The ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) (leading to ExpertRating Writing
Certification-Fiction Writing).
What’s the single
biggest difference between professional authors and novices?
Professionals know how to structure novels and stories for maximum
dramatic effect. This course helps you develop the same story
structuring skills the pros use. You'll understand how your passion,
theme, premise, and characters help you create the structure of your
story, and you'll discover how viewpoint, dialogue, pacing, and many
other techniques are used to build scenes and move your story from
beginning to end.
Each assignment
in this course helps you develop your own original novel or story.
As you apply each technique, your story will take shape, with a
clear path from beginning to end. And whenever you have questions or
insights to share, you can join your instructor and classmates in
the Discussion Area for some interactive brainstorming! Before you
know it, you’ll be prepared to ...write fiction like a pro.
This course includes a knowledgeable and
caring instructor who will guide you through your lessons,
facilitate discussions, and answer your questions. The instructor
for this course will be Steve Alcorn.
Steve Alcorn
About the
ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I)
instructor :Steve Alcorn is the published author
of a wide range of fiction and nonfiction works, including the
mystery "A Matter of Justice," the historical novel "Everything in
Its Path," the romance "Ring of Diamonds" (under the pseudonym
Sharon Stevens), and an illustrated journal of his travels around
the world called "Travel Kid." When he isn't writing and teaching,
Steve serves as the president of Alcorn McBride Inc., a company that
engineers equipment for all of your favorite theme park rides.
Online Fiction
Writing Course requirements:
For taking this
instructor led ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) you need
Internet access, E-mail, and the Microsoft Internet Explorer or
Mozilla Firefox Web browser.
Testimonials:
The ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) has received
overwhelming positive feedback and reviews from students around the
world. Here are a few:
"Absolutely
wonderful - that is what I have to say about this class. This is
the 4th online writing class I've taken in the past 6 months and
this is by far the best and has provided me with a very valuable
tool. Your approach is personable, clear and concise. It is also
exciting and rewarding. You have provided the framework that will
help me achieve my writing goals. I appreciated your honest and
constructive feedback and will take your suggestions to heart.
Thank you, Steve, for sharing your knowledge. Your passion and
enthusiasm for writing is contagious."
"A
professor once told me I thought in cliches. Ahhhh, a hackneyed
writer. I would never be one of those magical writers who reach
in to thin air and produce something so new and wonderous -
something that no one's ever seen before. That comment has
haunted me ever since. It has made me doubt if I should continue
to write. Still, I struggled on, writing in circles, and
rewriting myself in to corners with dangling endings, and 1/2
dimensional characters. The difference in Steve's approach is
that he tells us beginning writers often make this mistake, and
then continues on to tell us how to correct it. What a
difference! Steve's approach lets us know that it's all right,
and shows us how to solve that problem. Having someone get
published during the course was very exciting, and your
encouraging words, Steve, kept me going. Story outlining alone is
a priceless tool. Put that together with scene and sequel and
your long form becomes an organic property that can grow and
change as you work through your story logic. And all the other
things like style, cadence, musicality, etc. can only improve
with practice. Everything was explained clearly and was easy to
grasp. I plan to take your mystery writing class too, Steve. You
are a very gifted instructor."
"As
for what I have learned during this class - it's priceless! On
beginning this course, all I really had in mind was a basic idea;
one paragraph at most. Now, I feel that through understanding the
logical sequence of structure, characters, and the rest of the
many pieces of this writing puzzle, I have developed a true story
idea that I can complete. Steve, thank you immensely for your
guidance; your simple and logical steps have helped me on my way
to where I was trying to go!"
"As
for what I have learned in the class...everything in the class
was new to me and presented in such a clear and simple fashion.
So my list of learnings is long. My key takeaway is the
applicability of the structure we have learned in my daily life.
As I we have learned the elements, I have repeatedly seen that
they are the backbone of everyday experiences. Looking at life
with this structure in mind has given me a new perspective. As
well, I am starting to apply the structure to my conversation and
work and it has really helped me to articulate my ideas beter."
"As
I am a complete 'writing novice' this course has been invaluable,
I have learnt far more than I ever thought possible in the
duration of the course. I found the instructor to be very helpful
and have a genuine interest in my progress. An excellent
instructive and absorbing six weeks."
"A
very excellent, useful and fascinating course with an excellent
instructor. I had no idea how to write fiction before I started
and didn't know it. I learned the point of a fiction piece and
how to construct one, and why to do it that way. Very logical,
easy to understand, and the two sides of the course (the lessons
themselves plus the instructor's comments and critiques in the
discussion area) were needed to fully understand and put
everything to good use. Very well done."
(leading to
ExpertRating Writing Certification-Fiction Writing)
ExpertRating
is one of the world's only ISO 9001:2015
Certified companies (from
TUV America) offering an Online Writing (Fiction Writing-I) Course (leading to ExpertRating Writing (Fiction Writing-I) Skills Certification).
Over 5 million people from 120 countries have benefited from ExpertRating Online Tests and Certifications. ExpertRating offers its testing services
to the world's best companies such as Convergys Corp, UPS, GAP,
Sony, Coke, Citrix, Deltek Corp, IKEA Systems and Ericsson to name a
few. See
where ExpertRating Certified Professionals are working.
It is very safe to buy from
ExpertRating. Apart from being an ISO 9001:2015
certified company, it is also HackerSafe approved.
ExpertRating upholds the highest privacy standards and complies with
strict program requirements, ensuring that your information is always safe.
ExpertRating has certified Several thousand individuals who are working with leading companies across the US and
other countries.
View list.
When you choose the
ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) you can be sure that you are buying a
premium International certification that is recognized by hundreds
of employers and Government bodies in the US and other countries.
With ExpertRating you get certified
quickly online and you are equipped with a store house of
information through the in-depth ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) Courseware which has
been developed by experienced Writing and Publishing Experts.
The ExpertRating Writing Certification is by far the best value for money instructor led
Writing Program at $129.99.
Some Popular questions and answers about
this ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I)and certification:
How much does the
Writing Certification cost and what does it include?
You can buy this ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I)
leading to
Writing certification at a special offer price of only $129.99 which
includes the in-depth ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) Courseware and exam fee. This is
the best value for money Writing Program available till date. You
get the following services within the USD $129.99 fee.
In-depth ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) Courseware including scenarios and case studies.
An instructor to guide you through the
course and to whom you can direct your questions.
World wide airmail delivery of the hard
copy Writing Certificate. The Writing Certificate can be used
to prove your certified status and does not mention the words
"online".
An online transcript that can be used to
prove your certified credentials on the internet at any time.
How do I get certified?
The process of getting yourself certified is very simple. All you have to do is buy the
ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) for $129.99. Log in to the instructor led course using your password. Go through the
ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) Courseware (which would take you 6 weeks) and complete the final
Writing Certification exam at your convenience. You can complete the exam within 2 months of buying the
Writing Certification. The result of the exam appears as soon as it is completed, and your
Writing Certificate is mailed immediately.
What learning aids will I get?
The
ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) includes the following learning aids:
24 x 7 hour access to the courseware. A printer friendly version of the
ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) is also provided
A friendly instructor to answer your questions online
A discussion area to have your questions answered
Chapter end quizzes to ensure that you are learning important aspects of every chapter
Chapter assignments to help you practically use the
Writing that you will learn during the Writing Course.
What is the final exam like?
The final exam is fully based upon the ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) Courseware that is provided along with the
Writing Certification. If you have gone through the courseware properly you should not have a problem clearing the exam. The exam consists of multiple choice questions from all chapters of the
ExpertRating Online Writing Course (Fiction Writing-I) Courseware.
What are the course start dates?
ExpertRating instructor led courses commence
every month, you can always choose a suitable date for your course
commencement in any month. To see available course start dates,
please click on the "Enroll now" button.
All courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course. You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
A new section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses please be sure to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.
According
to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, writers and editors held about
306,000 jobs in 2006.
Many people who
take up the craft and hobby of writing turn to fiction. Fiction is
the big daddy of the creative writing world. Perhaps writers
gravitate to fiction because everybody has a story to tell. You can
create fiction from life. You can create fiction from the rusty
innards of your imagination. You can create fiction that tells a
500-page story, or fiction that tells its story in just a few short
pages.
There
are some rules and some structures to follow.
To write good fiction, you must have a basic understanding of some
basic concepts. Then, you must understand how to turn those concepts
into a readable story. You have to learn how to use dialogue, how to
find your setting and theme and how to write a story that's
captivating, interesting and which readers will want to read. The
ExpertRating Write Fiction Like a Pro Certification course will
unravel the secrets of great fiction writing.
The name
of this course really says it all! For
the next six weeks, this lesson will
focus on techniques that professional
authors use to write effectively and
efficiently and that guarantee a story
structure that delivers maximum
emotional impact. After all, connecting
with your audience is what great writing
is all about, right? This first lesson
will explore the idea of story
structure, and you'll discover that
nearly every piece of fiction that works
follows the same fundamental rules. This
lesson will also look at the often
misunderstood difference between story
and plot, a concept that will be vital
throughout the rest of this course.
Friday - Lesson 02
At the heart of every story
are the dramatic elements of
passion, theme, character,
and premise. Your passion is
what drives you to tell your
story, and the theme is the
underlying message it
carries. To convey your
theme, you'll create
characters who represent
that theme—either positively
or negatively. Put all of
these together and you've
got your premise. This
lesson will talk about all
of these elements.
Week Two
Wednesday - Lesson 03
Character is what story is all
about. Without a character, and
a change in that character,
there can be no story. In this
lesson, you'll discover why the
best characters are flawed. This
lesson will explore your main
character—the protagonist—and
the opposition forces of the
antagonist. And finally, it'll
take a look at the other
characters who round out your
story.
Friday - Lesson 04
This
is the first of three lessons in
which you'll see how to construct a
story outline, act by act. In Act 1,
you'll learn how to hook your
readers. Then you'll fill them in
with some character history called
backstory. And finally, you'll exit
Act 1 with a bang by triggering a
traumatic event in the life of your
protagonist.
Week Three
Wednesday - Lesson 05-
If Act 1
ends with a bang, Act 2 starts with a
whimper. Your protagonist begins in
crisis, an emotional state brought on by
his or her flaw. And because of that
flaw, your protagonist will struggle
throughout Act 2, as the antagonist
deals with setback after setback.
Fortunately, at the conclusion of Act 2
your protagonist finally figures out the
source of all this emotional distress
and how to overcome it.
Friday - Lesson 06
The
epiphany that ended Act 2 has prepared
your protagonist for triumph in Act 3.
Now it's time to devise a plan. The
result will be a final confrontation
with the antagonist. This lesson will
discuss the best way to arrange the
defeat of your antagonist—it's not what
you might guess. Then, with that climax
behind you, you're ready to tie up loose
ends in the ending.
Week Four
Wednesday - Lesson 07
You've
accomplished a lot in the last few
lessons. By now you should be pretty
comfortable with story structure. In the
next three lessons, you'll take the
concepts you've learned so far and apply
them to the development of a real novel.
In this lesson you'll begin by using the
dramatic elements to create a character,
his or her flaw, and then put it all
together into a formal story idea.
Friday - Lesson 08
In this
lesson, you'll expand the story idea for
a novel into the nine checkpoints of
your three-act outline. This is quite a
challenge for just one lesson, but
you've become pretty expert at this
story structuring stuff by now, so let's
go!
Week Five
Wednesday - Lesson 09
Now that
you have your outline—and a beautiful
one it is!—it's time for that magical
moment when you begin expanding it into
the long form. Yikes! The actual novel
is about to materialize. You'll begin by
inserting markers for the scenes that
support and develop the outline. Then
you'll start expanding those scenes and
threading your theme throughout. This is
really writing like a pro!
Friday - Lesson 10
One of
the most important choices an author
makes is viewpoint. It affects every
aspect of the story—from theme, to
pacing, to suspense. In this lesson,
you'll explore the three most common
viewpoints—omniscient, third-person
limited, and first person—and discover
their advantages and disadvantages. Then
you'll dig into techniques for
developing characters and establishing
convincing story logic.
Week Six
Wednesday - Lesson 11
This
lesson will look at techniques for
refining your plot and controlling
its pace. Then it'll unravel the
internal structure of every piece of
fiction you've ever read,
discovering a structure that you
never knew existed. After going
through this lesson, you'll never
forget it. It's called scene and
sequel.