Writing what you know
Introduction
I took this free course, WRITING WHAT YOU KNOW in August and September 2024 through OpenUniversity. The course was written by Dr. Derek Neale, an award winning short story writer and creative writing lecturer. It includes reading and writing activities that are geared to developing the use of memory, observation and the senses. The aim is to develop your perceptual abilities, honing your capacity to see detail in the world. You will be encouraged to start seeing the familiar in a new way and to make good use of your own personal history.
Artifact 01 > Cut a Long Story. “Dr Derek Neale - Writer Interview with Cut a Long Story.” YouTube, 23 Dec 2014.
Learning outcomes
After studying this course, you should be able to:
articulate the notion of ‘write what you know’
write ‘blind’ descriptions of known objects and note new observations
have an enhanced ability to list sensory perceptions
write short texts about a personal memory of either a place or a character.
