Catalog Search Results
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Take a step back and learn about the origins of the utopian genre, beginning with Thomas More's Utopia of 1516. More's foundational work gave us the word "utopia," but did it create the genre? Explore the elements of the story to see how it set conventions for later works but also critiqued the very idea of utopia in the process.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
The query letter is your first impression and often what catches an agent or publisher’s attention, so it’s important to create a memorable one. Learn what elements comprise a good query letter, what components the publisher or agent requires, and how to stand out from a sea of queries so your book gets further consideration. Find out which red flags almost always result in immediate rejection..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Femininity is once again examined, this time with a focus on the roles women play in stories. Dr. Harvey shares a combined version of "Rapunzel," pulling from Grimm's German version and Basile's Italian version. Looking at the triad of Maiden/Mother/Crone and Warrior/Father/Sage, Dr. Harvey shows how stories reduce and distill all our life experiences into simple symbols.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Writing great fiction isn't a gift reserved for a talented few - the craft of storytelling can be learned. Even if you don't dream of penning the next Moby-Dick, you'll enjoy exploring the elements of fiction. A wealth of exercises will get you writing so that you can practice the many techniques you learn. From evoking a scene to charting a plot, this course is a master class in storytelling.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Get introduced to folktales and the various classifications as Dr. Harvey introduces you to the wide world of folklore. You'll hear the 1697 Charles Perrault version of "Sleeping Beauty" and take a deep dive into the meaning behind the symbolism and the importance differences between this story and the Grimm version we are more familiar with.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
Every narrative has a tempo. Some stories are short, while others are long. Some move at breakneck speed, while others linger over every detail. Discover how to strike the right balance between length and time (the pacing), between length and detail (the density), and between scene and summary.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
Professor Cognard-Black guides you through Aristotle’s process of inventio or invention, which is that period of discovery as you write your first draft. You’ll examine openings from a number of published works, gaining a powerful toolkit that can help you craft the first sentence of your first draft. From there, Professor Cognard-Black provides a multitude of invaluable tools for revising, editing, and reviewing your writing until you’ve reached...
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Great Utopian and Dystopian Works of Literature plunges you into the history and development of utopian ideas and their dystopian counterparts. You’ll encounter some of the most powerful and influential texts in this genre as you travel centuries into the past and thousands of years into the future, through worlds that are beautiful, laughable, terrifying, and always thought-provoking.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Dr. Harvey jumps into the 20th century to demonstrate how Tall Tales reinforce the ideals of the cultures where they were born. After sharing the stories of "Pecos Bill," "Katy Goodgrit" and "Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox," Dr. Harvey delves into how ballads and folksongs served as a voice from those who couldn't speak. She presents "The Ballad of John Henry" and "The Ballad of Casey Jones."
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2020.
Language
English
Description
Looking at examples from writers including John Grisham, Michael Connelly, George Pelecanos, J. D. Salinger, Suzanne Collins, Thomas Harris, and more, Mr. Bell analyzes first what makes a novel, and then, what makes a novel successful. He also provides his own insights by exploring the role luck plays in creating a best seller.
11) Humor Essays
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
One of the most surprising insights into humor essays is the revelation that most humor comes from misfortune. This idea has been around for centuries, as even Aristotle noted that laughing at tragedy is cathartic for both the writer and the audience. You’ll delve into how self-deprecating humor lends itself to creating ethos or credibility in this particular form of essay. Professor Cognard-Black provides a treasure trove of humorists to study,...
12) A Children’s Guide to Folklore and Wonder Tales: Episode 6,Cinderella II: Baba Yaga and Goddesses
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
With the French and Italian versions of "Cinderella," Dr. Harvey presented a classic "rise" tale, but "Cinderella" is the one of the world's oldest "magic tales" with many versions, interpretations, and morals. Vasilisa the Fair" follows the traditional "Cinderella" story, but with many twists and offers the idea that there can be ambiguity in folklore characters.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
Explore how many writers take the foundational elements of mystery and suspense and move them to earlier periods of history, often mixing true events and historical facts with fictional characters or situations. Professor Schmid introduces you to two types of historical mysteries and showcases a number of examples to understand why historical mysteries are so popular among their legions of fans.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
Understanding where your fiction book falls in the general categories of literature is an essential step to getting published, as there is a plethora of genre-specific publishing houses. Differentiate between the various categories of fiction writing, including defining commercial and literary fiction, and examine the various types of children’s books..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2014.
Language
English
Description
So far, this study has focused on the individual elements of good fiction. Now that you have a complete toolkit of writing techniques, how do you put it all together to create a whole story? Professor Hynes discusses the process of writing an entire draft, and offers some words of wisdom to help you maintain momentum.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
Published during the wave of anti-communist hysteria of the 1950s, John Wyndham's The Chrysalids is one of the earliest examples of Young Adult dystopian fiction and a potent examination of the "fear of the Other" in dystopian storytelling. See how it set the stage for the extremely rich strain of dystopian literature aimed at younger readers that dominates bestseller lists in the 21st century.
17) The Memoir Essay
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
A memoir is often confused with a personal essay, but Professor Cognard-Black shows you the difference, once again using examples from her own students’ work. She then provides numerous tips to help you recreate your memories and turn them into fascinating pieces of writing. Learn techniques that allow you to get as detailed as possible in your descriptions while still maintaining a central focus and writing concisely.
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2015.
Language
English
Description
The non-fiction world is also broken into categories including memoir, education, creative or narrative non-fiction, and practical or self-help. Delve into the various genres of non-fiction writing, and learn how to determine which publishing house best aligns with your non-fiction manuscript..
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
Originating in the medieval period, polemical essays are the form for writers who wish to focus on a topic from one perspective only. They are often written to be deliberately polarizing. Refusing to shy away from volatile issues, it takes a strong writer to turn an antagonistic rant into a persuasive, polemical argument. Professor Cognard-Black shares examples of both well-written and overly strident polemical essays from authors such as Jonathan...
Publisher
The Great Courses
Pub. Date
2017.
Language
English
Description
The feminist utopian movement began in the 1970s and, despite the name, doesn't feature very many traditional "utopias." There is a guarded optimism represented in these novels that dealt with real-world issues of discrimination by creating societies portrayed as classless, crimeless, government-free, but laden with satire.
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