Master this vital skill in fiction writing.
This course is ideal for: Anyone who wants to improve the way they write their ‘point of view’ characters or strengthen their narration
You will:
Master this foundational technique of fiction writing
Understand the basics of ‘point of view’
Develop a narrative style which suits your ‘point of view’ character
Use direct and indirect discourse to deepen your characterisation
Use ‘point of view’ to control and improve your narration.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! I am so much happier. I am far more confident with POV. The depth and layers of each POV were really insightful. Amazing resources, I guarantee you will enjoy it and learn something. Exceptional value for money.”
– Kirsty Tyler, Fiction Essentials: POINT OF VIEW graduate
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This is an online self-paced course
Duration:
Your 12 months' access begins straight away
Course Creator: Pamela Freeman $195 | |||||
The heart of fiction writing
All the writing books and classes talk about ‘point of view’, but are you still confused? Or maybe your feedback from readers mentions point of view as an issue?
Point of view is one of those skills which can just snap into place with the right understanding – but without it, you may be floundering.
It’s also a skill which can be deepened and honed – so even if you think you have a basic understanding, you will still be able to ramp up the impact of your writing through a more sophisticated use of point of view.
Even very successful writers work hard on this aspect of their writing, and this course gives you their techniques and shortcuts to developing an effective narrative voice.
This course will help you develop your skills in characterisation and narration, using point of view as a tool which helps you to both dramatise your story and engage your readers.
This course will help you to do the following:
- Understand the way that a character’s traits and backstory can be used to create their ‘voice’ (narrative style).
- Avoid the common pitfalls of writing from a specific point of view.
- Understand the different uses of direct and indirect discourse.
- Delve deeper into your character’s way of seeing and moving through the world.
- Discover how to convey that to your reader; to control your reader’s reactions to your main characters.
- Develop skills in imaginative, evocative, and precise writing.
- Become confident in writing third person limited point of view (if you don't know what that means, then this course is a MUST).
Why you need it
Point of view is an essential skill in fiction writing. In fact, editors and publishers often say they will reject stories where authors clearly do not understand point of view. Or where they have used it inconsistently.
Why? Because stories are told through characters. We believe in those characters – especially the point of view characters – by how well the narration fits them and their view of the world. An authentic character voice draws the reader deep into the story and makes it come alive in a unique way.
This ability to see through a character’s eyes and narrate the story through their experience is what sets books apart from film and television. It’s one of the main reasons readers seek out novels and memoirs – to experience what it’s like to be another human being.
But writing from a character’s point of view isn’t always easy, and there are many pitfalls along the way.
This course will develop your skills in narrative so that your ‘voice’ is authentic and engaging.
“There was so much I didn't know or had a limited knowledge of, so this course has helped clarify and fill in some mighty big blanks. I've now done a couple of your courses and am learning all the time – lots of ‘Aha!' moments which feels great and inspires me to keep writing.”
Teresa Johns, Fiction Essentials: POINT OF VIEW graduate
By the end of this course…
If you complete all the activities the course offers, by the end you will have acquired greater understanding of how point of view works in creating effective fiction, and have developed a number of skills.
In particular, you will have:
- at least one developed narrative style based on your character and their point of view
- a process to follow for developing your narrative style in future stories.
How our “self-paced courses” work
This is one of AWC’s 35+ “self-paced” online courses. But what does that mean? Allow us to explain:
What’s included in your online course?
- 2.5 hours of content – access anytime at your own pace
- 4 audio lessons plus 4 supporting handouts
- 1 practical exercise to solidify your new skills
“The course was great and I now feel like I can really focus on point of view in my stories and pull myself up if I make a mistake. I really liked having a mix of handouts and audio. Great class, thanks a lot.”
Melissa Kinealy, Fiction Essentials: POINT OF VIEW graduate
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Why is POV so important?
A: The only way your readers will see and experience your fictional world is through the eyes of your characters. It might seem like a simple concept, but it's a skill that's crucial to the success of your stories. This course presents all of your POV options (including their pros and cons) into easy-to-understand learning modules so you can be confident in your storytelling, every time.
Q: I've completed Creative Writing Stage 1. Will I learn anything new here?
A: Yes! In fact, this course has been designed for writers who already have a basic understanding of core fiction techniques and want to hone their skills further. Advanced writers can also benefit from deep diving into this subject, as it's such a key player in successful novel writing.
Q: I'm a complete beginner. Will this course suit me?
A: We recommend absolute beginners start with Creative Writing Stage 1. It covers the core skills and knowledge you need to become a great writer. This course will help you hone POV once you have those foundation techniques under your belt.
Q: Will this course tell me which POV is the best one?
A: It’s not about which is better – successful novels have been written in all different types of POV. What it will show you are the benefits of each one, and how to master them (with plenty of examples), including some common mistakes to watch out for.
Q: Do I need to log into this course at a set time?
A: No. As one of our self-paced courses, you have access to the online course material for a full year. There are no set classroom times or deadlines – simply learn at a pace that suits you.
Q: I quite like these “fiction essentials” masterclass courses. Are there more?
A: Yes – there’s a whole suite of them! You can see all of them here.
Are you ready to create stronger, more seamless stories? Master your POV skills today!
| Key information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key information: | |||||
|
This is an online self-paced course
Duration:
Your 12 months' access begins straight away
Course Creator: Pamela Freeman $195 | |||||
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