Narrative Structure in Storytelling (472-0-20)

Instructors

Patti Lynne Wolter

Meeting Info

303 E. Wacker Dr. 1623: Tues 1:00PM - 3:50PM

Overview of class

Narrative Structure in Storytelling is an immersive five weeks in the art of crafting stories for different media. Students will deconstruct, analyze, tear apart and re-shape stories in an effort to understand how good stories come to be. Each week the course will focus on a different medium, from narrative writing to documentary film, to podcasts, to advertising messages and more, and identify the core components of storytelling and how that medium uses them well (think characters, leads, arc, plot, audio, etc.). Students will look at what all stories have in common as well as how mediums differ along with core tenets and when to break the rules. By the end of the five weeks, students should have a strong understanding of how to take a large body of information, organize it and then create meaningful, gripping narratives across mediums. Guest speakers may include NPR reporters, documentary filmmakers, digital editors, advertising creatives and long-form writers. Assignments include heavy reading, watching and listening to the year's best works, weekly story analyses, writing short narratives and possibly editing and reimagining stories across mediums.

Class Materials (Required)

All materials, readings, etc. Provided by instructor through Canvas

Class Notes

Class will meet for 5 weeks with the first class meeting on January 30th.
There will be no class the week of February 5th.
The last class will be held March 5th.

Class Attributes

Attendance at 1st class mandatory