This class is the chance to create your personal essay or extend into a full memoir -- from planning and structure to bold narrative brushstrokes to the layering of significant detail. You will develop the opportunity to find your voice and see it come alive, amplified and improved, on the page. This is the chance to tell your story in a way that invites readers in; your story, written to be read. The memoir and personal essay are two of the best-selling and most universally acclaimed genres in the world of modern creative writing. Welcome to your story.
This course is part of the Memoir and Personal Essay: Write About Yourself Specialization
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Memoir and Personal Essay: Write About Yourself SpecializationWesleyan UniversityAbout this Course
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Flexible deadlines
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Shareable Certificate
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Course 3 of 4 in the
Approx. 7 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Russian, English, Spanish
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Course 3 of 4 in the
Approx. 7 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Russian, English, Spanish
Offered by
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University, founded in 1831, is a diverse, energetic liberal arts community where critical thinking and practical idealism go hand in hand. With our distinctive scholar-teacher culture, creative programming, and commitment to interdisciplinary learning, Wesleyan challenges students to explore new ideas and change the world. Our graduates go on to lead and innovate in a wide variety of industries, including government, business, entertainment, and science.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
2 hours to complete
How to Begin... and How to Continue
In this week, you will learn how to discover what you wish to say, and how to organize your material and your story (and what is the difference between the two).
2 hours to complete
5 videos (Total 41 min)
2 hours to complete
How Not to Fail
In this week you lean how to overcome your internal critic and your fears.
2 hours to complete
5 videos (Total 39 min)
1 hour to complete
The Truth of the Story Lies in the Details
In this week, you will learn how to sift through the dusty attic of all your memories, to find the ones that are narrative gold.
1 hour to complete
4 videos (Total 29 min)
2 hours to complete
Writing to be Read
In this week, you will learn how to tell a good sentence from a bad one and how to absorb the lessons of great memoirists and essayist, without copying anyone.
2 hours to complete
5 videos (Total 41 min)
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM WRITING A PERSONAL ESSAY
by HAApr 3, 2021
This was a really helpful course in giving me insight into the personal essay; however, I think that the ideas communicated in the lessons could be communicated in a more clear and abrupt manner.
by SMApr 21, 2021
Prof. Bloom is an excellent teacher. She is engaging, and her assignments are clearly explained and thoughtfully designed.
by AANov 5, 2019
Amy Bloom has a wealth of information to share and she leads the learner through complex ideas with ease.
by LDNov 18, 2020
Wow! This is truly helpful and insightful! I wanna write my own personal essay pretty soon.
About the Memoir and Personal Essay: Write About Yourself Specialization
How To Write About Yourself...so that someone else wants to read it! This is the heart of this Coursera specialization in Memoir and Personal Essay. Masters of both genres share tips, prompts, exercises, readings and challenges to help every writer imagine, construct and write compelling pieces of non-fiction's most popular form: the personal narrative.
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