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University of Michigan
Writing and Editing: Drafting
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University of Michigan

Writing and Editing: Drafting

This course is part of Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization

Patrick Barry

Instructor: Patrick Barry

31,178 already enrolled

Included with Coursera Plus

•Learn more
4 modules
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8

(364 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
Flexible schedule
1 week at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
97%
Most learners liked this course

4 modules
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.8

(364 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
Flexible schedule
1 week at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
97%
Most learners liked this course
  • About
  • Outcomes
  • Modules
  • Recommendations
  • Testimonials
  • Reviews

What you'll learn

  • Understand and reflect on the cost of perfectionism in writing

  • Conduct a “pre-mortem” before starting a writing draft

  • Identify summaries and scenes

  • Apply the “nothing else” and “need to know” principles

Skills you'll gain

  • Productivity
  • Growth Mindedness
  • Writing
  • Editing
  • Planning
  • Creativity
  • Brainstorming
  • Overcoming Obstacles
  • Learning Strategies
  • Time Management

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

27 assignments

Taught in English

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

This third course in the “Good with Words: Writing and Editing” series will give you a number of strategies to help with what is often the most intimidating, even paralyzing part of the writing process: getting started.

You’ll learn about the “planning fallacy” and “temptation bundling.” You’ll get a chance to experiment with “freewriting” and “writing before you are ready.” And you’ll continue to benefit, through our ongoing “Good Sentences” and “Takeaways” segments, from the models and advice of a diverse set of writers. As with the other three courses in this series, you will also get access to a wide range of books and other resources you can use even after you finish the course. These include: (1) the readings and exercises provided to the students who have taken the in-person version of this course at the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago; (2) two digital libraries of excellent writing from a diverse collection of journalists, scientists, novelists, poets, historians, and entrepreneurs; and (3) a monthly “Good Sentences” email.

In this first week, we will focus on the cost of perfectionism.

What's included

8 videos13 readings7 assignments3 app items2 discussion prompts3 plugins

8 videos•Total 19 minutes
  • Introduction•0 minutes•Preview module
  • Personalize Your Defaults•5 minutes
  • Temptation Bundling•3 minutes
  • Lamott and Elbow•0 minutes
  • Punctuation and Professionalism: Semicolons•3 minutes
  • Notes on Nuance: "Simultaneously"•2 minutes
  • Takeaways•1 minute
  • Student Takeaways: Garbage in Your Head•0 minutes
13 readings•Total 73 minutes
  • Teaching Style + Resources •3 minutes
  • Meet Professor Barry•2 minutes
  • Syllabus•10 minutes
  • University of Michigan Survey•10 minutes
  • Writer's Block•4 minutes
  • Madman, Architect, Carpenter, Judge•3 minutes
  • Edit Our Edits•2 minutes
  • Introduction to the Gamut Workbook Tool•2 minutes
  • Gamut Workbook FAQ: Locked Exercises•3 minutes
  • Gamut Workbook FAQ: Error 403•10 minutes
  • Punctuation and Professionalism: Introduction and Review•10 minutes
  • Notes on Nuance: Introduction and Review•10 minutes
  • Good Sentences: Introduction and Review•4 minutes
7 assignments•Total 47 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•2 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•10 minutes
  • Punctuation Practice: Semicolons•5 minutes
  • Nuance Practice: Simultaneously•5 minutes
  • Weekly Review (Graded)•15 minutes
3 app items•Total 45 minutes
  • Exercise—The Cost of Perfectionism (Optional)•25 minutes
  • Good Sentences (Children)•15 minutes
  • Exercise—Takeaways•5 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
  • Writer's Block•10 minutes
  • Madman, Architect, Carpenter, Judge•10 minutes
3 plugins•Total 6 minutes
  • Drafting and Editing: The Fantasy of the Uninitiated•3 minutes
  • Drafting and Editing: Hemingway's Wastebasket•1 minute
  • Drafting and Editing: Garbage in Your Head•2 minutes

This week, we'll focus on "the planning fallacy" and ways to make sure you hit your deadlines.

What's included

7 videos8 readings6 assignments7 app items7 discussion prompts2 plugins

7 videos•Total 10 minutes
  • Previously On•0 minutes•Preview module
  • Previously On: Personalized Defaults•2 minutes
  • The Planning Fallacy and Buffer or Suffer•2 minutes
  • Punctuation and Professionalism: Semicolon Substitution•2 minutes
  • Notes on Nuance: Equal Parts•1 minute
  • Takeaways•0 minutes
  • Student Takeaway: Buffer or Suffer•0 minutes
8 readings•Total 58 minutes
  • Previously On: Introduction and Review•5 minutes
  • The Planning Fallacy•15 minutes
  • The Boss as "Buffer"•10 minutes
  • My First Time (The Paris Review)•5 minutes
  • Fresh-Start Effect•10 minutes
  • Habits•3 minutes
  • Habitats•5 minutes
  • Notes on Nuance: "Equal Parts"•5 minutes
6 assignments•Total 50 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•10 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Punctuation Practice: Semicolon Substitution•5 minutes
  • Weekly Review (Graded)•20 minutes
7 app items•Total 52 minutes
  • Exercise—Previously On•5 minutes
  • Exercise—Predicting Projects•5 minutes
  • Exercise—Predicting Projects (Low Stakes)•10 minutes
  • Exercise—Predicting Projects (High Stakes)•10 minutes
  • Exercise: Punctuation Portfolio•2 minutes
  • Good Sentences (Jobs)•15 minutes
  • Exercise—Takeaways•5 minutes
7 discussion prompts•Total 65 minutes
  • Predicting Projects•10 minutes
  • Predicting Projects (Low Stakes)•10 minutes
  • Prediction Process (High Stakes)•10 minutes
  • Update and Tips (High Stakes)•10 minutes
  • Good Habit•10 minutes
  • Bad Habit•10 minutes
  • Punctuation Portfolio•5 minutes
2 plugins•Total 2 minutes
  • Drafting and Editing: Writing Schedule•1 minute
  • Drafting and Editing: The Key to Getting Ahead is Getting Started•1 minute

This week, we will focus on how drafting and researching intertwine.

What's included

8 videos6 readings9 assignments3 app items2 discussion prompts2 plugins

8 videos•Total 16 minutes
  • Previously On•0 minutes•Preview module
  • Previously On: The Key to Getting Ahead Is Getting Started•2 minutes
  • Write Before You Are Ready•2 minutes
  • Punctuation and Professionalism: Semicolons and Complex Lists •4 minutes
  • Notes on Nuance: "However"•3 minutes
  • Takeaways•0 minutes
  • Student Takeaways: Write Before You Are Ready #1•1 minute
  • Student Takeaways: Write Before You Are Ready #2•0 minutes
6 readings•Total 51 minutes
  • Start Fast•3 minutes
  • Pitches and Proposals (Resources)•3 minutes
  • Student-->Teacher (Optional)•20 minutes
  • (Optional) Word Choice, Word Confusion•10 minutes
  • Good vs. Well•5 minutes
  • Notes on Nuance: "However"•10 minutes
9 assignments•Total 70 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Word Choice, Word Confusion•5 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Punctuation Practice: Semicolons and Complex Lists•5 minutes
  • Notes on Nuance Practice: "However"•5 minutes
  • Weekly Review (Graded)•30 minutes
3 app items•Total 30 minutes
  • Exercise—Previously On•10 minutes
  • Exercise—Good Sentences (Environment)•15 minutes
  • Exercise—Takeaways•5 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
  • Start Fast•10 minutes
  • Student-->Teacher•10 minutes
2 plugins•Total 4 minutes
  • Drafting and Editing: First Draft → Revised Draft•2 minutes
  • Drafting and Editing: Funky on Fridays•2 minutes

This week, we will focus on the benefits of naming things, especially when trying to improve skills like writing and editing.

What's included

5 videos5 readings5 assignments5 app items1 discussion prompt3 plugins

5 videos•Total 9 minutes
  • Previously On•1 minute•Preview module
  • To Name is to Know and Remember•3 minutes
  • Punctuation and Professionalism: Semicolon Deviation•1 minute
  • Notes on Nuance: "At Best, At Worst"•2 minutes
  • Takeaways•0 minutes
5 readings•Total 51 minutes
  • Good with Words Chapter 10 ("To Name is to Know and Remember")•20 minutes
  • Notes on Nuance: "At Best, At Worst"•10 minutes
  • Book Recommendations (Psychology)•10 minutes
  • Course Feedback•10 minutes
  • Keep Learning with Prof. Barry and Michigan Online•1 minute
5 assignments•Total 50 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Low-Stakes Practice•5 minutes
  • Punctuation Practice: Semicolon Deviation•5 minutes
  • Notes on Nuance Practice "At Best, At Worst"•5 minutes
  • Weekly Review (Graded)•30 minutes
5 app items•Total 50 minutes
  • Exercise—Previously On•10 minutes
  • Exercise—Good Sentences (Property)•15 minutes
  • Exercise—Takeaways •5 minutes
  • (Optional) Exercise—Thank You Letter•10 minutes
  • Course Discussion•10 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
  • Book Recommendations (Psychology)•10 minutes
3 plugins•Total 6 minutes
  • Drafting and Editing: "Finished vs. Abandoned"•2 minutes
  • Drafting and Editing: Hilton Als, Gore Vidal, and Tennessee Williams•1 minute
  • Drafting and Editing: "My Pencils Outlast Their Erasers"•3 minutes

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Instructor

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4.9 (60 ratings)
Patrick Barry
Patrick Barry
University of Michigan
16 Courses•227,858 learners

Offered by

University of Michigan

Offered by

University of Michigan

The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.

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    Specialization

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Learner reviews

4.8

364 reviews

  • 5 stars

    83.51%

  • 4 stars

    12.63%

  • 3 stars

    3.02%

  • 2 stars

    0.54%

  • 1 star

    0.27%

Showing 3 of 364

C
CM
4

Reviewed on Jun 12, 2023

Great course for getting more into drafting. Course is not focused on the mechanics of drafting, but rather considerations to have about writing.

J
JA
4

Reviewed on Aug 8, 2022

Excellent content with good insightful exercises and tests

J
JM
5

Reviewed on Jan 3, 2021

Patrick Barry has put together a terrific series of courses! Skills in the nuances of writing, organizing complex ideas, planning, how to get around 'blocks' and get started. Well worth it!

View more reviews
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