Are you struggling to bring your story setting to life?
Are you finding it difficult to transport your readers to the world you've created, whether that's fiction, memoir, or narrative non-fiction?
Do you find yourself writing a lot of dialogue but not quite nailing where it's taking place?
If yes, this course will help you take your writing craft to the next level.
Whether you're a beginner looking to improve your skills or a seasoned writer seeking new ways to bring your settings to life, this course will provide you with the tools and techniques you need to create memorable and engaging settings.
You'll learn how to use sensory details, character perspective, as well as metaphor, symbolism, and theme to create a setting that is both believable and captivating. You'll explore how to research settings, how to use setting to drive plot, plus, explore aspects of worldbuilding, as well as learn editing tips and ways to use setting in your book marketing.
There are optional writing exercises you can do throughout, and questions to consider with each lesson.
By the end of this course, you'll have a deeper understanding of how to create a setting that is not just a backdrop, but an integral part of your story. You'll have the skills to transport your readers to your world and keep them there, turning the pages with anticipation.
Your Instructor
Joanna Penn is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of thrillers, dark fantasy, and crime under J.F.Penn. She also writes bestselling non-fiction for authors, podcasts weekly at The Creative Penn and she’s an award-winning creative entrepreneur.
"Joanna has achieved the near impossible with this course and turned a plotting snob into a wannabe pantser. My writing life has been a bit of a slog for the last couple of years but I'm now excited to get out there and do some setting research, with the aim of finding plot points in the places I visit. I found all the lessons useful, but lesson 4 on using setting to drive plot was a real inspiration." — Christine F
Course Curriculum
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Start1. Sensory detail (29:58)
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Start2. Character perspective and point of view (POV) (19:12)
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Start3. Metaphor, simile, symbolism, and theme (16:18)
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Start4. Drive plot with setting (14:08)
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Start5. Researching setting (21:56)
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Start6. Worldbuilding (12:08)
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Start7. Editing (6:54)
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Start8. Marketing tips using setting (7:14)