Catalog Search Results
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
Great mystery and suspense writers have created some of the most unforgettable stories in all of literature and they continue to grow in popularity. How did the genre become so prevalent? Why is it a go-to for so many readers around the world? What makes the dark and sometimes grisly themes appealing? Professor David Schmid examines these questions and more in this illuminating course.
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
Much like a photographer who can change the angle, lens, lighting, and focus of a scene to evoke emotion from viewers, a writer colors an essay with his or her individual perspective simply by relaying his or her truth of it. This lecture focuses on looking at the world around you with a new lens, showing you how to convey those memories you've kept as an experience rather than just a recounting of facts. You'll travel down the streets of London with...
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
One of the most remarkable consequences of essay writing is the illuminating insights you discover about yourself. The nature of the essay doesn't allow for plot building or outlines-you simply sit and write, which means the story takes its own direction. Professor Cognard-Black encourages this process of discovery and shares stories of how many an essay she started on one topic turned into a different piece in the end. Be prepared that essay writing...
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
From the Greek "lyre," a lyric poem expresses a writer's thoughts and feelings through the intimacy of the first-person narrator, evoking a strong emotional reaction in the audience. Professor Cognard-Black demonstrates the similarities between a lyric poem and a lyric essay and shares a moving example of a lyric piece written by one of her own students that uses memory fragments and figurative language to synthesize experience into a kind of mosaic....
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
Stepping back to once again take a multicultural look at mystery and suspense, Professor Schmid examines the world of Hispanic writers and characters. Examine over a century of work and authors including Rolando Hinojosa and Héctor Tobar in order to recognize common suspense story elements, and identify various interpretations of mystery subgenres including American hard-boiled crime fiction.
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
Building upon the insights revealed in the previous lecture, you'll examine mysteries that don't use any violence and compare them to stories that are borderline gratuitous in the depiction or details of violent acts. You'll also explore the rise of violence in mysteries, starting with a peak period in the wartime 1940s through to the present and discuss the reasons why.
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
The shift of the role of police from a passive, outside observer to an active participant and even protagonists, came about with the emergence of the police procedural. Journeying from Maigret to Dragnet, and exploring authors such as Georges Simenon and Chester Himes, you'll see how the police procedural started as an attempt to introduce realism and resulted in redefining the genre.
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
Professor Schmid uncovers the understudied world of Native American writers and characters. He reveals how the context of Native American settings has changed many of the classic elements you find in a traditional whodunit. You'll learn why tribal police, jurisdictional limitations, and cultural conflicts all add new levels of complexity and suspense to the standard mystery story.
Pub. Date
2016.
Language
English
Description
Examine the reasons for the popularity of gay and lesbian mystery and suspense fiction, focusing in particular on how these narratives both draw upon and selectively reinterpret elements of the tradition from which they emerge. You'll learn how the traditional components of mystery novels were reinvigorated by the emergence of gay and lesbian characters.
Pub. Date
2020.
Language
English
Description
Get a comprehensive, eye-opening, and illuminating survey of the entire writing process, as well as a full breakdown of how dozens of best-selling authors have implemented best practices in their own writing. As an aspiring author, you will gain a wealth of tools that will not only improve your ability to write, but will also increase your enjoyment of the craft.
12) Tell Me a Story
Pub. Date
2020.
Language
English
Description
Mr. Bell introduces you to the seven critical success factors of fiction and shows you how best-selling writers put them into practice. He explores literary genres through the success of best sellers written by authors such as Harper Lee and Gillian Flynn. He then outlines the 10 characteristics a serious writer must possess.
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.
Pub. Date
2020.
Language
English
Description
Using a proprietary system of his own invention, Mr. Bell introduces you to the foundational principles of a successful novel: LOCK (Lead, Objective, Confrontation, Knockout). He demonstrates how famous authors such as Stephen King, David Baldacci, and others utilize these fundamental elements. Plus, review the five types of endings and discover the pros and cons of each.
Pub. Date
2020.
Language
English
Description
Dive into the writing styles of "pantsers" versus "plotters" and get a better understanding of whether you want to aim for a plot-driven or a character-driven story. And using the writings of John Grisham, Ernest Hemingway, Lee Child, and others, evaluate the traditional mythical structure of a three-act story.
Pub. Date
2020.
Language
English
Description
See how James M. Cain, Harlan Coben, Anne Lamott, Ken Follett, James Clavell, and Dean Koontz often use a jolt or disturbance to hook a reader in, and how that often contributes to the book becoming a best seller. Look at other elements you'll need to include in the first act that will build up the character bonding and tension, which will keep readers riveted.
Pub. Date
2020.
Language
English
Description
An "arena of conflict" is where your lead realizes he or she needs to overcome a challenge. Mr. Bell introduces you to the concept of a "mirror moment" and provides examples of authors who have demonstrated this technique, such as Margaret Mitchell, Suzanne Collins, Mario Puzo, Harper Lee, Thomas Harris, and Dashiell Hammett.
Pub. Date
2020.
Language
English
Description
Mickey Spillane noted, "The first chapter sells the book. The last chapter sells the next book." Mr. Bell has already provided the tools to get your reader hooked with the first chapter, and potentially the first line! Now, he provides the five strategies that will help you end your book in a way that gets your reader craving your next title.
Pub. Date
2020.
Language
English
Description
Learn how to use unpredictability so your readers don't get bored with cliche characters or trite traits, and see how to develop flaws and baggage to make your characters relatable and human. Plus, get hints about building secondary characters, villains, and what it takes to keep a character interesting through an ongoing series.
Pub. Date
2020.
Language
English
Description
Mr. Bell reveals two ways to bring your characters to life, along with a myriad of techniques you can put into practice, including a timeline, a voice journal, a simple relationship grid, and the areas you should plan to research. Plus, learn how minor details such as patterns of speech, dress, physical appearance, mannerisms, tics, eccentricities, and even names can have a major impact.
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