Course overview
Description generated based on course syllabus and open data.
About the course. The program covers genres and structures, the hero’s journey, fact-checking, interviews, literary reportage, headlines, research and writing tools. Lecturers: Miriam Dragina (20+ years in the field) and Sasha Strelnikov (9+ years of editorial experience).
Who TEXT CREATION fits and who a writing course does not
Best for
- beginners in writing and storytelling seeking structure;
- journalists, editors, content writers, non-fiction authors;
- professionals working with interviews, reportage and columns;
- those aiming to improve text structure, headlines and fact-checking;
- those planning to compile a portfolio across formats.
Not ideal if
- you expect instant outcomes without practice time;
- you need ready-made templates instead of material development;
- you do not plan to work with sources, fact-checking and transcripts;
- you cannot commit to homework.
Problems in text creation → workable outcomes in writing
- Scattered ideas → structured ideation and a year-long editorial agenda.
- Weak structure → clear plans based on composition models and the hero’s journey.
- Poor headlines → practical approaches to titles and subheads.
- Unclear genre → recognizing genres and their traits in modern media.
- Fact-check gaps → data verification workflow and source handling.
- Interview hurdles → question planning, recording, transcribing and formatting.
Comparison with alternatives for text writing
Self-study
Flexible pace and wide material choice, yet no systematic feedback or cohesive progression.
Short masterclasses
Targeted techniques, but limited practice time and topic depth.
The TEXT CREATION course
20 sessions combining theory, practical tasks, feedback, and building a portfolio of 9 multi-genre texts.
Learning outcomes: text creation in practice
- Understanding of genres: news brief, interview, column, literary reportage.
- Constructing texts via the hero’s journey and structural frameworks.
- Interview planning and execution, transcription, and layout (lede, Q&A).
- Headline and subheadline practice across formats.
- Fact-checking, working with sources, and research basics.
- Ideation and editorial agenda building; audience definition and persona.
- Use of writing tools for research and note organization.
- A portfolio of 9 works developed through practice and feedback sessions.
Course Description
Lecturers
Miriam Dragina- 20+ years in the profession- author and presenter of programs at Radio Aristocrats, Hromadske Radio, creative producer at Old Fashioned Radio, columnist at Ukrainska Pravda, Elle Magazine, L'Officiel, platfor.ma, Radiosvoboda- worked with Fedoriv Agency and was published in Vogue Ukraine- her short stories and poems on popular science topics appear in international periodicals and collections- participated in the international poetry festival Meridian Czernowitz, the Babelsprech literary residence, and literary evenings at the Haus für Poesie in Berlin- taught at the Kyiv Screen media school
Sasha Strelnikov- 9+ years in the profession- Editor-in-Chief of AIN.UA.- Ex-Lead Editor of the largest IT community in Ukraine DOU- worked as a deputy editor-in-chief of one of the largest all-Ukrainian publications NV- has recorded hundreds (edited thousands) of interviews with top politicians, economists, military and other heroes who influence the life of the country- acted as a special correspondent at the Frankfurt Book Fair, created a mini-film about the resistance of the Ukrainian Donbas and implemented a special project dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy- Together with his team, he created the first guide to Ukrainian military-tech companies
