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New Class Added September 1, 2010

The Art of Writing Horror

[add] In this new writing workshop, author and international educator Laurie Notch explores the art of writing horror fiction that will get published. The course presents detailed instructions on how to write horror fiction that will keep readers turning pages, eager for more. Learn how to structure your plot so that the story flows from beginning to end; create tension, conflict, and cliffhangers; use dialogue to reveal a character’s evil motives, set a frightening mood, create fear, and heighten suspense. Whether you yearn to write about ghosts, creepy dolls, insane asylums, or terrifying maniacs, this writing workshop will help you discover the horror in everyday life and turn it into a potential bestseller.

How to Date in a Healthy Way

[add] Explore the fundamental obstacles preventing you from being able to enjoy a lasting relationship in this short course packed with helpful tips on dating and evaluating the health of your love relationships. Learn how to conduct your own personal inventory to discover who you are and what you want in a relationship; how to recognize why you are losing at love by clinging to people who won’t commit themselves; how to make yourself more appealing to others, how to discard unhealthy relationship habits, and how to build your self-esteem in today's youth and beauty-obsessed culture. Dating maven and songwriter Melanie Clark wrote this course for KSURF and will lead the class.

Building an Offline Home Page

[add] Most HTML courses focus on how to create web pages for others to enjoy. This course takes a different approach — you will learn how to apply basic HTML techniques you already know to create an offline home page. More than a simple web page, an offline home page is a browser-interfaced, virtual workspace that resides on your personal computer and can only be viewed by you — so you can include links you would never share on a public webpage such as shortcuts to your online banking and shopping accounts. Instructor Richard De A'Morelli also explains how to create buttons that you can use to log in to your accounts on popular services such as Gmail, Yahoo Groups, and Facebook with a single mouse click.

New Classes Added August 1, 2010

Writing Fiction Step by Step

[add] This intensive writing workshop, packed with thirty daily lessons, will get your fiction writing dreams on track! The course was created for aspiring writers and those who want to take fiction writing to the next level. Multi-book author, college instructor, and writing coach Delphine Boswell demystifies and breaks down the art of creating characters, plot, dialogue, and tension. Daily tutorials and writing prompts will simplify the process of creating believable settings, and writers will learn how to use a variety of story telling techniques such as point of view and voice.

Introduction to Personal Journaling

[add] We all have stories to tell – family hardships, a first kiss, life-changing moments, long- guarded secrets. In this course, you will learn how to write a personal journal about the people, places, and events that have been important milestones in your life. Journaling in a powerful catalyst that can help you work through problems, heal relationships, and relate more meaningfully to your past and present. It is also one of the best and least expensive ways to get to know yourself better! London-based journaling enthusiast and holistic teacher Callie Carling will mentor the class.

Memoir Writing: The Journey to Me

[add] This short writing course offers practical ways to bring the story teller within you to life! The memoir is the most popular and expressive literary form of our time. A memoir, in the simplest of terms, is your story. Some have described it as a written scrapbook of memories. In this class, you will learn how to record the significant events in your life and turn your personal story into a captivating memoir. Instructor Catherine Lamberg will mentor the class. Although there are no prerequisites, students may find it helpful to take Introduction to Personal Journaling as a preparation for this course.

New Classes Added July 2010

How to Brand Your Product or Company

[add] Why do consumers pay more for Apple’s iPhone™ when they could buy a generic phone with similar features for a lower price? The answer to this intriguing question lies in the power of branding. In this new course, marketing expert Barry Silverstein reveals how a small business or entrepreneur can create, improve, and market their brand. Whether your business is large or small, global or local, you'll discover a wealth of new insights that you can use to create a winning image for your company and products.

Fantasy Writing Workshop

[add] In this hands-on writing workshop, you will learn the basic steps to writing a short fantasy story. Fantasy author Andrea Stanet will delve into issues unique to this genre such as creating worlds, creatures, and magic systems. The course begins with a brief overview of the different sub-categories of Fantasy genre and ends with the student completing a short fantasy story. By the end of this course, you will have the skills necessary to create an enchanting tale that will leave your readers spellbound!

Christology: The Essence and Nature of Jesus Christ

[add] Enrich your understanding of the essence and nature of Jesus Christ in this wonderfully illuminating course. Join Brian Neese in a this short journey to gain thought-provoking insights into the single most important person who forever changed the world – Jesus Christ. Christology is the study of the person of Jesus, with a focus on His nature and essence. It seeks to understand not just what Jesus did, but who He was and is. In this course, we will examine the nature of Jesus Christ and accepted theories surrounding this as well as other relevant implications.

How to be Organized (...In Spite of Yourself!)

[add] This is not just a course about time management and clutter control. It is about prioritizing what is truly important in your life and liberating yourself from what is not. With Sara Salas as your guide, learn how to break out of a lifetime of bad habits and time-wasting behavior. The course will reward you many times over as you find yourself once again able to enjoy the simple pleasures in life: family, friends, and more time to do the things you most enjoy.

Principles of Strategic Management

[add] How do we grow our business and please customers? What's the best way to increase gross income and sales? Who are our competitors and what strategic moves are business rivals likely to make next? Join financial guru Jason Willoughby in this short course for those who are seeking answers to these questions, those who want a winning strategy, and those who want to stay ahead of the competition. The course will provide a brief introduction to the evolution of strategic management, how to develop strategies, and the process of developing a strategic plan using the SWOT Analysis method. The course will also examine strategy analytical tools, as well as the process of crafting and executing company strategies.

New Classes Added June 2010

Your Screen Writing Career

[add] This wonderfully in-depth and revealing 26-unit course, taught by Hollywood screenwriter and multi-titled author Skip Press, will give aspiring screenwriters an insider view of the business of screenwriting. Mr. Press explores industry trends, historical perspectives, and examines the structure of a screenplay. Participants will learn how to successfully write for this glamorous and lucrative market. Skip Press has taught this popular course to thousands of writers through college extension programs for twenty years and we're pleased to welcome him to KSURF!

Writing A Romance Novel That Will Get Published

[add] Learn the basic skills needed to write a romance novel in this hands-on course led by multi-published romance novelist Leigh Barbour. By the end of the course, students who complete the writing assignments will have laid the foundation to write their own category romance novel. Topics covered will include an overview of the romance publishing industry, types of romance novels, characterization and plots, settings, viewpoints, description, narrative and style, dialogue, sensuality, pacing, revision, available resources, and a look at marketing.

Writing As A Healing Art

[add] Writing is more than just a way to communicate ideas to others: it is a tool we can use for healing, self-discovery, and empowerment. In this expanded nine-week course, London-based Holistic teacher Callie Carling explores a variety of popular writing genre and techniques for using writing as a healing art. Each lesson provides insights into a useful technique, a writing prompt designed to promote self-healing, helpful tips to motivate you and get your creative juices flowing, and suggested inspirational readings.

How to Save and Invest Wisely

[add] Over the past several years, the stock market has become an unpredictable and risky proposition. In this fact-filled course, financial planning expert Chuck Weinstein explores high and low-risk alternatives for saving and investing wisely. In- depth lessons delve into the pros and cons of conventional savings accounts, CDs, money market accounts, bonds, mutual funds, and other popular investment strategies. Take the first step to achieving financial security and independence in this intensive workshop.

Writing A Press Release

[add] This short but thorough course explores the basics of how to write a press release. Join published nonfiction author Gloria Oren in learning what a press release is, the role it can play for a business or a client, and important points to consider before sitting down to write a press release. The course will examine when and why to write a press release (and when not to bother), the nuts and bolts of structure and style, how to format a press release, and who to send the finished press release to so your story will be told.