Creative Nonfiction: Write from Life
A course by Julia Bell, Writer and Teacher
Learn creative writing and storytelling techniques to craft engaging nonfiction pieces for publication or personal enjoyment
Creative nonfiction is the art of turning true stories into an immersive experience on paper. As a professional writer who also teaches the subject, Julia Bell has become an expert at weaving both facts and fiction into an engaging read. She’s published poetry, essays, novels, and nonfiction books including Radical Attention and the bestseller Creative Writing Coursebook.
In this online course, Julia teaches you her approach to crafting nonfiction narratives. Learn creative writing and storytelling techniques to recount real events with imagination. Find your unique voice and compose page-turning pieces inspired by life.
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 19 downloads
What's included in this course?
Meet your teacher for the course, Julia Bell. Hear about her extensive career as a writer and educator, as well as the influences that inspire her work.
Learn how to observe your surroundings while developing your descriptive skills and personal voice through a series of creative exercises. Look at how memory influences your perspective as well as different ways to structure a story.
Next, Julia shows where to find inspiration and how to transform it into a compelling narrative. After thoroughly researching your subject, decide how to address your audience and start shaping your story. Discover ways to use techniques from fiction-writing to build drama, create imagery, and craft the perfect ending.
To wrap up, Julia takes you through the editing process step by step. She also shares tips on how to develop your work into a long-format project and prepare it for publication.
- 100% positive reviews (107)
- 5,426 students
- 15 lessons (2h 56m)
- 19 additional resources (2 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English, Spanish (Latam), French, Indonesian, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Turkish
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Indonesian · Romanian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Write a short piece of creative nonfiction ready to submit for publication or develop into a longer work.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to improve their writing or discover an original and engaging way to tell true stories.
Requirements and materials
You don’t need any previous experience to take this course, just something to write with.
Reviews
Julia Bell
A course by Julia Bell
Julia Bell is a writer and a professor at Birkbeck, University of London.
She loved writing growing up, and by the age of 12, she knew she wanted to do it for a living, thanks to a school-sponsored poetry workshop. She went on to hone her craft with a master’s degree before launching her career in the world of the written word. For her, this creative activity is not only a profession but a lifestyle, and her surroundings are an endless source of inspiration.
Since she got her start, Julia has published three young adult novels—Massive, Dirty Work, and The Dark Light—which have been translated into multiple languages. She has also written several nonfiction books including Radical Attention and the bestseller Creative Writing Coursebook. Her poetry, essays, and short stories have been broadcast on the BBC and featured in publications like The Paris Review, The Times Literary Supplement, The White Review, Comma Press, and Mal Journal.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Gathering Ideas and Starting to Write
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Paying Attention
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Developing Your Voice
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Working with Memory
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The Situation and the Story
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Structuring Stories
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U3
Shaping a Compelling Piece
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What Makes a Good Story?
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Gathering Your Knowledge and Research
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The Voice of the Piece
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Making a Scene
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Refining the Ending
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U4
Finishing the Piece and Finding an Audience
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Different Approaches to Editing
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Planning and Developing a Longer Project
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Taking Your Work Forward
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FP
Final project
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Creative Nonfiction: Write from Life
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Yes, this course is designed for intermediate writers who want to deepen their creative nonfiction skills, blending memory, observation, and storytelling techniques.
You’ll need a willingness to experiment, access to basic writing tools (notebook or computer), and sometimes a camera or smartphone for photo-based exercises.
You’ll learn how to enhance descriptive writing, translate sensory and visual details into language, and use observation and photographs as inspiration for creative nonfiction.
Yes, the course covers memoir in verse, lyrical essay techniques, and strategies for developing authentic, vivid personal narratives.
Yes, the course includes workshopping and peer review, allowing you to receive constructive feedback and improve your writing in a supportive environment.
The course provides guidance on preparing work for competitions and publication, including market research and submission strategies.
Absolutely. The course explores using objects and photographs as sources for nonfiction, including ekphrasis, bricolage, and attentive looking exercises.
Great course, I got to learn a lot so far. Love Julia's teaching methods!
Ottimo corso
Me gusto
Fiquei surpreso com o conteúdo do curso, a didática, os exemplos, exercícios. Me sinto como se fosse um artesão sem muitas ferramentas e agora ganhei uma caixa cheia, ansioso para usar. Parabéns.
O curso é muito bom, especialmente valioso por detalhar o processo criativo da autora com um exemplo real.