Writing Workshop Resources: Home

Resources for writers at the NSU Alvin Sherman Library.

LinkedIn Learning - Learn Writing Skills at Your Pace

LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is a great online educational site that includes over 13,000 expert-led, online courses and video tutorials in popular fields like web design, web development, IT, education/instruction, media production, career development, and business. Click the link above to log in to the LinkedIn Learning website with your SharkLink ID and password or Alvin Sherman Library Card number (28132...) and last name, then use the course links listed below to navigate directly to the course. To log in to the LinkedIn Learning App: Click “Sign in” and everyone should just enter “nova.edu” in the Email field. That will take you to a library authentication page which you can use to enter your SharkLink ID and password or Alvin Sherman Library Card and you’ll be redirected back to LinkedIn Learning once that’s done. Local access only for NSU and Broward. Remote access only for NSU and Broward.
Writing: The Craft of Story
In this course, author Lisa Cron digs into the craft of writing a compelling story based on what the brain is wired to respond to in every story we hear.
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Whether you're writing a story from scratch, or revising your story for the umpteenth time, this course offers practical how-to advice, then illustrates it using before-and-after examples. Discover how to craft a first page, zero in on your story's point, create empathy, find a character's secret goals and inner issues, translate generics into specifics, write for suspense, create cause-and-effect connections, build momentum and tension, and deftly implement setups, payoffs, flashbacks, subplots, and foreshadowing.
Write a Bestselling Novel in 15 steps
There's a secret storytelling code at the heart of almost all great novels.
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In this course, author Jessica Brody lays out the 15 essential beats, or plot points, that make readers want to keep turning the page. Filled with tips on plot and story structure, this course is based on Blake Snyder's famous "Save the Cat!" plotting method. Upon wrapping up the course, you'll have the tools you need to create a complete road map to your novel.
The Foundations of Fiction
Creative writing enthusiasts of all stripes—from accomplished novelists to novices struggling with their first screenplay—could benefit from a review of the basics.
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In this course, Jessica Brody and Joanne Rendell dive into each of the key ingredients that make up great fiction, sharing tips that can help you conceive and write compelling novels, memoirs, short stories, or screenplays. Learn how to develop compelling characters, write sparkling dialogue, and decide on the right point of view for your tale. Plus, learn how to build memorable settings and turn story skeletons into rich, compelling plots.
Learning Screenwriting
Join independent film director and screenwriter Mark Tapio Kines as he walks you through the process of getting your screenplay idea out of your head and onto the printed page.
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Learn how to define your story's characters, obstacles, and scope; understand the importance of each of the three acts in a traditional narrative structure; and discover how to build tension and reveal key plot points. Lastly, Mark shows you how to format your screenplay to make it readable and well paced, and navigate the legalities of adapting an existing property, collaborating with a cowriter, or engaging in a work-for-hire contract.
Ebook Foundations
Want to make your own ebooks?
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Get a basic introduction to the exciting and evolving world of digital books. In this beginner-level course, Anne-Marie Concepción explains how to use, create, and sell ebooks, including reflowable, fixed-layout, Kindle, PDF, and multitouch ebooks. Anne-Marie's tips can help you choose the right format and the best tools to build your ebook. She demonstrates professional page layout software such as Adobe InDesign, free apps, and trustworthy services that will do the work for you. Plus, learn about important housekeeping details for selling ebooks, such as creating an ISBN and creating store accounts for the Kindle and iBooks.
Grammar Foundations
Grammar matters! Why?
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Proper grammar improves the clarity of your writing and increases readers' confidence in your ideas. But memorizing every single grammar rule is not the purpose of this course. Instead, author Judy Steiner-Williams concentrates on helping you apply the basic principles so you can avoid making the most common mistakes. Learn about the different parts of speech, possessive rules, and the difference between writing vs. spelling numbers. Then discover tricks for using words that look alike or sound alike (but have entirely different meanings) and enforcing parallel structure.

Digital Magazines

Enjoy digital access to magazines through Flipster using your Library card!

Local Authors

Submit your eBook
Local authors can increase the exposure of their book by submitting it to the Indie Author Project for inclusion in the statewide Indie Florida Collection as well as a chance for national exposure if chosen by Library Journal.