainable. Students write creative and critical pieces, participate in one group project, and submit a final portfolio of polished writing. Whether you prefer the great outdoors or the great indoors, the city or the country, this course is ideal if you enjoy learning about American culture, envision a career in creative writing, law, business, journalism, or science, or if you simply want to hone your writing skills. 

WR355: Travel Writing

Instructor: Julie Lewis Asynchronous Online In this section of Travel Writing, you will use writing to enrich the experiences you have while studying abroad. You will learn about the types of travel writing being written and published today and will write short essays and blog entries about your time abroad. You will also connect online with other Loyola students who are currently studying abroad in other locations and learn about each other’s host countries by reading and responding to each other’s writing. I hope this class will encourage you to more fully immerse yourself in your study abroad program by prompting you to explore your location and to reflect upon the challenges and rewards of living in another country.

WR357.01: Writing About Film

Instructor: Dr. Brian Murray TTH 4:30-5:45

In this class students watch, and write about, a variety of movies from studios and independent filmmakers from the US and elsewhere. Along the way, students are introduced to key critical writings about film as an art form and a major critical force. To that end, we look at films representing different genres, many of them recent, and we read essays and film reviews by various classic and contemporary writers who seek to reveal (for example) why some movies are overlooked; why some succeed and some fail; why some offer particularly effective insights into culture, society, and the human condition. Writing assignments include shorter reviewers, and two essays about a film-related topic of the student’s choice. Writing About Film is discussion-based in a seminar format, using the portfolio method for evaluation. The class aims to help students refine their writing skills while thinking critically about the modern world’s most influential art form.

WR385.01: Spc Top in Creative Writing: The Literature of Walking 

Instructor: Prof. Helen Hofling T 4:30-7:00pm

This class will investigate connections between walking, thinking, and writing. Class activities and assignments will prompt students to actively engage with walking as a tool for reflection, nonlinear creative thinking, meditation, inspiration, and sharpening the writer’s most valuable skill—observation.  In Wanderlust: A History of Walking, Rebecca Solnit writes that "The rhythm of walking generates a kind of rhythm of thinking, and the passage through a landscape echoes or stimulates the passage through a series of thoughts." We'll explore how Solnit and other writers including Virginia Woolf, Teju Cole, Henry David Thoreau, Ross Gay, Mary Oliver, Charles Baudelaire, Annie Dillard, and W.G. Sebald use walking as a literary practice, channeling our findings into our own creative writing. We’ll also take inspiration from peripatetic and situationist philosophers, the literary figure of the flâneur, nature writing, and writing about urban landscapes.  Students with all experience levels are welcome. Expect to do plenty of reading, writing, and walking together.

WR387.01: Special Topics in Professional Writing: Writing about Health

For juniors and seniors only. Counts for the Health & Human Experience minor integrative experience or as an elective.

Instructor: Dr. Peggy O’Neill TTH 1:40-2:55

Writing about health is everywhere. Articles in newspapers and magazines. Blogs on hospital and medical center websites. Employers’ websites for self-care. Government and non-government agencies posters, print and web resources. Brochures for patients and clients. Social media sites devoted to an illness or health concern. This special topic course is for students interested in the many ways that writing about health circulates in our world.   The course will be conducted as a writing workshop course that introduces students to the conventions and genres used in writing about health and well-being. Students will read and research health-related topics and develop their own community-engaged projects over the course of the semester. Students will produce a variety of texts in multiple genres that address topics such as equity, access, illness, and wellbeing.  This course satisfies the integrative capstone for the Health and Human Experience minor, but it will be useful for anyone interested in health and well-being and who wants to improve their professional writing competencies.

WR400.01:Senior Seminar

Required capstone for Writing majors and minors

Instructor: Dr. Marian Crotty TTH 9:25-10:40

Senior Seminar is a capstone writing course required for all writing majors and minors that is designed to serve as a culmination of your writing coursework. In this section, you will read innovative contemporary creative writing from a variety of aesthetics and genres and use this writing to inspire your own work. You will also read and discuss author interviews and essays about writing that reflect on some of the artistic and ethical debates within the contemporary writing world. In the final portion of the course, you will write an artist statement and revise creative work that can be used in applications to jobs or graduate school. This particular section, the focus will be creative writing.

WR402.01: Writing Internship 

Restricted to junior and senior writing majors, interdisciplinary writing majors, or writing minors. Written or electronic permission of the internship coordinator or department chair.

Instructor: Dr. Andrea Leary You have taken the classes, completed the assignments, and polished your writing.  You’ve worked hard in each writing class to hone the skills you need to make your mark in the workplace. Taking the internship class will give you that extra edge. Not only will you gain valuable work experience in this course, you will leave with a professional portfolio, a potential supervisor recommendation, and opportunities for reflection and discernment. 

WR402, the three-credit internship class, allows you polish your resume, locate a workplace that fits your future goals, and learn in that environment for 120 hours during the semester (essentially 8-10 hours per week). Because this is a class, you will be asked to do some reading and writing on your experiences, but we will not meet in a classroom in order to allow you ample time at your internship. Instead, much of our communication will occur online, as we discuss your goals, challenges, and successes. You will work with The Successful Internship:  Personal, Professional, and Civic Development in Experiential Learning as a text, which will give you advice along with the opportunity to apply that advice to your experiences in your workplace. In addition, you will have the chance to read your classmates’ reflections and offer advice there as well.

Classroom learning builds your foundation. Combine classroom learning with an internship, and you’ll have the experience you need to help you land that first job.

Upcoming Events

writing nonfiction course

  • Terms of use
  • Questions and answers
  • Information for schools
  • Advertising on site
  • School rating
  • Course selection
  • Enter your personal account
  • Registration for schools

Courses of English in Kazan

Obrazovatelnyj centr ABC

Our experts have not found quality courses of English in Kazan

Do you know such? Let us know: [email protected]!

Try online courses with a native speaker for free!

Methods of the best online schools at the best price when booking on our website!

Shkola anglijskogo yazyka "Lingvo Plyus"

  • Czech Republic
  • Switzerland
  • United Kingdom
  • Online courses
  • Saint Petersburg
  • Arkhangelsk
  • Blagoveshchensk
  • Chelyabinsk
  • Cherepovets
  • Dimitrovgrad
  • Dolgoprudny
  • Elektrostal
  • Kaliningrad
  • Kamensk-Uralsky
  • Khanty-Mansiysk
  • Komsomolsk-on-Amur
  • Krasnogorsk
  • Krasnoyarsk
  • Lesosibirsk
  • Magnitogorsk
  • Makhachkala
  • Naberezhnye Chelny
  • Nefteyugansk
  • Nevinnomyssk
  • Nizhnekamsk
  • Nizhnevartovsk
  • Nizhny Novgorod
  • Nizhny Tagil
  • Novocheboksarsk
  • Novocherkassk
  • Novokuybyshevsk
  • Novokuznetsk
  • Novomoskovsk
  • Novorossiysk
  • Novoshakhtinsk
  • Novosibirsk
  • Novy Urengoy
  • Orekhovo-Zuyevo
  • Pavlovsky Posad
  • Pervouralsk
  • Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky
  • Petrozavodsk
  • Prokopyevsk
  • Rostov-on-Don
  • Sergiyev Posad
  • Severodvinsk
  • Shchyolkovo
  • Sosnovoborsk
  • Stary Oskol
  • Sterlitamak
  • Vladikavkaz
  • Vladivostok
  • Yekaterinburg
  • Yoshkar-Ola
  • Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk
  • Zelenogorsk
  • Zheleznogorsk
  • Azerbaijani
  • Farsi (persian)

IMAGES

  1. 3 Easy Steps For Teaching Students to Use Nonfiction Text Features

    writing nonfiction course

  2. 18 Nonfiction Writing Courses to Help You Plan and Write Your Next Book

    writing nonfiction course

  3. Nonfiction Writing Unit of Study

    writing nonfiction course

  4. Adventures in Writing Nonfiction Launch!

    writing nonfiction course

  5. A Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction

    writing nonfiction course

  6. Text Based Writing Nonfiction, Grade 3 by Evan-Moor Educational

    writing nonfiction course

VIDEO

  1. why #writing #shortvideo

  2. Introducing the F.I.T.S. Framework (Prompt Engineering Basics)

COMMENTS

  1. Online Creative Nonfiction Writing Courses

    February 21 | 4 Weeks | $345 Text-Based Course full. Contact us to join waitlist. Less is more in this bite-sized writing class, where you'll learn how to tell complete stories under the tightest word counts. Fiction, Personal Essay, Poetry, Short Story From Memory: Writing Fiction or Memoir from Lived Experience with Chin-Sun Lee

  2. 18 Nonfiction Writing Courses to Help You Plan and Write Your Next Book

    Nonfiction Writing Classes If you are thinking of writing nonfiction, you might consider one of these 18 courses to help make your book one that people are eager to read. You can also refer to our guides with steps to writing a nonfiction book synopsis and how to make money writing nonfiction. 1. How to Write a Book in 30 Days (Nonfiction)

  3. Course Types

    Pathways Make a yearlong commitment to your craft Whether you're new to the genre or you're looking to add more rigor and accountability to your writing practice, these thoughtful progressions of courses will help you learn (or revisit) the fundamentals of the genre, develop your craft, enrich your knowledge, and sharpen your skills.

  4. Non-Fiction Writing Courses

    Philip Marsden Features Features Features Find the right course for you - from memoir to life writing and creative non-fiction, Faber Academy offers workshops suitable for writers of all levels.

  5. CNF Education

    Connect & learn. Since 2011, Creative Nonfiction's education programs have helped thousands of writers from all over the world tell their stories better. Looking for Classes?

  6. How to Write Creative Nonfiction

    Writing Creative Nonfiction Tilar J. Mazzeo, Ph.D. Professor, Colby College Course No. 2154 3.8 225 reviews 76% would recommend Image not found Own this Course Instant Video $239.95 DVD $339.95 Add to Cart e-Gift Wish List Audio version now exclusively on Subscribe and Stream Plans starting at $13/month Start Free Trial Over 800 Great Courses.

  7. 84 Nonfiction Writing Classes in 2024

    Sackett Street Writers Add to shortlist Through group discussion of student work, plus that of published authors, writers in this workshop will examine the art and craft of creative nonfiction. The focus will be on learning to understand and use a full range of literary techniques in order to tell a truly compelling nonfiction story.

  8. Nonfiction

    This course is an overview of the creative nonfiction genre and the many different types of writing that are included within it: memoir, criticism, nature writing, travel writing, and more. Our readings will be both historical and contemporary: writers will include Virginia Woolf, James Baldwin, Joan Didion, Audre Lorde, Hilton Als, and Carmen ...

  9. 12+ Best Nonfiction Online Writing Courses

    2. Creative Nonfiction Master Class - The Writing Salon This nonfiction writing class is aimed at experienced nonfiction writers who want to improve their writing skills through a workshop setting, and who would like to learn through the reading and discussion of other writers' work.

  10. Creative Nonfiction Writing Classes Online: 8 Things to Know

    8. Creative nonfiction online courses are a community. As you've probably guessed, the shared vulnerability and collaboration of the workshop tends to bring students together! While you're writing creative nonfiction, great courses will foster a sense of community and camaraderie that helps you break the finish line.

  11. Writing Non-Fiction: The Essential Guide

    Writing Non-Fiction: The Essential Guide 3.7 (45 ratings) 578 students What you'll learn Understand the essential elements of writing non-fiction articles Know how to find topics to write about Identify writing markets to which you can sell your work Plan, research and write articles that will suit those markets

  12. Learn How to Write Great Nonfiction

    Learn How to Write Great Nonfiction. The Memoir and Personal Essay Specialization offered by Wesleyan University aims to teach you how to write with confidence. Taught by award-winning essayists and memoirists, this Specialization gives you tips, prompts, exercises, readings, and challenges that will prepare you for writing compelling nonfiction.

  13. Online Course: Nonfiction Writing 101

    CEUs Course Description Mastering the Craft of Nonfiction Writing In a world oversaturated with information, the art of nonfiction writing stands as a testament to the pursuit of truth, authenticity, and in-depth exploration of experiences and events.

  14. The Non-Sexy Business of Non-Fiction (Free Course)

    The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction. Taught by: Azul Terronez. Start this course. Having a great non-fiction book idea is one thing. Writing a book and having it accomplish what you want it to for you and your readers is another. In this 10 day course, publishing coach Azul Terronez goes through which common writing mistakes to avoid ...

  15. Creative Nonfiction I Course

    This course explores the unlimited possibilities of creative nonfiction, which embraces forms of creative writing such as personal essay, memoir, profiles and more. Working with the same techniques as fiction, including artful language choices, dialogue, character development, structure and plot, you are guided to transform factual events and ...

  16. Next-Level Creative Nonfiction: Elevating Essays, Memoir, Travel

    This course celebrates the power of non-fiction writing within a unique and successful structure. The process presented is detailed but manageable, the readings insightful and pointed. Wendy is positive, informative and responsive. I highly recommend! Valerie Ashton. I was very happy with the content, lessons and assignments.

  17. Creative Nonfiction in Writing Courses

    Introduction Creative nonfiction is a broad term and encompasses many different forms of writing. This resource focuses on the three basic forms of creative nonfiction: the personal essay, the memoir essay, and the literary journalism essay. A short section on the lyric essay is also discussed. The Personal Essay

  18. Creative Nonfiction Writing

    This course provides the skills used in nonfiction writing, which may be feature articles or autobiographies rooted in fact. We explain how to craft compelling narratives, conduct research, fact-check and more. COURSE PUBLISHER - Start Course Now In This Free Course, You Will Learn How To - - - - View All Learning Outcomes Course Modules

  19. Writing Nonfiction

    Writing Nonfiction Although many say writing nonfiction is more manageable than writing fiction, it is no less work. Nonfiction is, broadly speaking, the most common form of writing out there. This course focuses on commercial nonfiction genres, and concentrates on helping authors turn their ideas into a solid book proposal.

  20. Online Creative Writing Courses by a 21-time Bestseller

    Nonfiction Jumpstart is a course that will help you reach the audience waiting to be changed by the power of your story. It contains dozens of lessons that will help you employ storytelling techniques to the facts so you know how to keep your reader engaged. ... This course serves as a guide to writing in the faith-based arena. Jerry reveals ...

  21. Course Descriptions for Spring 2024 Offerings

    Writing about the Environment is a discussion-based, nonfiction writing course exploring representations of the American environment. Through analyses of film, poetry, nonfiction, news articles, webpages, scholarly articles, advertisements, and other cultural texts, we'll explore what myths influence American perceptions of the environment. ...

  22. Courses of English in Noginsk

    Convenient search of English courses with a rating and reviews. Prices, courses cost comparison and school reviews. Choose the best course of English in Noginsk

  23. Las Nubes Project (York U) on Instagram: "Las Nubes Summer 2024 course

    8 likes, 0 comments - lasnubesproject on February 13, 2024: "Las Nubes Summer 2024 course: Narratives in/of Costa Rica. Individuals, Communities and their Vo..." Las Nubes Project (York U) on Instagram: "Las Nubes Summer 2024 course: Narratives in/of Costa Rica.

  24. Courses of English in Kazan

    4 160. RUR/month. Book the course Call from school. обучение по скайпу. General course of English. offer of the day. Belyj Krolik. 9.2. Reviews (4)

  25. Inkscapetober Day 4: Knot

    Inkscapetober Day 4: Knot. rating: +15 + - x. . Image Sources. Subject: flagsam aka CuteGirl. Commentary: CuteGirl is currently one of the operators of SkipIRC. When she is not busy moderating the chat, CuteGirl likes to smith from time to time. Therefore I have included Hephaistos, smith to the Greek gods, in the coat of arms.