Writing Creative Nonfiction

By: Tilar J J. Mazzeo, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Tilar J J. Mazzeo

Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Bringing together the imaginative strategies of fiction storytelling and new ways of narrating true, real-life events, creative nonfiction is the fastest-growing part of the creative writing world. It's a cutting-edge genre that's reshaping how we write (and read) everything from biographies and memoirs to blogs and public speaking scripts to personal essays and magazine articles.

Whether you're looking to launch into a new professional career as a creative nonfiction writer, dabble in the genre as a pastime, start a personal blog, or simply get inside the mind of a creative nonfiction writer at work, these dynamic 24 lectures are a chance for you to explore the entire process of writing creative nonfiction, from brainstorming for the perfect idea to getting your final product noticed by literary agents and publishers.

Filled with helpful tips and techniques, memorable examples from well-known writers, and engaging exercises, it's a learning experience that proves that - with the right instructor - writing creative nonfiction can be mastered, practiced, and enjoyed by anyone with a desire to share his or her personal story. Professor Mazzeo guides you through

• the fundamental concepts such as narrative arcs, captivating beginnings, sentence variation, perspective, characterization, dialogue, and metaphor;
• each stage of writing creative nonfiction, from researching your topic to revising your first draft; and
• the publishing process, from finding an agent to writing a successful book proposal.

You'll come away with the knowledge, tools, and, most important, inspiration you need to discover your stories and finally start telling them the right way.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2012 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2012 The Great Courses

Content good, rendition leaves to be desired

What did you love best about Writing Creative Nonfiction?

Nice course material for beginning nonfiction writers, divided up well.

Who was your favorite character and why?

N.A.

Would you be willing to try another one of Professor Tilar J J. Mazzeo’s performances?

I doubt that.

Any additional comments?

Pity that the tone and sound of her voice and the cadence of her speaking is rather grating and in time hard to bear. It takes away from the content, which is good.

Very good advice

Elelent presentation of mechanics of good creative nonfiction writing, with plenty of examples and guidance on dealing with and avoiding pitfalls.

Great! even for beginning fiction writers!

I've purchased many books about writing from Audible, This has to be the best I've encountered. The format of the course is comprehensive. Her exercises are powerful learning tools. Her advice takes most people years to find out. She is the first person to clearly explain the process of compelling writing. She uses both fiction and nonfiction examples. Very well done lectures. Don't be afraid to repeat the lectures, because the content is very dense and valuable!

lots of good learning

I really enjoyed Professor Mazzeo's lectures. 30 minutes daily was time well spent. I would listen to anything she has to say on the craft of writing.

good course, okay professor

Good course but I couldn't help being distracted sometimes by the way the professor talked. She asks rhetorical questions and pauses for a response much in the same manner as Blue's Clues or Dora the Explorer. "And do you remember what that's called? ... That's right!" "Can you guess which one it is? .... If you said ___, you're correct." Other than that the course was pretty informative.

Best Writing course

I loved this book because it has everything a writer needs from how to write to how to publish. It also discusses about challenges a writer may have and how to overcome them. The performance was great. I believe it will help any aspiring or seasoned writer. Thank you for this book Tilar Mazzeo.

Helpful for a Newcomer

I was initially turned off by some of the more critical reviews. However, I found the book loaded with content that was relevant and informative, and my writing has seen a change for the better as a result.

Great Tips and Inspiration

This course was full of practical, helpful tips and inspiration, for the aspiring non-fiction creative writer. It had a nice balance of didactic lecture and personal assignments, and the lecture material was further enhanced with writing samples.
The instructor has a clear passion for the writing craft, and shared many helpful strategies for approaching publishers, agents, and for building a base. Thank You!!

Not what I expected but useful

This lecture series was not exactly what I expected, likely because I didn't realize that creative nonfiction is character driven like a biography or memoir. Nonetheless, it was still useful covering literary devices beyond what is addressed in a high school class. There was also a lot of emphasis on character and narrative arc. I would recommend this series to someone planning to write a memoir or biography but not for other types of nonfiction.

Durable reference for aspiring writers

What did you love best about Writing Creative Nonfiction?

The scope of the book was excellent. It covered almost every major topic relevant for anyone who contemplates writing a book or article for publication, from sentence structure to marketing.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. This book was much more interesting and memorable when broken up into different sessions.

Any additional comments?

I appreciated the sincerity and passion that Professor Mazzeo brought to the topic. The examples of techniques she used from her own writing experience were more personal and therefore engaging when told in her own voice. Having said that, I personally found her reading voice to be somewhat off-putting.