Creative Writing: The Craft of Plot

What the course covers

This Coursera offering treats plot as the engine of a story, looking at what keeps readers turning pages. The emphasis is on structure: how to outline a plot, how narrative arc shapes tension, and how pacing and reversals steer a reader's expectations. Expect the discussion to stay close to how real stories are built, rather than to abstract theory.

Who it suits

Fiction writers who can draft individual scenes but struggle to make them add up to a whole will get the most from it. Editors and screenwriters who want a vocabulary for why a middle section sags may find it useful too.

Key takeaways

• Plot as a run of choices that holds attention
• Outlining before drafting, and deciding where a surprise belongs
• Pacing and reversals treated as tools rather than accidents