Writing courses

A good index greatly enhances a book’s usability and value, yet few writers and editors know how to construct this vital part of a nonfiction publication. Learn the fundamentals of writing, editing and delivering back-of-book indexes to publishing clients.…

Develop your skills in applying the principles of effective writing to the editing of nonfiction manuscripts. Examine two phases of substantive editing—line editing and developmental editing—and learn the art of proposing editorial changes other than those…

Portrait, story and reflection: these are three forms of creative nonfiction. Learn to apply the techniques of storytelling to nonfiction prose pieces, including personal essays, features, commentaries, reviews, reports, journal entries and memoirs. In this…

In this beginning copyediting course, get an overview of the editorial process, including the use of style manuals and reference books, creation of style sheets, and methods of querying authors and clients. Learn how to edit using conventional marks and…

Study the more complex aspects of copyediting and the fine points of editorial style that editors of book-length manuscripts must master. Refine querying technique and learn how to approach the issues that arise when working progressively on segments of a…

Editors must have a strong command of English grammar, syntax and mechanics to edit the work of others clearly, confidently and correctly. Gain a practical understanding of grammar and the logic governing syntax and punctuation use. Learn to analyze grammar…

The young adult novel is one of the fastest-growing and exciting genres in publishing today. With complex young characters, realistic dialogue and gripping prose, readers young and old can't get enough of these novels. In a supportive and inspiring…

What is a poem and how does it differ from prose? What sources can you, the beginning poet, look to for ideas and inspiration? How can you encourage a raw unfinished poem to become a thing of power and beauty? This course provides a series of enjoyable and…

This course is designed for students who want to examine gay men’s lives in fiction and nonfiction. Discussions will include basic milestones that have defined much of gay life, such as coming out, sex, partnership and the AIDS crisis. We will explore what…

Designed for those familiar with the personal essay form and who are already convinced of its unique power to reach the masses, this advanced workshop focuses on revising existing works, analyzing current markets and trends and submitting for publication. You…

This course is for anyone who has a story from "real life" that needs to be told. Sometimes your story is about a person, place, thing or some concealed part of yourself; a remembered time or event; or even something that will happen as you give account to…

Writing out of your life can be a process of self-revelation, a way of discerning the pattern of your life even while you're in the midst of living it. Whether you want to write a memoir or transmute your life into fiction or poetry, this workshop helps you…

Reality is frequently inaccurate. Why not accurately depict that? This workshop is dedicated to kick-starting your imagination with the help of visualization and acting exercises, Oulipo writing prompts, and other creative techniques. We take a leap beyond…

Many aspiring novelists write with the hope that inspiration will come. The result is time wasted on a flabby novel with no clear shape and a sagging pace. On the other hand, story structure gives your novel a skeleton; it forms the bones of your story. And…

Candidates for the Certificate in Literary Representation and Certificate in Editing and Publishing complete 100 hours of internship work for a pre-approved literary agency or publisher. Over the course of the internship, they gain a practical understanding…

Literary agents are uniquely positioned in the publishing world to have their hands in many facets of the book process, from a book's inception through to finished copies and publicity. This course begins with an overview of the Agency Agreement, the contract…

An editor’s job includes not only improving the mechanics of writing but identifying places where content isn’t working or needs revision and development. This skill is also invaluable for writers, who can use it to shape their own work or to make extra money…

This course gives students an overview of copyediting processes involved in preparing a manuscript for editorial review or publication. Appropriate for writers of all genres and those seeking to develop professional skills in copyediting, students learn best…

Middle grade novels have a demanding audience. Young readers want interesting stories that either transport them to a world unlike their own or that show them that they are not alone, that there are others who feel and experience the same things that they do.…

For those with some previous training in poetry, this intermediate workshop focuses on creating work which emphasizes lyrical and innovative language, personal insight and individual voice. In addition, you refine your knowledge of a number of the craft's…

Designed for serious writers with at least 50 pages of their memoir, this workshop offers a structured writing environment to generate new material and ongoing critique. Issues of structure, theme and honing the author's unique voice are emphasized. You will…

Designed for the serious writer committed to participating in a structured writing regimen as well as engaging in ongoing critiques and craft discussions, this course guides you to examine key issues in your work, create an involving storyline out of your…

A memoir is a book-length narrative that is told from the writer's point of view and captures a meaningful slice of the writer's life. If you have a story to tell and would like to figure out how best to tell it, this course helps you get started. In-class…

Unlike fiction, personal essay offers an opportunity to explore the choices you've made, whether life-changing moments or those little decisions that set us on a new course. Through this exploration, you come to a better understanding of family dynamics and…

"Personal Essay" is a broad term that encompasses essays, opinion pieces and mini-memoirs—but which always details the writer's journey through a specific experience. This workshop teaches aspiring personal essayists how to be a compelling first-person…

Designed for those who have already begun to explore memoir or other narrative nonfiction genres, this workshop guides you to take your skills to the next level by focusing on a collection of essays, a single project or other types of nonfiction prose;…

This course explores the unlimited possibilities of creative nonfiction, which embraces forms of creative writing such as personal essay, memoir, profiles and more. Working with the same techniques as fiction, including artful language choices, dialogue,…

Sometimes the best stories are true. To help you turn your personal experiences, anecdotes from everyday life and family stories into compelling narratives, this workshop teaches beginning writers the basic elements of good storytelling. You learn how to…

The short story, one of the most challenging of all literary forms, requires the precision and imagistic intensity of poetry combined with novelistic elements of structure, setting and characterization. This workshop helps you to realize your fictional…

Focusing on close textual analysis and intensive writing practice, you create two short stories and revise one in this ten-week workshop. Weekly lectures on technique, analysis of published stories and in-depth instructor, and peer critique develop and deepen…

It is said that all of us have locked inside at least one good story to tell. Through lectures on craft, short writing exercises, assignments and discussion, you learn how to tell yours. Topics include plot, point-of-view, setting, description, conflict,…

For students who have completed Novel IV, this intensive workshop is specifically directed toward refining an advanced manuscript into a polished novel. The focus is on structural and thematic aspects and the maintenance of the author's unique voice. You work…

For students with at least 100 pages of a novel, this advanced workshop focuses on elements of technique and vision necessary for a work to be considered complete. You receive intensive instructor and peer critiques of manuscript chapters and their relation…

For those with a minimum of 50 pages of a novel-in-progress, this workshop guides you to generate at least 50 new pages, as well as learn essential self-editing techniques with the instructor and peers reviewing each participant's project in detail.…

Armed with your overall concept and first chapter, you continue to develop your knowledge of craft by writing scenes using characters and situations from the projected novel and workshopping your in-progress work. Mini-lectures on the art of the novel,…

That novel is inside you waiting to emerge, but knowing how and where to start can be daunting. This course provides you with weekly assignments, group interaction and instructor feedback to help you explore various methods of writing your first novel while…

Do you aspire to write creatively but don't know where to start? This supportive workshop provides you with many techniques to motivate and guide you. You learn how to transform observation and personal experience into imaginative prose, create dynamic…

This six-week course is perfect for anyone just getting started on their path to being a writer. Students work in small breakout sessions with experienced writers and teachers, then attend a lecture by various guest speakers with expertise in fiction, poetry,…

This six-week course is perfect for anyone getting started on their path to becoming a screenwriter. Each class offers a broad-strokes introduction to a different writing format, which includes Feature Film, Television Specs and Television Pilots, as well as…

Having a great story is crucial, but the key to selling your screenplay is character. You must have great characters. In this class, you learn how to create dynamic, exciting characters that audiences will love and actors will be dying to play (the real…

Kemp Powers (playwright and screenwriter, One Night In Miami ), Aaron Sorkin ( The Trial of the Chicago 7 and The Social Network ), and Sheila Callaghan (writer and producer, Shameless ) are among countless television and film writers who got their start in…

This course demystifies the Limited Series in television, a genre that has become wildly popular over the last decade with international hit series such as “Adolescence,” “Big Little Lies” and “Chernobyl,” and acclaimed anthological limited series, such as…

This intensive 11-week advanced course is for writers who are done talking about their screenplay and ready to write it. Genre doesn’t matter—drama, thriller, horror, comedy, or sci-fi—as long as you are committed to completing a first draft of a feature…

Every poet eventually writes enough work to complete and assemble a full-length poetry manuscript (48-60 pages) but needs guidance on final revisions and submission for publication. The class will cover: manuscript formatting; strategies for manuscript title…

A monthly community write in that is designed to support writers who crave creative momentum, connection, and a nurturing community. Rooted in the values of UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, this monthly meetup offers space to write, share, explore, and engage…

How do you create a narrative series, sell it, get it produced, and retain your vision throughout the creative process - without going insane and mortgaging your soul? In this course you uncover methods to preserve your sanity, (almost) but additionally you…

This workshop is designed to help you develop an original one-hour television or half-hour pilot that demonstrates a strong voice, compelling characters, and professional-level storytelling. Television executives, agents, and showrunners expect polished…

Designed for seasoned writers who seek to take their writing to the next level, this workshop helps you pinpoint areas needing revision, as well as provide you with tools to become your own best editor. Preserve the originality of your work while polishing…

You may be interested in your own life stories, but how do you make them engaging to others? Whether you are interested in writing a personal essay or book-length memoir, learn how to shape your story with essential elements of craft such as voice, structure,…