Master what you need to know to create a professional manuscript
This online course is ideal for: Fiction writers who want to ensure their writing is as polished as possible
You will:
Master the art of punctuating dialogue correctly
Know how to avoid common formatting and style mistakes
Understand present, simple past and past perfect tense
Be confident you’re submitting a polished manuscript
Understand the right way to structure sentences.
“This is a great foundation for fiction writers. It was easy to understand and delivered in short and to-the-point videos. I got clarity around the different tenses and how to use them appropriately. The course offers a solid foundation of punctuation and grammar for fiction writers across all genres.”
– Ilokna, Fiction Essentials: GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION graduate
See more reviews
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Duration 1
This is an online self-paced course
Duration:
Your 12 months' access begins straight away
Course Creator: Pamela Freeman $195 | |||||
More than just polishing your words
You have ideas, you’ve developed a great storyline – but you’re not a hundred per cent confident in your grammar and punctuation.
Perhaps you’re never sure where the apostrophe goes or how many commas you should have. Or the difference between simple past tense and past perfect tense.
You might think that publishers will fix your errors in grammar and punctuation. Well, yes – and no. While you don’t have to be an expert, it’s expected that you’ve reached a certain level of proficiency.
And, let’s face it, some publishers just won’t take your story seriously if your grammar and punctuation are not up to scratch.
So if you’re not quite sure you’ve nailed the grammar and punctuation in your fiction stories, this course is for you.
“This course helped me to re-learn grammar that I took for granted and reminded me of others. The fact it was geared to fiction writing made it extremely worthwhile.”
Valerie Miller, Fiction Essentials: GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION graduate
In this course, you’ll discover:
- How to structure sentences correctly – and also when you can break the rules
- The function of a subject, verb and object
- The correct way to use phrases and clauses
- When you should use colons, semi-colons, hyphens, em and en dashes, and more
- What to do with run-on sentences and comma splices
- The right way to use commas (most people get this wrong!)
- How to ensure that you never misplace an apostrophe again
- The correct conventions for punctuating dialogue in fiction
- How to use the correct tense – every time.
And much more!
At the end of this self-paced course, you will understand why your sentences may not have been grammatically correct, and have developed the skills to improve your writing – either in first draft or through editing.
Grammar and punctuation are not the heart of fiction – creativity, imagination and hard work are – but without them, your reader will be left confused, and the impact of your story will be lessened. (Not to mention that publishers and agents are simply not impressed by bad grammar and punctuation. They won’t take your story seriously.)
Don’t waste time second guessing your work. Fiction Essentials: Grammar and Punctuation is a resource you can turn to again and again whenever the grammar gremlins trip you up. It will provide you with life-long skills that you’ll use every day.
Note: This course focuses on grammar and punctuation techniques for fiction writers. If you want to improve your grammar and punctuation in a business context, we recommend Grammar and Punctuation Essentials and Professional Business Writing.
“It's a must for everyone – even just as a refresher on writing basics. It reminded me to do simple things that make a huge difference.”
Lauren Bolton Fiction Essentials: GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION graduate
How our “self-paced courses” work
This is one of AWC’s 35+ “self-paced” online courses. But what does that mean? Allow us to explain:
“I didn't realise how many gaps I had in my knowledge of English grammar and punctuation until I did this course! Having gone to school at a time when grammar was not specifically taught, I learnt to write intuitively, without really knowing what it was I was doing grammatically. Now I feel I have the understanding to write with more confidence and have more control over my storytelling.”
Rachael Fiction Essentials: GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION graduate
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: I already have fairly good grammar and punctuation skills. Will I learn anything new?
A: If you’re already a whiz at grammar and punctuation, great! However, if you’re not 100% confident that you are punctuating correctly (especially with dialogue), using tenses in the right way, and ensuring your grammar is spot on, then you want to acquire these skills. Remember, you only have one chance to make a first impression. Your story may be awesome, but you don’t want publishers to be distracted by grammar and punctuation errors. Only a very patient publisher will overlook these things, while others will put you in the “too hard” basket. When you can polish your words, you give your story the best chance for success.
Q: Will there be any feedback, so I can tell if I’m getting things right?
A: You’ll be provided with comprehensive exercises so that you can practice your newly acquired grammar and punctuation skills. Don’t worry, we’ll provide you with the answers! As this is a self-paced course, there is no one-on-one feedback.
Q: Will this course help me if I want to become a fiction copy editor?
A: If you want to pursue a career as a fiction copy editor, it’s expected that you would master the skills in the course at a minimum. So if you’re not confident that you have these skills, then this course is definitely a starting point.
Flexible learning is available right now. Transform your fiction writing by purchasing this self-paced course today!
| Key information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key information: | |||||
Duration 1
This is an online self-paced course
Duration:
Your 12 months' access begins straight away
Course Creator: Pamela Freeman $195 | |||||
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