Designed for those eager to enrich their craft and embark on the journey of writing a book or long form work, this course is for prospective authors who are keen on writing non-fiction narrative on a variety of human rights topics: from climate justice to gender equality; from racial justice to social justice at large.

Under the guidance of Professor Andrew Leon Hanna, author of "25 Million Sparks: The Untold Story of Refugee Entrepreneurs" (Cambridge University Press), a Financial Times Best Book of the Year, participants will embark on a transformative journey – learning about the principles of narrative non-fiction writing, developing their own Capstone Project (~2,000-word piece) and receiving tailored personal feedback to nurture their ideas

Drawing inspiration from live webinars with renowned authors and publishers - who will share their tactical wisdom, firsthand experiences and writing tips - participants will reinforce their writing skills and methods while also getting practical advice on navigating the whole path from the first spark to publication.

Over the span of five modules, our online programme will provide a collaborative environment that celebrates community, diversity and inclusivity. The course, open to participants from diverse backgrounds, nationalities and experiences, is tailored to resonate with all those who seek to harness the power of the written word for profound social change. We will actively encourage creative brainstorming and support sharing feedback among participants.

Course Outline

The course The course is organised in 5 modules:

• Module 1 - Selecting a writing topic that makes you "come alive” - To kick off our time together, this session will be primarily focused on introspection. To write something powerful that can create change, it’s important for the author to first consider what sparks their deepest passions. In this session, we will help you consider what issues, concepts, communities, etc. most make you “come alive,” so that you can select a writing topic that will allow your voice to be heard clearly.
• Module 2 - An Intro to Narrative Non-Fiction and Human-Centred Storytelling - With your potential writing topics in mind after the first session, this one will focus on better understanding narrative nonfiction and human-centred storytelling. We will discuss the basic tenets of narrative nonfiction, also called creative nonfiction, and read excerpts from some impactful works within the genre – including both traditional nonfiction books and memoirs. We will discuss what it looks like to be “human-centred” in the writing approach, honouring the voices of the people featured.
• Module 3 - Navigating the Writing Process and Ethical Considerations - Part I - At this stage, with topics selected, we will focus on how to conduct the writing process. This part includes structuring the final work and planning and executing research/interviews as needed.
• Module 4 - Navigating the Writing Process and Ethical Considerations - Part II - In this session, we will continue our discussion about navigating the writing process, getting a level deeper on particular tactics you can use as you write, and exploring key ethical issues to consider.
• Module 5 - Getting Published - This session will cover the common paths to getting your work published. We will discuss possible avenues to getting books published, including the academic and “trade” paths, and ways to get other shorter pieces of nonfiction published as well.

Main Lecturer

The course is taught and coordinated by Prof. Andrew Leon Hanna, award-winning author, entrepreneur and lawyer.

Andrew Leon Hanna

Entrepreneur, lawyer, author, and professor

Lecturers and Experts

Guided by Professor Andrew Leon Hanna and connected through live webinars with eminent writers and publishers, participants will reinforce their writing skills and methods while also getting practical advice on navigating the whole path from the first spark to publication(read all bios here):

 

Kao Kalia Yang

Author, Public Speaker, Teacher

Albie Sachs

Former judge on the Constitutional Court of South Africa

Jemma Neville

Writer and journalist

Casey Gerald

Author

Joel Rickett

Penguin Random House, Publisher

F.A.Q.s

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Enrolment

How do I enrol in the course?

You can start the enrolment process by clicking the "enrol" button.

Is there a selection procedure to participate in the course?

In order to apply, please follow the instructions on our “How to enrol” webpage.

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Structure and content

Is there a schedule for the course or is it self-directed?

The course is mostly asynchronous so participants can study in their own time. However, to enhance peer learning, interactive participation and self-assessment, weekly topics and discussions as well as webinars are proposed at set dates. Participants are required to attend at least 4 out of 5 webinars. For a detailed description of the schedule check the course outline page on our website.

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Certificate of completion

What do I need to do to get the certificate of participation?

At the end of the course, if you have actively participated in all required webinars and submitted your assignments and final Capstone Project, you will receive a certificate of participation.