Writing Creative Nonfiction

Overview

Course No. 2154

This 24-lecture course by Professor Mazzeo provides a comprehensive guide to crafting compelling true stories. You’ll master techniques from narrative arcs to publishing strategies while learning how to ethically transform real-life experiences into captivating memoirs, essays, and biographies.

From structuring dramatic sentences to developing authentic dialogue, these lessons blend practical writing exercises with insights from bestselling authors. Whether you’re starting a blog or writing a memoir, you’ll gain tools to find your voice and share your stories effectively.

Video Lectures

01: Welcome to Creative Nonfiction (33 min)

Discover what makes nonfiction “creative” and preview the course roadmap.

02: Finding the Story (30 min)

Identify essential story elements: narrative arc, conflict, and character.

03: Honoring the Nonfiction Contract (29 min)

Navigate ethical dilemmas in writing about real people and events.

04: Writing Great Beginnings (30 min)

Craft powerful opening lines using strategies from master writers.

05: Show, Don’t Tell (32 min)

Strengthen descriptions through precise verbs and vivid details.

06: Launching a Narrative Arc (30 min)

Structure stories using linear, quest, or frame narratives.

07: Cliffhangers and Page Turners (28 min)

Use chapter breaks to maintain pacing and reader engagement.

08: Building Dramatic Sentences (30 min)

Master sentence variation for tension and rhythm.

09: Rhetorical Devices (32 min)

Employ parallelism, anadiplosis, and alliteration for impact.

10: Putting It All Together (31 min)

Walk through the revision process with practical examples.

11: Revealing Character (31 min)

Choose effective points of view (first, second, or third person).

12: Creating Compelling Characters (32 min)

Develop minor characters and antagonists authentically.

13: Character Psychology (32 min)

Use metaphor and metonymy to reveal inner lives.

14: Free Indirect Discourse (31 min)

Blend character thoughts with narration like Virginia Woolf.

15: Narrative Perspective (31 min)

Compare omniscient, objective, and subjective third-person.

16: Shaping Your Voice (30 min)

Develop an implied author and avoid purple prose.

17: Writing the Gutter (32 min)

Leverage strategic silence to engage readers’ imaginations.

18: Dialogue Strategies (31 min)

Write realistic yet purposeful conversations from real life.

19: Researching Nonfiction (31 min)

Locate reliable sources and overcome research roadblocks.

20: Ethical Writing (29 min)

Handle sensitive material without alienating subjects.

21: Revising Your Work (31 min)

Process feedback and manage writerly attachments.

22: Building Your Audience (31 min)

Identify readership and craft effective book proposals.

23: Getting Published (30 min)

Pitch editors and select suitable publications.

24: Being a Writer (31 min)

Develop habits to overcome blocks and sustain creativity.