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Creative Writing: The Craft of Setting and Description

A thoughtful, sensory-rich guide to crafting compelling story worlds—perfect for writers eager to bring their settings to life.

access

Lifetime

level

Beginner

certificate

Certificate of completion

language

English

What will you in the Creative Writing: The Craft of Setting and Description Course

  • Explore how to anchor stories in vivid, sensory-rich worlds—learn techniques from masters of fiction to make settings feel real and alive.

  • Practice crafting rich details that go beyond surface description—“vitamin-rich” details that deepen mood, character, and plot.

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  • Build credibility through imaginative research, blending real-world knowledge with your creative instincts.

  • Try creative meditation exercises to strengthen your connection with story worlds—helping readers see what you see.

Program Overview

Module 1: Persuasive Settings – Why Description Matters

⌛ 2 hours

  • Topics: Why setting creates mood and plot. The power of a “persuasive” world. Building immersive story spaces.

  • Hands-on: Watch 7 videos (~38 min), read 4 texts (~40 min), and complete a peer-reviewed assignment (“Slow-Motion Moment,” ~60 min).

Module 2: If You Build It, They Will Come

⌛ 1 hour

  • Topics: Packing stories with meaningful, sensory-rich detail. Balancing humor, weight, and style.

  • Hands-on: Watch 4 videos (~25 min), read 3 texts (~30 min), and complete a peer-reviewed assignment (“Habitual Ritual,” ~60 min).

Module 3: Credibility and Research

⌛ 2 hours

  • Topics: Writing believable worlds, including the unfamiliar. Using imagination and research. Guided meditation to enrich setting.
  • Hands-on: Watch 4 videos (~37 min) and complete the peer-reviewed assignment (“Strange Lands,” ~120 min).

Module 4: Realities

⌛ 2 hours

  • Topics: Applying description in both realist and fantastical genres. Crafting a “primal landscape.”

  • Hands-on: Learn through guided content and complete the module’s assignment.

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Job Outlook

  • Ideal for fiction writers, screenwriters, or game writers looking to craft immersive environments and make descriptions pop.

  • A valuable tool for anyone whose writing relies on strong, evocative world-building—whether for short stories, novels, or narrative media.

9.7Expert Score
Highly Recommended
A beautifully crafted, beginner-friendly course that teaches writers how to ground their stories in powerful settings, through sensory detail, research, and imaginative techniques.
Value
9.3
Price
9.5
Skills
9.7
Information
9.6
PROS
  • Taught by Amity Gaige, whose thoughtful use of fiction examples and exercises received praise from learners.
  • Practical and immersive: includes meditation exercises that help writers deeply imagine and then vividly describe their worlds.
  • Solid ratings—4.7/5 from around 1,400 Coursera viewers, with positive feedback about its depth and craft.
CONS
  • As part of a broader specialization, this module is ideal for foundational skill-building—but writers seeking advanced description techniques may want further study.

Specification: Creative Writing: The Craft of Setting and Description

access

Lifetime

level

Beginner

certificate

Certificate of completion

language

English

Creative Writing: The Craft of Setting and Description
Creative Writing: The Craft of Setting and Description
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