In this course aspiring writers will be introduced to the techniques that masters of fiction use to ground a story in a concrete world. From the most realist settings to the most fantastical, writers will learn how to describe the physical world in sharp, sensory detail. We will also learn how to build credibility through research, and to use creative meditation exercises to deepen our own understanding of our story worlds, so that our readers can see all that we imagine.



Creative Writing: The Craft of Setting and Description
This course is part of Creative Writing Specialization

Instructor: Amity Gaige
Access provided by Boehringer Ingelheim
68,565 already enrolled
(1,403 reviews)
Skills you'll gain
Details to know

Add to your LinkedIn profile
See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Build your subject-matter expertise
- Learn new concepts from industry experts
- Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
- Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
- Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course
Writing a great short story is like conveying a dream. As we will see from studying one famous master, a "persuasive" setting is necessary in order to build mood, character, and even plot.
What's included
7 videos4 readings1 peer review
Pack your fiction with "vitamin-rich" detail. Looking at the work of both masters and students, we will discuss how funny, meaningful, and powerful details can be.
What's included
4 videos3 readings1 peer review
Create settings both familiar and unfamiliar to you, while avoiding common missteps. You will be guided through several meditation exercises as you practice "imaginative research".
What's included
4 videos1 peer review
Setting and description works in realist and non-realist fiction, as well as across literary genres. Consider how to write about your own "primal landscape".
What's included
4 videos1 peer review
Earn a career certificate
Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.
Instructor

Offered by
Why people choose Coursera for their career




Learner reviews
1,403 reviews
- 5 stars
77.60%
- 4 stars
17.18%
- 3 stars
4.13%
- 2 stars
0.42%
- 1 star
0.64%
Showing 3 of 1403
Reviewed on Aug 16, 2016
This course was awesome. Every assignment was really challenging and the classes were so interesting. I think it was the best course in this specialization. Thank you very much to the teacher!
Reviewed on Oct 28, 2019
I enjoyed this course very much; Amity was a great instructor, and I loved how she incorporated some readings into it. I found the course very useful, and only wish it could have been longer.
Reviewed on Jan 19, 2021
The instructor is excellent. I would have like to stretch myself a little more in assignments, but overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the entire course and feel it helped me improve my writing.
Explore more from Arts and Humanities

Wesleyan University

Wesleyan University

Wesleyan University

Wesleyan University
¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.

