Interested in this College?
Get updates on Eligibility, Admission, Placements Fees Structure

Quick Facts

Medium Of Instructions	Mode Of Learning	Mode Of Delivery
English	Self Study, Virtual Classroom	Video and Text Based

Course Overview

The How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft certification course is specially formulated for all aspiring as well as professional writers who are pursuing a career in novel writing and are participating in NaNoWriMo. The Certification Course on How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft programme will be supervised by accomplished authors and writers who will help students to write professional fictional novels. Regular writing sessions will be organised so that candidates develop new skills. Discussion forums and feedback sessions will also be held every week to widen the participant's knowledge of fiction and help them create art of the scene and develop unique characters.

The Certification Course on How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft training by edX will teach the aspirants to write intruding plots and layered dialogues. The topics of - dimensional characters, ways to write complicated dialogue, and dramatic dialogue will also be covered during the certification programme. The various strategies to rework on draft before completing and publishing will also be taught in the programme. There are 2 pathways to enroll in the course, one is the verified track, and the other is the audit mode. During the audit mode, the candidates shall have limited time access to the course but during the verified track the access becomes unlimited.

The Highlights

Certificate by edX
Course partnered by The University of British Columbia
6-week course
4-6 hours classes every week
Intermediate level course
Video transcripted
Instructor-led course

Programme Offerings

E-learning
assignments
video transcript
Lectures
Instruction in English

Courses and Certificate Fees

Certificate Availability	Certificate Providing Authority
yes	The University of British Columbia, Vancouver

Students are needed to pay a sum of ₹24,186 as the How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft certification fee by edX

How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft Fee Structure

Particulars	Amount in INR
Course Fee	₹24,186

Eligibility Criteria

Education

Only students who are already writing a novel or are beginning the process to write a novel can apply for the program.

Certification Qualification Details

Only after completing the course in the stipulated time frame by paying the specified amount will the candidates receive the How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft certification by edX.

What you will learn

Writing skills

The students will be learning the following things once they complete the How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft certification syllabus -

The “art of conflict and tension” will help the candidates acquire skills to be able to work on plots like flashbacks, writing on active and passive characters, etc.
Aspirants will know more about the topic of backstory which will help them to write a novel better.
The chapter on flashbacks will also be covered during the course and can be incorporated into their writing.
He/she will be developing more skills in the area of prose writing as a professional.
The topic of manuscript will be covered in detail enabling them to develop a more precise outlook.
The way to write proper endings will also be dealt with in the programme so that students can write proper endings.
Candidates will be learning about the ethics of research so that they write more elegantly.
Learners will have their skills developed in writing proper novels and hence will become a master of their trade.
Students will also learn the topic of dialogue writing which will be helpful in writing good stories.
He/she will be covering the chapter on active and passive characters.

Who it is for

Content Writer

The Certification Course on How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft by edX can be pursued by students who want to-

Aspirants who are willing to develop skills in the domain of novel writing.
Candidates like content writers eager to pursue a serious career in the field of novel writing.

Admission Details

If you want to register for the course then follow the steps that are provided here-

https://www.edx.org/course/how-to-write-a-novel-writing-the-draft

Step 1: Students have to click the “enroll” button to begin the process.

Step 2: If you are already having an existing account in edX, then click the “login” button to access the course.

Step 3: The new students have to login into their account from their already existing- Google account/Apple account/Facebook account/Microsoft account.

Step 4: Also, students can get themselves registered by mentioning their “full name” in the place provided.

Step 5: Aspirants also have to provide a “user name”.

Step 6: The email details need to be given in the given place. Students have to mention the name of their “Country”.

Step 7: Before proceeding all the candidates have to agree to the “privacy policy” and “terms of service and honor code”.

Step 8: Students have to proceed further by clicking the “create account” button.

The Syllabus

Introduction to the course.
Ways to structure and organize your writing time.
Point of view: from whose perspective will the reader experience the story? Each comes with its advantages and disadvantages.
Types of prose and their uses.
Voice: a strong, consistent stylistic quality that permeates your writing.
Beginnings. The first sentence, first paragraph, and first page.
Assignment : Explore several different openings for your novel and assess the impact of each one.

Active and Passive Characters. How to give a character more agency.
Character Complexity and Conflict. Internal, interpersonal and societal antagonisms help build complex and fully realized characters.
Tension in Scene.
Backstory and Flashbacks.
Assignment : Tackle a scene that illustrates a key “turning point” that offers crucial insight into your main character.

What is the function of dialogue in fiction?
How dialogue differs from everyday speech?
What dialogue should never do.
What are the hallmarks of great dialogue.
How to work with subtext.
Exploring the depths of your character: what is spoken, what is unspoken and what is unspeakable.
How to format dialogue and work with dialogue tags.
Assignment : Write dialogue in several different forms, exploring the multiple ways it will function in your novel.

The evolving outline. What to do when you start to stray from your initial outline.
Troubleshooting Structural Problems..
Troubleshooting plot in five popular fiction genres (literary, speculative, crime, historical and romance).
Endings. How to navigate through writing an effective ending.
Assignment: Write the end of your novel: the last chapter, last scene, last moments. Tools of analysis.

Why do research? What can research bring to different types of fiction writing?
When to do research.
What should you research?
How do you best incorporate research?
Case studies. Historical Fiction, Speculative Fiction, Crime Fiction, and Socio-Political fiction.
The ethics of research.
Writing about yourself and your family.
Assignment : you will apply this week’s work in an exercise that challenges you to evaluate several different ways of incorporating research.

Blind Alleys. How to identify and back out of them.
Procrastination and Hitting the Wall. Ways to combat these mental blocks
Grappling with Theme.
Dos and don'ts.
Assignment : This week's assignment will be to complete the Tool of Analysis. This will help you identify your weaknesses and ultimately provide the solutions to overcome them.

Instructors

The University of British Columbia, Vancouver Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

1: Which skills are necessary for the program?

All appearing candidates are required to be a beginner or should be writing a novel when they are appearing for the course.

2: Can I include the certificate details in my portfolio??

Yes, the details of the certificate can be shared by all students in their professional CV and resume.

3: Will there be any lectures on novel writing?

Yes, the faculty of The University of British Columbia will take regular lectures for all the participants.

4: Will there be any practice sessions organized?

Yes, for better understanding practice sessions will be organized where students will develop more skills in novel writing.

5: Is the course only conducted by edX?

No, the Certification Course on How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft certification course will be conducted by edX and will also be co-conducted by The University of British Columbia.

6: Will there be any exams?

No, this course has no provision for examinations. Kindly contact the management for more details.

7: Will I be provided with study materials?

Yes, all the registered students will be provided with necessary course materials during the How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft program.

8: What is the course type?

The Certification Course on How to Write a Novel: Writing the Draft online course by edX will be led by a professional and is leveed “intermediate”.

9: Is there any cash back policy if I leave the course in the middle?

No, edX does not provide any such policy. Students can verify more details by contacting the management directly.