Online Course: Writing the Great American Short Story - Certificate and CEUs
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Online Class: Writing the Great American Short Story

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Course Cost
Basic Course: $35.00
with Certificate & CEUs: $60.00
As a child, did you love Cinderella? Was your nose perpetually tucked in comic books? Did you huddle around a campfire and enjoy the fear of ghosts? Most of us grew up with stories that we loved to hear and tell again without thinking about what they really were. Those of us who did think a little more about it than others might have developed that chronic urge, the one that led you here: the need to write your own stories.
 
In this class, your goal is to learn more about the short story form and write one short story using traditional narrative techniques. (For experimental works, flash fiction, prose poems, and song lyrics, try another course.) Here, we will center attention on building plot, character development, and language in order to create a solid story that someone else just might enjoy reading.

Throughout the course, you'll be asked to consider not only the short story landscape in America, but how you will fit into it. There's more to writing than sitting at the keyboard. Most of us also want to become published writers -- but that's not always easy. The challenges of a writer go beyond the page; in this course you'll look at the whole picture.
 

Enroll today! This is a self-paced, online course. You have 6 months to finish. An instructor will monitor your progress and assess your body of work at course completion. UniversalClass™ offers many wonderful learning tools to help you get the most out of your online course, including an online portfolio service that manages all your course completions.

If you would like to receive more information regarding this course, scroll down and fill out the "Request More Information" form and we'll try to answer any of your questions within the day.

Continuing Education Units (CEU)
1.0 CEUs

Course Description

A pair of hands on the keyboard, a blank screen, and a single wish: You want to write the Great American Short Story! You've read many of them -- Poe's "Black Cat," Cheever's "Enormous Radio," Welty's "The Worn Path" -- but have you come close to writing a tale that lingers with readers after the last page is turned?

 

In this class, you will gain the inspiration and the discipline to write a short story of 1000 to 8000 words. We will use examples from all genres, exploring the techniques of plot, style, flow, voice and tone that will make your fiction sing. This close reading of master works is accompanied by tried and true methods for putting words on the page, revising, and handling criticism from others. One thing's for sure: Your stories are ready to tell themselves to you. And, if all goes well enough, they'll tell themselves to the world as well. So, are you ready to start writing?

 

This course offers 1.0 CEUs upon successful completion. You may take this online course with or without CEU documentation. An online and hard-copy Certificate of Course Completion displaying your coursework and CEUs earned is included with the CEU Option. We also offer an expedited Transcript Service for sending your accomplishments to a third party.

Course Lessons

  1. Lesson 1: The Short Story Landscape in America - Who reads short stories in America? Who writes them? Who will read your story?
  2. Lesson 2: Answering to the Muse - Before you can begin writing a story, you need to know what story you will write. In this lesson, we'll consider how a short story is born.
  3. Lesson 3: Developing a Main Character - Who is your hero, and why? The hero or heroine of your story is the person the reader must become as the story progresses.
  4. Lesson 4: Telling the Story: Structure & Plot - In this lesson, we're focusing on plot, story structure, narrative -- whatever you choose to call the act of telling the story.
  5. Lesson 5: Styling the Words You Write - In fiction writing, differences in style and language distinguish writers from each other.
  6. Lesson 6: End Your Story Like a Master - Brilliant conclusions are definitely possible.
  7. Lesson 7: Revising Your Writing - How long is your work a work-in-progress?
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Optional Certificates Awarded

  1. Certificate of Attendance
  2. Certificate of Class Participation
  3. Certificate of Appreciation
  4. Certificate of Merit
  5. Certificate of Outstanding Achievement
  6. Certificate of Academic Excellence

Certificates awarded by the instructor will vary and are based upon student merit. Any awards you earn are considered unofficial (or temporary) unless you decide to make the award official. To make an award official, there is a $30.00 processing fee that covers the customization, printing, and shipping of a hard copy of the certificate as well as access to the UniversalClass™ Transcript Service. Official awards include a serial number that verifies the authenticity of the award you earned for a lifetime (great for employers to verify your achievement).

Additional Information

Course Title : Writing the Great American Short Story
CEU Value : (Continuing Education Units)
Course Number : 33133
Course Type : College Level
Course URL : http://shortstories.onlineclasses.com
Course Review :
Instructor : Ann Burlington
Syllabus : View Syllabus
Duration : Continuous: Enroll anytime!
Course Fee :
Basic Course: $35.00
with CEUs & Certificate: $60.00
NOT FOR COLLEGE CREDIT
This is a non-credit course. This course may not fulfill any local, state, government, licensing, or educational requirements.
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Document your coursework with a Certificate of Course Completion. Pre-pay now for the Certificate Option and receive a $5.00 discount off the regular certificate price (normally $30.00). Includes both an online version and a hard-copy of your certificate, verified and tracked by a unique serial number.


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