In George Orwell: A Sage for All Seasons, join Orwell’s authorized biographer, Professor Michael Shelden of Indiana State University, for a 24-lecture journey through the life and times that shaped this profound writer and his eerily prescient masterpieces. From Orwell’s youth in Edwardian England to his formative experiences abroad in colonial Burma and revolutionary Spain to his internal war with socialism and authoritarian regimes, you’ll learn how the man born Eric Blair forged himself into a writer of international importance and renown. Rooted in Professor Shelden’s interviews with Orwell’s friends and lovers—and his own astute literary analysis of all of Orwell’s major works—this course is a one-of-a-kind portrait of the modern world’s greatest champion of individuality. If you’re new to Orwell’s body of work, Professor Shelden will have you rushing to your nearest bookstore or library. If you are already familiar with any of Orwell’s work, he’ll add new layers of understanding and appreciation to this undeniable titan of English literature.

In the 24 eye-opening lectures of How to Publish Your Book, Jane Friedman, publishing industry expert and educator, provides you with sought-after secrets of the publishing process that will help you navigate this difficult progression, bypass pitfalls that many novice authors get hung up on, and improve your chances of being considered for publication. She acts as your personal guide though the entire process from finalizing your manuscript, to writing the perfect pitch, to reviewing contracts and marketing your book. She provides the candid scoop on what you need to do in order to increase your chances of being considered. The knowledge you’ll gain by having an inside expert teaching you how to position your book for publication gives you a unique advantage and drastically increases your chances of getting noticed in this increasingly competitive industry.

Learn how David crafts attention-grabbing openings, satisfying endings, and meaning from the mundane—and how he uses humor to connect with others and process the difficult and sometimes dark aspects of everyday life.

The course was born from Professor Weinstein's conviction that American literature is our "great estate," and that claiming this rightful inheritance—the living past and the lessons we can take from it—should be nothing less than a unique and joyous learning experience. Experience Two Centuries of America's Greatest Works Professor Weinstein explains that America's classic works should be savored as part of our inner landscape: part of how we see both America and ourselves. Discover the Stories behind America's Immortal Writers Consider that:

• Emily Dickinson was virtually unheard of in her own time.
• William Faulkner's books were out of print until the mid-1940s.
• F. Scott Fitzgerald died believing he had been forgotten.

Savor the Joy of Great Reading Dr. Weinstein is the Edna and Richard Salomon Distinguished Professor at Brown University, where he has been teaching literature to packed classrooms since 1968. Brown University student course evaluation summaries reported: "By far, students' greatest lament was that they only got to listen to Professor Weinstein once a week."

Learn the process for keeping track of her characters’ ages and places in history while writing novels that span a great length of time.

Dan reveals his toolkit for adding instant suspense to your storyline, from beginning to end.

• Demonstrate an understanding of Shakespeare’s language and empirical methods for its analysis
• Evaluate common myths surrounding Shakespeare’s language
• Compare the language of Shakespeare with that of his contemporaries
• Investigate the linguistic traits of characters and plays
• Apply corpus linguistic concepts and methods

In this writing class, he’ll teach you the rules of drama, the nuances of dialogue, and the skills to develop your own voice and create your masterpiece.

From evoking a scene to charting a plot to selecting a point of view, Writing Great Fiction: Storytelling Tips and Techniques offers a master class in storytelling. Taught by acclaimed novelist James Hynes, a former visiting professor at the famed Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the University of Michigan, these 24 insightful lectures show you the ins and outs of the fiction writer’s craft. More than just delivering lectures, Professor Hynes offers the first steps of an apprenticeship, showing you not only how fiction works but also how to read like a writer. Here you’ll find explications of novels and stories across the ages:

• Rediscover classics such as Jane Eyre, Bleak House, Middlemarch, Mrs. Dalloway, and others.
• Gain new insights into bestsellers such as the Harry Potter and Game of Thrones series.
• Explore the world of literary fiction, from Chekhov’s “The Kiss” to Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping.
• Reflect on what makes characters such as Anna Karenina and Sherlock Holmes so memorable.
• Find out how to create suspense like Dashiell Hammett, George Pelecanos, and John le Carré.

In addition to showing you how the elements of fiction work, this course is an interactive toolkit. Professor Hynes closes each lecture with an exercise to get your creative juices flowing. Only you know what story you want to tell, but the many examples and writing prompts in these lectures will get you from thinking about writing to the act of writing—often the toughest part of any project.

What you will learn

• Interpret the roles world religions to play in today and throughout history.
• Appreciate the internal diversity and evolution of world religions and their scriptures.
• Understand the strengths and limitations of learning about world religions through their sacred texts.
• Explore how scriptures are interpreted to diverse ends in different historical and cultural contexts.
• Engage in nuanced readings of world scriptures.

In the 24 lectures of How to Write Best-Selling Fiction, Mr. Bell provides a comprehensive, eye-opening, and illuminating survey of the entire writing process, as well as a full breakdown of how dozens of best-selling authors have implemented these best practices in their own writing. Any aspiring author will gain a wealth of tools that that will not only improve their ability to write, but will also increase their enjoyment of the craft.

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

• Explore new cultural phenomena and trends emerging in Chinese society
• Develop a more contextualized understanding of Chinese culture
• Discuss the act of stereotyping in Chinese culture
• Reflect on how social and cultural landscapes in China have been changed as China experiences an economy boom
• Assess how digitalization has transformed the expression and representation of Chinese culture.

• You will receive a Writing With Flair Certificate of Completion after finishing the course.
• You will learn how to write well from an ex-Wall Street Journal editor.
• You will discover the "secret sauce" of exceptional writing.
• You will learn how to make your writing more simple, clear, elegant and evocative.
• You will learn how to cultivate the unique mindset of an "elite" writer.
• You will learn how to become a more confident, competent and sophisticated writer.
• You will discover how to add style to your blogs, books and business writing.

• You will receive a Ninja Writing Certificate of Completion after finishing the course.
• You will learn the little-known writing secrets of editors on top newspapers and websites.
• You will learn how to tap into the enormous power of the narrative, paragraphs, sentences and words.
• You will discover how to transform yourself into a masterful writer in just days or weeks.
• You will learn how to make your prose stand out massively from that of your peers and competitors.
• You will know how to make your blogs, books and business writing sparkle.
• You will discover how to create spellbinding writing with ease.
• You will learn the tricks of the trade from an experienced ex-Wall Street Journal editor.

• Define what a creative career means to you
• Set goals to get you where you want to go
• Establish small steps to get you started
• Gain marketing and promotion strategies that work
• Analyze your progress to ensure you’re on the right path