Aoise Stratford is a dramaturg, playwright, and lecturer at Cornell University’s Department of Performing and Media Arts, as well as director of education at The Cherry Arts, a not-for-profit arts facilitator and presenting organization. Her plays have won several awards and been produced around the world, including at National Theatre London, Solo Chicago, and the New York City Fringe. Locally, Ms. Stratford has co-authored two walking headphone plays for The Cherry and adapted “A Christmas Carol” for The Hangar Theater. Her work on The Cherry’s season seeks to provide meaningful production context for audiences and to spark, foster, and facilitate community conversations — as well as inspire action — about displacement, dispossession, migration, and oppression. Ms. Stratford holds a Ph.D. in Theatre History and Dramatic Literature from Cornell and an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of San Francisco.
Course Overview
The way a story is told can shape its impact and deepen its connection with readers. This course explores the strategic use of narrative perspective and voice to craft distinctive, engaging stories. By experimenting with different points of view, tonal approaches, and voice techniques, you will refine your storytelling style while building meaningful connections with your audience. Examples from multiple genres, including poetry and film, will provide inspiration and expand your narrative toolkit.
The following courses are required to be completed before taking this course:
- Developing the Story and Idea
- World-Building and Character Development
- Building Blocks of Scene and Structure
Key Course Takeaways
- Control narrative distance and intimacy through strategic point-of-view choices
- Create compelling unreliable narrators and complex narrative perspectives
- Develop distinctive writing voices that authentically engage readers
- Craft effective relationships between narrator, character, and audience
- Apply advanced voice and POV techniques across different genres and mediums
How It Works
Course Length
2 weeks
Effort
6 to 8 hours of study per week
Format
100% online, instructor-led
Course Author
Aoise Stratford
Senior Lecturer
Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences
Senior Lecturer, Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences
Who Should Enroll
- Aspiring writers (fiction, playwriting, screenwriting, memoirs)
- Journalists
- Content writers
- Actors
- Teachers
- Publishing and editing professionals
- Individuals looking to adapt or develop stories to a new medium
- Anyone with an interest in narrative storytelling
Get It Done
100% Online
100% Online
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