Writing Short Stories and Novels from Scratch
A course by Abril Posas, Writer
Learn the key elements to develop your idea from scratch and turn it into a short story or novel
There's nothing quite like the excitement of sitting down to write a brand-new story, but where to begin? In this online course, discover how great stories come about alongside writer Abril Posas.
Learn the key components involved in transforming an idea into a short story or a novel. Delve into how and why stories are told by mastering various writing techniques. By the end of the course, you'll be able to create a full road map to guide you through the structure of your future literary work.
What will you learn in this online course?
12 lessons & 33 downloads
What's included in this course?
Begin the course by getting to know your teacher, Abril Posas. Hear about her professional experience and where she finds inspiration to create her stories.
Where do stories come from? How do you start writing? Abril answers these questions and many more to expand your knowledge on the subject. She also explains the differences between a novel and a short story to help you choose the correct format for your tale.
Move on to the final project and create the backbone of your story from scratch. Define the characters, the setting, and the time in which your story takes place, then structure it into an exposition, rising action, and resolution.
Time to figure out if your piece is best suited to a short story or a novel format. Once you have the answer, sit down and put all your ideas into words. To finish the course, Abril shares some tips to help you maintain a work routine and publish your story.
- 92% positive reviews (26)
- 918 students
- 12 lessons (1h 22m)
- 33 additional resources (3 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: Spanish, German, English, French, Italian, Portuguese
- Spanish · English · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch · Turkish · Romanian · Indonesian
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create the outline of your story, which serves as a road map to guide you in writing the first draft of your short story or novel.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who is starting to write and wants to learn how to identify if their story has the potential to be a novel or is better suited to a short story format.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is needed to take this course, just a word processor, colored post-its, paper, and pens.
Reviews
Abril Posas
A course by Abril Posas
Abril Posas was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and knew she wanted to be a writer when she discovered that a story could move her just like a movie or her favorite cartoons. Before publishing her first book of short stories, El triunfo de la memoria (Paraíso Perdido, 2017), she was featured in a number of anthologies including Moscas, niñas y otros muertos (Punto de partida, 2004), El silencio de los cuerpos (Ediciones B, 2015), and Río entre las piedras (Paraíso Perdido, 2016).
In 2019, she quit her job at an advertising agency to write her first novel: Esto no es una canción de amor (Paraíso Perdido, 2020). Her passion since then is sharing how to take the leap from short story to novel with other aspiring writers.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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Presentation
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Influences
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U2
We Want so Much to Tell Stories
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Why Do We Tell Stories?
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The Shape of Stories
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The Seed of Storytelling and the Map of the Greenhouse
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U3
Let's Do It
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History, History, Are You There?
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Narrator, Journey, and Creation of a World
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Action and Structure
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U4
The Final Test for History (and Who Writes It)
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The Story Test
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If Your Result Is a Story, It's Time to Write It Down!
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If Your Result Is Novel, What Do You Expect?
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The Writer's Routine: Write, Correct, Publish, and Write Again
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FP
Final project
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Writing Short Stories and Novels from Scratch
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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
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FAQs
To overcome writer's block, the course offers creative techniques, hands-on exercises, and strategies to ignite inspiration, helping you unlock ideas and stay motivated throughout your writing journey.
Yes, this course is designed for anyone wanting to develop short stories or novels, providing tools from idea generation to structural planning, suitable for all experience levels.
You'll learn to recognize the structural and narrative differences between short stories and novels, and how to decide if an idea fits better as a brief or longer format.
No prior experience is needed. The course covers key concepts and techniques from an intermediate level but is accessible for beginners starting their narrative writing path.
You'll receive practical guides, planning exercises, visual templates, and strategies to organize characters, plot, and setting, making it easier to structure both short stories and novels.
The course covers building main and secondary characters, developing backgrounds, motivations, personalities, and their roles within the narrative conflict.
You'll learn techniques to gather inspiration, turn personal experiences and cultural references into original stories, and apply strategies to boost literary creativity.
Cours intéressant, il répond bien à la demande. J'aurais aimé plus de détails sur certaines partis, mais dans l'ensemble il est intéressant.
Increíble! me encantan las actividades que nos da!!!
Muy sencillo y útil
Me encantó el curso, con ideas muy valiosas y creativas, saludos desde Uruguay!
J'ai bien aimé