From Harry Potter to Twilight, young adult fiction is one of the hottest genres for today's novels. Teens and adults alike have discovered the excitement and passion of these stories, and publishers are hungry for more. If you're eager to break into this market, this course provides you with the recipe for creating your own successful young adult story and shows you how to get it published. First, you'll learn why writing young adult fiction is both fun and financially rewarding. After that, you'll decide what type of story you want to tell, plan your plot, and choose the dramatic elements that will keep your readers eagerly turning pages. Next, you'll discover the secrets for bringing your characters to life. You'll also learn about story patterns, the three-act structure, and a technique called scene and sequel. In addition, you'll find out how to introduce conflict, suspense, and mystery so you can grab and hold your readers' attention. And are you fluent in teenspeak? In these lessons, you'll master the art of creating dialogue that resonates with teenagers and young adults. You'll also decide which viewpoint, voice, and tense you want to use, and you'll see how imagery can make your story sparkle. As you master each element of young adult fiction, you'll also be writing scenes for your own story. In addition, you'll analyze excerpts from bestselling young adult books to see what makes them so successful. In the final lessons, you'll get expert advice on publishing and marketing your book. You'll learn how to find an agent or publisher and how to write a synopsis that sells. You'll also get the facts about literary contests and discover why on-demand publishing might be the perfect choice for you. If you've dreamed for years of becoming an author, this course can help you turn your dream into a reality. In just six weeks, you'll have all the tools you need to create a polished manuscript and get your story in print!
Additional information: This course is offered through ed2go. Find out more about ed2go courses.
These 6-week online courses are designed for working professionals and those seeking personal advancement. From the start date, students have access to their courses 24/7. There are no live lectures or specific days and times students must be logged in. Each Wednesday and Friday, the instructor releases a lesson, for a total of 12. There is a 2-week period at the end of the course to complete the final exam.
Not all courses are offered each term.
Winter 2025 registration opens November 4, 2024. Spring 2025 registration opens March 17, 2025.In person: classes held in person on a campus/site in a classroom/lab/shop/studio for the course duration
Online - Asynchronous: 100% online delivery, no scheduled day or time course requirements with the instructor, assigned due dates
Online - Synchronous: 100% online delivery, scheduled day and time course requirements with the instructor, assigned due dates
Hybrid: any combination of in person, timetabled, on campus, online, and hyflex delivery