A Course in Creative Writing. 18+

In the first class, listeners will learn how to approach a text, how to take criticism, and whether a desire to write is enough to start writing.

In the second class, participants will discuss the difference between great prose and pulp fiction, talk about their purposes and the ideas behind them.

Participants will discuss the best ways to start writing, and look at some of the best new beginnings in world literature.

The class looks at the process of writing fiction and how lived experiences and real emotions help describe fictional events.

Leonid Kostyukov will speak about the development of the protagonist’s character through his or her actions and words.

What is the difference between a “typical” and a “lifelike” situation? In this class, participants will think of how to try and say something new about the everyday.

The seventh class of the course is devoted to genres. Participants will look at the differences between big and small form in literature and learn to compare them.

In this class, participants will discuss the difference between the life and beliefs of the author on the one hand, and the protagonist on the other.

This class looks at various literary devices and how to employ them in the best possible way. 

The tenth class of the course explores the difference between linear and nonlinear narratives and other structural variables.

This class is devoted to rhythm in literature (the text’s pace and structure) and looks at paragraphs as units in prose.

The final class is devoted to the author’s motivation. Participants discuss talent and inspiration and the development of the author.