Writing Creative Nonfiction

Do you want to do food writing for Vice? Or travelogue for The New Yorker? Or music writing for Rolling Stone? Or maybe you’re writing a memoir—either to sell to a publisher, or just to share with family and friends.

All of that is creative nonfiction: writing that features you, the writer, and the real-life topic you’re writing about, in carefully crafted narrative prose.

This university-tier course led by expert author Laurie Scheer is your gateway to mastering the art of creative nonfiction.

Using the knowledge Laurie built up over the years as a television producer and writing teacher at Yale and UCLA, she developed this course for UW-Madison—where it became a breakout hit, consistently filling up enrollment every time it was taught.

Now this comprehensive course is here at Scribophile! Laurie will guide you through everything you need to know to start writing creative nonfiction that readers love and that editors want to buy.

You’ll cover everything from understanding your slant and point of view, to conducting effective research, to techniques to make your writing stand out.

As you’re learning, you’ll work under Laurie’s guidance to craft a gripping article on a nonfiction topic of your choice. Once you’re done, you’ll workshop your article with your peers, along with getting personal feedback from Laurie herself.

Some of Laurie’s career highlights

What you’ll learn

After you finish this class, you’ll:

• Get detailed personal feedback from Laurie on your submissions.

• Be able to identify your voice, point of view, and your unique “you” regarding where you stand within the content you’re writing.

• Gain the skill to research and understand where your writing fits in to the marketplace, so that you can effectively position and market your writing.

• Practice the skills necessary to conduct effective research on your chosen topic.

• Learn to determine why you’re writing—whether it’s for personal reasons, to raise awareness of an issue, to establish influencer status, and any other reason.

• Master techniques for composing gripping nonfiction prose.

• Know how to determine your slant regarding what you’re writing, and how to harness it to write convincing prose.

• Be able to select the best form for your topic, be it a personal essay, a blog post, a full-length manuscript, or a hybrid of those.

Class outline

• Week One: Creative nonfiction, “you,” and your point of view

• Week Two: How to begin telling your story

• Week Three: The big subtypes of creative nonfiction

• Week Four: Structure and purpose in your writing

• Week Five: Focus on your writing

• Week Six: Get feedback on your work and wrap up

Student praise for Laurie Scheer

You have been a gift and a force for advancing the profession and wonder of authorship. Thank you for your contributions and guidance to the writing community.

—Robert B.

Inspiration, motivation, and creating nudging. This is what I experienced participating in Laurie's writing sessions. I have enjoyed connecting with other aspiring writers and having access to various sources of information to improve my own writing. Despite our fast-paced lives, Laurie encourages us to take the time to pause, reflect, and let the words flow out of our inner self.

—Paulina A.

Laurie Scheer is the best. She is a great listener as well as a great presenter/speaker. I had run into a creative roadblock and she has helped me get past it. I look forward to taking another class with her.

—William D.

Laurie Scheer helped me discover the bigger picture of my project—will be going full speed ahead.

—Marion F.

“Write your book.” Those three words from mentor extraordinaire Laurie Scheer got me through many dismal days. She is patient, down-to-earth, and so well versed in the ins and outs of everything writing. Through her I became part of a community when she referred me to people, blogs, and publications. In my year with Laurie I wrote two books, both of which will be published. Step by step: “Write your book”. I’m so grateful she is my guide, and you will be, too.

—Nancy B.

Zoom schedule

Along with these Zoom calls, you’ll also spend time taking in lectures and chatting on Scribophile over the course of the class. All Zoom calls are recorded, so if you miss one you can review it later.

• Monday March 20, 2023 7:00pm US Central time — 1 hour

• Monday April 10, 2023 7:00pm US Central time — 1 hour

• Monday May 1, 2023 7:00pm US Central time — 1 hour

How this workshop works

This class is conducted entirely online, on Scribophile and via Zoom videoconference. Participate from anywhere in the world!

You’ll join the instructor and your fellow students in a private group hosted on Scribophile. Take in reading and assignments at your own speed, and discuss them with the instructor and your classmates in the online class discussion forum.

You’ll also participate in Zoom videoconferences with the instructor and your classmates so you can get live lessons and insights, and ask questions in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Videoconferences will be recorded, so you can review them later if you missed them.

Questions about this class?

We’re happy to answer any questions you might have!

• Check out our Writing Class FAQ for answers to some common questions.

• Contact us and a real person will get back to you ASAP.

About Laurie Scheer

Laurie Scheer is a book coach, developmental editor, publishing consultant, script analyst, co-founder of New Nature Writers, and a writer herself, having authored two books—Creative Careers in Hollywood and The Writer’s Advantage. She brings her decades of experience in the media and publishing industries to share with you, the writer.

Throughout her storied career, Laurie has worked as a producer and director of programming at ABC, Viacom, MTV, Nickelodeon, Showtime and AMC. She is a former vice president of programming for WE:Women’s Entertainment. She has also been involved in producing series for the web, films for video games, and other digital media, and has mentored many successful industry professionals.

Laurie has been a writing instructor at numerous universities across the US, from Yale to UCLA, and has taught both in-person and online writing classes for over two decades. As a professional speaker, she has appeared at annual conventions like the Willamette Writers Conference, The Great American PitchFest, RealScreen, Writer’s Digest Conferences, and Chicago area writers’ events, to name just a few. As the Director of UW Madison’s Writers’ Institute for over a decade, Laurie ran the writing conference that The Writer Magazine dubbed the “Best Writers’ Conference in the Midwest” in 2019. While at UW-Madison, Laurie served as the main creator and managing editor of The Midwest Prairie Review literary magazine, and was a writing mentor to hundreds of students in person and online.

Since 2021, Laurie co-founded New Nature Writers, an organization dedicated to writing to save our planet. She serves on the boards of the Wisconsin Writers Association and the Chicago Writers Association, and has been a planner, participant, and speaker with Women in Film & Video-DC since 2001.