Writing: The Craft of Story

Course details

In this course, author Lisa Cron digs into the craft of writing a compelling story based on what the brain is wired to respond to in every story we hear. Whether you're writing a story from scratch, or revising your story for the umpteenth time, this course offers practical how-to advice, then illustrates it using before-and-after examples. Discover how to craft a first page, zero in on your story's point, create empathy, find a character's secret goals and inner issues, translate generics into specifics, write for suspense, create cause-and-effect connections, build momentum and tension, and deftly implement setups, payoffs, flashbacks, subplots, and foreshadowing.

Learning objectives
What is a story?
Hooking your reader
Feeling what the protagonist feels
Being specific
Creating suspense and conflict
Writing flashbacks and subplots

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Crafting stories
02 - What you should know

1. What Is a Story

03 - Explanation - What is a story
04 - Example - What is a story
05 - Story check - What is a story

2. Hooking Your Reader

06 - Explanation - Hooking your reader
07 - Example - Hooking your reader
08 - Story check - Hooking your reader

3. All Stories Make a Point

09 - Explanation - All stories make a point
10 - Example - All stories make a point
11 - Story check - All stories make a point

4. Feeling What the Protagonist Feels

12 - Explanation - Feeling what the protagonist feels
13 - Example - Feeling what the protagonist feels
14 - Story check - Feeling what the protagonist feels

5. All Protagonists Have a Goal

15 - Explanation - All protagonists have a goal
16 - Example - All protagonists have a goal
17 - Story check - All protagonists have a goal

6. Uncovering Your Protagonist's Inner Issue

18 - Explanation - Uncovering your protagonist's inner issue
19 - Example - Uncovering your protagonist's inner issue
20 - Story check - Uncovering your protagonist's inner issue

7. Being Specific Rather Than Vague

21 - Explanation - Be specific rather than vague
22 - Example - Be specific rather than vague
23 - Story check - Be specific rather than vague

8. Suspense and Conflict

24 - Explanation - Suspense and conflict
25 - Example - Suspense and conflict
26 - Story check - Suspense and conflict

9. Cause and Effect

27 - Explanation - Cause and effect
28 - Example - Cause and effect
29 - Story check - Cause and effect

10. What Can Go Wrong, Must

30 - Explanation - What can go wrong, must
31 - Example - What can go wrong, must
32 - Story check - What can go wrong, must

11. Setups, Payoffs, and the Clues in Between

33 - Explanation - Setups, payoffs, and the clues in between
34 - Example - Setups, payoffs, and the clues in between
35 - Story check - Setups, payoffs, and the clues in between

12. Flashbacks, Subplots, and Foreshadowing

36 - Explanation - Flashbacks, subplots, and foreshadowing
37 - Example - Flashbacks, subplots, and foreshadowing
38 - Story check - Flashbacks, subplots, and foreshadowing