Capstone: Your Story from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction to the Capstone and Gathering Materials

This week we lay out the agenda of the Capstone—seven weeks of structured work in which you’ll proceed from your accumulated notes and exercises to a finished piece: Your Story. We discuss the upcoming sequence of critiques of your fellow students’s work and you assemble the materials for your first draft.

Composition Strategies

Having gathered all your scraps, notes, research, exercises into one place, you now get moving on the first draft. Through interviews with Jaimy Gordon and Amy Bloom, we discuss composition strategies—the different ways different writers have approached the blank page and how they get moving toward a coherent whole.

Finishing the First Draft

Compose, compose, compose. This week is devoted completely to pushing through that crucial deadline: finishing your first draft by the end of the week. As you compose, you’ll get some advice from successful Wesleyan alumni writers who have gone from where you are to published books out there in the world.

Peer Review

Now that you’ve finished your first draft, it’s time to get ready for the first big peer review. This week we’ll talk about how to give good critique, and we’ll present a sample story and sample workshop. At the end of the week, you’ll write critiques of three of your fellow students’ work while they are busy critiquing yours.

Using Critique and Sanding

Some of the critiques you’ve received will seem immediately right, some more challenging, some may seem averse to your goals. This week we discuss the “Dear Workshop” Letter: a way of settling your thoughts and making decisions about what to do with all that sometimes conflicting advice as you proceed toward the final draft. We also take a moment to do a shorter critique focused more closely on the word-level decisions that you and your fellow-writers have made. You’ll perform a “sanding revision” on a single page of three of your fellow writers’ stories—you’ll report to the writer all the places her language or punctuation could use clarifying, and, just as important, where they’re already working at their best.

Rewriting and Publication

If the theme of Week Three was Compose, compose, compose, this week’s theme is Revise, rewrite; revise, rewrite. We’ll discuss different ways of reading and approaching your draft to catch the action and the language and the characterization from different angles. Through a conversation with Brando Skyhorse, we’ll also take a moment to discuss what to do after the class if you hope some day soon to publish your work.

Where to Go From Here?

By the end of this week, you will finish the final version of your story. We’ll discuss ways of continuing the creative momentum that’s brought you this far—whether through writers’ groups or conferences, or just through a daily writing practice. Once you turn in the final version of your piece, you’ll perform final critiques of the stories of three of your fellow writers and will likewise receive their evaluations of your work. Congratulations: you will have completed the Specialization.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Provides guidance on writing a complete story, narrative essay, or memoir

Students are guided through the writing process from gathering materials to revising and completing their work

Offers insights from successful Wesleyan alumni writers

Emphasizes the importance of peer review and critique

Provides strategies for effective self-assessment

Students learn about the publication process and considerations

Reviews summary

Refining capstone projects

According to students, this specialization is great overall, but they believe the capstone project could be more challenging. Students would like to see more active instances where they can both improve upon their projects and receive feedback faster.

Students want more active instances.

"maybe having more active instances each week where students could improve and receive feedback faster."

Capstone projects could be more challenging.

"I feel like the capstone project could be a bit more challenging..."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Capstone: Your Story with these activities:

Refresh Basic Grammar and Punctuation

Show steps

Reinforce your understanding of grammar and punctuation to enhance the clarity and effectiveness of your writing.

Browse courses on Grammar

Show steps

Review online resources or textbooks on basic grammar and punctuation rules.
Complete practice exercises to test your understanding.
Identify areas where you need additional practice and focus on improving those.

Review 'On Writing'

Show steps

Gain insights into the writing process and refine your own writing techniques through a review of Stephen King's renowned book.

View On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (A Memoir of... on Amazon

Show steps

Read and reflect on the key principles and advice provided by King.
Apply the techniques discussed in the book to your own writing practice.
Write a summary of your key takeaways from the book, highlighting the most impactful ideas.

Sentence Structure and Style

Show steps

Enhance your writing precision and clarity by mastering sentence structure and stylistic techniques.

Show steps

Review online tutorials on sentence structure and style.
Practice writing sentences with varying structures and lengths.
Analyze examples of effective prose to identify stylistic devices.

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Peer Writing Critique

Show steps

Receive constructive feedback and improve your writing skills through a collaborative peer review session.

Browse courses on Peer Feedback

Show steps

Prepare a draft of your writing for review.
Participate in a workshop setting, sharing your work and providing feedback to others.
Incorporate the feedback you receive to refine your writing.

Character Development Analysis

Show steps

Analyze a character's development throughout a story to enhance your comprehension of their role and impact.

Browse courses on Character Development

Show steps

Read the story carefully, noting the character's actions, dialogue, and interactions.
Identify the character's initial state, motivations, and goals.
Track the character's experiences and how they shape their thoughts and actions.
Consider the character's relationships with other characters and how they influence their development.
Write a 500-word analysis of the character's development, discussing the key moments, motivations, and changes.

Volunteer at a Literary Event

Show steps

Engage with the literary community and gain practical experience by volunteering at a book fair, reading, or other literary event.

Browse courses on Community Involvement

Show steps

Identify a literary event or organization that you would like to volunteer with.
Contact the organizers and inquire about volunteer opportunities.
Perform the assigned volunteer tasks, such as greeting attendees, assisting with book sales, or facilitating discussions.
Reflect on your experience and the insights you gained.

Theme Exploration Essay

Show steps

Demonstrate your understanding of a literary text's themes by crafting a well-structured and insightful essay.

Show steps

Read the literary text carefully, identifying potential themes.
Research and gather evidence to support your interpretation of the themes.
Organize your ideas into a logical outline, considering the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Write a compelling essay that presents your analysis of the themes, using textual evidence and literary devices.
Proofread and revise your essay to ensure clarity, coherence, and impact.

Contribute to Open Source Literary Project

Show steps

Engage in a community-driven project, such as digitizing literary works or creating an online literary database, to enhance your understanding and appreciation of literature.

Browse courses on Open Source

Show steps

Identify an open source literary project that aligns with your interests.
Join the community and explore the project's goals and guidelines.
Contribute to the project by transcribing, editing, or developing content.
Collaborate with other contributors and learn from their expertise.
Reflect on your contributions and how they have expanded your knowledge and skills.

Career center

Learners who complete Capstone: Your Story will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Author

An Author uses written words to convey ideas, stories, and information to readers. The Capstone course can be a valuable tool for aspiring Authors, as it provides guidance on developing a story, narrative essay, or memoir. Through the course, learners will develop their skills in plotting, setting, physical description, characterization, and stylistic clarity and innovation. These skills are essential for Authors who want to create compelling and engaging written works.

See salaries and explore the career path for Author

Journalist

A Journalist researches, writes, and reports on news and current events. The Capstone course can help aspiring Journalists develop the skills they need to succeed in this field. Through the course, learners will learn how to conduct research, interview sources, and write clear and concise articles. They will also gain experience in working with editors and meeting deadlines.

See salaries and explore the career path for Journalist

Editor

An Editor reviews, corrects, and improves written material. The Capstone course can be beneficial for aspiring Editors, as it provides guidance on how to critique and revise written work. Through the course, learners will develop their skills in identifying and correcting errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. They will also learn how to provide constructive feedback to writers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Editor

Technical Writer

A Technical Writer creates instruction manuals, technical reports, and other documents that explain complex technical information. The Capstone course can be helpful for aspiring Technical Writers, as it provides guidance on how to organize and present information clearly and concisely. Through the course, learners will develop their skills in writing, editing, and proofreading technical documents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Creative Writer

A Creative Writer uses imagination and creativity to write stories, poems, plays, and other works of fiction. The Capstone course can be a valuable tool for aspiring Creative Writers, as it provides guidance on how to develop characters, plot, and setting. Through the course, learners will develop their skills in writing fiction that is both engaging and meaningful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Creative Writer

Copywriter

A Copywriter writes marketing and advertising materials such as brochures, website content, and social media posts. The Capstone course can help aspiring Copywriters develop the skills they need to create effective and persuasive marketing materials. Through the course, learners will learn how to write clear and concise copy that resonates with target audiences.

See salaries and explore the career path for Copywriter

Grant Writer

A Grant Writer writes proposals to secure funding for organizations and projects. The Capstone course can be beneficial for aspiring Grant Writers, as it provides guidance on how to develop strong and compelling proposals. Through the course, learners will develop their skills in writing persuasive proposals that meet the requirements of funding agencies.

See salaries and explore the career path for Grant Writer

Speechwriter

A Speechwriter writes speeches for politicians, business leaders, and other public figures. The Capstone course can be helpful for aspiring Speechwriters, as it provides guidance on how to write speeches that are clear, concise, and persuasive. Through the course, learners will develop their skills in writing speeches that connect with audiences and achieve desired outcomes.

See salaries and explore the career path for Speechwriter

Content Writer

A Content Writer creates written content for websites, blogs, and other online platforms. The Capstone course can be beneficial for aspiring Content Writers, as it provides guidance on how to write engaging and informative online content. Through the course, learners will develop their skills in writing clear and concise articles, blog posts, and other online content.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Writer