Skip to main content
The following fields are required:
Error has occurred. Please reload this page and try the operation again.
  • Agents
  • Partners
  • Student Login
  • Instructor Login
UC Berkeley Extension Home Page
      • Areas of Study
        • Art and Design
        • Behavioral Health Sciences
        • Business
        • Construction and Sustainability
        • Education
        • Humanities and Languages
        • Sciences, Mathematics
          and Biotechnology
        • Technology and
          Information Management
        • Writing, Editing and
          Technical Communication
      • Online Learning
        • Online Courses and Certificates
      • Events
        • Information Sessions
        • Free and Low Cost Events
      • Academic Services
        • Enrollment
        • Transcripts
        • General Information
        • Community Guides
      • Course and Program Information
        • Latest COVID-19 Information
        • Online Course Policies
        • Certificates, Programs and CEUs
        • Concurrent Enrollment
        • Career Services
      • Student Aid
        • Disabled Students
        • Financial Assistance
        • Community Impact Scholarship
      • Voices
        • Voices Home
        • Educator Insights
        • Student Stories
        • Professional Pathways
        • Industry Trends
      • Events
        • Information Sessions
        • Free and Low Cost Events

  • Berkeley Global

Writing Genre Fiction: Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance and More

ENGLISH X437

41083
Delivery Options Online

One joy of writing fiction is the many kinds of stories you can tell. In this class, you will explore several popular genres of fiction—literary, mystery, thriller, science fiction, fantasy, horror and romance. Learn techniques that are essential to all fiction while examining the characteristics, conventions and reader expectations associated with each particular genre. Receive guidance with the writing process, develop self-assessment and critical skills and prepare for publication of your manuscript. As you write and revise a short story or chapters of a novel, you will acquire an understanding of the basic elements of fiction writing and of your own viewpoint and skills as a writer.

Course Outline

Expand or collapse section

Course Objectives

  • Examine various popular genres of fiction and understand the characteristics, conventions and reader expectations associated with each genre.
  • Deepen your understanding of what makes a story in any genre a satisfying experience for the writer and the reader.
  • Set and accomplish specific writing goals.
  • Increase your skill of creating characters, developing plots and handling other elements that contribute to successful fiction in various genres.
  • Explore ways to achieve a more powerful and personal writing voice.
  • Improve your proficiency and confidence as a fiction writer.
  • Learn about the publishing industry and professional approaches to marketing your work.
  • Make significant progress on a personal writing project.
Loading...

Sections

Section 003

Feb 23, 2021 to Apr 27, 2021 Live Online

Course Fee(s)

Course Fee credit (2 units)

$675.00


Type Live Online

Access classroom-style interactive learning from anywhere in the world! Attend scheduled online sessions with your instructor and classmates in addition to completing your coursework.

Live Online format allows you to take classes from anywhere with an internet connection. Classroom sections will be taught in this format through Spring 2021. Learn more about this format.

Beginning August 15, 2020, you must have a Zoom account to participate.

Many schools are now accepting transfer credit for online coursework, including health and sciences programs. Check with your institution before enrolling.

Days

T

Time

6:00PM to 9:00PM Pacific Time

Dates

Feb 23, 2021 to Apr 27, 2021

Schedule and Location

View Details

Instructional Hours

30.0

Delivery Options

Online

Available for Credit

2 semester units

Instructors

  • Margaret Lucke

Section Materials

  • Textbook (Mandatory) The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing: Everything You Need to Know to Create & Sell Your Work by Various Authors © 2017 Writer's Digest Books 3rd edition ISBN-13: 978-1440348396

This course applies to the following programs:

Certificate Program in Writing

Expand or collapse section

Required Courses

  • The Craft of Reading
  • The Craft of Writing
  • Writing Skills Workshop

Electives (Literature)

  • American Fiction
  • Contemporary Voices: Speaking From the Margins
  • The English Novel
  • Fact or Fiction: Reading and Writing the Personal Essay
  • Great Novels You Always Meant to Read
  • Great Writers Steal: How the Work of Other Writers Can Inform and Inspire You
  • Mystery Fiction
  • Shakespeare
  • Short-Story Masterpieces
  • Meet the Writer: Guided Study and Discussion With Fiction Writers
  • Ursa Minor Production Class

Electives (Writing Workshop)

  • Exploring Creative Writing
  • Introduction to Writing Fiction
  • Intermediate Fiction Writing
  • Advanced Fiction Writing
  • Writing Genre Fiction: Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance and More
  • Mystery Writing
  • Developing the Novel
  • Screenwriting: The Art of Visual Storytelling
  • Screenwriting Workshop
  • How to Write a Story
  • Writing and Appreciating Poetry
  • Poetry Workshop
  • Poets Studied and in Conversation
  • Writing Creative Nonfiction
  • Creative Nonfiction Workshop
  • Developing the Memoir
  • Developing the Memoir II
  • Journalism Workshop
  • Science Writing
  • Writing the Feature Story
  • Writing and Editing Internship Program

Courses of Related Interest

  • Children's Picture Book Writing Workshop
  • Story Lab
  • Writing the First-Person Essay

Learn More About this Program

Notes

extension-letters@berkeley.edu | (510) 643-1110

UC Berkeley Extension UC Berkeley Extension Footer Logo

1995 University Ave., Suite 200

Berkeley, CA 94704-7000

extension@berkeley.edu

  • About Us
  • Administration
  • Contact Us
  • Gifts
  • Jobs

Copyright © UC Regents

Powered by Destiny One
Facebook Facebook Icon Twitter Twitter Icon LinkedIn LinkedIn Icon YouTube YouTube Icon Instagram Instagram Icon

We use cookies to give you the best experience on our website. By clicking Accept, you consent to our cookie policy and privacy policy.

Session Time-Out

For security reasons and the protection of your personal information, your session will time out due to a period of inactivity in minute(s) and second(s). Click Extend My Session to continue. For security reasons and the protection of your personal information, your session timed out after a period of inactivity. You will be redirected to the home page.

Confirm

Alert

Course Fee

ENGLISH X437 - 003 - Writing Genre Fiction: Science Fiction, Mystery, Romance and More

Processing...

Online

Margaret Lucke

Margaret Lucke is the author of two novels of paranormal suspense, House of Desire and House of Whispers, and two mysteries, Snow Angel and A Relative Stranger (an Anthony Award finalist). She is also the editor of Fault Lines, a short story anthology published in 2019 by the Northern California chapter of Sisters in Crime. In addition, she has published two how-to books on writing, Schaum’s Quick Guide to Writing Great Short Stories and Writing Mysteries. Her other publishing credits include more than 60 short stories, feature articles, and scripts for mystery weekends. A former president of the Northern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America, she has been an instructor for the UC Berkeley Extension writing program since 1994 and works with businesses and individuals as a writing coach and editorial consultant.

Processing...

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

This statement explains how we use cookies on our website. For information about what types of personal information will be gathered when you visit the website, and how this information will be used, please see our privacy policy.

How we use cookies

All of our web pages use "cookies". A cookie is a small file of letters and numbers that we place on your computer or mobile device if you agree. These cookies allow us to distinguish you from other users of our website, which helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our website and enables us to improve our website.

Types of cookies we use

We use the following types of cookies:

  • Strictly necessary cookies- these are essential in to enable you to move around the websites and use their features. Without these cookies the services you have asked for, such as signing in to your account, cannot be provided.
  • Performance cookies- these cookies collect information about how visitors use a website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often. We use this information to improve our websites and to aid us in investigating problems raised by visitors. These cookies do not collect information that identifies a visitor.
  • Functionality cookies- these cookies allow the website to remember choices you make and provide more personal features. For instance, a functional cookie can be used to remember the items that you have placed in your shopping cart. The information these cookies collect may be anonymized and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites.

Most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings. To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them please visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org/.

Specific cookies we use

The list below identify the cookies we use and explain the purposes for which they are used. We may update the information contained in this section from time to time.

  • JSESSIONID: This cookie is used by the application server to identify a unique user's session.
  • registrarToken: This cookie is used to remember items that you have added to your shopping cart
  • locale: This cookie is used to remember your locale and language settings.
  • cookieconsent_status: This cookie is used to remember if you've already dismissed the cookie consent notice.
  • _ga_UA-########: These cookies are used to collect information about how visitors use our site. We use the information to compile reports and to help us improve the website. The cookies collect information in an anonymous form, including the number of visitors to the website, where visitors have come to the site from and the pages they visited. This anonymized visitor and browsing information is stored in Google Analytics.

Changes to our Cookie Statement

Any changes we may make to our Cookie Policy in the future will be posted on this page.