True Story: Teen Creative Nonfiction
True Story: Teen Creative Nonfiction happens in either a span of 4 weeks (NYC, Zoom), or 6 weeks (NYC, Zoom, Online). The course includes a mixture of lectures and exercises. It’s open to students age 13-17. Farther down, you can view a syllabus for this course.
They say truth is stranger than fiction…and it’s often more interesting. Especially if you can translate that truth into fascinating pieces by learning the craft that goes into creative nonfiction.
Here you will gain an introduction to six major forms of creative nonfiction— memoir, personal essay, feature articles, profiles, reviews, and college essays. You’ll learn what they are and how to create them. Each class is taught by a teacher adept at helping young writers discover and develop their unique voices.
Better writers produce stronger college applications, and an extracurricular writing class is an impressive addition to any profile. When you know how to express yourself well with words, you’ve got a special power.
The instructor was very thorough and really helped me progress to my full potential.
Diana Whistance-Smith
student
Notes
For NYC and Zoom, this course is offered as a 6-week class (with 3-hour sessions), and also as a 4-week class in the summer (with two 2-hour sessions per week).
Upcoming Classes
Syllabus
This course lets you explore types of creative nonfiction, and the techniques that go with them. Course components:
Lectures
Writing exercises
New York City/Zoom classes
The syllabus varies from teacher to teacher, term to term. Many topics will be similar to those covered in the Online classes.
Online classes
Week 1
Memoir: An aspect of life. Mining your memory. Telling a real-life story.
Week 2
Personal Essay: Any topic goes. Make it personal and universal. Shape and voice.
Week 3
Feature Articles: Telling a journalistic story. Feature structure. Feature ingredients.
Week 4
Profiles: Selecting someone to write about. Interviewing. Capturing a person on the page.
Week 5
Reviews: Purpose of a review. Facts and opinion. Playing to your audience.
Week 6
College Essays: Finding a fresh topic. Telling a good story. Enticers—opening, details, scenes.
Note: Content may vary among individual classes.
