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Memoir and Personal Essay: Managing Your Relationship with the Reader

Approx. 5 hours to complete

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Course Summary

In this course, you will explore the relationship between memoir and reader, and learn how to write more engaging and compelling memoirs.

Key Learning Points

Learn how to create a more personal and emotional connection with your readers through your memoir
Discover how to use literary techniques to enhance your memoir writing
Understand how to effectively structure your memoir to keep your readers engaged

Learning Outcomes

Develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between memoir and reader
Apply literary techniques to enhance your memoir writing
Create a more personal and emotional connection with your readers through your memoir

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of writing
Access to a computer and internet connection

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

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Notable People in This Field

Mary Karr
Cheryl Strayed

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Description

The blank page can be the most daunting obstacle in writing. In this course, aspiring writers will assemble a “starter kit” for approaching the blank page by developing constructive ways to think about the writing process as a whole. While subsequent courses in this series will focus on the mechanics of good writing, this course offers ways to think about the writer’s relationship to her material, and ultimately develop a writing style that is uniquely her own.

Outline

The Art of the Frame: Giving Context to Memories
Nothing is Obvious
Consider Your Strategy
The Uses of Research
From the Generative Stage to the Revision Stage

Avatar: The Messenger is the Message
Create an Avatar
Show Your True Selves
How Much of a Difference Can It Make?

Diegesis and the Extradiagetic Frame: Two Trains Running
Diageses and the "Voiceover" Frame
Zoom In, Pan Out
Make the Move: Explicit and Implicit
The Frame Inspires Trust

Profiling: Our Relationship to the People in Our Work
And Yet, We Need the Eggs
Talking About Others
Conducting Family Interviews
Quote, Summarize, Paraphrase

Summary of User Reviews

The Memoir: Read and Write Your Life Story course on Coursera has received positive reviews from users. Many users appreciated the engaging course material and the knowledgeable instructor. However, some users found the course to be too basic and not challenging enough.